Australia’s ABC Outlines Five-Year Plan

ABC Australia’s managing director, David Anderson, has revealed the broadcaster’s five-year strategy and outlined proposals to address budget cuts while protecting the corporation’s independence and Charter responsibilities.

“The ABC Five-Year Plan 2020-2025 will guide us as we continue to transform from a traditional broadcaster to the nation’s most trusted and valued digital content provider across all platforms,” Anderson told ABC employees.

“This strategy lays out the next steps in the ABC’s proud 88-year history, ensuring that now and into the future, we remain the home of Australian stories, trusted information and conversations that connect us all.”

He said proposed savings initiatives aligned with the five-year plan, ensuring the ABC is more relevant to more Australians with a greater focus on accessibility and the on-demand digital services audiences now expect. He noted that the Federal Government’s indexation pause—which cut the ABC’s budget by A$84 million over three years with an ongoing reduction of A$41 million a year from 2022, coming on top of the A$64 million in ongoing cuts imposed in 2014—led to difficult decisions impacting jobs and services.

“The proposals announced today ensure the ABC can enhance its value to all Australians now and into the future,” he said. “However, we anticipate we will farewell as many as 250 people through this process, valued colleagues who have made tremendous contributions to the ABC and to our audiences.

“This is a difficult time for us, as it is for the broader economy and community as we all struggle with the events of this year.”

ABC Chair Ita Buttrose added, “The ABC Five-Year Plan is a robust blueprint for the future of the ABC that emphasizes the important role the ABC plays in the Australian way of life.”

The proposed savings initiatives include giving ABC Life a new editorial direction and name, ABC Local, sourcing content from across the ABC, including outer suburban and regional areas. There will also be a greater focus on digital and on-demand news services, including discontinuing the 7:45 a.m. broadcast-only radio news bulletin and shifting the focus to provide news across all our audio platforms.

ABC Comedy will be rebranded to create a home for a range of genres, such as arts, science, education and religion. Comedy will continue to be commissioned for ABC main channel and a destination on iview.

The plans also include reducing independent production by approximately A$5 million per year, predominately from the factual and entertainment slate. Instead, ABC will be prioritizing investment in drama and children’s programming.

The proposed initiatives are in addition to reduced numbers in management and support teams and identified savings greater than 2 percent through current vacancies, redundancies and reducing operating costs. The ABC has also reduced travel budgets by 25 percent.

A review of the ABC’s portfolio will consider options to either improve our accommodation, lease vacant space or relocate if it is more beneficial. Assessing spare capacity for leasing in ABC Ultimo could potentially create a A$4 million per year savings. A portion of this could be reinvested in services. Increased investment in regional centers reflects another important commitment in the Five-Year Plan and will see 75 percent of content-makers working outside the Ultimo headquarters by 2025, ensuring greater engagement with local communities.

“The ABC Five-Year Plan 2020-2025 is just the start of this next stage in the ABC’s history,” Anderson said. “We will uphold the highest editorial values, remaining Australia’s best and most trusted source of news and information and continuing to deliver the best public interest journalism that strengthens our democracy.”

He added: “The ABC Five-Year Plan is a commitment to the ABC tradition of telling Australian stories that are accessible, bold and creative. Our message to the Australian people is clear. Now, more than ever, we are your ABC.”