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Mark Armstrong
Preface - Mark Armstrong, Director, Network Insight
This volume contains the full record of discussion at the workshop on changing standards for Australian content, held on 15 March 2002. This is not a topic which lends itself to a single magic solution. It is complex, because it needs to balance the economic and social interests of TV networks, film and TV producers, and audiences. Within each one of those groups there are different interests. For example, viewers are not a single mass. In any hour of the TV schedule, children want something different from adults, and the 18-24 years demographic wants something quite different from the 39-45 years demographic. Even in a single household of four people, there might be four sets of needs, each wanting Australian content of a different kind.
The complexity is why this volume may be useful. It is not a succession of set-piece positions, but rather a dialogue between experienced people sensitive to all the issues. This includes the ideas of not only the 10 discussion openers, but also about half the 100 people who participated. The immediate reason for the workshop was the 2001-2002 review by the Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) of the standard governing Australian content on commercial free-to-air television. The workshop was held after the first round of submissions to that inquiry, but before the later rounds of the inquiry. Thus, we hope to have added some informed problem-solving and free-ranging discussion to the necessarily more formal processes of the ABA. Apart from the obvious issues about drama, children's programs and documentaries discussed here, there are also broader issues such as:
- What are the best ways to encourage and support the production of programs that have high cultural values but may be commercially risky?
- What are the implications for the Australian content standard of WTO and other international trade pressures?
- Could the broadcasters' licence fees be returned to the sector to support Australian production?
What is the role of public broadcasters in fostering Australian content?
What of the standard beyond the current review, with factors such as:
the multi-channel environment; pay television; possible changes to
media ownership and control rules; and the end of restrictions on the
number of commercial free-to-air channels?
These pages include the edited transcript of what speakers said, and
the full record of discussion in each session. We sent the draft
transcript to each discussion opener for additions and corrections.
However, it was not feasible to contact all the speakers from the floor
to check their remarks. Apologies to any whose exact words may have
been mistaken for transcription reasons. This volume also includes a
table with summaries from the submissions to the review by discussion
openers' organisations. It is not a comprehensive or official document,
but highlights some of the key positions and themes.
The workshop, and this volume, happened because of the initiative and support of the Australian Film Commission. Thanks in particular to Kim Dalton, Catherine Griff, Drew MacRae and Kim Ireland for all their efforts and contributions. The other organisation which played a vital part was Allens Arthur Robinson, which hosted the event at its Sydney office. Ian McGill, Justine Woolveridge and Melissa Yard-Smith helped us particularly. Thanks also to the discussion openers and other speakers, for sharing their valuable ideas, and Sharon Harding of Fastype for typing the transcript.
At the Network Insight end, we are grateful to Cris Abad, Nico Roehrich and Sarah Barns for all their hard work organising the workshop; and especially to Kirsten Harley for her excellent editorial work, assisted by Cris and Nico, in creating this volume.
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