A free, public window on Australian democracy

Hey so I guess I never leave SMH, here is another...

I guess you could say that is links to who will pay for journalism and agenda setting. It talks about responsibilities, the future and what it means in Australia.

Mark Scott is managing director of the ABC. This is an edited extract of his address to the National Press Club yesterday.



Mark Scott
September 11, 2008

We are seeing a great transformation from the era of media barons and public broadcasters, controlling all that was seen or heard or read, to a great democratisation of media where anyone, anywhere can report or comment or analyse, and find an audience.

At the ABC there are challenges and opportunities that come from this revolution. As a provider of news and current affairs, being a trusted news source, with the resources to report locally, nationally and internationally, will be very important.

We are in no doubt of the extent of the media revolution. Choices are erupting for audiences. If you are my age, or a little older, you may remember an Australia with only four television channels. Then five with SBS.

But next year there may be 15 free-to-air channels in Australia, perhaps hundreds more through subscription, and thousands more online, increasingly able to be viewed on your television.

That change is placing a bomb under the traditional business model for commercial media in this country - and its impact will have fallout for audiences everywhere and the role of the ABC.

I came to the ABC after almost a dozen years in print journalism. My friendships and interests are still in it, as is my morning habit of trawling through the papers. I like the tangibility of a newspaper, having it spread out before me.

But I have to tell you that working in public media is absolutely no comfort or consolation when witnessing the colourful pageant of distrust, misery and dashed hopes of the industry today. I still care about it deeply.

Through all the turmoil within the Australian media industry, there is only one print mogul who has diversified his portfolio enough to offset the costs of quality journalism against profits made elsewhere in the business.

And yes, that last, best hope for newspapers is Rupert Murdoch. The world will be listening as he presents the 2008 Boyer Lectures on the ABC later this year. As Michael Wolff recently put it, Murdoch "may be the last person to love newspapers". But is this one exception to the rule enough?

Now Rupert Murdoch might live forever - but in case that doesn't happen, will whoever inherits the business still wear the cost of quality journalism in his unique, old-fashioned way?

I think there's a growing responsibility here for the ABC. The investment we can make in news reporting, from our rural reporters to our 12 international bureaus, is increasingly vital, as is the commitment we show to news and current affairs.

If the ABC doesn't do this, no-one else in broadcasting can or will deliver news content and analysis of this breadth, depth and quality.

The challenge of providing information so that the Australian democratic process is more meaningful grows greater each day. I am a fan of what Sky News has achieved in recent years, but the ABC has a different role to play. We must provide an independent news service and deliver it into every Australian home, free of charge. And I cannot stress this enough: we need to take advantage of new media opportunities to increase the reach and depth of what we offer.

We want to be able to create a service - online and on television - that allows citizens to watch for themselves key democratic processes and public events: unmediated, unfiltered.

I include in that category Parliament from Canberra and the state chambers; press conferences and parliamentary hearings; major forums like the ABARE conference; key annual general meetings; public addresses at places like the Lowy Institute, the Melbourne Press Club or the Centre for Independent Studies.

Again, there is not a dollar to be made from this for a commercial operator - but given the level of investment in the ABC, we could do it better and for less additional money than anyone else in the country.

A public affairs channel would be reinforced by the ABC's outstanding news and current affairs service, allowing updates around the clock and the ability to go live on major breaking news events. This is something that should be available free in every Australian home - access to our democracy in action.

The ABC was one of the great public projects of 20th-century Australia. It helped build the nation. It is up for the challenge of serving Australia in the decades ahead.