Four years after the Coalition government cut the ABC’s broadcasting service into the Pacific, followed by further cuts to the public broadcaster’s services in the region, it has announced a new deal with Australia’s commercial broadcasters to fill that same role.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Free TV, a group representing the commercial television broadcasters, announced on Thursday they were “in talks” to beam Australian content into the Pacific as part of a soft power push.
This plan to provide content will fill a gap left by the Australia Network — a contract once held by the ABC to provide a broadcast to foreign countries, including the Pacific, with news and current affairs content specifically packaged for that network. Australia Network funding from the Foreign Affairs Department was cut in 2014, one year into its 10-year contract.
The network had been funded under previous governments as a valuable diplomatic tool, while the ABC retained full editorial control over what was broadcast. In 2006 under the Howard Government, then-foreign minister Alexander Downer said the network was an ”opportunity to project a dynamic Australia — our strengths, our skills and our values — to the region”.
Since the Australia Network was cut, the ABC has cut its shortwave radio service — a decision criticised by Pacific leaders and now under government review — and the frequencies that used to be used by the ABC’s network have now been taken over by China. The ABC has also rejigged its Radio Australia scheduling, including changes to the Pacific Beat program earlier this year.
And now, amid growing concerns about China’s influence in the region, the government is looking for a way to increase its presence.
In a press release, Free TV chair Harold Mitchell said he was pleased to be part of Morrison’s “strategic intent to prioritise the Pacific region”. “This initiative will showcase the best and most popular Australian content,” Mitchell said. “It’s a powerful way to strengthen Australia’s Pacific partnerships and connection to the region.”
The announcement has been made at an early stage — there are no details yet on the content to be broadcast and whether what, if any, news and current affairs content will be aired in the region. Free TV chief executive Bridget Fair told Crikey the discussions were still in the early stages, so there wasn’t any information on specific content available. This included a response to questions about who would retain editorial control over any content broadcast.
The Australia Network’s news content was widely seen as a good example of a strong media and robust liberal democracy, broadcast into neighbouring countries in Asia and the Pacific. It was produced out of the ABC’s Melbourne office.
Morrison’s announcement on Thursday also included other projects such as an infrastructure financing facility, new diplomatic missions and new security commitments.
So, they cut the ABC service and now in order to “match” China they will be funding some shonky private sector mob to broadcast endless repeats of home and away and funeral insurance ads. The Chinese have no chance now and the poor old pacific wont know what’s hit them!
Has this government done even one sensible thing since Abbott screamed his way into office?
Well, there was… umm, the.. err.. hmmm.
As you were.
It’s absurd they cut the ABC’s broadcast into the region and now seemingly intent on shovelling funding to private broadcasters to do the same. Has there been a more inept, corrupt federal government than this one?
Yep- as you said, the most inept, corrupt government we have had.
Abbott and since went to the trouble of cutting heaps from foreign aid as well, now trying to restore that in the other latest thought bubble.
“This plan to provide content will fill a gap left by the Australia Network — a contract once held by the ABC to provide a broadcast to foreign countries, including the Pacific, with news and current affairs content specifically packaged for that network.”
The ABC did hold the contract and did manage the program packaging. But the programs were not all ABC programs. I remember that on winter weekend Australia Network showed nine hours of AFL and at other times showed My Kitchen Rules. I remember these two in particular as I was watching Australia Network in Viet Nam and constantly wondered what my Vietnamese friends and neighbours made of competitive cooking shows and a form of football that was not soccer.
From my point of view the ABC news bulletins were welcome and Play School and Bananas in Pyjamas provided wonderful support to children trying to learn English. But just because the ABC managed the network it should not be assumed that only ABC programs were shown.
I have always assumed that this was the belief of PM Abbott and his reason for closing the Network so abruptly.
When I was working in Vientiane in Laos, Radio Australia was beamed in on FM96, clear as a bell. In a Communist country, it was a welcome relief for the locals from the Govt propaganda. In addition, people used to tune in to the Learning English shows. When people praise Julie Bishop as a good Foreign Minister, I can only think their perspective is from someone who has never lived outside Australia.
When I worked in Fiji, and stayed overnight in remote villages, I was woken every morning by the sounds of Radio Australia’s news broadcasts coming floating across the village from the radios in people’s homes.
When Abbott cut Radio Australia and Australia Network TV, he did more damage to Australia than he will ever be capable of understanding. The worst and most destructive of our national interest PM we have ever seen.
Sorry, I forgot to mention that Radio Australia stopped the FM96 channel supply three years ago, to the dismay of my Lao colleagues.
The lack of consistency in policy commitment does as much damage as the fluctuating aid budget.