Update Deceember 2001

Friends of the ABC (NSW) Inc.q u a rterly newsletterSept. - Oct. 2001 Vol 13, No. 11

i n c o r p o r a t i n g

b a c k g round briefingnational magazineu p d a t efriends of the abc

THE TOWN CRIER by Greg Struck

Few kingdoms had sucha town crier.

Of course, he wasn't theonly town crier. Rich mer-chants also employed theirown criers who strolled thestreets in fine clothes andused clever tricks to get thepeople to listen. With thehelp of magicians, they hadalso mastered the art oftelling people exactly whichgoods they should buy. Itwas, however, said by manythat their news was some-times different to the officialcrier's news and that theydidn't always tell the peopleeverything that happened.

It was even whisperedthat the merchants, twopowerful ones in particular,sometimes told their criersto flatter the king inexchange for royal favours,though all concerneddenied this.

And so the years went

on. Naturally, not every kingliked the town crier and hisnews. Sometimes a kingwho didn't like the crier'snews even tried to stop himspeaking, but without suc-cess. The crier continuedgiving his independentviews on events in the king-dom. Occasionally he mademistakes, but everyoneagreed he could be trusted.Most people in the kingdomwere happy to have an offi-cial independent crier.

One day, the king of thetime decided that the towncrier was receiving too manygold coins for calling thenews. So, he cut down thenumber of coins the crierwas given each year. Itbecame harder for the crierto do his job well, but, beingconscientious, the crierstruggled on and still man-aged to tell the people

Continued page 4

Once upon a time, there existed a happy little kingdom. Itwas different to other kingdoms, because its citizens couldchoose their king every few years. Another thing that madethis kingdom different was that, long ago, the people haddecided to appoint a town crier to tell the citizens what washappening within and outside their kingdom.

He was paid by the people so the king couldn't tell himwhat to say. His job even had a new word to go with it, aword unknown to the people in the neighbouring kingdoms.The word was “independent”. The crier could find out exactlywhat was happening and tell the people. This was especiallyuseful to the people each time they chose a new king.

More than 350 people braved terrible weather to support the Friendsof the ABC Great Lakes. (photos courtesy Manning River Times)

In a departurefrom seriouspolitical com-ment, one ofour membershas written anallegoricaltale for your enjoyment. PT

Quentin Dempster,ABC; Wal Brown,Chair Great Lakes FABC; TimBowden; Penelope Toltz,Pres. FABC (NSW) at Great Lakes Friends

Have you m ade an appoin tm en t tosee your local Federal Mem ber ofParliam en t... AND THE OTHER CANDIDATES RUNNING IN YOUR ELECTORATE?

Are you un sure wh at to do?Un sure wh at to say?

Ph on e today: 9990 0600Leave your ph on e n um ber an d n am e s l o w l y an d we'll get back to youwith advice on h ow to do it . OR VISIT OUT WEBSITE:

www.fabc.org.au /n swYou’ll be able to fin d out wh o yourlocal m em ber is an d read th eir replyto our let ter. We h ope th is willen courage you to con tact your localFederal Mem ber/Can didate an dexpress your con cern s.

Use of the Friends logoWe have not given permission for any political

party or candidate to use our logo or implly that weendorse them. Please let us know if you see our logoon any material from any political party or candidate.

The Friends of the ABC is not associated withany political party or other lobbying group. Ourmembers have in common their united support for theindependence and proper funding of the ABC.

In all other ways they are as diverse as the generalAustralian community. What they have in common istheir united support for the independence and properfunding of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The Friends of the ABC's task is to let our mem-bers know what is happening at and to the ABC and toorganise public support to enable the ABC to surviveand function as a fully funded truly independent publicbroadcaster. Penelope Toltz

The AGM of the Friends of the ABCAnnual General Meeting

will be held onSaturday 6th October 1-4 pm

‘Y On the Park Conference Centre’5-11 We n t wo rth Ave nu e, Sydney 2010Guest Speaker: Geraldine Doogue.

Please be prompt. Ms Doogue has familycommitments after her speech which willcommence at 1 o'clock sharp.

We are looking for a new secretary andcommittee members with writing/journalismexperience and public speaking ability.

Illawarra Friends’ CabaretFriday 28 Sept

8:00 pmBulli School of Arts,

Princes Highway Bulli.This will be a great night of entertain-

ment on the South Coast. The very popularlocal group ‘Funkier than Alice’ will present areview featuring political satire written espe-cially for the Friends.

The group made-up of ‘four women anda cello’ were previously known as ‘CabaretPolitique’ and performed at last year’sMelbourne Comedy Festival.

The cost is only $15.Make up a table and bring your own supper basket and drinks.

Tea & Coffee supplied.Bookings are essential

and close Fri 14/9/01 5 pm Enquiries: Jean 4284 5740 or

Julie 4226 2323.

S T O P P R E S SThreat To Current Affairs

A proposed new editorial guideline being consid-ered by the ABC board which calls for ‘balance” with-in each program could seriously inhiibit current affairsreporters from doing their job. The Minister for anyportfolio would only have to say “no comment” orrefuse to appear or be interviewed and the oppositionspokesperson would not be able to appear on theprogram either as “balance” would then not be possi-ble within that program. The same situation wouldoccur were the opposition not willing or able toappear.

The ABC Board has called on the St. JamesEthics Centre to look at the proposed editorial guide-lines, described as ”too legalistic”.

We await developments.

P re s i d e n t ’s Reporthe Friends of the ABC

(NSW) Inc has been extremelybusy over the last month. Themajor events have been twopublic meetings in July. Politicsin the Pub in Surrey Hills Sydneyand a public meeting of theGreat Lakes Friends of the ABCin Forster. Our electoral cam-paign has started involving thelobbying of local members ofparliament and known candi-dates for the next Federal elec-tion and also we have beeninvolved with the preparation ofthe FABC national submission forthe inquiry into ABC boardappointments .

At ‘Politics in the Pub’ inSurrey Hills in July, KirstenGarrett, Tony Moore (Pluto Press)and I spoke about “The ABCAfter This Government”. Therewere more than 150 people inattendance and it was an infor-mative evening for all.

I spoke about future govern-ments and the way they shouldinteract with the ABC. I alsospoke about what the ABCshould be doing in its relationswith any future government.Some time ago, Ellen Fanningand I spoke about the necessityof the ABC having someone toliaise on a regular basis withmembers of the parliament bothgovernment and opposition.

From our contact with manypoliticians, it is clear that mostare not aware of the breadth anddepth of the ABC’s program-ming. It would be very construc-tive if the ABC had a member ofstaff specially there to organiseMP's to come to the ABC eitherin the ACT or in their capital city,to see how programs are puttogether and to understand thehuge variety of activities thatABC staff are involved with. Theywould also see how the ABCstruggles to put on programs

with elderly and failing equip-ment.

I believe that whoever is inpower after the end of this year -a better way of interacting withmembers of parliament in anongoing way has to be found.Just like some politicians observeArmy war games to see how thearmy works, I'd like the samething to happen with our politi-cians and the ABC. The jobwould an additional one to any-one who is presently in the ACTor other capital cities or regions.The ABC is an important part ofour democracy, and it seems tobe woefully misunderstood andunappreciated by those in power.

Likewise it would be inter-esting to find out how manyBoard Members have spent aday being involved in seeing howprograms get to air – to see howABC staff manage with oldequipment, not enough tapes,not enough people or time to doresearch.

