ABC and SBS: Towards a digital future discussion paper questions - October 2008

A traditional function of the ABC has been to provide 'comprehensive broadcasting services'—programming that appeals to a wide range of tastes and interests.
- How should the ABC fulfil this function in a multichannel, multiplatform media environment? Should this function be reconsidered?
The principal function of SBS is to provide multilingual and multicultural broadcasting services for all Australians, reflecting our multicultural society.
- Is this an appropriate function for SBS in a 2020 media environment and, if so, how should it harness the available digital technologies to fulfil this function?
Should the Australian Government consider amending the charters of the ABC and SBS to ensure they provide a contemporary and relevant guide for the organisations on the path to 2020? If so, how?

What is the appropriate role for the national broadcasters in the conversion to digital television and the implementation of digital radio?
Are there opportunities for the national broadcasters to more effectively fulfil the objectives of universal access and the provision of local content by utilising new delivery platforms such as broadband internet?
The national broadcasters, particularly the ABC, have substantial archives of material. Are there ways these archives can be more effectively used and accessed?
Is there a role for the national broadcasters to be early adopters of new technologies and program formats?

What role should the ABC and SBS have in promoting Australia's cultural identity and presenting Australian images on television, radio and across new media?
What role should the ABC and SBS play in the provision of children's programming and should children's programming be delivered on the main digital television channels, or on separate channels, or both?
How might the national broadcasters harness new technologies and platforms to enable Australians to remain informed at a local and national level?
Should the charters of the national broadcasters be amended to more clearly define their broad programming directions and priorities? Should such priorities take into account the nature and reach of particular delivery platforms?

Will there be a role for national broadcasting in education and training in a 2020 media and communications environment?
Is there likely to be public benefit in a national digital education channel and how could such a channel be constructed to provide for cost-effective delivery of educational and training content?
Would there be a public benefit in the national broadcasters playing a more significant role in the vocational education and training environment, beyond their current activity?

What opportunities do new digital broadcasting and other platforms provide for the national broadcasters to more effectively deliver programming in languages other than English?
Are there ways of better harnessing new media and broadcasting technologies to enhance the value of the national broadcasters' services to migrant groups, particularly those that are newly arrived?
Is there scope for the Indigenous services of the national broadcasters and National Indigenous Television (NITV) to be provided in more effective, efficient and integrated ways that make best use of the available resources?

Should consideration be given to expanding or enhancing the overseas services provided by the national broadcasters, and if so, in what form and to which countries?
What is the appropriate relationship between Australia's foreign policy objectives and the overseas broadcasting activities of the national broadcasters?
Is there a need to reconcile Australia's priorities for engagement within the Asia-Pacific region with the requirement for the editorial and operational independence of the national broadcasters' overseas broadcasting activities?
Are there ways in which the impact and use of the overseas services of the ABC and SBS can be better measured and tracked?

How is the transition to a digital operating environment changing the capital requirements of the national broadcasters?
What changes might be considered to the national broadcasters' management of property and facilities to allow them to deliver their outputs more efficiently?
Is there an optimal mix of in-house and outsourced production and, if so, how might it vary across different types of programming?
Is there scope for combining certain parts of the operations of the two national broadcasters that provide for improved operating efficiencies without compromising their separate identities?
Should additional funding options for national broadcasting programs be considered, such as user-pay systems for programs distributed online, or open contracting for public interest content? If so, how might such arrangements operate, and to what types of content should they apply?