Suzanne

WK3 The Future of Public Broadcasting – Elizabeth Jacka

The Future of Public Broadcasting – Elizabeth Jacka

I found this reading really interesting. I must confess I am an ABC watcher, as I was bought up on the ABC children’s, dramas and news programs. There was certainly no Cosby Show watching at our house it was DR Who, Followed by the News and the 7.30 Report.

This reading outlines the original purpose of Public Service Broadcasters, and how it originated from the development of the BBC in Britain. It addressed the notion of who the ABC & SBS are servicing, what content they are presenting, and the role they are playing in the Broadcasting Industry.

Initially developed to broadcast the “finest aspects of culture” and to “play a role in informing the population, thus enhancing their ability to exercise citizenship in a variety of ways, including national elections”.

The ABC is associated with the “Highest Quality” broad ranging service available on a National level to all australians. SBS is associated with providing access to alternate multicultural programs availed to the minorities in our country.

The ABC does try to strive towards to universal appeal with a comprehensive service. It certainly does localise some of it show like Stateline and has certainly been concentrating on the Youth network JJJ. Especially seeing JTV has just come to life on our Television sets.

THe one thing the ABC has always offered is a hard hitting news service. Although financed by the commonwealth it has certainly been the source of many government scandals.

From this reading and my personal experience I believe that the role of the ABC in Australia has been to provide not just an “honest” news service, but innovative and experimental television. Many shows have seen their first run on the ABC and then gone onto bigger and more profitable networks. Such examples are, Good News Week & D Generation.

The reading explores the role of SBS and the ABC in our current broadcasting climate. I tend to agree with Elizabeth when she points out that the ABC TV is not providing such a broad range of programming, as a majority is from British television. Of course a huge factor in this would have to be the funding cut back that the channel has taken constantly every year since the 1990’s. It has seemed to lost its focus on educational programming. SBS on the other hand is certainly keeping to its goals, but one has to note that 20% of its funding does come from commercials. I also think that the ABC has more pressure placed on it to perform.

The future of Public Broadcasting – this reading points that the ABC is making some smart movies into the digital area, and has certainly utilise the other media to its advantage (the web). I personally think if the current political climate continues we will see more funding cuts, and a loss of independent broadcasting, and should i say “Australian made productions”. We are already seeing the ABC broadcast such American shows as “the west wing”. SBS – I think it will finds its way, it has certainly shown get fore sight in becoming the “soccer” channel and gaining more views in the process.