Write a letter to your representatives in Parliament about the importance of local ABC radio and television.
Do they know that:
Wherever the population is, there’s an ABC?
ABC radio has 60 stations in 60 different parts of the country?
People across Australia value their local ABC radio station as a focus for the community? (666 is not the devil’s number in Canberra; it was our lifeline, literally)
When the railway stations disappeared, when the banks or the post office vanished—you could still count on ABC radio?
Commercial media companies centralise and syndicate—much more economical, much less personal?
The ABC’s federal structure, with major centres of television and radio activity in every capital city and the extraordinary local radio network, is extremely expensive to maintain?
Jonathon Shier’s legacy on localism lives on?
Jonathon Shier recommended, in 2001, $57million for National Interest Initiatives—to “more adequately reflect the needs and interests of state and regional communities”?
80% of NII funds were spent in rural and regional Australia?
The National Interest Initiatives Program was funded for four years—from 2001 until 2005?
The Government knocked back the ABC’s funding requests?
In 2003—the last triennial funding round—the ABC asked for the NII funding to be rolled into its triennial funding, but was refused?
The ABC was cramped by the Government’s hold on the purse strings of local radio and television production?
The Government agreed to continue the tied funding of local ABC?
In 2004, outside the triennial funding, the Government agreed to the continuation of funding for local radio and television stations and programming—for another four years?
This amounts to Government control of ABC local expansion and programming?
Many local communities are at the mercy of tied, short-term, funding for their ABC?
Canberra’s weekend television news bulletin—and 19 jobs—is funded from the NII Program?
Four regional radio stations—in Ballarat (Vic), Wagin (WA), Katharine (NT), Erina (NSW)—were opened through NII funding?
For more on writing your letter and where to send it, visit this page.
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