Sunday 29th July I went toForster to speak at a meeting ofthe Great Lakes Friends of theABC. I was in great companywith Quentin Dempster andretired ABC stalwart Tim Bowdenand we all spoke passionatelyabout the ABC.

If anyone thinks the ABC isnow not an election issue andpeople are not seriously con-cerned about the future of theABC, they should consider thatmore than 350 people bravedterrible weather to hear us speakat the Forster Bowling Club. Somany turned up that a moveablewall had to be folded back toaccommodate the large turnout!It was a wonderful morning, wellreported by the local paper and Ithank the FABC committee inForster for their hospitality andmaking their meeting a hugesuccess.

At present Friends of theABC in all Federal electorates,a re calling on their local Membersof Parliament, whether they beCoalition, National, Labor orIndependent and letting themknow how important the ABC isto them and making them awarethat their party's policies aboutthe future funding of the ABCand its independence are goingto count when they vote at theend of this year.

Please consider making anappointment to see YOURMember of Parliament to voiceyour concern for the future of theABC and to ask them where theystand. If enough of us make thiseffort, we can make a differenceas all of them care about beingelected or re-elected.

If possible please try andtalk to ALL the candidates inYOUR area before the nextFederal Election? You may feelmore comfortable if you ask aclose friend to go to the appoint-ment with you.

Penelope Toltz.

The Sydney ShowgroundsHomebush Bay10:00 - 6:00

-

Thursday, 20 SeptemberFriday, 21 September

Saturday, 22 SeptemberSunday, 23 September

what was happening. The nextking did the same, saying thattimes were difficult. The crier foundit even harder to do his job, butwas still to be found each eveningwalking the streets, making surethat the citizens heard the news.

Eventually, a particularly hard-hearted king came to power.Before he became king, he hadpromised that he would notreduce the number of gold coinsthe crier was given. But, onbecoming king, he immediatelytold the crier that he would have towork with fewer coins. The crierreplied, "Your majesty, I cannot! Ia l ready struggle to do my job.When I call the news, I wear tat-t e red clothes. While the merc h a n t ' scriers ride fine horses, I walk thes t reets in worn shoes. And mybugle has a crack in it. I need an e w bugle to announce myself.Have you priced bugles lately, yourm a j e s t y ? "

But the king was unmoved, aswere the Minister for Town Cryingand the crier's bumbling supervi-sor, who had arrived late at themeeting after being delayed by adifficult decision about whether tocome in his personal coach or bedriven in his official carriage. Whilethis supervisor dealt harshly withthe town crier, he was alwayspolite when he met with the king. (In fact you could say he becameshyer and shyer with the king andthe Minister for Town Crying).Back at the meeting, the king said,"Crier, we have to be rational. Notonly am I giving you fewer coins,but I am thinking of selling yourservices to the merchants. Youcan then sell things as well asannouncing the news. If you sellenough things, I won't have togive you any coins at all!"

Storytellers still argue whathappened next.

Some say the king had hisway and forced the town crier tobe just like the merchant's crierswho did what they were told, sold

things and didn't ask embarrass-ing questions.

Some say the king was fol-lowed by another king, but eventhis king did not give the crierenough coins and he still struggled.

But,. others say that the peopleof the kingdom became very angry.They liked having an official crierand didn't want only the merc h a n t ' sviews. They rose up and wrote toall the king's courtiers. They wentto visit them and told them howthey felt. They said "No matterwho is king in future, we want thecrier protected and looked a f t e r. Welike his news and information.

And we want it without anyextras." When it was time tochoose a new king, they madesure that everyone who wanted tobe king knew that the peopledemanded an official crier withwho was paid enough gold coinsto do his job well.

Dear reader, how do you thinkthe story should end?

The Town Crier (Continued from page 1)

University of Technology

16th Novem ber Friday

Com e alon g an d con tribu te to th e

discussionGuth rie Th eatre

Un iversity of Tech n ology(just up from th e ABC)

Harris Street Ultim oTim e: 9.30 amRegistrat ion :

from 14th Septem berCost: $40 for th e day

($20 con cession )Registrat ion by

Phone: 9514 2311 from14/9/01 or email

[email protected] .au

Forum into

Public ServiceBroadcasting

Update athorised by P.Toltz 11/17Buckingham Street Surrey Hills 2010Printed by B.E.E. Printmail, 1/5Waltham St., Artarmon 2964

ABC Friends on the C e n t r al Coast

will hold a Public Meeting October 7

at the Gosford Leagues Club.Quentin Dempster and

Penelope Toltz will speak.

In June of this year a cavalcadeof buses and cars left Melbourneto travel to Canberra. On the waythey would stop at Seymour,Bendigo, Wangaratta and Albury-Wodonga. The trip, organised byFriends of the ABC, Victoria, wasaimed at raising the issue of theABC's independence and fundingthroughout the length and breadthof Victoria, and taking the issue tothe politicians and people ofCanberra.

Before the Canberra trip werevisits to other regional areas inVictoria, and a send off rally inMelbourne attended by more than4,000 people.

In Canberra, the FABC rally out-side Parliament House wasaddressed by representatives of allpolitical parties except theCoalition partners.

The travellers were welcomedby Brian Hill, Vice President of theFABC in the ACT and region.June Factor, Vice President of theFABC in Victoria, and DarceCassidy, National Spokesperson,spoke on behalf of the Friends.

Kim Beazley, Natasha Stott-Despoja and Bob Brown allexpressed support for ABC inde-pendence, and better funding.They spoke in general terms, andit seems that we will have to wait

until closer to the election for moreconcrete promises.

As we head towards the elec-tion, the Friends of the ABC will bepushing all parties to:

• Restore ABC funding to atleast its 1995-6 level (adjusted forinflation) plus funding to permit theABC to participate fully in the digi-tal environment.

• Advertising to be prohibitedon all ABC activities, includingABC Online, and not just on radioand television.

• An end to the stacking of theABC Board with people sympa-thetic to the government of theday.

Cavalcade to Canberra

ABC Board appointmentsm o re important thanappointments to the high court

Max Walsh in The Bulletin19/6/01 writes of “the desire onthe part of the government of theday to assert its control over thenational broadcaster.

In day-to-day political terms,the government’s power to appointthe ABC Board members and,with backroom guidance, the chiefexecutive is considered to be moreimportant than its appointments tothe High Court.”

We have been successful inbringing the issue of the appoint-ments to the ABC Board into pub-lic debate. We are convinced thatuntil the system of appointmentsbecomes more transparent thefuture of the ABC will not besecure.

ADD YOUR VOICE TO THE DEBATE BY WRITING TO THE LEADERS OFTHE MAJOR PARTIES AT :

PARLIAMENT HOUSE CANBERRA ACT 2600

‘Will your party support a moretransparent method of appointingdirectors to the Board of theABC?’ This is one of the questionswe shall be putting to all the majorparties before the federal election.

We shall put before them thealternatives for appointing theBoard that we made in our sub-mission to the Senate inquiry intoABC Board Appointments.

The response to this questionwill be a crucial part of our ReportCard on the commitment to theABC of the major parties. TheReport Card will be widely circulat-ed in the marginal electorates, andthrough Update and BackgroundBriefing, andvoters will beasked to‘Remember theABC when youvote’.

