u p d a t e

Friends of the ABC (NSW) Inc.q u a rterly newsletterDecember 2002 Vol 14, No. 4

i n c o r p o r a t i n gb a c k g round briefingnational magazine

friends of the abcu p d a t eWorld Trade Negotiations: Trading Away Our Culture?

Public Interest Advocate Dr PatriciaRanald, pursues a depressing proposition- What if our government signed aninternational agreement which meant wecould no longer have minimum levels ofAustralian content in film and television,and no more preferential funding forAustralian film, art and culture?

And what if such an agreement meantfunds for a public broadcaster like theABC had to be shared with commercialp roviders? Impossible? Unfortunately not.

The Australian government is takingpart in negotiations in the World TradeOrganisation (WTO) on a WTO GeneralAgreement on Trade in Services (GATS)which could have these results. But thenegotiations take place over the nexttwo years…and there is still a chanceto stop these proposals.

So what is GATS?

The Australian government and othermember governments of the WTOsigned the General Agreement on Tradein Services (GATS) in 1994. It potentiallyapplies to all services, from banking totransport and telecommunications, tohealth, education and prisons. GATSaims to promote international trade inservices, and to remove barriers tosuch trade.

Although some GATS rules apply toall services, many only apply to thoseservices which each government agre e sto list in the agreement.

Continued on 2

Farewell Penelope Toltz

The 2002Annual GeneralMeeting of theFriends in NSWsaw the end ofan era when

Penelope Toltz, President for thepast six years, stepped down. Atthat meeting Penelope Toltz wasunanimously elected a Life Memberof FABC (NSW) Inc., an honourwhich I know she will cherish.

When I joined the Committee in1999, the ‘Friends’ was PenelopeToltz. She was the driving force inelection campaigns. She was thepublic face of the Friends in NSW,constantly being a flea in the ear ofpoliticians and bureaucrats alike.Her energies also involved organis-ing events, such as the ChristmasParty and other fund raising ven-tures so important to the ‘Friends’.

T h a n k f u l l y, in the past four yearsw e have, through forming Sub-Committees, freed Penelope fromtime consuming tasks enabling herto do what she has done so effec-tively – political lobbying.

During her Presidency the num-ber of Branches in NSW grew from4 to 14. Membership of the ‘Friends’has increased markedly, particularlyduring the Shier era when ABCsupporters became outraged atwhat was happening to their ABC.

I have been in admiration of

Penelope’s commitment to fightingfor the ABC, her energy in beingavailable to support meetings andevents throughout NSW and herconsiderable knowledge of PublicBroadcasting (here and in othercountries).

The highlight of Penelope’sPresidency must surely have beenthe highly successful ExtraordinaryShareholders’ Meeting at theSydney Opera House in April, 2001when 15,000 “Shareholders” of theABC sent a very strong message tothe Government and the ABC Board .

Always supporting Penelope hasbeen her husband, Laurence, apassionate ‘Friend’ in his own right.

I take great comfort in knowingthat Penelope’s experience andknowledge will not be lost to theFriends and she will remain just ascommitted to the cause as she hasbeen for the past seven years.

Gary Cook

Inside:President's Final Report...........3ABC's Audience Surging..........4Media Ownership Debate.........7A Sentimental Journey............10What is GATS?.........................13Will Pay TV Tyrannise Free TV..14Identifying False Criticism......17Dr Karl, Roy & HG...................18

A Tribute to Past President Penelope Toltz. NewFABC President, Gary Cook, who put the motionthat Penelope should be made a life member -carried unanimously - paid her this tribute.

Page 1

As the ABC prepares its triennial submission forfunding, ABC MD describes it as an argument about“what we do, what it costs, and why it is necessary”

Every Three Years

Each plank of thatfunding submission, Mr Balding says,is an opportunity expressly linked toan outcome for audiences. ”Whileeconomic arguments will dominate thedebate, we will also support the casefor our cultural objectives.”

The submission evidence includes: • Good governance, as indicated bythe recent ANAO performance audit.

• Substantial efficiency and productiv-ity gains over the past 5 to 6 yearsand current efficiency drawing on thecurrent Output Pricing Review.

• Comparative ABC funding levels,drawing on a Macquarie Bank analysisof a number of international, nationaland historical benchmarks.

”We've been through a BusinessServices Review and an OutputPricing Review, the ANAO hasscoured the organisation, we'vereformed our complaints handling pro-cesses, Corporate Governance prac-tices, and various performance mea-surements,” Balding said.

”We now have numerous compara-tive industry benchmarks as a result ofour international public broadcasterbenchmarking exercise.

”Yet, the international public broad-caster you most often hear the ABCcompared with is the BBC.”

• BBC funding is 8 to 9 times ours,but the UK population is just threetimes ours.

• Cutting back just one layer of BBCbureaucracy, produced about $A800million to put back into programming.

• The BBC’s local radio network of 45stations would fit into Australia 32times.

• The BBC costs an equivalent of 87cents a day whereas the ABC costs atthe moment 9.4 cents a day.

• The BBC was built, grew andsecured its position as a monopoly;the ABC was in a mixed economyfrom the word go. Mr Balding saidthat since 1996 the ABC had beenreduced, reformed, refocused andrestructured to the limit. Funding haddeclined in real terms since the 80's,

“Years of doing morewith less have taken theirtoll; we are at the limit ofour comprehensive-ness.There are no morerabbits left in the hat,”Balding said.

The Friends AGM at whichPenelope Toltz retired and GaryCook was elected President alsosaw Dev Webber pass theMembership Secretary’s role on toCarolyn Green who can be con-tacted on 02- 9144 1351 or 0417650 443 or

[email protected], Lilianne Leroy, waselected Vice President.

Although in favour of a pro-posed restructure, members wereunable to agree on the constitu-tional changes involved and sentthem back to the committee to

review and to consider an appro-priate forum, with branchesinvolved, to redraft the amend-ments.There was a lively debatebut speakers stressed the Friends’overriding consideration was toprotect and promote the ABC.

The meeting rose to a standingovation to farewell Penelope andshe in turn saluted her fellow-friends as people of strong idealsand commitment, as very specialmen and women whom she mightnot have met, except for theircommon concerns about the ABC.

A Lively Meeting – An Emotional Farewell.

Great Lakes FABCinvites members to a

CHRISTMAS Sunset

Supper By The SeaSunday 15th December,

6.00 – 9.00 pm

Meet with ABCFriends and enjoy theviews over Forster’s

Main BeachGuests to bring a plate,

bottle, and/or a donation.

RSVP and furtherdetails from

Marty 6555 2442 Audrey 6554 8507

And when the party’sover we can get down againto Great Lakes’ priorities -concentrating on increasingfunding for the ABC andlessening political influenceand campaigning on otherrecommended issues, par-ticularly the implications ofGATS.

Audrey Semon

‘Friends’Christmas

PartyFri d ay 6 Dec.

6 pm - 8 pmDot Strong Terrace

ABC Ultimo700 Harris St$15 per person.

Bring a ‘Friend’Please RSVP by 2 Dec .

Pay by Cheque, VISA,MasterCard or Bankcard to

Peter Burke2 Ayers Rd,

St Ives 2075

This will be my final report for theFriends of the ABC (NSW) Inc UpdateMagazine. In the last five and a halfyears I have had an absolute ball.I have gained so much from my timeas president of this wonderfulorganisation. I have met terrific people- people whose paths would neverhave crossed mine in other circum-stances. I have answered thousandsof phone calls, hundreds of emails,hundreds of faxes and many snail mailletters. I have met super ABC Staffand presenters who have generouslygiven their time to speak and appearat Friends' events of all types.

I have spoken to Rotary, Universityof the Third Age, and many othergroups, including the Voice of theListener and Viewer in London and theAustralian HistoricalSociety. I have had the pleasure ofopening up new Friends of the ABCgroups all over New South Wales andhave enjoyed meeting so many peoplein our regional and rural areas.

As I look back, I cannot believe thenumber of activities in which theFriends of the ABC (NSW) Inc haveparticipated over the last five and ahalf years. Beginning with the firstrally in the Sydney Domain in 1996where we held a very successful stall,to stalls at the ABC Open day at theCricket Ground, stalls at NewtownFair, and Gardening Australia, Livespeeches at a conference at Universityof Technology in 2000 to universitystudents, Toastmasters, Rotary and ofcourse big rallies at the St Andrews'Square in Sydney, and the huge firstShareholders' meeting in April 2001

at the Sydney Opera House where Iwas so delighted to see banners fromour groups all over New South Wales.

We now have an Events Sub-com-

mittee under the expert leadership ofGary Cook which has co-ordinatedstalls and other events including theChristmas Party for the last three years.

Since 1996 the Friends of the ABChas grown and prospered andincreased its membership by hun-dreds of percent. Even now I am notsure of the membership when I cameon board. The computersystem was one that wasimpenetrable to most peo-ple. In more recent times wehave installed computer pro-grams which make keeping ourrecords much easier and enable us toextract specific information quickly.

