(Source: RNZ via Dennis Dura)
ABC opposes bill to restore Pacific shortwave service
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation has made a Senate submission opposing a bill which would force it to restore its shortwave services for the Northern Territory and the Pacific.
The bill was introduced by South Australian Senator Nick Xenophon after the ABC switched off its shortwave transmitters in late January.
The ABC is opposed to the bill and said in its submission that its passing would impinge on its independence by directing the ABC to use broadcast technologies for diminishing audiences and at significant maintenance costs.
Yeah. Basically no one in the Pacific listened to them on HF. Why bother when ABC is on FM in most Pacific national capitals
Submissions are still being accepted and Senate granted an extension of time to report until 9 August 2017.
ABC have made it clear 20 complaints wasn’t enough (there are already 39 submissions to 1 supporting the ABC – their own). If you are a user of the service – take the time to reply via this channel as the ABC’s own complaints process is not transparent.
http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Environment_and_Communications/Shortwaveradio/Submissions
Its worth reading the submissions – some from retired staff with Broadcast experience and first hand knowledge of the questionable management of the service (Submission 40 for example).
Whilst we all love a good conspiracy, maladministration and poor governance more likely.
ABC are persisting with the line of only 500 “regular” listeners and only 20 complaints.
Persisting with misinformation, half truths and failing to acknowledge the complaints made as complaints doesn’t show the ABC acting in good faith. Repeating a lie doesn’t change it into the truth.
In a country the geographical size of Australia, reliable radio signals during especially daytime hours eliminates FM signals and MW in many areas.
Should there be data /satellite problems the elimination of comms services in much of remote Australia is lost, what does the Govt intend to do if this happens.
SW services are reliable and a suprising number of us in far rural and remote areas have the knowledge that we can turn to and receive information pertinent to the situation at hand, fires, road closures , flooding etc all of which are regular ocurrences in this country.
I do believe that the ABC current CEO and board have very little understanding of how many of us turned on our portables and vehicle SW radios every day to hear the news on Radio Australia.
Sadly the vast majority of the people making these decisions ie ABC board and the majority of politicians are located in the major centers and coastal areas of the East and have no concept of life outside their cosy well accomodated electorates.
Aroud 88-90% of Australia population live in the major metropolitan areas, one of the most urban populations in the world.
Hence the lack of focus or consideration for those of us who live outside those areas.
Rural/remote areas are generally outside the concept of most Australians and that leaves us outside of their understanding and consideration.
Try telling a Sydney sider or a Canberran that they can’t listen to a radio station during the day, Pfft …outside their concepture!
Australia owes the Pacific and its remote population and travellers the benefit of a reliable radio service and a future disaster may find the Govt with its pants down relying on highly complex data/Sat/microwave systems.
Our smaller great neighbour New Zealand with a considerably smaller economy than Australia has vowed to maintain its SW services to the Pacific out of consideration for its near neighbours.
Is Australia ie Canberra really just showing its disregard for its remote and Pacific neighbours?
Looks that way to many of us!
Ross
There is more to ABC’s resistance to restoral of shortwave service than I think any of us are probably aware of. This is a bunch of backroom politics and I think everyone sees that, though nobody knows exactly what. 2 million dollars a year (US) is all they are saving by shutting the transmitters off and I think it shows callous disregard for those in NT that actually relied on it. Those in the Australian Senate, particularly those in the NT, should continue to push back. If they let up now, there is zero chance it will ever be restored.