A commit-ment to settingup an open andtransparent pro-cedure for nomi-nating andselecting Boarddirectors doesnot depend onthe state of the

books after the election. It is c o s t -f ree, and it will bring great k u d o sand votes for the party w h i c h is will-ing to put public interest beforewhat is perceived as party interest.

While each party has antipathytowards giving up some of itspower over the ABC, they shouldconsider that legislating to do thiswill in turn curb the other partywhen it returns to government.The crucial fact for the ABC andAustralia is that the destructive andcostly ‘up for grabs’ treatment ofthe ABC following a change ofgovernment will end.

Commitment to opening upBoard appointments to publicscrutiny will be a touchstone forassessing the policy documents

“What will your party do for the ABC?”

“A new, open and transpar-ent method of appointment,cleansed by the disinfectant ofsunlight."

The Friends of the ABC sub-mission to the Senate Inquiry intothe way in which members of theABC Board are appointed is nowavailable through the FABC SAwebsite at <www.friendsofthe-abc.org>.

Our submission demonstratedthat condemnation of the currentpractice is almost unanimous. Wequoted criticism of board stackingby the Prime Minister and bySenator Alston. We quotedattacks on board stacking by theShadow Minister forCommunications, Mr StephenSmith, and by Labor SenatorsGareth Evans and Chris Schacht.Former Chairmen of the ABC,David Hill and Professor MarkArmstrong, have also condemnedthe practice. So have a host ofindependent commentators includ-ing Stewart Fist, Michelle Grattanand the Canberra Times.

Everyone agrees that the pro-cess is crook, except for the partyin power at the time (and perhapsthe party that expects to enjoy thespoils of office in a few monthstime).

Having demonstrated conclu-sively that the current method ofappointment was on the nose, we

proposed that the taint be eliminat-ed by the disinfectant of sunlight.

Friends of the ABC put forwarda range of five options. Their com-mon feature was transparency.We argued that since one of thefunctions of the ABC is to lay openthe processes of government, itwas inappropriate that the boardof the ABC be chosen in secret.

The submission suggested thatappointments to the ABC boardshould be taken seriously.Selection criteria should be devel-oped, vacancies should be widelyadvertised, and a short list of suit-able candidates published. It isnot good enough for the names ofa few mates to be tossed aroundthe Cabinet table.

We proposed thatfuture appointments tothe ABC Board bemade either :

* By the govern-ment from a short listselected by a joint par-liamentary committeefollowing the develop-ment of selection crite-ria and the advertisingof vacancies.

* Or by the govern-ment from a short listselected by anIndependentAppointmentsCommission followingthe development of

selection criteria, and the publicadvertisement of vacancies.

* Or by an IndependentAppointments Commission follow-ing the development of selectioncriteria, and the advertising ofvacancies.

* Or by the method describedin Recommendation 22 of the1995 Senate Inquiry into ABCManagement and Operations (thatis, by a committee of both Housesof Parliament)

* Or by a two thirds majority ofall members of the federal parlia-ment.

DARCE CASSIDY

The Senate Inquiry into ABC Board Appointments

On the evening of Monday 20 August, as DarceCassidy, our national spokesperson, was presentingand speaking to our submission to the Senate inquiry ,Channel 2 was running the celebratory 40th anniver-sary Four Corners program.

The Four Corners program was moving witness tothe part the ABC has played in exposing corruption,corporate irresponsibility, callous indifference and politi-cal chicanery in our national life.

It was also a potent reminder of the hatred of theABC by governments and parties who see these pro-grams simply in an adversarial light, as being politicallymotivated.

Cartoon courtesy Krygsman

Donald McDonald is set tospend another five years aschairman of the ABC. In thisterm it is to be hoped he strivesvigorously towards the goal ofensuring the ABC is a betterinstitution at the end of thosefive years than it is now. There islittle evidence he seriously pur-sued such a goal during his firstterm, and quite a lot of evidencethe ABC is adrift and in need ofthe steady course only a com-mitted chairman can achieve.

Brisbane Courier Mail 9/7/01

Mr Howard disagrees. He isreported as saying that the ABCchairman had done a 'first-class ..absolutely outstanding job'.

The Board, whose directorsare selected solely by the govern-ment in power, is responsible forthe direction and performance ofthe ABC, and for maintaining itsindependence from political andcommercial pressures. It is respon-sible for seeing that the ABCmeets its Charter obligations.

The chairman and the Boardclearly endorse the actions of themanaging director, Jonathan Shier.The granting of a $20,000 perfor-mance bonus - despite thewidespread condemnation of MrShier’s record - confirms this belief.

Guest journalist on Sydney 702,Margot Kingston, commentedon whether Mr Shier’s perfor-mance bonus had been earned:“If this man’s brief was to destro ythe ABC he deserves perfor-mance pay. Collapsing rates, thedeath of any form of morale, theexodus of senior talent.”

SMH 15/8/01

Further than this, we mustassume that what has happenedunder Mr Shier has been at thebehest of the Board.

The Board’scorporate plan

The Board publishes its corpo-rate plan in the ABC’s AnnualReports. This is the guideline fornew directions. From the AnnualReport 1999-2000 we find that anew Corporate Plan was developedand approved by the Board for thenew triennium. The document setsout five major objectives for the ABCfrom 1999 to 2002:

In addition to fulfilling its responsi -bilities under the ABC Act, andpursuing maximum efficiency andeffectiveness, the Board articulat-ed other key areas for attention:transforming ABC services in thedigital age; developing Australiancontent; and ex-panding servicesto local and regional communi-ties.These five key objectives formthe basis of reporting in this year’sAnnual Report.

The Corporate Plan is moreinteresting in what it leaves out.T h e re is no mention of Mr McDonald’splans for radical cultural change atthe ABC. Yet a list of ‘essentialattributes’ for a new managing direc-tor as required by the ABC Boardincluded:

“A change manager, able to leadan organisation through significantcultural transformation.”

Where has the Chairmanexplained or justified this? Fromwhich sections of the communityhas there been any demand for“significant cultural transforma-tion”?

Mr Shier, cutting a swathethrough staff and programs at theABC, would appear to be follow-ing an undisclosed corporate planof the Board.

With the defining fact of his firstterm being that he had friends inhigh places, little attention waspaid to Mr McDonald’s actual per-formance as ABC Chairman. Butwhile he insists that he and therest of the ABC Board bring nopolitical agenda to its meetings,Mr McDonald has not been muchhelp in enlightening Australians asto what agenda is at work insidethe corporation.

Brisbane Courier Mail 9/7/01

Commitment ofthe Chairman ofthe Board

Restructure of a restructure

Since Mr McDonald wasappointed to the chair of the ABCB o a rd he has overseen not one buttwo re-structures of the ABC. In only five years.

The first was ‘One ABC’, man-aged by Mr Shier’s predecessor,Brian Johns. At the time, MrMcDonald pointed out [in a letter toThe Australian 3/3/98] that theCorporation’s “radical, determinedand successful” new structure is allabout positioning the broadcasterfor “the digital revolution”. It wasalso about accommodating the$66m cuts.

E r rol Simper commented in 1998on the high cost of that restructure:

The ABC has, of course, seen fitto part with millions in order forconsultancy firms to craft its lateststrategies. In truth, enough consul-tancy guided ABC documentationhas reached the scribe over the lastfew months to enable him to makethe considered judgement thatgreat - and probably beautiful -forests have been irresponsiblyslain so that highly re m u n e r a t e dpeople can state the obvious, elsedraw conclusions dozens of corpo-ration insiders could have drawnwithout charge.