We had a banner made for the firststall at the Domain Rally and a verygenerous benefactor gave us 1000tee shirts to sell. This took the Friendsof the ABC into the black at the bankand began our fighting fund. Over thelast few years we have had designedmore complex and interesting teeshirts, including my personal favouritewith a fish skeleton and caption "Don'tGut the ABC" together with caps, andpens. This, apart from our subscrip-tions and raffles at our events, is ouronly source of revenue.

I must mention two important peo-ple who were on the first committeewhen I came on board "just for a few

months and only to help with thecampaign". Kate Smorty, my treasurerat the time, came with me to stalls,which we often ran, alone, sheencouraged me when I got down andeven today, helps me get my filingsystem into some sort of order.

Hugh Sykes was the secretarywhen I joined. It was due to him that Ibecame president. I had never doneanything like this before. Ourpresident had resigned and Hughasked me to stand. I didn't know whatpresidents did, I told him. “Oh forheaven's sake he replied, you'vebeen doing it for months, just keepdoing what you are doing now.” Andso I did.

In the first couple of years westruggled, but gradually more andmore people came on board. We gotour first web master, Sherman Young,who designed our first web page. Wehad a design group revamp the maga-zine, letterhead and “rebrand” us forfree for which I am eternally grateful.

I still remember the ABC's anniver-sary in 1997 when the Friends of theABC held a sausage sizzle on thefootpath in Harris Street, servingbreakfast and birthday cake to mem-bers of staff under seige. I got emails

Continued on Page 19

‘Thumbnail’ Sketch of FABC’sNew President: Gary Cook

Gary Cook steps up to the President’s chair afterthree years as Vice-President, FABC (NSW) Inc. He hasbeen on the committee since 1999, for all four years asChair of the Recruitment and Events Sub-Committee,

which organises fund raising ventures with stalls at large fairs in and aroundSydney, development and sale of FABC merchandise, and Friends’ socialevents, such as the Christmas Party,

Recently retired, Gary’s professional background includes the past fouryears as a property consultant for Woolworths. Prior to that he spent thirteenyears with Carlton & United Breweries and, earlier, 26 years with its predeces-sor, Tooths Breweries.

On the sporting front, Gary was a Rugby League Grand Final referee(1976 and 1977) and then a television and radio commentator for the ABC(1981-1987). He still regularly plays tennis and squash.

He is passionate about the ABC and committed to working for a restora-tion of adequate funding plus sufficient funds for the resumption of quality in-house production, non-political appointments to the ABC Board and renewednurturing and development of staff.

It's Not Good Bye...Simply Au Revoir

ABC MD, Russell Balding, choseMelbourne to make his first addressto the Australian media because, hesaid, Melbourne was not only RichardAlston’s city, but it also happened tobe that of the Treasurer. Here’s anextract from what was a triumphantm e s s a g e .

On my appointment as Acting MD inNovember last year, I was intent initial-ly on rebuilding morale and focuswithin the ABC and rebuilding the rela-tionship with our audiences and t h eC o r p o r a t i o n ’s other constituencies.

In relation to our audiences: ABCTelevision audiences are currently theirhighest ever, with overall growth of7.5% this year compared to 2001.ABC Radio's reach is also the highestever.

Comparing the first six months ofthis year to the same period in 2001,growth was significant in all areas.

Television• Overall growth of 7.5% • In people aged 40 - 54, growth of

8.7%;• In the 55-64 age group growth of

9.7%; and• The aged 65+ growth of 10%.

ABC Local Radio• Overall growth of 5%. • In people aged 25-39, growth of

8%; and• In people aged 40-54, growth of

9%.

ABC Online• Overall growth of 25% • Accesses to The Backyard at

ABC Online have grown by 53%.

On television we launched BusinessBreakfast five days a week starting on3rd June. On 4th August we launchedInside Business, Seven Days andAsia Pacific Focus and extendedInsiders to deliver a two-hour blockon Sunday mornings of quality anddistinctive programs on society, cul-ture, politics and money.

On radio we extended NewsRadioto the Gold Coast in February, toGosford in July, launched our seventhradio network - the new digital internet

radio service Dig – and RadioNational introduced a suite of newprograms including - Nightclub, All inthe Mind, The Makers, Street Stories,and The Quiz.

Funding a real challenge

Delivering more Australian contentfor television is never easy. Sourcingthe funds beyond the appropriationsprovided to the ABC by Parliament isa real challenge.

But the ABC recently secured twosignificant funding arrangements, theWestern Australian Governmentagreeing to provide $3.2m for televi -sion dramas and documentaries to bemade in WA, co-produced withthe ABC; and an ABC partner-ship with the Australian FilmCommission that d e d i c a t e s$2.1m to broadband content.

This quiet period of refocusing ofthe ABC on the main game of pro-grams and reclaiming some of our tra-ditional turf has, I think, been essen-tial. If that means we are no longerconducting our daily business in the-headlines, so be it. The correct role forthe ABC is not to be the news, but toreport the news.

A Community Appreciation Surveywas conducted by Newspoll last Juneto measure perceptions about theABC's quality, balance, and fulfilmentof its Charter.

In 2002, 9 out of 10 Australians(91%) believe the ABC provides “avaluable service to the community” arise of 5% since 1999.

Now what other media organisation,what other private company, whatother public body enjoys that level ofcommunity support?

Balanced, not biased

Newspoll also sought communityviews on whether the ABC was bal-anced and even-handed.

I can assure you their view is notheld by the wider Australian community.The Newspoll survey found that 79%of Australians believe the ABC is “bal-anced and even-handed” in news andcurrent affairs.

95% of those surveyed who hadviewed ABC 7pm Television Newsbelieved it did a good jobof being “balanced andeven-handed”. With audi-ences of The 7.30 Report, AM/PMand The World Today 89%, 89% and86% respectively believed these pro-grams did a good job of being “bal-anced and even-handed”.

“Only 2%”

Of our audience contacts only 2%were complaints about bias. Over halfwere perceptions of bias against or forone football team over another andperceived bias against men, againstwomen, against atheists and Christians.Let's not forget that a perception ofbias is not a proof of bias.

What else is planned? We are rein-troducing weekend local news ser-vices to the Northern Territory and theACT. It is difficult for me to get uphere today and argue that the ABC istruly a national broadcaster when theACT and Northern Territory do nothave an ABC weekend televisionnews service.

People in the Territories, just likepeople in our States, want and need agood local news service - seven daysa week. These new services will belaunched on the Australia Day week-end next year.

Issues for the future

You will all appreciate that thebroadcasting and media industries arecontinually confronted by either realchange or the threat of change.Youonly have to look at the number ofpolicy and regulatory issues on thetable at present.

Change will not only come throughnew technologies but through the vari -ous Government policy initiatives cur-rently under review, like the Broad-casting Services Amendment Bill andproposed changes to media o w n e r-ship regulation…like the ACCC’s exam-ination of the Foxtel/Optus merger.

We have previously outlined toGovernment that the ABC believes allits channels and services should be

Continued on Page 5

Needed More Than Ever: Everyone’s ABC

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

The ABC’s Staff Elected Director,Ramona Koval, is one of Australia’seminent literary figures. She pre-sents and produces Australia's fore-most literary radio program, Booksand Writing, and occasionally co-

presents Australia Talks Books, the biggest book club inthe country, on ABC Radio National.

Her programs are broadcast nationally on RadioNational, internationally through Radio Australia, and onthe Internet. Ms Koval writes features and columns onissues of the day for The Age and The WeekendAustralian, among other newspapers, and makes docu-mentary features for radio. Ms Koval has been a guestinterviewer at literary festivals in Edinburgh, Berlin and allover Australia.

She is the author of a novel ‘Samovar’ (Minerva) andt h ree books of non-fiction, including a Jewish Cook Book.She has worked as an academic at RMIT University andthe University of Melbourne and before that as a microbi-ologist and geneticist. In 2001 she held a GoetheInstitute Fellowship in Berlin and was 'writer in residence'at The Australia Centre, Berlin.

Ms Koval was guest speaker at the Friends AGM. Asthe ABC’s Staff Elected Director - a unique role, she said:she wasn’t a manager, a lawyer or an accountant. Shewas the only broadcaster on the Board.

Her job was to convince her fellow directors theywere not running Lucas Heights.

“We are a broadcasting organisation, good at tellingpeople things,” Ms Koval said. “But as program makersit’s getting harder and harder. Budgets for RN programshave been cut and travel funds slashed.”

“I was invited to the last Edinburgh Festival to con-duct literary interviews for the festival, and eventually forRadio National, but I had to pay my own way and theFestival put me up. The ABC didn’t have the money.”

“A 30 per cent loss in core funding over 15 yearsmeans fewer dramas, a lack of documentaries and anaccelerated risk of declining Australian content. The ABCcan’t tighten any further. There’s no excess and no fat.”

Footnote: Ramona Koval can be contacted at Books andWriting ABC Radio National and at website

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/arts/booksw.htm

The AFC and ABC Combine inGroundbreaking Doco Productions

Program-making partners, ABC New Mediaand the Australian Film Commission, arelaunching another highly original online docu-mentary - dealing with homelessness.

