Corporation Australian Broadcasting Corporation

1 corporation

1.1 structure
1.2 management
1.3 funding

corporation
structure

below diagram of abc s divisional structure.

management

the operations of abc governed board of directors, consisting of managing director, 5 7 directors, , until 2006, staff-elected director. managing director appointed board period of 5 years, eligible renewal. authority , guidelines appointment of directors provided in australian broadcasting corporation act 1983.

appointments abc board made successive governments have resulted in criticism of appointees political affiliation, background, , relative merit. past appointments have associated directly political parties – 5 of fourteen appointed chairmen have been accused of political affiliation or friendship, include richard downing , ken myer (both of whom publicly endorsed australian labor party @ 1972 election), sir henry bland. david hill close neville wran, while donald mcdonald considered close friend of john howard.

from 2003 howard government made several controversial appointments abc board, including prominent abc critic janet albrechtsen, ron brunton, , keith windschuttle.

during 2007 federal election campaign, labor announced plans introduce new system, similar of bbc, appointing members board. under new system, candidates abc board considered independent panel established @ arm s length communications minister. if minister chose not on panel s shortlist, required justify parliament. abc chairman nominated prime minister , endorsed leader of opposition.

the new merit-based appointment system announced on 16 october, in advance of new triennial funding period starting in 2009.

current board members are:

funding

the abc funded australian government, in addition revenue received retail outlets. in 2006–07 federal budget, abc received a$823 million of government funding, increased $840 million in 2008–09. in 2009–10 federal budget, abc received funding of $929.9 million.

until 1948, abc funded directly radio licence fees; amendments made australian broadcasting act meant abc receive funding directly federal government. licence fees remained until 1973 when abolished whitlam labor government, on basis near-universality of television , radio services meant public funding fairer method of providing revenue government-owned radio , television broadcasters.

the term 8 cents day goes , coined in late 1980s during funding negotiations, used in reference services provided abc. estimated cost of abc per head of population per day 7.1 cents day, based on corporation s 2007–08 base funding of $543 million. budget figures above show abc costs on 14 cents per day today.

the australian communications minister, senator stephen conroy indicated strong support government abc s funding submission 2009/10 budget, saying organisation had been underfunded many years.