The Australian 7/3/98

On his appointment Mr Shierimmediately set about his radicalrestructure, to ‘reinvent publicbroadcasting’ [SMH 27/10/00] andchange the culture of the ABC.

Before Mr Shier abandoned hischaotic restructure, the Chairmanhad ‘pledged to see through theextensive restructuring of the publicb ro a d c a s t e r. Mr McDonald de-scribed criticism of Mr Shier and hisre f o r m s as “misguided and unfair”and “coming from those who areamong our principal competition.We will see it through,”Mr McDonaldtold the ABC’s Media Watch.’


Included in the costs of these tworestructures over five years areredundancy payments of $76 million.[ABC Annual Reports]

Imagine the programs that couldhave been made with that amountof money.

In an effort to discreditour attempts to depoliticisethe method by which theABC Board is appointed,we have been accused offailing to advocate thiswhen Labor was in power.[eg PP McGuinness SMH4/8/01]

In October 1985 thePresident of the Friends inNew South Wales, WalterBass, wrote in our newslet-t e r:

"The Corporation isunder fire from a Laboradministration which isproving to be a greaterthreat to the ABC's inde-pendence than theFraser government everwas... Politicians havetried stacking the Boardwith their nominees... I also appeal to all theFriends of the ABC tomake their disapprovalknown on any and everyoccasion when theGovernment’s intrusioninto ABC activitiesappears to be motivatedby political rather thancommunity considera-tions."

In the Spring 1989issue of the newsletter hewrote:

"The second of theABC's foes - by far themore sinister - is thepolitician... Both Hawkeand Peacock make nosecret of their dislike ofthe ABC... Hawke wasnot exactly enamoured ofFour Corners programsscrutinising the businessactivities of Sir PeterAbeles and Alan Bond,with whom Hawke is ongood terms."

We loudly criticisedGareth Evans’ proposalthat the ABC be funded byadvertising, and we joinedwith Senator Alston andthe Coalition in condemn-ing the back door sponsor-ship deals in ABC televi-sion under a Labor admin-istration.

In our next - pre-election- issue we will assess thepositive and negativeactions during the peri-ods of responsibility forthe ABC of the Laborgovernments from 1983to 1996 and of theHoward government from1996.Without fear or favour.

No Friends of the ALP or any political party

The political cost of damaging theABC

While the ABC Board bears signifi-cant responsibility for the present state ofthe ABC, it is the government that willtake the weight of audience and publicoutrage.

Not only for the crippling effect of itsfailure to fund the ABC adequately butalso for its perceived pressure on theBoard.

As Edith Waller wrote in a letter toThe Australian:

When considering the politicisation ofthe ABC board, attention must bepaid to the power of the minister -the extent to which a board made upof Liberal supporters is prepared tosit by and allow him to take chargewhen it suits their political purpose.

In Senator Alston the ABC is repre-sented, for the first time in its history,by a minister who is unconcern e dabout its well-being.

...the ABC chairman persists in deny-ing that political pressure influencesBoard decisions. The minister, whoexerts the pressure, doesn’t evenbother to deny it.

9/8/01

Max Walsh writing in the Bulletin19/6/01 has some interesting specula-tions on the election fallout of theM c D o n a l d / S h i e r governance:

For a government facing an election,the wave of viewer indignation isunnerving. The core ABC audienceis the very constituency the govern-ment feels it is losing. Howard has,in the past, been heard to grumblethat the ABC is a case of “myenemy talking to my friends”. Thismay have been the case in the pastbut those friends continued to votefor the Coalition. Now the govern-ment runs the risk of being blamedfor the destruction of the ABC.

The national FABC submission

to the Senate Enquiry

into ABC Board Appointments

is available atw w w. f a b c . o rg.au

Claims have been made byboth the Minister, Senator Alston,and the Chairman, DonaldMcDonald, that the appropriationsin this year’s budget are a recordamount for the ABC, exceedingthose for the last year of theKeating government, 1995-96.

Clever spin - but misleading.

As we understand it, the appro-priations - or ‘revenues fromGovernment’ - comprise operatingrevenue for domestic services,operating revenue for RadioAustralia, money for transmissionservices, plus some capital fundingand government loans. (The latteritems create the biggest variationswhen comparing budgets of differ-ent years.)

The key figures, in terms ofwhat services the broadcaster canprovide, are the operating rev-enues for domestic services andfor Radio Australia. Over the firsttwo years of the Coalition govern-ment appropriations for broadcast-ing services were reduced by 12%or $66 million. This cut remaineduntil May of this year except for thereturn of some funding to RadioAustralia - $3m for three years.

This year $17.8m was added tothe ABC budget (for domestic ser-vices), in a limited way. It is notpart of the triennial fundingarrangement and runs out afterfour years. This money is ear-marked for regional services. Therewere other amounts for transmis-sion, capital funding and loanswhich the Minister and theChairman included in their mis-leading claims of record funding.

The simple fact is that the$66m cut - which would be$73.6m in today’s money - hasonly been restored by about $3mplus the $17.8m targeted forregional broadcasting.

What the HowardGovernment hasn’tgiven the ABC in 5years in office

It has given NO funding forthese expenses and initiatives:

• Expansion in the field of NewMedia, that is, ABC Online. Thishas been considerable.

• Funding for content produc-tion for the new ABC Kids’ digitalchannel.

• Rises in the cost of buying inoverseas programs. Overseas pro-gram expenditure rose by $10 m i l-lion between 1996 and 1998-99.

• The development of NewsRadio, which has been fundedsince its inception from the basefunding.

And since Mr Shier began to‘change the culture’ NO fundingfor these expenses:• Increased salaries for new

managers and for an increasednumber of managers.

• Money for consultancies,staff recruitment agencies andincreased marketing.

• $22 million in redundancypayments. Yes, $22 million - morethan the increase in funding for thisyear.

So where did the money comefrom? From the operating bud-get for domestic services.Every year the contentproviders, television and radio,get a smaller cut of the cake.

ATV re t u rned to the ABCThe original Australia Television

service, which broadcast by satel-lite to the Asia-Pacific region, wastaken away from the ABC by theHoward government in 1997 andsold to the 7 Network. The servicehas now been given back to theABC, with a grant of $75 millionover five years.

This time the money is comingfrom the Department of ForeignAffairs and Trade, rather than beingincluded in ParliamentaryAppropriations. It will also rely onadvertising and sponsorship, asthe earlier version did, with onlylimited success.

How much money - and goodwill in the Region - could havebeen saved had ATV been left withthe ABC?

Misleading claimsfor the ABC’s 2001Budget

REDUNDANCY PAY O U T S$76 million total underHoward/Alston

The 12% cut in 1996-97 led to thedeparture of nearly 1000 of thebroadcaster’s staff. Redundancypayments cost $23m in 1996-97and $25m in 1997-98. These costsdropped to $2.5m in 1998-99 and$3.4m in 1999-2000.

Few expected the figure wouldreturn to anything like $22m in2000-01 when about 230 peopleleft.

ABC Annual Reports

Forget a popularlyelected president. Howabout a popularly elect-ed head of the ABC?