Produced by Trevor Graham, Rose Hespand Rob Wellington, Homeless explores thelives of six people in six cities with one thing incommon - they are all homeless. The programo ffers a compassionate insight into their diff e re n texperiences.

We spend a cold night in Tokyo, beg inJakarta, drink on the streets of Sydney, experi-ence the extreme poverty of New Delhi, spenda night in a women's refuge in New York andsuffer a sleepless night with a newbaby in London. Each person’s experi-ence of homelessness, what got themthere and the future they face, isunique and engaging.

Homeless received additional financial sup-port from the Australian Centre for the MovingImage and the Uniting Church.

Visit Homeless, and other ABC Online docu-mentaries, at http://abc.net.au/documentary-online Homeless is one of four programs thepartnership has launched.

Needed More than Ever:Everyone's ABC

Continued from Page 4

carried on all pay platforms andany common free-to-air/payTVplatform so that they are acces-sible to all Australians.

This would be most effectivelyachieved through a ‘must carry’provision for all ABC services inthe Broadcasting Services Act.Professor Fels accepts theadvice we provided to the ACCC,and is now speaking of thenecessity of legislation, ratherthan undertakings, to ensurecarriage on the platform.

You can have all the retrans-mission agreements in the world,but they can quite easily beundone further down the track.Legislation can only be undoneby Parliament.

Common set top box

The ABC supprts a commonfree-to-air/pay TV set top box

and platform to ensure that allmetropolitan, regional andremote viewers can watch locallyrelevant free-to-air content andpay TV services and can navigateseamlessly betweenthe two. (See StewartFist’s article on Page 14)

Media diversity

H o w e v e r, re g a rdless of the out-c o m e of the proposed legisla-tion, I would like to stress theimportance of media diversityand media independence in anydemocratic society.

The ABC is already essentialfor all those one newspapertowns across the country. Duringthe possible reformation ahead,it will be needed more than ever- particularly for news and cur-rent affairs which remains freefrom c o m m e rcial and politicali n f l u e n c e.

Any definition of media diversitywhich does not include the ABCis meaningless.

Ramona Koval ABC’s Staff Elected Director

“Traces of Shierisms remain, but I note that MrBalding has returned to the RAAF the $300,000 itpaid for a documentary portrait of itself to be made.

I hope he continues such reversals restating theABC’s proper role.”

ABC Staff-elected Director, Ramona Koval.

The 2002Andrew OlleLecture wasdelivered by theChairman ofNews Limited,

Lachlan Murdoch, under the head-ing “The Pulse of Humanity”. A lotof people were amazed at thechoice of speaker. Perhaps evenmore were taken aback at some ofthe sentiments he expressed. NewsLimited’s Chair was particularlyharsh on what he called the ‘mediaelite’, by inference particularly theABC. Here is an extract.

I know that reality may be anath-ema to many of you here tonight.But I don't expect I should be hereto tell you what you want to hear.Good speeches are those that comefrom the heart, that ring true. Andtonight I want to challenge what Iregard as the orthodoxy of themedia elite.

The industry is littered with self-styled purists who believe the busi-ness of media - the requirement tomake a profit - somehow corruptsthe craft. The self-anointed mediaelite among us believe, somewhatself-servingly, that notonly the act, or processof making a profit ispositively sinister, butalso that the very desire to do so is.

Two years ago this forum wastold that Australian journalists workedin two distinct camps - “commercialjournalism or serious journalism”. Inthat speech we were told, and Iquote:

“The horse has bolted. The ideathat owners of media organisationsregard the practice of journalism asa public service is as outdated asthe idea that businesses operate inthe interests of a better world.” Thespeaker went on to say that com-mercial journalism encompassed“popular magazines, tabloid news-papers and news and current affairson commercial TV and radio”, whileserious journalism was restricted tometropolitan broadsheets and theABC because, absurdly, seriousjournalism was more akin to charity

than to business. Well, this blokecouldn't have been more wrong.

Elite defined

You can see here that theAustralian media elite define theirclub through standards designedonly to exclude. Entry requires thatyou either rely on tax payers’ moneyto draw your pay cheque, or thatyour newspaper folds twice over,and God forbid, don't ever eventhink about a profit.

I noted a letter to The Australianthis Thursday on this very issue. Itquoted the Canadian writer, JohnRalston Saul who said: “Highlysophisticated elites are the easiestand least original thing a society canproduce.”

I agree. I happen to think thatserious journalism is aboutinforming the community,reflecting their interests andchampioning their causes.The size of a newspaper is irre l e v a n t .

The Times of London may beone of our finest journalistic institu-tions; but in Australia so too is theHerald Sun, a tabloid and a greatcommercial success. I am equallyproud of The Australian, The DailyTelegraph, The Courier Mail and the'Tizer, and the way they each striveto serve their readers.

I believe narrow-mindedness -disguised as high-mindedness - risksmaking its media irrelevant, insteadof being as diverse and valuable toas many people as possible.

It seems that those who criticisethe larger media companies for theirreach and diversity are those whohave time and again been unsuc-cessful in their efforts to mimic them.

Culture without highs and lows

Their criticisms, ironically, identifythe factors for our success and theirfailure.

I think a point of pridefor companies like our ownis our ability to cater (for) allmembers of society; (for) alldemographics and everyone who

demands and deserves their ownquality media.

Our lack of loftiness is a point ofdistinction. We don't patronise ourreaders and audiences. We believethere's no “high culture” or “low cul-ture”.

No media is more worthy thanany other because of the age, i n -come or status of its target audience.

We, at News, find nodisparity in publishing aNobel Prize winning book,as we did this year, at thesame time making prof-itable movies such as “Titanic”, oreven, “Dude, Where’s My Car”.

Not to be open minded in pro-viding a full range of quality mediawould be a failure to serve thebreadth and depth of the communi-ties we live in. But in order to servethese diverse communities, we mustbe profitable.

The profit motive is not only fun-damental to our ability to rewardshareholders and pay employees;it’s fundamental toexcellent journalism.Far from corrupting thecraft, profits enhance it.Expansion drives diversity and diver-sity protects and strengthens ourcraft.

C o m m e rcial Journalism Or Serious Journ a l i s m - No Contest!

“A large corporation canalways find a way to bendthe rules and ignore thepublic good”

Andrzej LubowskiSenior Vice President at Visa, USA in San FranciscoWinner of a John S. Knight professional journalism fellowship at Stanford University World Press Review

October 2002

Guest speaker at the FriendsRegional Conference in Wollongonglast August, Dr. Derek Wilding,Director, Communications LawCentre, UNSW, assessed mediaownership implications for theABC...and the public.

While much of the current debateon media ownership has been heardbefore, it's worth re-stating one ofthe fundamental principles for whythe media is socially significant andwhy we regulate. This attempt toexplain the role of the media wasmade at a CLC conference in 1997:

'The media is a crucial watchdog;it is a fundamental pillar of democra-cy. It strongly influences how we asAustralians understand and interpretthe world around us, how we defineourselves. It shapes opinions, buildsa unifying sense of culture and influ-ences financial climates. It is thebarometer of the national psyche.'

The surprising point about thisquote is that it was made by SenatorAlston, the architect of the new billthat dismantles our media ownershipscheme. I don't suppose this audi-ence would be surprised at thea p p a rent contradiction in the Govern -ment's thinking, given its 'solemnpromise' in 1996 not to cut funding tothe ABC.

The new angle - editorial separation

This year's Media Ownership Billproposes that the foreign ownershiprules would be repealed outright andthat the cross-media rules wouldeffectively be repealed by providingfor an exemption system. The majorcondition attached to this system isa mechanism to ensure there wouldbe ‘editorial independence’ betweenthese co-owned media o r g a n i s a t i o n s .This grand statement, however, hassome serious flaws.

First, the Bill itself expressly statesthat 'sharing of resources or otherforms of co-operation' are acceptable.The Explanatory Memorandum statesthat 'co-operation should be encour-aged as owners seek to realise thee fficiencies from co-owned organisa-tions'.

Second, this attention to editorial

separation only ever purports toaddress direct editorial interference.It does nothing to address the prob-lem of a commercially-sensitive newsculture and a pattern ofself censorship on com-mercial matters affectingthe organisation.

The Flint view

Third, the test is to be adminis-tered by the Australian BroadcastingAuthority. On media ownership, theABA head David Flint has made whatwe consider to be inappropriatecomments, given the proposed roleof the ABA in independently andobjectively applying the conditionsfor exemption certificates. The Flintview is that companies such asNews Ltd and PBL are operating'with their hands tied behind theirbacks' and should be allowed toexpand. In this view of the world thepublic interest is located well andtruly behind commercial interests.

Fourth, the Bill has receivedwidespread condemnation fromindustry as well as public interestadvocates. Many commentators,including the Australian PressCouncil, say that it is too complex, itadds a further layer of regulation,and it invites the broadcasting regu-lator to intrude into matters of edito-rial policy in the print media.

