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Report: Australia Network decision delayed

A decision on who will win the contract to operate Australia Network is expected to be delayed by six months.

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A decision on who will win the contract to operate Australia Network is expected to be delayed, according to a report in The Australian.

The decision is expected to be delayed by six months, and may also shift from Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd to Communications Minister Stephen Conroy.

Both ABC and Australian News Channel (SKY News) have bid to tender for the network, which screens Australian content through the Asia-Pacific and Indian subcontinent showing everything from Packed to the Rafters to Play School.

It has been managed by ABC in a five-year contract but the government has put the contract to tender for 10 years following a review by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Earlier this week the Sydney Morning Herald reported the Gillard government will ask the ABC and SKY News for more information about their ability to cover new global hotspots in Africa and the Middle East before finally awarding the $223 million contract.

Cabinet and senior members of the caucus are said to have been following the decision-making process very closely.

The ABC would continue to run the network under any extension during the decision-making.

Government sources have told The Australian Online that an announcement on the change is imminent.

11 Responses

  1. @Paul – They put a good signal into California from their Intelsat8 service. Odd that no cable company hasn’t picked it up.

    @wei ting – “AMC is now in cahoots with CCTV ? and why do they need foreign correspondent “. Well, for impartial reporting, and in the case of China, truth in reporting — for a start.
    “The Australia Live channel doesn’t use any” – Actually it’s called Australia Network and it uses ALL of ABC’s foreign correspondents in news programs, ABC Breakfast, The World, Asia Pacific Focus, Newsline with Jim Middleton, Four Corners, Foreign Correspondent, Landline, Nexus etc., etc.
    I notice you selectively mention some non-news programs, but no mention of this week’s schedule including Packed to the Rafters, McLeod’s Daughters, City Homicide, The Recruits, V8 Supercars, NRL, AFL, Home & Away, Rescue Special Ops, Tangle, Sea Patrol, great one-off docs, art programs, etc., etc.
    The “crappy low rent english lessons” (English Bites) are actually 10-minute fillers which are very well accepted by people trying to learn English.

    @James – Programs, especially drama, have rights issues too, where some foreign stations broadcast AN free-to-air. Quite a few foreign broadcasters won’t buy certain Aust’n programs as AN is already broadcasting them via another local station.

  2. @Russel because AN is also supposed to broadcast Australian drama as well, and so they should. Australia needs some international exposure.

  4. David,
    Is packed to the rafters and winners and losers shown overseas apart from on this channel. I think the uk would love it, better than neighbors

  5. Why not just beef up ABC News 24 with all that extra money, make it a decent news network that can compete internationally and broadcast ABC News 24 around the world on Australia Network’s frequencies

  6. @ wei ting

    Having a feed of Sky News Australia shown on pay TV in NZ is hardly international broadcasting and certainly gives no relevant experience for producing Australia’s international channel.

    I don’t see how ANC having agreements with CCTV is anything special. The ABC broadcasts content from the BBC, TVNZ, Al Jazeera, and NHK. If anything, I would have thought showing content from a broadcaster that is part of the Chinese Ministry for Propaganda would be counted as a negative in assessing who can create a credible, independent international service.

    Australia Network under the ABC does in fact have a number of dedicated foreign correspondents in PNG, the Pacific, S.E. Asia, and China and has access to the ABC’s extensive network of foreign correspondents stationed around the world.

    I agree though that the mix of programmes on Australia Network is currently underwhelming, although I would suggest that this has more to do with the level of funding and guidelines given to the ABC with the previous contract rather than the ABC’s fault. The guidelines for what sort of content it is supposed to broadcast have been changed dramatically by the Labor government and this will be reflected in the service once a new contract.

  7. The delay will also affect renewals of Australia Network’s broadcast deal with the AFL and V8 Supercars. One of the sticking points is that Kevin Rudd reportedly wants to reduce AN’s sports coverage on weekends.

  8. Let ABC keep it. When I go overseas, I watch it for trustworthy Australian news which is basically the opposite of SKY News. Besides, who do we want representing us? News Corp or the offical public broadcaster of Australia.

  9. oh James, so narrow minded…so the ANC Prime time news channel for NZ is not international enough for you ? maybe you didn’t see in the news that AMC is now in cahoots with CCTV ? and why do they need foreign correspondent ? The Australia Live channel doesn’t use any. Have you actually seen The Australia Channel ? most of the daytime programming is 5 year old “totally wild”, “bananas in pyjamas”, endless repeats of the Wiggles, some crappy low rent english lessons and random ABC NEWS24. Given the ANC has about 15 shows on its roster, Im sure they can pull off an international feed somewhere.

  10. How can it be so difficult?
    Of course, the ABC should get the contract. Sky has no experience of international broadcasting, no foreign correspondents, and is part-owned by News Corp, an organisation known for using its outlets to push its own agenda.

  11. Just leave it with the ABC. It is very highly respected through the Asia/Pacific areas. Go to Samoa, Fiji, PNG and many other areas and see the commercial stations running it FTA overnight and during the day.
    “more information about their ability to cover new global hotspots in Africa and the Middle East” – well, ABC have their own people there. Sky would……..????

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