I propose a B1 and B2joint administration -maybe we’d get some-thing good on TV atlast - but better giveone of them pinkstripes so everything’snicely balanced.

GORDON WAKELIN-KING,

Clifton Hill, Vic.

I was one of hundreds of pre-sent and former Four Corners staffto attend a function to celebratethe 40th anniversary of the pro-gram in Sydney in August.

Most of us enjoyed ourselves,but there were two people therewho looked quite uncomfortable.They were in ABC heartland, butneither ABC Chairman DonaldMcDonald, nor ABC ManagingDirector Jonathan Shier, seemedto be at home.

Donald McDonald spoke, andgave one of his usual smooth andurbane performances, but withoutmuch in the way of feeling.Jonathan Shier kept a low profileon the sidelines.

Only recently Senator Alstonhad questioned the competenceof the ABC legal department.Jonathan Shier had pulled off theair a program cleared by ABCLegal, so that he could get a third,and external, opinion. This night,speaker after speaker praised ABClegal, and its head, Judith Walker.

Speaker after speaker referredto past instances where politicalinterference in the program hadbeen attempted, and resisted. Againand again the heroes and martyrsof Four Corners were honoured.

As the night wore one, JonathanShier seemed to become moreand more uncomfortable. Eventually,according to press reports, heexploded, publicly abusing a FourCorners producer as a 'stupidPom' who had made a 'boringprogram'. The producer in ques-tion, Quentin McDermot, had madethe very program that Mr Shierhad temporarily taken off the air.

For me, and the others in theroom, this recalled another occa-sion, thirty seven years earlier,when another program had beentaken off the air for political rea-sons. The hero of this battle wasFour Corners reporter JohnPenlington, and the martyr wasFour Corners Executive Producer,Alan Ashbolt.

I was a young Four Cornersresearcher in 1964, and everyMonday morning, together with

the rest of the team, we wouldgather in a conference room toreview last week’s program, andplan programs for the comingweeks. One week our meetingwas enlarged to include the ABC'sAssistant General Manager,Clement Semmler.

He came to complain about anitem in last week’s program. It wasa story about claims by ManfredCross MP that womens' stockingswere deliberately designed to lad-der, as a way of boosting sales.

It was a pretty run of the millitem, but at one point the filmshowed a model putting on astocking. As she rolled it up herthigh, the camera lingered for a lit-tle longer than strictly necessary.Mr Semmler came to complainthat he had been distressed by theprogram, having seen it, as he putit, in mixed company.

After listening solemnly to theAssistant General Manager’s viewabout what was appropriate view-ing for mixed company, the meet-ing proceeded to discuss upcom-ing programs.

One item concerned the forth-coming execution of Eric EdgarCooke, who had been convictedof murder in Perth. While hangingwas still practised in some Australianstates, it was now rare, and publicfeeling was growing against it.

It was decided that JohnPenlington, one of the program’sreporters, should take a cameracrew and fly to Perth to cover thecontroversy.

Penlington was something of acelebrity in Perth. Until recently hehad had his own local currentaffairs program there. When hearrived in Perth the local pressasked him what he was doingback in Perth. He told them hewas there to make a programabout the proposal to hang Cooke.

News of this leaked out, andthe West Australian Premier cameto hear about it. He complained tolocal ABC management, who con-veyed his complaint to the AssistantGeneral Manager. It seemed thatthe Premier thought that such a

program was in 'bad taste' andshould not be made. Mr Semmlerthen issued a statement sayingthat Four Corners was not makinga program about the forthcomingexecution of Cooke.

The press, on hearing thisstatement, went back to Penlington.What was going on they asked. Anervous Penlington replied cau-tiously, but firmly, "I stand by mystatement of Tuesday" - meaningthat yes, he was making a pro-gram about the Cooke execution.The program's Executive Pro d u c e r,Alan Ashbolt, backed Penlington.

The next we heard was thatAlan Ashbolt, the ExecutiveP ro d u c e r, John Power, the Pro d u c e r,and John Penlington, had all beenremoved from Four Corners. Theiroffence - contradicting a seniorofficer in the press. No matter thatthey had spoken the truth, no mat-ter that there were ten or morewitnesses, that Penlington hadbeen specifically commissioned tomake a program about Cooke -they had publicly contradicted theAssistant General Manager.

It looked very grim indeed.Things got blacker. We asked theUnion for support. A conservativeunion in those days, they refused.This is a program matter, not anindustrial issue, they said.

Then we were saved. TheSecretary of the Council ofSalaried and Professional Assoc-iations, John Baker, had complainedto the ABC Chairman, Sir JamesDarling, about the removal ofPenlington, Power and Ashbolt.Before replying, Darling had con-sulted senior ABC management,who it appears drafted a reply forDarling's signature. In the letterDarling wrote:

“The officers concerned, againststanding instructions, andagainst all decent practice, con-tradicted their senior officer inthe public press. They havebeen returned to their previouspositions because they haveshown a lack of the re s p o n s i b i l i t ynecessary to conduct a programof the type of Four Corners."

Continued on page 11

Heroes and Martyrs - 40 years of Four Corners Darce Cassidy

Baker gave a copy of the letterto Ashbolt. With a copy of this let-ter in the hands of the FourC o rners team, the ABC was ad-v i s e d that an action for def a m a t i o nwas being contemplated.

Suddenly the ABC wanted tonegotiate. It would be very emba-rrassing if the Chairman lost adefamation suit on the basis of hissigning a letter drafted by one o fthe ABC's most senior managers.

There were hurried talks, and adeal was done. After a short timein purgatory, Power and Penlingtonwould be quietly reinstated. Theprogram on Cooke would bebroadcast, but only after he hadbeen killed and the issue had lostimmediacy.

Ashbolt however was to besacrificed. The Executive Pro d u c e rof Four Corners since its incep-tion, and a distinguished actor,author and foreign correspondent,Ashbolt was to be marginalisedand demonised. He survived as asenior executive in the ABC foranother ten years or more, but wasunder constant attack. He retiredprematurely for health reasons.

The history of the ABC is full ofstories like that, and it's full ofh e roes and martyrs like Penlingtonand Ashbolt. It's full of villains too.The program has survived, andgone on to greater things, becausePenlington, Ashbolt and many likethem have believed in the public'sright to know

As long as that history remainsalive in the minds of ABC staff,and in the minds of the ABC'sfriends, like ourselves, then“stupid producers” will still try tomake programs that politiciansthink are "boring", and in "badtaste".

DARCE CASSIDY FABC National Spokesperson

Heroes and Martyrs - 40 years of Four Corners

Continued from page 10 The political row engulfing thewithdrawal of Monday’s FourCorners program is, in reality, abarometer of just how inexpertlythe Coalition has managed theABC. The broadcaster, particularlyits managing director, JonathanShier, has become a powder keg.

A media executive withholdinga story pending legal advicewouldn’t normally be very exciting.It happens in this building everyfew weeks. The Four Cornersproblem is that Shier has, largelythough a series of avoidable blun-ders, delineated himself as a legiti-mate political target.

Yet, despite his own ham-fistedmistakes, it isn’t entirely his fault.The Government, notwithstandingthe excellence of some boardappointees, has filled the board-room with people perceived ashaving Coalition sympathies.Theperception has been that Shier, aformer Liberal party worker, is justas political as the board. Neverwas this perception more alivethan when, pre-Budget, Shierdeliberately publicised his requestfor additional ABC funding.