Implications for the ABC

Aside from the infamous case ofKerry Packer personally cancellingDoug Mulray's Australia's NaughtiestHome Videos in 1992, there aren'tmany instances of direct editorialinterference on the part of propri-etors. It's more about the culture inwhich news is produced. It'sa big ask for a commercialnews organisation to reportopenly and uncritically onmatters which directly affect its owncommercial interests. And in someways, this doesn't matter. We're notgoing to rely solely on 2UE to reporton Cash for Comments. Instead, werely on there being alternatives.

The obvious alternative is the ABC.Importantly, it is only the ABC wherethe interest in media ownershipextends to anything other than merg-

ers and acquisitions and a marketperspective. ABC News, the 7.30Report and Lateline, as well as ahost of RN programs and local ABCstations offer a perspective that wesimply don't find anywhere else inthe broadcast media. This is thepublic interest per-spective, in contrastto that of the busi-ness analyst or politician.

But does this mean that a well-funded national broadcaster wouldserve as an adequate alternative forthe independent commercial mediasources that would be swallowed upin a consolidated market?

The ABC’s dilemma

The dilemma for the ABC is thatall political parties applaud the ABCand SBS for being widely accessibleand promoting diversity, but it's stillvery difficult to gain the kind of sup-port that will extend News Radiobeyond its current markets or allowregulatory scope and sufficient fundsto build a news channel as part of amulti-channel television environment.

The temptation to secure additionalfunding in exchange for whole-heart-edly adopting the idea of the ABC asthe alternative broadcaster must begreat.

What concerns me is that thenational broadcasters might assist inthe call for abolition of the cro s s - m e d i arules in return for short-term gains.The repeal of the cross-media ruleswill be no blessing for the ABC.Specific projects might be approved,but the funding short-fall is unlikely tobe fixed for the long-term. And let'sremember that the ABC's competi-tors in a consolidated market couldbe broadcasters with cross-mediaholdings in TV, radio, newspapers,pay TV, magazines, film exhibition anddistribution companies, online ven-tures, casinos, and of course, tele-communications companies.Thecompeting broadcaster may well bea very slick operator with the addi-tional market power of the Murdochor Fairfax press.

This is not a good result for theABC and it's not a good result formedia diversity in Australia.

The Media Ownership Debate and the ABC

Penelope Toltz with Guest Speaker, Stephen Crittenden ofRadio National’s Religion Report, and many Bathurst Friendscelebrating Aunty’s 70th birthday in the city’s Regional ArtGallery – surrounded by the splendours of the current exhibi-tion, the work of potter Greg Daly

Core Funding a Priority IssueA 70-strong annual general meeting of Bathurst

Friends of the ABC also cut a celebratory cake for thebirthday; but, down to business, both StephenCrittenden and Penelope Toltz stressed the importance

of rolling the temporary extra funding of ABC RegionalRadio into the ABC’s core funding.

“The fifty-five people employed under theGovernment’s 2001 tied funding grant will lose their jobswhen funding runs out in 2004,” Ms Toltz said, express-ing the essence of regional listener concerns.

The meeting elected a new committee with WarwickFranks as the new Bathurst Friends President, JimBlackwood Vice-President and Tracey Carpenter,Secretary and Julie Priddle, Treasurer.

Norah Taylor

Illawarra Friends of the ABC presented a cake to local ABCstaff to celebrate Auntie’s Birthday: Front: Mary Wharton,Peter Riley (ABC Illawarra Manager), Lily (Mary ’s graddaughter.Back: Jan Kent, Nick McLaren (ABC Reporter), Chris.Cartledge, Tony Arthur (ABC Presenter), Noel Manuel andJean Clarke.

The Illawarra Friends celebrated the 70th year ofthe ABC with a well attended dinner in Kiama. WithRichard Morecroft as guest speaker there was neverany doubt the evening would be a sell-out. Aroundninety people filled the Harbourside Restaurant atKiama lin late September.

The celebrations commenced with all presentsinging the song written by ABC’s Humour Australia forRadio 702’s celebrations held in Ultimo earlier thisyear. Sung to Advance Australia Fair, it starts with“Australians all let us rejoice for we’ve an ABC...”.It was a great mood setter for the evening.

Richard spoke about his fond memories of the threedecades he spent as ABC TV newsreader, relatingmany humourous incidnets during that period. He alsospoke about current and future projects he is under-taking. It was an entertaining and informative talk.

Richard donated three of his books as raffle prizesand signed copies of his books that fans had broughtalong. All in all it was a great way to celebrate 70 yearsof first class public broadcasting.

Chris Cartledge

Northern Rivers Branch Pinpointing the Issues

At its last meeting, members of the branch identifiedthe following issues as ones of high priority:

• Opposition to Senator Alston’s suggestion that anexternal body be appointed to investigate claims of political bias in ABC programs.

• Action to guard against the perceived “dumbing down” of ABC programs in the face of political intimidation.

• Support for the provisions of adequate funding of the ABC in the next triennium.

• Renewed pressure to ensure bipartisan appointments to the ABC board.

• Concerns about the implications of GATS for the ABC.

• Calls for NSW Friends Inc to organize an event to highlight the significance of the ABC, to be supported on the same day by branch action across the state.

Northern Rivers Members were holding their finalmeeting for the year at the Lismore Workers’ Club (7.30pm) on Wednesday 4 December, to plan a series ofevents for 2003.

The results of the Northern Rivers Branch’s recentPoetry Competition can be found on the branch web siteat:http://www.users.bigpond.com/webformation/friendsabcnr

There is also a link on that site to David Hallett's 70thAnniversary poem.

Neville Jennings

Bathurst ‘Friends’ Celebrate

Illawarra Friends Celebrate 70th

Why is the ABC Needed Now?“Needed Now…Needed Tomorrow,” so Russell Balding

concluded his Melbourne address.

• Each week more than 12 million Australians watch ABC Television, more than 6 million listen to ABC Radio.

• There are more than 950,000 unique visitors to ABC Online each month.

• Clearly, despite the diversity of competition, Australians continue to come to the ABC.

• People have differing expectations of the ABC to those they have of the commercial sector. It is up to the ABC to meet those distinctive expectations. As a broadcaster the ABC does not and cannot function in isolation.

• The ABC is enjoying high public re g a rd with growing audences.

• The ABC is a key component of media diversity in Australia.

• The ABC is balanced and even-handed in its reporting, as mea- s u re d by the Australian National Audit Office and Newspoll.

• The ABC is constantly creating new, authentic Australian content.

And, finally, because of the critical role the national broadcasterwill have to play in the changing media environment in the future,the ABC is truly needed more than ever.

Blue Mountains Branch AGM

On Saturday October19th, despite bush-fires burning 5 kilometres north of theWoodford Academy, members of the BlueMountains Branch of ‘Friends’ met there fortheir AGM, surrounded by beautiful arrange-ments of Australian wildflowers - the historicacademy was also staging an open day.

After the formal meeting, which saw JohnDerum re-elected unopposed as President,friends and guests were entertained by twolocal Celtic harpists, Jan Couchman andAnnette Benson over afternoon tea. The res-ident Academy ghost must have felt right athome.

Guest of Honour, ABC Television NewsChief of Staff, Ron Fuller, then thanked the‘Friends’ for their support and mentionedhow much it was appreciated by ABC staff.He countered criticism that the ABC had lowratings, pointing out that with the newmethod of gathering information, ABC Newscame in second after Channel 9, and alwayswins the 7 pm time slot.

Visit to WDR - Germany’spublicly funded brodcaster

Ron was recently in Germany to observethe federal elections and visit WDR, the pub-licly-funded broadcaster. Like the BBC, it isfunded by licence fees and cannot betouched by the Government, something wein Australia envy greatly.

He was very impressed with the amountof radio drama WDR produced - fifty-fourhours a week. He said school children hur-ried home to be in time for their favouriteradio serial, another issue for envy! He saidthe ABC archivists would weep at the num-ber of researchers involved in checking factsin WDR’s library.

Listing problems facing Australian newsteam including Single Person Crews, Rongave as a graphic example: a reporter, oneeye to the camera lens, the other shut tohelp with focussing, walking backwardsdown a flight of steps while attempting tokeep the subject in the picture. This issue issubject to industrial action at the moment,though the Current Affairs team are not tak-ing part. Is this something that the ‘Friends’can delve into further?

A short question time ended an engagingafternoon.

Carole Goodwin

‘Friends’ stall at the Granny Smith Festival, Eastwood,held on 19 October. T-Shirts were a very popular itemand helped in raising funds.

Through

70 years

with the

ABC...

More

Pictures

from the

archives.

The Inventors: Final. Panelists VicNicholson, Diana Fisher and Leo Port,select the Inventor of the Year. 1977.

Seven Little Australians, TV drama 1973.Capt Woolcot (Leonard Teale); Judy(Jennifer Cluff); Esther (Elizabeth Alexander); the General (Christian Robinson);Meg (Barbara Llewellyn);Pip (Mark Clark); Nell (Anne Hruby); Baby (Tania Falla);Bunty (Mark Shields-Brown).

Countdown:Studio production shot,

‘Hoodoo Gurus’.Sun 8 Sept 1985.

