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Re: [Swprograms] Radio Australia
As Steve Luce pointed out, if this meant that RA would use the RNZ model, something valuable might be salvageable. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg. This Abbott government has launched a wholesale attack on the entire concept of public broadcasting itself, as well as on how it has been very successfully carried out in Australia. Right now, there is a wealth of domestic content to tap, but as these plans progress (if not slowed or stopped by legal action or- dare we hope- the quick demise of this government as it overreaches well past whatever mandate it was given) that will no longer be the case. That free fall is being set in motion. The key question is: Is there any way to prevent it or at least throw a few wrenches into the wheels?
John Figliozzi
The Worldwide Listening Guide
wwlgonline.com
Sent from my iPad
> On Jul 15, 2014, at 3:50 PM, "Rob de Santos" <rdesantos@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> It's difficult to know where to begin here but this is another nail in the
> coffin for international broadcasting. As happened at RCI, the gutted service
> will be of less and less value to listeners who will turn away from it and thus
> insure the final death knell a few years further on. RA was a valuable voice
> into underserved media markets in Asia and the Pacific. One only has to travel
> that region to understand that outside of a few major capitals and parts of
> China, Japan, and South Korea shortwave remains vitally important.
>
> I would note that there is a tiny bit of light here. The redundancies are almost
> certainly a violation of Australian labor law, as I understand it, and the
> courts may thus intervene. Also, the Australian Football League has already been
> assured it's coverage into Asia and the Pacific via Australia Television will
> not be affected for the remainder of the AFL season (through September 27) and
> will, in fact, increase to six games per week.
>
> A sad day as the voices on shortwave will be further diminished.
>
> --
> -Rob de Santos
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Internetradio [mailto:internetradio-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
> John A. Figliozzi
> Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2014 7:26 AM
> To: <dxld@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; odxa@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx; NASWA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx;
> Shortwave programming discussion; Internet radio discussion
> Subject: [Internetradio] Radio Australia
>
> Here's what I've been able to assemble from various sources that I consider
> reliable about what can only be described as a truly catastrophic situation for
> Radio Australia. Keep in mind that RA management is left with few options, none
> of them good, in its efforts to preserve and maintain anything resembling a
> viable service for its regional and international audiences.
>
> - The English Language Programming department (ELP) is effectively gutted. The
> only remaining RA productions in English appear to be some hourly news bulletins
> and the Pacific Beat program. All else, including the excellent Asia Pacific
> program, ceases.
> - At least for the time being, RA intends to maintain a 24/7 English language
> service by pulling all of its content from ABC Radio domestic sources (except
> for the morsels described above). A revised ELP schedule is in preparation and
> will be announced and implemented shortly.
> - Language services in Tok Pisin, Vietnamese, Khmer, Chinese, French and
> Burmese appear to remain but only in some skeletal form since about 3/4 to 4/5
> of those staffs are to be axed. Again, it appears the plan is to pull some
> content from domestic sources, this time from SBS whose administration is likely
> to be housed with what's left of RA at Southbank in Melbourne as indicated in a
> previous press report.
> - As unbelievable as this may sound, the situation is so dire and so immediate
> that there will be a culling of half of the journalists on staff via a random
> process -- no evaluations, experience, records of achievement or years of
> service considered.
> - No reduction in shortwave schedules has yet been indicated, but it's hard to
> see how that continues unaffected and unabated beyond anything but the very
> short term.
>
> Personally, I will reserve comment on all this at this time and let the facts
> speak for themselves. However, some of you will be aware of my admiration and
> appreciation for Radio Australia over the decades so you are free to draw your
> own conclusions in that regard.
>
> John Figliozzi
> The Worldwide Listening Guide
> wwlgonline.com
>
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