It somehow didn’t come as animmense shock when Budgetnight delivered extra money. Thatjust shows, said Shier’s strongestsupporter, Liberal Party luminaryMichael Kroger, what a ‘success’Shier was proving.

Shier has also basked in theobvious approval of theCommunications Minister RichardAlston, who should have realisedlong ago that publicly siding withShier is politically foolish.

The result is that everythingShier now does, be it sensible orotherwise, is automatically coloure dwith politics. The Coalition, whichfrequently accused Labor of politi -cising the ABC, has taken politici-sation to a dangerous level, a dan-ger which will probably not abateuntil Shier changes his job.

ERROL SIMPER The Australian 20/7/01

Shier cornered by politics

Cartoon courtesy Bill Leck

Welcome back to TheAustralian , Errol Simper,after an absence ofmonths.You were missed.

Happy birthday, 4 CornersIn 1960, when Charles Moses ran the

ABC, Bob Raymond and announcerMichael Charlton found themselves underinterrogation as Moses asked, “And whatmakes you two think you can get this pro-gram off the ground, when all the advice Iget is that it won’t worK?”

The program? Four Corners. The pairwere suggesting a live broadcast once aweek.

“How will senior officers know what’s

going to be in the program?” Moses asked.“They won’t, “ Raymond re p l i e d .Silence. Then Moses gave the nod,

though with a proviso. “You will never beable to do it through the normal chan-nels. The only way it can be done is ifyou two just go ahead and do it. If it’s asuccess the ABC will take the credit.And if it’s a failure, I personally will kickyou both all the way up William Street.”

BOB RAYMOND in his memoirs‘Out of the Box’

According to the SydneyMorning Herald 13/8/2001, thenews editor of ABC NewsRadio,Mark Henderson, has told re p o r t e r sthat the main angle when coveringindustrial disputes should be theimpact on the public.

A leaked email from MrHenderson states:

If we are covering, for example,a dispute in the banking indus-try, we should focus on whetherbanks will be closed. That shouldinclude details about where andfor what period of time.

Details of the dispute, for exam-ple rates of pay, are very muchsecondary and our coverageshould reflect that. If an industri-al dispute does not impact onthe public, we should be seri-ously considering why we arecovering it.

Mr Henderson appears to besaying that strikes should only bereported when they depict unionscausing public inconvenience.

This, of course, has long been apractice in the commercial media.It has been comprehensively docu-mented by a group of Glasgowacademics (The Glasgow MediaGroup) in a three volume studypublished in the early 1980s. In‘Bad News’, ‘More Bad News’ and‘Really Bad News’ the group madea detailed study of industrial re p o r t-i n g in the British electronic media.

‘Really Bad News’ reports thattelevision coverage of a strike byGlasgow garbage collectors in1975 focused almost exclusivelyon inconvenience to the public. Ofmore than 14 reports in news bul-letins, only one report - on theBBC - mentioned the reason forthe strike: the fact that the driversreceived substantially less thantheir counterparts in private indus-try. The main thrust of reportingwas public inconvenience andalleged health risks. When thestrike was only a couple of daysold, the media showed libraryfootage of piled up garbage from astrike in 1974. At that point, earlyin the strike, there was not yet arisk to health.

The authors noted: "If the newswas so concerned to provide acontext and background to thedispute, why could more pertinentfacts not be given?"

Reacting angrily to MrHenderson's email, the Secretaryof the NSW Labor Council, JohnRobertson, said:

The Australian public have anabsolute right to be fullyinformed about industrial dis-putes and make their own mindsup. If this direction was to be fol-lowed, the ABC would not havecovered the waterfront dispute,issues of workers’ entitlementsor many other disputes whichinform the political landscape.

Bad News Time to storm the Bastille

Alston, Howard and their col-leagues comfortably dismiss anycriticism as politics, whether fromthe unions, the Labor Party or theFriends. Thus they put themselvesin the position of being able toaccuse their critics of attemptingto politicise the very body whichthey have brought under thetightest control in its history.

We are not talking about FourCorners here; staff from the verytop of the national television net-work down to the lowly ranks ofregional radio presenters havebeen intimidated into toeing theline. Station managers have beenthreatened with dismissal if theyallow critical voices in marginalgovernment seats. The intimida-tion may or may not have sub-stance, but in the present climateof fear few staffers are preparedto try and call the bluff. The resultis a resentful and cowed organi-sation, ideologically cleansed by avindictive government whichincreasingly regards anythingshort of fulsome praise as a dec-laration of war.

The ABC has always beenseen as government’s naturaladversary. But it has seldom hadto confront an administrationeager to pluck out its very rootsand then sow the ground inwhich it grew with salt.

Howard and Alston havepraised McDonald for doing anoutstanding job as chairman;McDonald vigorously supportsShier as a great reforming direc-tor. The team is united as a kindof reincarnation of Louis XIV:L’ABC, c’est moi.

It’s their ABC, and as with theSun King, it might take a revolu-tion to take it back from them.And it will need more than theFriends, well-meaning as theyare, to storm the Bastille.

MUNGO MacCALLUM Byron Shire Echo 24/7/01Cartoon courtesy

Michael Atchison

No one in the ABC should besurprised that Jonathan Shierpulled last week’s Four Cornerss t o r y, then decided to air it tonight.It is just one more in a growing listof examples of how the ABC’s top-level management appears to be ina state of constant confusion.

At the moment program direc-tion is unclear; as a consequence,quality is being compromised anda long line of program-makers isleaving. I’m one who has alreadygone.

Across the network, Shier’supper management team (notthose managers who have regularcontact with program-making butthose faceless managers tuckedaway upstairs) has slashed thebudgets without regard for theconsequences.

There are daily reminders of t h i smanagement style as re p o r t e r s andproducers wander around theoffices for 10 minutes to find aspare notepad or a stapler thatworks. The photocopier that con-stantly breaks down. The smokethat occasionally rises from theradio panel. The weekly, sometimesdaily, emails reporting on the latestemployee squeezed out of the or-ganisation. The steadily rising un-paid overtime of those who re m a i n .

ABC program-makers knowthat broadcasting is a privilegedemanding effort and compro m i s e .So many think that this slow declinein resources is bearable, providedyou know and understand why it’shappening, and appreciate thebenefits that will flow from it. Thedirection of the ABC used to beclear to staff. It’s not any more.

There has been a long list ofexamples. For instance, uppermanagement promotes the organi-sation as leading the way in multi-media. One wonders how staff isto keep up with the technologicalcompetencies such a pledgerequires when ABC training

departments across the countryare being dismantled. Much noiseis made about the pursuit of excel-lence in program-making, yet someof the main departments to whichprogram-makers turn for textureand context in stories - the arc h i v e sdepartments - are being downsized.

I left the ABC in the wake ofmuch more talented and experi-enced people. Left behind, therewill always be young, enthusiasticjournalists, producers and techni-cians to take our places. Their newperspective and energy can alwaysstrengthen the ABC. But they can-not yet replace the life experiencethat is being leached from theorganisation. It will take these youngbroadcasters twice as long to getthe skills they need without experi-enced people to support them.

They will have the curiosity toquestion, but not yet the knowl-edge to challenge. At the end ofthe day, perhaps that’s what seniormanagement’s future for the ABCis all about.

