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Have your say on ABC / SBS stability & independence

The govt has announced a Review into how to support ABC and SBS with financial stability, free from political interference.

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Australians are being invited to have their say on how to support ABC and SBS in a new review announced by Minister for Communications, Michelle Rowland.

The review will examine options for delivering a greater level of financial stability and certainty to the national broadcasters, to safeguard against funding cuts and political interference.

Terms of reference (developed in consultation with the ABC and SBS):

· Support stable funding arrangements by identifying potential mechanisms to implement and maintain 5‑year funding terms at the amount announced by the government, while retaining the ability to provide additional funding during these terms; and

· support effective governance arrangements for the national broadcasters.

The review will not consider:

· The quantum of funding, funding terms or funding models provided to the national broadcasters;

· Changes to advertising restrictions or limits on the ABC or SBS;

· Changes to the legislative Charters or corporate character of the national broadcasters; or

· Merging the ABC and SBS.

Operational matters the responsibility of the ABC and SBS are also out of scope.

Minister for Communications, Michelle Rowland said, “Independent public broadcasters are a hallmark of a healthy democracy.

“The Albanese Government is committed to delivering better funding for the ABC and SBS so they have greater certainty as they deliver on their Charters for the Australian people.

“This review is an opportunity for Australians to have their say on the funding and governance arrangements for the ABC and SBS, including measures to support stable funding terms and promote effective board appointments.

“The ABC and SBS are key democratic and cultural institutions that provide essential services for communities across the country. I encourage all Australians to share their thoughts on how to provide greater stability to support the independence of the national broadcasters.”

To make a submission visit infrastructure.gov.au/natbroadcastersreview

Deadline: Thursday 31 August 2023 at 5:00pm AEST.

5 Responses

  2. Personally l feel SBS should be sold off. Their charter was to provide Ethic broadcasting but the truth is most programs are in english. The alternative is to merge them into one entity. It’s crazy but both have their own news and sport crews.

    1. Threats to the remove the SBS are not new but it still keeps going, and why shouldn’t it, where would Football fans get their FTA men’s football World Cup coverage when it’s stuffed up by commercial TV, who know nothing about the game, where would you get the series of soft porn movies that the SBS chose to broadcast every now and then. The SBS can’t be considered to be shy, being among the first broadcasters in Australia to feature on screen diversity and LGBTQ+ movies and themes. The ABC could have learnt a thing or two from the SBS but typically chose not to do so.

  3. Certainly they shouldn’t be having a partisan situation, where one party is offering different or better funding, or a lack of funding than other parties would provide. There should be a bipartisan support, even if it’s generous.

    The go to reaction if there’s political bias based on funding is to say defund, though it makes sense that funding stability is a good solution.

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