Over There: ABC TV World War II drama: ABC crew filming beach sequences with John Meillon and Jack Thompson(1972 or 1973)

On Ash Wednesday, 16 February 1983, ABCNews reporter Allan Russell keeps broadcastingas the bushfire rages round him at Airey's Inlet,Vic. From 16mm film shot by cameramanSteve Levitt.China: Paul Raffaele in Tien An Men Square, Beijing, 1974

So far, most governments havenot included either private culturaland audio visual services, or publicservices like health, education,water and public broadcasting.

However, GATS commits govern-ments to increase over time the rangeof services included in the agreement,without any review of its impacts.

Like other WTO Agreements, GATSrules are legally binding on govern-ments, and can be enforced throughthe WTO dispute system.

Governments can complain aboutthe laws of other governments to apanel of trade law experts whichmeets behind closed doors and thewinner can ban or tax the exports ofthe loser.

What changes areproposed to GATS?

GATS does have some rules whichrecognise the right of government toregulate services and to provide andfund public services. The rules arethere because governments recognisethat many services need to be regu-lated or provided by government toensure equitable access to them, orto support national culture.

On the other hand, governments arebeing asked to agree to increase therange of services to be covered in theAgreement and to make changes tothe rules of GATS which could re d u c etheir right to regulate services, and top rovide and fund public services.

The US government has askedAustralia and other countries toinclude audio-visual services in theGATS. This would mean that US andother transnational audio-visual serviceproviders would have to be treated asif they were Australian providers, andwe could no longer have minimumAustralian content rules or preferentialfunding for Australian cultural services.

There is also a proposal to apply“national treatment” and “equal access”rules to all government funding ofservices. This would define the fund-ing of public services like the ABCas unfair “subsidies” to public ser-vices. Transnational corporationscould then argue for equal access

to these funds through compulsorycompetitive tendering, leading to pri-vatisation.

The Australian government’s position

The Australian government hassaid that it has no intention to includeaudio-visual services in the GATS.However, it concedes that the issueof defining public funding as subsi-dies could be on the agenda, butclaims there has been little discussionof it so far.

The GATS negotiations are takingplace behind closed doors atthe same time as negotiationson agriculture, goods andother areas. The danger is thatgovernments could trade offareas like audio visual services orpublic services for concessions inother areas like agriculture.

In the next stage of negotiations,g o v e rnments will respond to detailedrequests from other governments byMarch 30, 2003.

What can we do about it?

We need to maximise pressure onour government before March 30next year when responses are dueto other governments requests. How?

AFTINET- the Australian Fair Tradeand Investment Network, a nationalnetwork of over 50 communityorganisations and many individuals -supports fair regulation of trade con-sistent with human rights, labourrights and protecting the enviro n m e n t .

I urge people to respond by join-ing AFTINET to help with the cam-paign and to get regular bulletinswhich monitor the issues.

See www.aftinet.org for subscrip-tion forms and sample letters tonational, state and local governmentand more detailed information aboutthe effects of GATS in specific areas.

There is also a useful ABC RadioNational Background BriefingTranscript on GATS (June 23, 2002)at

www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/bbing/stories/s586637.htm

Canada Commits to G ATS Tr a n s p a rency Policy

Canada has been a leader inensuring more openness and trans-parency in trade negotiations.

Specifically, Canada will make pub-lic the conditional offers it will beputting on the table during the GATSnegotiations. These offers are essen-tially the proposed guarantees of mar-ket access that we are ready to offerto other countries in exchange forgreater access to their markets.

While the details of Canada's initialoffer will be worked out in the comingmonths, we can be clear on one pointright away: Canada'shealth, public e d u c a t i o nand social services sys-t e m s , and culture will notbe on the table.

Canadian Minister for International Trade, Pierre Pettigrew, June 11, 2002

World Trade Negotiations: Trading Away Our Culture AFTINET urges people to cam-paign and demand the following:

1. the government should make allGATS negotiating requests andresponses public and ensure thatthey are publicly debated before itmakes commitments

2. no reductions in the ability ofgovernments to regulate services, orto provide and fund public services

3. clear exclusion of public ser-vices, cultural services and waterservices from the GATS agreement

4. GATS and other trade agree-ments to be debated and ratified byparliament, not by Cabinet

Dr Patricia Ranald is PrincipalPolicy Officer, Public InterestAdvocacy Centre and Convenor,Australian Fair Trade andInvestment Network

Special Discount for‘Friends’

Friends of the ABC get a 10%discount at ABC shops when theyshow their membership card.


The WTO, the UK andthe BBC

Regarding the UK's negotiations with theWorld Trade Organisation, “Other WTOdemands include the removal of distinctionsbetween postal and courier services andcalls for Britain to end subsidies to broad-casting organisations. This could have mas-sive implications for the BBC” - according toa document from the UK governmentitself...”under GATS, commitments are irrevo-cable. Countries will be locked in, which isincompatible with democracy."

Nick MathiasonThe Observer 13 Oct 2002

Contributed by Tony Troughton-Smith ofGlen Forrest, WA who says not only publicbroadcasting but also public health, stateeducation, Australia Post, libraries - the veryidea of "Public" anything - are at real risk.

What is GAT S ?The Australian Government and

other member governments of theWTO signed the GeneralAgreement on Trade in Services(GATS) in 1994. It potentiallyapplies to all services, from bank-ing to transport and telecommuni-cations, to health, education andprisons. GATS aims to promoteinternational trade in services, andto remove barriers to such trade.

Although some GATS rulesapply to all services, many onlyapply to those services whicheach government lists in theagreement. However, GATS com-mits governments to increase overtime the range of services includ-ed in the agreement, without any

review of its impacts.The GATS Agreement was

signed with little public debate inAustralia. Signing of trade agree-ments is a Cabinet decision. WTOagreements are briefly tabled inparliament and examined by aparliamentary committee, whichcan only make recommendationsto Cabinet.

This is in contrast to UN agree-ments on human rights and thee n v i ro n m e n t , most of whichrequire domestic legislation fortheir implementation.

Like other WTO Agreements,GATS rules are legally binding ongovernments enforced throughthe WTO dispute system.

WTO and its rules of trade

Established in 1995, the WTO is the mostpotent international organisation setting globalrules of trade. The agreements contain threebasic principles. First, members are not allowedto discriminate between trading partners whoare also members of the WTO. Second, mem-bers must treat foreign firms in an identical wayto firms in their own country. Third, members arebound to eradicate uncompetitive practicessuch as export subsidie, that give countries aadvantage not due to the efficiency of theirindustry.

In October, 2000, Andrew Stoler- - d i rector ofthe WTO's Tr a d e - I n - S e r v i c e s Division--describedas “false or mistaken” claims that services sup-plied by governments were under threat by theWTO, and the European Community’s tradecommissioner, Pascal Lamy, has complainedthat he was tired of rebutting the charge.

But behind the scenes, the WTO continuesto develop an agenda aimed at opening allpublic services to trade and foreign investment.

The WTO intends (to) make it more difficultfor member states to keep rules that protectpublic services from foreign investors and mar-kets. The ultimate aim is to increase pressureon member states to open their public-sectorservices to foreign investment through privatisa-tion and deregulation.

Prof Allyson M Pollock, Health Policy andHealth Services Research Unit, School ofPublic Policy, University College London

GATS

Cartoon courtesy of Phil Somerville

Stewart Fist looks at the Pay TVmish-mash – a conflict of competingambitions... a loss-making mess. Dothe players want the government to bailthem out?

The term “common-carrier” was borrowed by IT fromroad transport. It applied to trucking companies whichoffered their services for hire, equally to everyone.

Early US phone companies had begun doing specialdeals giving favoured local merchants phone connections,denying service to competitors. In the interests of openand fair competition, the US Congress regulated to ensureprovision of services on an equal-for-all basis.

When cable television was developing, the first “com-munity antenna” systems were also common-carriers; theydistributed all available channels equally. But later, theyadded their own local advertising channels with syndicatedprogramming, and common-carrier status, again, had tobe enforced by regulation.

Subscription pay-TV was eventually added by scram-bling the signal and supplying decoding set-top boxes, butthese were not in the common-carrier tradition, so the USregulators devised a “must-carry” rule to ensure that free-to-air (FTA) broadcasters had equal access to cable cus-tomers.

Then when American telephone companies tried to getinto the pay-TV business in the 1990s using switchedfeeds of a single channel (ADSL), they wanted to profitfrom both the programming and the connection. However,they were regulated as common-carriers.

So the 1995 Telecommunications Act tried to solvethese problems by allowing them to enter the pay busi-ness only after they open their monopoly phone operationsto competition. Simultaneously, the cable companies wereforced to open their pay-TV markets.

World’s Best Practice – a ‘disaster’

In the wash-up, cable channel numbers doubled andprofitability crashed, and the phone companies decidedthat they’d rather keep the profitable telephone monopo-lies than compete in pay-TV. So despite all thehoop-la about establishing a free-market, theAct achieved nothing, and is universally seennow as a disaster.