CHRIS RICHARDS worked atthe ABC for the past five yearson Four Corners and reportingfor Radio National, Triple J andother networks. She resignedlast month to work asAustralasian editor of an inter-national magazine.


This blood letting must stopRos Cheney, Arts Editor for

ABC Radio, was told on Tuesday 12June that her position had beenabolished. She was then told toleave the building.

Ms Cheney is a distinguishedbroadcaster and manager who hasworked for the ABC for thirty years.

There is no basis for sackingRos Cheney. Second, given therequirements of the ABC Charter, itdoes not make sense to abolish theposition of Arts Editor.

From a FABC Media Release 13 June 2001

Cheney’s demise is another nail in the coffin of the ABC

A few weeks ago I had thepleasure of being guest speaker atthe International Radio FeaturesConference in Sydney. Hosted bythe now sacked head of ABC RadioArts, Ros Cheney, the event broughttogether distinguished arts broad-casters from around the world.

Ros Cheney’s high standingwith the delegates was obvious, aswas the high regard for ABC RadioArts broadcasting, which she hasled with distinction for the past sixyears. A fierce defender of arts pro-grams, Ros Cheney is a significantloss to the national broadcaster.

The astoundingly shabby way inwhich she has been treated indicatesthat the ABC board and senior man-agement are determined to destroythe broadcaster’s intellectual capital.

BOB DEBUS NSW A t t o rney-General SMH 13/6/01

NZ Public Broadcasting loss could happen soon in Australia

In our last issue we talked about the assets being stripped out ofthe ABC - principally its experienced resource and production staff -and the impact this has on the quality of broadcasting. We have in thepast talked about the near total loss of p u blic broadcasting in NewZealand and the likely impossibility of restoring it - as their present gov-e rnment has pledged to do.

Experienced public broadcasters have long gone in NZ; in televi-sion especially all that those involved in the industry have known iscommercial television; corporate memory of how public broadcastingworks has been lost.

The ABC is rapidly approaching a similar state.

“Top-level management in a state of constant confusion”Staff churn, public cost, public loss

Managing director JonathanShier has attracted criticismfrom many quarters but it maybe that the one that hurts mostis that from the world of market-ing. Bob Miller, principal ofAustralia Street Consulting andvisiting professor at the BusinessDepartment of MacquarieUniversity, has harsh words forMr Shier’s marketing skills in thejournal Ad News.

In his role as CEO, Shier set aperfectly reasonable, if ambitious,goal of 20% market share for ABCTV. This is the kind of goal thatmakes senior executives stretchthemselves and their resources.Just the thought of its achievementmakes the whole ghastly processof going to work every day aworthwhile challenge.

What can we, as commercialmarketers, learn from the failure ofABC TV to achieve its goal or evenmaintain its existing market share?Recent ratings show the ABC hascollapsed to a 12.6 rating national-ly from a high of 16.8 in the firstratings week of this year. InMelbourne, Australia’s secondlargest market, the share has fallen

to 11.4. There is no sign of anyupward movement.

The first serious sign that theABC was doomed to decline wasthe suicidal decision to change thelogo and its format of delivery onour television screens. ABC TVhad its own form of Toyota’s suc-cessful ‘Oh, What a feeling!’ and itworked like a charm.

What surprised me was thechilling machismo of the glitteringnew stainless steel ABC logo. Ittwirled on one’s screen as ademonstration of management’signorance of how properly to com-municate with a previously pas-sionately loyal audience.

This brutal symbol replaced theremarkably customer-connected‘your ABC’, with its relaxed musi-cal mnemonic including personaldelivery by fingertips as crayons.The cold new logo told what wasleft of the ABC audience ‘you cango and get stuffed, it’s my ABCnow, baby. Like it or lump it!’

The intimate symbolism ‘you’made the ABC’s corporate com-munication in its original form envi-

ably connected to its audience.

Symbols have been used formillennia to show faithful followerswhere to rally and to whom. Thatis what brands are, even to thisday. Once one has one’s symbolperfected as a visual communica-tion, it is not good communicationto change it. Heraldry and brand-ing have much in common.

Welcome Jonno to marketingcommunications in the 21st centu-ry! And thank you for the wonder-ful object lesson you’ve providedall those ambitious young market-ing executives who are the hope ofour future in a global economy.The lesson of your catastrophe atthe ABC will be fodder for text-books for years to come.

A is for Always provide loyalcustomers with the product theywant.

B is for Be loyal to your cus-tomers if you expect them to beloyal to you.

C is for Can’t see you makingyour 20% market share goal anytime in the near future.

BOB MILLER Ad News 22/6/01

Corporatised logo no go

As if being beaten by BigBrother was not enough, Auntyis now struggling to stay abreastof its multicultural rival, SBS.

ABC TV last week posted itsworst ratings result since man-aging director Mr JonathanShier took the helm, with anational audience of just 11.7%in the crucial 6pm-midnight timeslot.

Its share of the national audi-ence has been in decline allyear, and it has been recordingsome of its worst results sincethe introduction of people-meters 10 years ago.

ROBERT BOLTON Austalian Financial Review 17/7/01

Cartoon courtesy George Aldridg

BACKGROUND BRIEFING is published by Friends of the ABC AustraliaAll opinions expressed in Update or BACKGROUND BRIEFING do not necessarily reflect the viewsof Friends of the ABC Australia.Material may be freely quoted or reproduced from this newsletter pro-vided the source is acknowledged.Visit us at www.fabc.org.au Current and past Background Briefings can be accessed at our websitealong with other current information.Links on our website will take you to all state sites.

G l a d y sStylish departure

While the revolving door ofdepartures continues at the ABC,no exit has been more stylish thanthat of Gerd Roehlen, who wasacting NSW resource manager. InMay Gerd drove to the airport,parked his ABC car in the long-term car park, left the keys at thedesk and caught the next flight toMelbourne. Once there, he rang into tell them where they could findthe car and to add that he wasnever coming back.

SMH 9/6/01

Pyjama PlotA left-wing pollie wants to sack

the ABC boss installed by a right-wing government to counteract theleft-wing internal cabal that coun-

terbalances the right-leaning com-mercial media. This is to ensure itspolitical independence?

Mr Squiggle draws a blankwith the ABC

After 42 years with the ABC MrSquiggle’s contract lapsed withouta word from the ABC. NormanHeatherington, Mr Squiggle’s side-kick was eventually told that theyhad no future on televisionbecause the ABC preferred ‘qualitychildren’s shows’. However, BillSteamshovel, Blackboard and Mr Swere given a reprieve, to be part ofthe line-up on the digital channelABC Kids. Gladys is happy toknow that the publicity hasbreathed new life into the career ofMr Squiggle who is now appearingin a TV commercial for a nasaldecongestant and has other ad gigsin the offing.

Sun-Herald 15/7/01

How to be sure the FABCMember Group in your areacan keep you informed oftheir activities.

Dear members, because of the priva-cy laws the Friends of the ABC (NSW)Inc has been unable to provide a num-ber of our member groups access to ourdata base so they can contact membersin their areas. These groups haverequested this information so they cankeep local members advised on theiractivities and functions as well as askingfor assistance in their efforts to buildcommunity support for a fully fundedindependent ABC. This is particularlyimportant during the coming electioncampaign. Please see back page ofmagazine to find if there is a group inYOUR area.Our new membership forms willinclude an authorisation form.

