RTV Theory and Practice - Special Issue

is also part of the ABC . The ABC's activities are extremely wide-ranging. The total ехрепзез for the financial уеаг 1986-87 came to $433 mio of which the Parliament appropriated $42 5 mio . (For 1988-89:430.4 Mio .$ ) . Radio cost app . $ll4 mio , TV $205 mio . It is not surprising then that for years the ABC has been unđer attack from various political parties and individual interests . Most recently the current Labor government released a discussion paper "Review of National Broadcasting Policy" in which it argues strongly for a dismantling of many of the ABC services. The government proposes to split activities of the ABC m three groups : 1. Charter programs such as news , current affairs , drama , children , education and inf ormation which would be funded by the government. 2. Non-charter activities such as religion , light entertainment, sport and f amily activities . They should be fmanced through corporate sponsorship . 3. Peripheral areas , mcluding Radio Australia and the six orchestras , which should be removed from the ABC . Thus the ABC would become a "complement" to the commercial broadcasters proviđing those programs which they are unable or , much rather, unwilling to provide. Fears exist that the dismantling of the current ABC would bnng greater political interference . So far , the ABC , in particular its news and current affairs service has been nghtly very proud of its great independence . It has always defended its low ratings by pointing out that it alone serves minority interests and offers the wiđest possible spectrum of programming . But the problem remains ; It is true that the ABC is not a government cultural адепсу 4l , and it is certainly no government propaganda instrument . But it is dependent on government funds and it must fulfill its charter which is to contribute to the national identity whilst entertaining, educating and mformmg Australia , a sparsely populated contment with a modern cultural history of a mere 200 years and a population mix which is umque m the world . True , no other radio station would ever present expenmental sounđ and music programs , book readmgs , specialist talks programs about developments in the legal world , medicme , science ог offer speoal programs of women's affams . No other radio сотрапу has such a network of correspondents around the world . ABC Radio is the only radio broadcaster makmg full use of the possibilities of sound and radio as opposeđ to

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