Yet this is the model successive Australian0. govern-ments have held up as world's best practice in telecom-munications deregulation and cable television introduction.Clearly, the politicians who oversee these services don'tcomprehend (or ignore) the importance of the separationof carriage and content.

Telstra's vertical integration is the exact opposite offree-market requirements. Telstra’s financial interests

should lie in transmitting the maximum possible number oftelevision channels for their customers' benefit, not inrestricting them to those jointly owned as a providerthrough Foxtel.

Since governments have conspicuously failed toenshrine these essential free-market structural elements inlegislation, it's been left to the ACCC to try and accom-plish a similar regulatory separation using the TradePractices Act in the Optus/Foxtel content-sharing andcable digitisation negotiations.

Enter Professor Fels

This is why the free-to-air broadcasters and the pay-TVcompanies have been locked in negotiations with theACCC for most of this year over the possible merger.

Now, for the first time, we are seeing negotiated out-comes which could lead to Telstra playing a strictly com-mon-carrier role once again (many years hence), becausethis is the only sustainable model that works without con-stant and draconian regulatory action.

As part of these negotiations, the FTA broadcastersand the ABC also want the ACCC to impose a must-carryrule so that their channels can be decoded by the samedigital set-top box. Those who hope to enter the pay busi-ness, also want access to a back-chan-nel and to the subscriber managementservice -- or a standardised set-top boxnot controlled by Foxtel .

The ACCC is insisting that Telstra provide digital chan-nels to anyone with saleable programming content. And,since the politicians won't legislate to restore common-carrier sanity, the ACCC has shown it will use its existingcompetition powers to create an open market: Foxtel andTelstra have countered by threatening not to digitise thecable. But they now seem close to agreement.

Loss making

This fiasco began with the satellite-delivered pay-TVlicense bidding war in 1993 when Telstra joined forces withNews Corp and the Packer group to form the PMT con-sortium. PMT lost the bid, but in the process Telstrajumped from being a common-carrier to part-owner of aprogram provider.

Then, when Optus and Telstra both rolled out parallelHFC cable networks in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane,it wasn't felt necessary to enforce the common-carrierrules on Telstra at all. Foxtel (PMT in disguise) was givenexclusive rights to the public-funded cable as compensa-tion for taking a risk on pay-TV.

Since then, pay-TV in Australia has been a loss-makingmess. Austar, which inherited the satellite delivery services,has dumped quite a few hundred million dollars in a fewyears.


At the Crossroads…Will Pay TV Tyrannise Free TV?

At the Crossroads…Will PayTV overwhelm Free TV?


Optus has lost even more cashthrough its cable, and is threateningto dump its service entirely. AndFoxtel, which theoretically emergedas the winner, is still bleeding heavily.

Now the government wants thesepay-TV companies to spend a fewhundred million more converting theirsystem to digital. You can understandtheir reluctance without a completerestructure of the industry and somechanges to the rules. After all, theseproblems arose from politicians t r y i n gto juggle political-media interests,rather than serving the public good.

Conflict and competing ambitions

Telstra is gradually being pressuredby the ACCC to revert to common-carrier status, but it still has govern-ment-supported ambitions to be amedia giant. The executives want fullprivatisation and ownership of bothn e w s p a p e r s and FreeToAir/Pay-TV --controlling both the content and theconduit.

News Corp, which dom-inates the global pay-TVbusiness, also owns news-papers but doesn’t havestrong links with Australiantelevision. But it’s a supplier of premi-um content from its US networksand production houses, and so holdsa strong position in whatever struc-ture finally emerges.

Packer’s PBL, of course, owns theNine Network, and so has a foot onboth sides of the FTA/pay fence.Unfortunately for PBL, any increasein channel availability through cableor broadcast digitisation will certainlydilute its profitability, which is why thecompany is currently focussing onsports and casinos.

So the long-term interests of thethree PMT partners in Foxtel are verydifferent and often conflicting. It isdifficult to see how such a consor-tium can survive in the long-run.

Enjoying the headydelights of Londonand British broadcast-ing, Senator RichardAlston fell victim tothat strange syndromethat often afflictsAustralian politicians

overseas, loss of memory andspeaking in tongues. It must besomething in the air.

By gosh, he thundered to theBritish media, what the ABC neededwas a new and effective system ofdealing with viewer/listener com-plaints, like the BBC's - entirely for-getting that back home only a monthor so before he'd applauded the ABCfor its new system of dealing withcomplaints.

As ABC MD, Russell Balding,said in his Melbourne media addressof September 18 “You may have readrecently of the ways in which we havereformed and improved complaintshandling within the ABC. We are con-fident about these reforms. They aregood policy...so that we are not onlyfair, but can be seen to be fair”- thevery arrangements at which SenatorAlston had nodded approval.

Darce Cassidy wrote to The Ageand The Australian: “The ABC has ani n t e rnal complaints pro c e d u re, headedby respected ABC executive MurrayGreen. There is an IndependentComplaints Review Panel, appointedby the ABC Board, in turn appointedby Senator Alston and his cabinet col-leagues." The members of this Panel

are independent of the ABC. Peoplenot happy with responses to com-plaints to the ABC, or the Indepen-dent Complaints Review Panel, maycomplain to the Australian Broad-casting Authority.” The ABA can alsoinvestigate on its own initiative.

What on earth was Senator Alstonon about? His further gem was toforeshadow the ABC’s most prolificand ‘obsessive’ complainer, LyntonC ro s b y, as Michael Kroger's successoron the board.

Commenting, Shadow mediaspokesperson, Lindsay Tanner, said“In an outrage that should chill thespines of all ABC supporters, SenatorAlston has failed to rule out appointingthe Liberal Party director and obses-sive ABC critic, Lynton Crosby, to theABC Board. If Senator Alston goesahead and appoints another politicalstooge like Lynton Crosby tothe ABC Board this will be adisaster for the ABC. It wouldbe an emphatic confirmationof the Howard Government'saim of crippling the ABC.”

He made a further point. “If SenatorAlston thinks the BBC’s independentprocedures are so good then maybehe could also follow their boardappointment processes.” The BBCfollows the ‘Nolan Rule’ whereby BBCBoard positions are fully advertisedand candidates are scrutinised andthen short listed through an indepen-dent process.

Senator Alston'sRush of Blood to the Head

Which proposal repre-sents the fundamental

interests of the greatest numbers of Australians?

“The world economy and terrorism spell belt-tight-ening, but the ABC can’t be tightened any further.

It’s not the time to put the ABC under pressure;it’s time for the national broadcaster to expand its

coverages, not reduce them.”

ABC Staff-elected Director, Ramona Koval.

ABC

Have you ever read an article ina daily newspaper lambasting theABC but leaving you with a vaguefeeling that the writer’s approachwas not grounded in fact or reason?Update continues its guide to thedishonest tricks and dodgy argu-ments employed by the likes ofPiers Akerman and the rest of theanti-ABC stable, their tacticsexposed by Margaret O'Connor.

The ‘tricks of the trade’ dealt withlast issue covered propagandist ‘per-suader words’, emotive language, AdHominem or attacks on the person,Ad Populum, an appeal to the mass-es exploiting the assumption that ifenough people seem to hold a pointof view then it must be right; and AdVerecundiam, Appeal to Authority –it sounds good: like, “influential peo-ple in Europe and the US say so” butactually who are they and why hasn’tthe writer identified or quoted them?

1. APPEAL TO COST

The cost of something is oftengiven as a reason for not doing it. It isone thing to cost something objec-tively and then decide it’s too expen-sive. It is quite another to use thequestion of cost as a way of avoidingall analysis or argument.

‘Shier is our last hope thisdecade of reclaiming the ABC. If hegoes, the collective stays and willcontinue to use $700 million of tax-payers’ funds to crowd out theviews and concerns of manyAustralians’ (Mike Nahan, The Australian, 19 October 2001)

Taxpayers in 2000-2001 did notpay $700 million for the ABC in the2000-2001 financial year. Total ABCincome for the year was $812,102,000of which $143 million came fromindependent sources such as the saleof programs, ABC books, videos andother merchandise with governmentfunding at $668 million, less than halfof 1% of federal government bud-getary outlays. But the figure includes$180 million spent on transmittersand in loans and special grants. Thecorrect figure is $584 million. This fig-ure only has real meaning when com-

pared with like expenditure. The ABCcost the taxpayer under ten cents percapita a day. CBC (Canada) cost14.4¢ per day and the BBC 33.4¢per day. Certainly, nearly everyonehelps fund the ABC, but nearly every-one purchases advertised goods andservices, and thus pays for the adver-tisements on radio and television ascommercial broadcasters main sourceof funding.

2. FACTUAL INACCURACY

When we see an article in a news-paper presenting certain argumentsto prove a proposition the spaceaccorded to an article does not nec-essarily mean it is accurate.

3. STATISTICS AND STUDIES

It is very important to look at theirsource and the way they are beingused.

After the waterfront dispute in1998, the ABC commissionedProfessor Philip Bell of the Universityof New South Wales to conduct astudy into whether the ABC hadshowed bias in its coverage of thisissue. The result was negative.

