Investing in Audiences – ABC Annual Report 2017

120 Pages·2017·4.53 MB·English

by  Australian Broadcasting Corporation

INVESTING IN
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700 Harris Street
Ultimo NSW 2007
GPO Box 9994
Sydney NSW 2001
Tel. [phone]
abc.net.au
6 October 2017
Senator the Hon Mitch Fifield
Minister for Communications and the Arts
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Dear Minister
The Board of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation is pleased to present the
Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2017.
The Report is prepared in accordance with the requirements of Public Governance,
Performance and Accountability Act 2013 and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Act 1983, and was approved by a resolution of the Board on 25 September 2017.
It provides a comprehensive review of the ABC’s performance in relation to
its legislative mandate and against the backdrop of the seismic change in the
media sector. The editorial theme of this year’s report – Investing In Audiences –
demonstrates the absolute focus of the Corporation on delivering outstanding
services and programming. In line with its Charter remit, the ABC is committed to
maximising its investment in quality content across its platforms and programs,
ensuring that we are part of the lives of all Australians. This is how we repay the
community for the loyalty and trust it places in the national broadcaster.
Yours sincerely
Justin Milne
Chairman
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We make
content for all
Australians,
about all
Australians.
WHO WE ARE WHERE TO FIND US WHAT WE DO
Welcome 4 ABC at a glance 22 ABC Audiences 28
Our Board 6 ABC locations 24 Performance 32
The Leadership Team 12 It’s Your ABC 84
Organisational
TRANSFORMATION
structure 17
Transformation 94
Purpose, vision,
and values 18
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AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION ANNUAL REPORT 2017
In Volume II you will find:
How we operate
Responsibility
Accountability
Annual Performance Statements
Financial Statements
Compliance Index
Index
AUDIENCE METRICS Dean Kelly uses his personal connection with nature to
help young Indigenous people reconnect to country,
image by Lisa Clarke for Australia Plus
Audience satisfaction 98
Reach, visits, visitors 102
INDEX
Index 111
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Contents
Who we
are
ABC volunteers at the War on Waste Clothes Swap event in Sydney. Image: Lisa Clarke
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AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION ANNUAL REPORT 2017
Who we are
are
The ABC’s vision is to be
the source of Australian
conversations, culture
and stories
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Who we are
Welcome
This is an auspicious time for the ABC. In July, we celebrate our
85th birthday, acknowledging the origins of the national broadcaster, its
role as Australia’s most important cultural institution and the strength
of the bond between the Corporation and its many stakeholders.
The history of the ABC has been one The ABC is Australia’s most trusted broadcaster
of adaptation to audience trends and and a fundamental part of our thriving
technological innovation. But what was once democracy. Eighty per cent of Australians trust
measured in decades is now occurring at the ABC above all other media. The community
blinding speed. Audiences now have ready believes strongly in our role as a source of
access to platforms, devices and content from truth and information, knowing this cannot
anywhere on the globe. New competitors, be emulated in a commercially-driven sector.
from precocious upstarts to global giants, No other organisation canvasses the issues
have emerged. and delivers the quality storytelling in areas
like science, the arts, religion, philosophy, and
To maintain reach and relevance, we are
education. Nor can others make the regional
continually reviewing processes, structures and
investment that we have, coverage in 48
performance. We are identifying what makes
different centres around Australia.
the ABC distinctive and appealing and focusing
investment in those areas. We are addressing The ABC Board is working with the Leadership
audience gaps, broadening and deepening Team and employees to realise the
our engagement with listeners, viewers opportunities and to secure a firm footing for
and readers. the Corporation in this new landscape.
Over the next few years, we will need to create We will do it through distinctive, compelling,
new services and platforms and develop quality content that tells Australian
different ways of working so that we can create stories, draws the community into national
and distribute content more efficiently while conversations, and informs, educates and
remaining true to our Charter responsibilities. entertains. We must also seize the opportunity