If you are already a member and wishus to pass on your name, address andcontact information to your local group,please fill in the authorisation form at thebottom and post to:

The Membership Secretary FABC (NSW) Inc c/oPO Box 1391 North Sydney 2059

Thank you Penelope Toltz (Pres.)

I authorise the Friends of the ABC (NSW)

Inc to give my details to my local FABC.

Signed_____________________________

Name______________________________

Address____________________________

___________________________________

City/Town/Suburb____________________

Post Code____________

Phone No.(W)_______________________

Phone No.(H)_______________________

Fax________________________________

email_______________________________

Cartoon courtesy Bill Leak

update Print Post Approved PP 245059/00002

Update is published four times a year by Friends of the ABC NSW, P.O. Box 1391,North Sydney 2059.

Phone 9960 5542. Fax 9960 5767w w w. f a b c . o r g . a u / n s w

Opinions in the newsletter do not necessarily reflect those of the executivecommittee of the Friends of the ABC (NSW) Inc.

Update goes to all members of FABC (NSW) Inc., as part of the membership fee. Update is also supplied to journ a l i s t s , politicians and libraries across Australia. It

is produced and edited in Sydney but contributions are welcome from NSW coun-try and interstate branches.

Material may be freely quoted or re p roduced from the newsletter provided thesource is acknowledged and reproduction is sent to FABC’s President and Editor,Penelope Toltz.

FABC UpdatePost The Editor

C/–FABC UpdatePO Box 1391North Sydney NSW 2059

Facsimile 9660 5767Email [email protected] www.fabc.org.au/nsw

FABC (NSW) Inc. Executive Committee

President- Penelope Toltz Phone: 9960 5542 Fax 9960 5767Treasurer- Peter Burke Phone 9144 2668 email [email protected] Scott Campbell Phone 9498 7727Membership Secretary- Dev and Faith Webber Phone 9990 0600

Membership form Please fill out the form below and return it with your payment to: The Tr e a s u r e r, Friends of the ABC (NSW) Inc.PO Box 1391, North Sydney NSW 2059.

N a m e E m a i l :

A d d re s s S u b u r b P / C o d e

Phone (Home) ( Wo r k ) M o b

Federal Electorate Give my details to my local FA B C

Age Group 30 or under 31-50 5 1 + Membership No.____________________

I would like to join I would like to renew I am interested in helping I would like to join the phone/fax/email network (and help pass on information to members

I / We apply for membership of FABC (NSW) Inc. and accept it’s objectives and rules. S i g n a t u r e . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Individual $ 2 0

F a m i l y / H o u s e h o l d $ 2 5

S t u d e n t $ 1 5

P e n s i o n e r $ 1 5

Corporate (covers 3 members) $ 6 0

I would like to make a donation $ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Cardholders signature Amount $

I am paying by cheque in fabour of FABC (NSW) Inc.

money order b a n k c a rd m a s t e rc a rd v i s a c a rd

C a rd number

Name on credit card

Expiry date

Please Print

New South Wa l e sPenelope To l t zPO Box 1391North Sydney 2059Ph: 9960 5542Fax: 9960 5767: f a b c n sw @ o p t u s n e t . a u

A l b u ryABC Support Gro u pJim Saleebac/- 621 Lindsay Av eAlbury NSW 2640Ph: 6021 5690Fax: 6021 0616s a l e e b a @ a l b u ry. n e t . a u

A r m i d a l ePriscilla Connor41 Judith Stre e tArmidale NSW 2350Ph: 6772 2217c p a n t i n g @ o p t u s n e t . c o m . a u

B a t h u r s tM a u reen Pike (Secre t a r y )105 Mitre Stre e tBathurst 2795Ph: 6334 2520l e fev re p @ i x . n e t . a u

B e g aEleanor Beasley2 Main Stre e tMerimbula 2548Ph: 6495 1392 Fax: 6495 3202

Blue MountainsHelen HallettP. O . Box 469Springwood 2777Ph: 4751 5465a d vo i c e @ p n c. c o m . a u

E u r o b o d a l l aMichael Ta y l o r1 2 Hawkins RdTu ross Head, NSW Ph: 4473 8261 (W)Ph: 4473 8561 (H)t ay l o r @ a c r. n e t . a u

Great LakesA u d rey Semon (Secre t a r y )4 Bundacree PlaceForster 2428Ph: 6554 8507a s e m o n @ t s n . c c

I l l a w a r r aJan Kent (Secre t a r y )Friends of the ABC IllawarraPO Box 336,Unanderra 2526Phone/Fax: 4271 3531j a n ke n t @ b i g p o n d . c o m

N e w c a s t l eG reg Struck (Int. Pre s )PO Box 265M e rewether 2291Ph/fax: 4963 5254 (H)s t r u c k @ h u n t e r l i n k . n e t . a u

Northern RiversNeville Jennings (int.chair)PO Box 167 Alstonville 2477Ph: 6674 3830 (H)Fax. 6622 1833n j e n n i n g @ s c u . e d u . a u

O r a n g eAlan Sisley52 Casey Stre e tOrange 2800hhPh: 63623775a l a n s @ i x . n e t . a ut

Port Macquarie/Mid North CoastDrusilla MeggettP.O. Box 1752Port Macquarie, NSWPh: 65 8383 8798d r u s i @ fe l g l ow. c o m . a u

Vi c t o r i aFriends of the ABC (Vi c )GPO Box 4065MMM e l b o u rne VIC 3001Ph: 03 9682 0073Fax: 03 9682 0074f a b c v i c @ v i c n e t . n e t . a u

Q u e e n s l a n dElisabeth McClementP.O. Box 1658Toowong QLD 4066Ph/Fax: (07) 3378 7930 s i r w a l t e r _ r a l e i g h @ h o t m a i l . c o m

Gold CoastFrances E. RollsPO Box 342Nerang QLD 4211Ph: (07) 5596 3835

A C TMonica PflaumGPO Box 2625Canberra ACT 2601Ph: 6282 1141 (H)Fax: 6289 4011 (W)m n b @ ap e x . n e t . a u

South AustraliaD a rce CassidyPO Box 7158 Hutt StAdelaide SA 5000Ph 08 8362 5183Fax: 08 8363 7548d a rc e @ c u r p h ey m e d i a . c o m

We s t e rn AustraliaK a ren Tre a n o rPO Box 179Darlington WA 6070Ph/Fax: (08) 9295 1847g a n d k t re a n o r @ o z e m a i l . c o m . a u

Ta s m a n i aAustra Maddox5 Albuera Stre e tBattery Point, Tasmania 7004Ph: (03) 6223 2981 (H)(03) 6211 9314 (W)a u s t r a m a dd ox @ o z e m a i l . c o m . a u

N o rt h e rn Te rr i t o ryBrian HolmPO Box 25 H o w a rd Springs NT 0835Ph: (08) 8983 1251Fax: (08) 8941 3350Mob: 0409 831 251a b c f r i e n d s _ n t @ we - wo n t -by t e. c o m

State and regional branches of Friends of the ABC

background briefingeditor: Joan [email protected] & fax: 08 8271 0751

PO Box 7158 Hutt St Adelaide 5000Unattributed text is by the editorVisit our website at fabc.org.au

Update Deceember 2001

Documents

Transcript of Update Deceember 2001