However, one of the ABC’sbiggest critics - the Institute of PublicAffairs (IPA) - disagreed and decidedto conduct its own study into ABCbias towards the waterfront dispute.Not surprisingly, it found in the affir-mative. Tim Malseed had this to sayabout the IPA’s findings in The Age,13 October 1999.

“....in my opinion the IPA will notwin this debate for two reasons.First, it should have declared that itis an interested party. The IPA ispartly financed by the ABC’s mainAustralian rival, Rupert Murdoch.The IPA should have declared thatfact, because of the public percep-tion that ‘he who pays the piper callsthe tune”.

Second, the institute got person-al. Although its ABC analysis wasarguably as good as the Bell Report,the IPA’s conclusions were cloudedby unsubstantiated attacks on theABC. The institute used languagesuch as ‘post-1960s humanities

graduates’ and members of the ‘ageof Aquarius' to describe ABCemployees. All competentresearchers know that disciplinedanalysis loses credibility when per-sonal opinion is combined with hardfactual data... The IPA shoulddeclare the financial interests of itsdonors and keep its research factu-ally based.’

Writers or organisations such asthe IPA should openly declare theirown affiliations, ideology and sourcesof funding. Then let the reader makea judgement about their objectivity.

4. REDUCING EVERY VIEWPOINTTO AN IDEOLOGICAL PERSPEC-TIVE

Some writers try to reduce everyargument into an ideological pigeon-hole, either ‘right’ or ‘left’. This isinappropriate for any serious analysisof an issue. As Scott Burchill, wrotein The Australian, last January, ‘Thepersistent use of terms such as Leftand Right to characterise mediaopinion in Australia grossly exagger-ates the diversity of views on offer ...Ideas and arguments that do not fallneatly within the Labour-Liberal poli-cy parameters are almost by defini-tion beyond the bounds of express-ible opinion.’

CONCLUSION

The wider community has theright to expect quality analysis ofissues in daily newspa-pers, with well-arguedviews, to assist us inmaking informed choic-es about what webelieve and how wevote.

Writers and columnists in dailynewspapers, who present themselvesas serious thinkers who add meaning-ful contributions to debates on currentissues, are in most cases paid fortheir offerings. They can wield a sub-stantial effect on public opinion.

The same writers and columnists,however, need to be challenged bythe wider community if they presentpieces filled with fallacious arguments.


Your All-Purpose Guide To Identifying Unreasonable AndUnsubstantiated Criticism Of The ABC Part Two

Your All-Purpose Guide ToIdentifying Unreasonable AndUnsubstantiated Criticism OfThe ABC Part Two


Write to the Editors when youspot a ‘dodgy argument’ in relation tothe ABC (or other issues). Let themknow your opinion of their writers, ofsometimes undisclosed affiliations,who do not prove their assertions anduse personal attacks, generalisations,and inherent bias to make their point.

Rank and file members of Friendsof the ABC should be active in criti-cally examining, analysing and, whereappropriate, challenging attacks onthe ABC and any unsubstantiatedcriticisms of our national broadcaster.

Margaret O’Connor(Howard Silcock, Monica Pflaum,

Joan Laing and Darce Cassidy assist-ed in preparing the document).

FABC (NSW) Inc. Executive CommitteePresident - Gary Cook

Phone: 9960 5542 Fax 9960 5767VP & Secretary- Lilliane Leroy

Phone 9969 5159Treasurer - Peter Burke

Phone 9144 2668 email [email protected]

Membership Secretary - Carolyn GreenPhone 9144 1351 or 0417 650 443

[email protected].

ATTENTION: New MembersIt is important that you tick the box in the Membership Form which says: ”Give my details tomy local FABC”. This is so that we can have your closest Friends’ Branch contact you.This is necessary due to privacy regulations.

How To Respond To InaccurateMedia Stories

If you want to respond to any media which you feel isnot reporting a story accurately or with bias be sure tofollow the Cardinal Rules of Media Activism:

1) Be Concise. Keep the complaint brief and to thepoint, and focused on one specific and quantifiable error,rather than vague generalities that are easily dismissible.

2) Be Factual. Be sure your complaint is backed up byfacts. Be sure to cite the source for your information.

3)) Be Polite. State your complaint respectfully, withoutname-calling or accusations.

4) Be Diligent. If you don't get satisfaction the first time,write to complain again, restating your complaint andagain requesting a reply.

This is the way to get the best results when monitoringlocal media.

(Adapted from HonestReporting media monitoring service)

The Rewards of Celebrity Radio

Australian radio’s two giant’ ‘shock-jocks’ AlanJones and John Laws are back in front of theAustralian Broadcasting Tribunal, prodded on theirway by the ABC’s Media Watch and the UNSW’sCommunications Law Centre, the duo that got thecash–for-comment enquiry going in 1999.

At issue this time, Jones and theBroadcasting Services Act andLawsie and a sponsorship deal withNRMA (but which one).

David Marr raised both episodes on MediaWatch and the Communications Law CentreDirector, Dr. Derek Wilding, in a detailed letter ofcomplaint, dropped this statement off to the ABA:

"It is the Centre’s view that the statements ofboth Alan Jones and John Laws demonstrate acontinuing problem within the commercial radioindustry in relation to providing fair comment onpublic issues."

ABA Chair, David Flint, unaware that anythingcould have been amiss, bustled into action.

A probe was a matter of priority, he said. (Gosh!)

Cartoon courtesy of Phil Somerville

Dr KarlWins an Ig NobelPrize

Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, the ABC'spopular science communicator, hasbeen awarded a prestigious 2002 IgNobel Prize, accepting the award at agala ceremony at Harvard University

The Ig Nobel Prizes are presentedannually by the Harvard-based sci-ence-humour magazine "The Annalsof Improbable Research" (AIR) to hon-our people whose scientific research"cannot or should not be repro-duced". They are intended to "cele-brate the unusual, honour the imagi-native and spur people's interest inscience, medicine and technology".

Dr Karl, scientist, radio personality,newspaper columnist and author of22 popular science books, receivedhis award before a crowd of 1200people, including three NobelLaureates and a 2001 winner, PeterBarss of McGill University, who sub-mitted a staggering medical report"Injuries Due to Falling Coconuts"

Dr Karl's Ig Nobel-worthyresearch, was an international surveyof Belly Button Lint (aka 'belly buttonfluff'). This ground-breaking projectsought to uncover answers to twoimportant questions posed by listen-ers to Dr Karl's science radio show:What exactly is it? Why is it almostalways blue?

update Print Post Approved PP 245059/00002

Update is published four times a year by Friends of the ABC NSW, P.O. Box 1391, North Sydney 2059. Phone 9960 5542. Fax 9960 5767 web site: w w w. f a b c . o r g . a u / n s w

Opinions in the newsletter, which includes articles from Background Briefing published by Friends of the ABC, do not necessarilyreflect those of the executive committee of the Friends of the ABC (NSW) Inc. Current and past Background Briefing issues can beaccessed at www.fabc.org.au. U p d a t e goes to all members of FABC (NSW) Inc., as part of the membership fee. U p d a t e is also sup-plied to journ a l i s t s , politicians and libraries across Australia. It is produced and edited in Sydney but contributions are welcome fromNSW country and interstate branches. Material may be freely quoted or re p roduced from the newsletter provided the source isacknowledged and re p roduction is sent to FA B C ’s President Gary Cook, Editor Brian Davies, Layout format & assembly Irwin Kurtz.Unattributed text is by the editor.FABC UpdatePost The Editor

C/–FABC UpdatePO Box 1391North Sydney NSW 2059

The third World Congress ofRural Women took place in Madrid,Spain, over three days in earlyOctober, with 1500 women from fivecontinents taking part, including 150Australian women.

ABC Rural Online ensured thatthe Australian presence was consid-erably greater, setting up a live forumto raise and debate issues or watchthe speakers on video streaming.

The Rural Online site was a com-prehensive, multimedia experienceenabling people from aroundAustralia to be virtual participants inthe event, while Paula Doran andRosemary Grant fed first hand

reports from Madrid to RadioNational programs and ABC Localradio.

The online site also featured sto-ries on Australian rural women, aguest book for audience comments,conference papers from delegatesand background information on theconference, including a history andobjectives

The Congress dealt with manysubjects including sustainable devel-opment, food safety, social and eco-nomic issues for rural women, andtheir access to technological innova-tion, public policy and more.

RoyandH.GOnline

and Outrageous'This Sporting Life' in also online

with a new interactive websitelaunched by ABC New Media andtriple j. If the three hours of sportingfacts and mayhem on triple j by 'Lifehosts' Roy Slaven and H.G. Nelsonfail to satisfy, they now dish it outonline at http://triplej.abc.net.au/thiss-portinglife

The site brings not only theSunday afternoon antics of thedynamic duo online and interactive forthe first time, but also offers interac-

tive games and contests for sportslovers, the trivia conscious and theartistically talented (challenged?) alike.