The intensity of the competition and the speed created by new voice-controlled devices, the
of technological innovation gives us no choice. advance of Augmented and Virtual Reality,
and the rise of Artificial Intelligence. These
We are transitioning rapidly from a one-to-
technological advances will result in a better
many, mass media approach to one that fosters
audience understanding and enable us to
a one-to-one relationship between content-
deliver an intelligent, personalised, and entirely
makers and consumers. The potential for the
satisfying service. A service unique to each of
ABC in this space is immense. We have an
us, available exactly when we want it, almost
unrivalled connection with audiences and the
anywhere on the planet. At the same time, we
broader community.
will continue to serve traditional audiences
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AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION ANNUAL REPORT 2017
85
years
on and still Australia’s most
TRUSTED broadcaster
on our existing platforms, acknowledging that to realise creative and innovative ideas for
radio and television are, and will continue to be new programming. GIG has proved to be an
for some time, effective vehicles for niche and important vehicle for employee engagement
mass programming. and a wellspring for fresh creative thinking.
In March, ABC management launched a series As flagged in March, management has worked
of initiatives under the banner Investing in with content makers to realise the second
Audiences. The strategy underpinning the phase of our transformation work: reorganising
initiatives has four key priorities: our content divisions to bring them closer to
• Creating and sourcing extraordinary content audiences and provide more flexible budgets
for more Australians. and decision-making processes.
• Delivering outstanding audience This transitioning will continue well into the
experiences. future, as we know that in a fast-moving media
• Reaching more people. landscape, standing still is not an option for
the national broadcaster. We cannot neglect
• Building a great place to work.
our responsibilities as a board to ensure that
We are pleased to report that we have delivered the Corporation performs “efficiently and
on the initial phase. We have streamlined our with the maximum benefit to the people of
management and transformed our support Australia”. Our regular and independent survey
structure to provide better, more efficient findings show that the people of Australia are
service to our content teams. The savings have confident that we have the skills, determination
been put to immediate and tangible use. We and foresight to accomplish that remit.
have demonstrated our commitment to serving We are similarly confident that the ABC is
rural and regional Australia with our biggest well-positioned to navigate the changes ahead,
single investment in this area: $15 million a year ensuring that it remains the national treasure
will be spent on providing more reporters and it is for at least another 85 years.
content-makers, better tools, and expanded
digital and video output. We are well on the way
to recruiting 80 new content roles in regional
Australia within 18 months.
We have also established our Content Fund,
Justin Milne Michelle Guthrie
known as the Great Ideas Grant (GIG for short)
ABC Chairman ABC Managing Director
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Who we are
Our Board
Justin Milne Michelle Guthrie
Chairman ABC Managing Director
BA, FAICD BA, LLB
1 April 2017 – 31 March 2022 Michelle Guthrie joined the ABC as Managing
Director in May 2016. Her appointment comes
Justin Milne was appointed Chairman of
at a pivotal time for the national broadcaster
the ABC on 1 April 2017. He is also Chair of
as it seeks to maintain its relevance and
MYOB Ltd. and NetComm Wireless Ltd. and a
deliver great Australian content in a
Non-Executive Director of NBN Co and several
fast-changing, fragmented and increasingly
other Australian public companies including ME
global media market.
Bank and Tabcorp. During his executive career,
Mr Milne was a Group Managing Director at Ms Guthrie brings to the task experience and
Telstra, responsible for BigPond Broadband expertise in media management, content
and Telstra’s Media businesses. Prior to this he development, and a detailed knowledge of both
was CEO of OzEmail and the Microsoft Network. traditional broadcasting and the new digital
He is a past President of the Internet Industry media landscape. Over the last 25 years she
Association of Australia and started his career has worked for a range of broadcasting and
in the Film and TV industry. media organisations in Europe, Asia, and North
America, including BSkyB, Star TV, and Google.
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AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION ANNUAL REPORT 2017