The ABC’s media release put it thisway: "If art is more your style, the'Funnel Web 2002 Life Art Challenge'welcomes visual ideas for 'ThisSporting Life' products. Roy andH.G. will post ideas for 'The RoyalAustralian Trouser Club TravelBrochure' adult only adventurer week-ends for those who are excited by thethought of waking up in a tent with awild pig and a sharp stick. Or per-haps design the sleeve jacket for thechilling, seat of your pants epic thrillerwritten by Glen McGrath, 'Who Movedthe Cheese?' email Rampaging Royand the Immortal H.G. at:http://triplej.abc.net.au/thissportinglife

The Many Roles of the ABC … as Diverse as its ‘Clients’

Your Friends Need YOU to go out and recruit!

Start a new Friends’branch in your neighbourhood. Regional NSW has13 branches! Sydney has one - at Parramatta, a lively and active one.But what about the Northern Peninsula? Shouldn't there be a St. George &Sutherland Shire Branch? What about the North Shore? And surely theremust be ABC friends in the eastern suburbs?

Go Forth & Multiply!Contact FABC (NSW) to find out how:Phone 9990 0600 speak slowly or go to our website:www.fabc.org.au/nsw

It's Not Good Bye but simply Au Revoir


that day and letters later saying “it'sthe first time I've smiled in 12 months”.

This year has been the ABC's 70thAnniversary and it has been wonderfulto be attending birthday celebrationsinstead of protest rallies. ABC FriendsGroups in Gosford, Blue MountainsParramatta, Wollongong, Bathurst andfinally in December, in Merimbula havecelebrated the anniversary of ourwonderful public broadcaster. Manycakes have been consumed and manyfine speeches made.

We now have 14 rural and region-al groups and in August this year heldour first state conference to codifyrules and regulations of the groups toFriends of the ABC NSW Inc. It wassuperbly run with a terrific facilitatorJudy Stubbs who helped us achievewhat we planned in the two days ofthe conference

We now have a phone tree withwhich to contact members in Sydneyand much of New South Wales. Wehave an email chat room, the FABCList, which can be used to notifymembers and ABC fans about crises,events and celebrations. Last year inthe election period, groups of ourmembers contacted and visited manylocal members and candi-dates in marginal seats.These groups ran publicmeetings during the elec-tions to “meet the candi-date”.

As well, over the last five years, wehave gone to Canberra a number oftimes to lobby politicians from all par-

ties. Our latest foray has been to talkto the newly elected independentMembers and Senators all of whomare supportive of the ABC.

During the Shier peri-od, the phone ran hot,sometimes with 80 phonecalls a day. This meansthere was no time to do anything elsee x c e p t answer the phone all day everyday. Luckily that settled down thisyear!

However, just because things are alittle quieter, this does not mean wecan quit. The ABC’s Triennial fundingcomes up in 2003. This is a danger-ous time for the ABC - It’s core fund-ing MUST be enlarged. It’s no goodpoliticians raving on about fundingbeing needed elsewhere. AustraliansMUST be informed -- especially dur-ing such difficult times.

Radio Australia received a littlemoney on a temporary basis - Butthis extra money now needs to be putinto core funding. During the terribleevents of 11th September 2001 and12th October 2002, ABC journalistshave worked tirelessly on the spot tobring pertinent, balanced, sanereporting and careful analysis, to helpus back home try to make sense ofthe senseless.

The $17 million that was given toregional areas for radio is welcome.But it is only temporary. It MUST beput into core funding. Fifty-five peoplehave been employed to help bringlocal programs to regional and ruralareas. After four years that fundingceases and so do the jobs and theservice. Then there is digital broad-casting and the new channels Flyand Kids TV. They are being fundedout of the pot - the ABC is not onlywrung out, its bones are wrung out. In

times of crisis in the world, fundingmust be increased so that Australianscan continue to see and hear thereporting and measured analysis whichhelps them make sense of the world.

They also need to see Australiancontent in drama and comedy. Openup your television guide and see thewall-to-wall BBC programs. Surethere is SOME Australian content, egMDA and Back Berner, but thinkback to the 1980’s when there was100 hours of Australian drama alone ayear! We’re lucky to be getting a tenthof that now. It’s not good enough!

The price of freedom is eternal vigi-lance. I would add to that. The priceof democracy is a well-informed pop-ulace. And the price of a well informedpopulace is a well funded, publicbroadcaster free from governmenti n t e r f e rence. Remember “A govern m e n twhich does not inform its voters doesnot trust them” Eric Bogle.The ABC isNOT a cost, it provides an essentialservice to ALL Australians. It is a ben-efit and an essential one for us all.

Bless all of you who have workedwith me. More power to the elbows ofthose who will carry on. I have greatfaith in Gary Cook and his team. Garyis different to me and his presidencywill be different. But that’s how itshould be in a living, growing andthriving organisation. Keep up yourmemberships. And prevail upon yourfriends and relatives to join. It’s impor-tant!

Thank you all foryour support andfriendship.

Penelope

New South Wa l e sPenelope To l t zPO Box 1391North Sydney 2059Ph: 9960 5542Fax: 9960 5767f a b c n sw @ o p t u s n e t . c o m . a u

A l b u ryABC Support Gro u pJim Saleebac/- 621 Lindsay Av eAlbury NSW 2640Ph: 6021 5690Fax: 6021 0616s a l e e b a @ a l b u ry. n e t . a u

A r m i d a l ePriscilla Connor41 Judith Stre e tArmidale NSW 2350Ph: 6772 3454 or 6772 [email protected]

B a t h u r s tNorah Ta y l o r254 Keppel StBathurst 2795Ph: 6331 [email protected]

B e g aEleanor Beasley2 Main Stre e tMerimbula 2548Ph: 6495 1392 Fax: 6495 3202

Blue MountainsJohn DerumP. O . Box 469Springwood 2777Ph: 4758 6979j o h n d e r u m @ b i g p o n d . c o m

Central CoastJohn Hale21 Stephenson Rd.Bateau Bay 2261Ph: 4333 8107j h a l e @ t a c . c o m . a u

E u r o b o d a l l aMichael Ta y l o r1 2 Hawkins RdTu ross Head, NSW Ph: 4473 8261 (W)Ph: 4473 8561 (H)t ay l o r a @ a c r. n e t . a u

Great LakesA u d rey Semon (Secre t a r y )4 Bundacree PlaceForster 2428Ph: 6554 8507a s e m o n @ t s n . c c

I l l a w a r r aJan Kent (Secre t a r y )Friends of the ABC IllawarraPO Box 336,Unanderra 2526Phone/Fax: 4271 3531j a n ke n t @ b i g p o n d . c o m

N e w c a s t l eHank Wi l l e m sc/ PO Box 265 M e rewether 2291g s t r u c k@o p t u s n e t . c o m . a u

Northern RiversNeville Jennings PO Box 167 Alstonville 2477Ph/Fax: 6674 3830 (H)n j e n n i n g @ s c u . e d u . a u

O r a n g eAlan Sisley52 Casey Stre e tOrange 2800Ph: 63623775a l a n s @ i x . n e t . a ut

P a r r a m a t t aMal Hewitt31 Queen St, Granville 2142Ph: 9637 2900m a c i a n @ p e n t i re . c o m

Port Macquarie/Mid North CoastDrusi MeggetPO Box 1752Port Macquarie NSW 2444Ph: 02 6583 8798d r u s i @ fe l g l ow. c o m . a u

Vi c t o r i aFriends of the ABC (Vi c )GPO Box 4065MMM e l b o u rne VIC 3001Ph: 03 9682 0073Fax: 03 9682 0074f a b c v i c @ v i c n e t . n e t . a u

Q u e e n s l a n dElisabeth McClementP.O. Box 1658Toowong QLD 4066Ph/Fax: (07) 3378 7930 d e m c @ p i c k n ow l . c o m . a u

Gold CoastFrances E. RollsPO Box 342Nerang QLD 4211Ph: (07) 5596 3835

A C TM a r g a ret O’ConnorGPO Box 2625Canberra ACT 2601Ph: 6251 1880Fax: 6244 6690 (Wm a r go fo rt e @ h o t m a i l . c o m

South AustraliaJoan LaingP.O. Box 1758 Hutt St, Adelaide SA 5000Ph/Fax 08 8271 0751j l i a n g @ s e n e t . c o m . a u

We s t e rn AustraliaRoger RavenPO Box 179Darlington WA 6070Ph/Fax: (08) 9370 [email protected]

Ta s m a n i aAustra Maddox5 Albuera Stre e tBattery Point, Tasmania 7004Ph: (03) 6223 2981 (H)(03) 6211 9314 (W)a u s t r a m a dd ox @ o z e m a i l . c o m . a u

N o rt h e rn Te rr i t o ryBrian HolmPO Box 210 H o w a rd Springs NT 0835Ph: (08) 8983 1251Fax: (08) 8941 3350Mob: 0409 831 251a b c f r i e n d s _ n t @ we - wo n t -by t e. c o m

State and regional branches of Friends of the ABC

Membership form Please fill out the form below and return it with your payment to: The Tr e a s u r e r, Friends of the ABC (NSW) Inc.PO Box 1391, North Sydney NSW 2059.

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