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Re: [Swprograms] [Internetradio] Radio Australia
John,
In regards to the ABC, I'll disagree that this is purely ideological, but rather
is wrapped in the internal politics of Australia. NewsCorp has been seething for
several years now over the handling of the tender for the rights to operate the
Australia Network TV service.
My take is this: The Liberal government under John Howard had a mixed
relationship with NewsCorp and didn't give them the chance to run the service
when it launched as they had wanted. When the Labor government took power under
Kevin Rudd in 2007, they promised to complete an open rights tender process for
the TV service. In the first round of tender, NewsCorp won the rights but the
courts determined the government mishandled it and threw it out. It then landed
in the middle of the feuds between Julia Gilliard and Rudd over control of the
Labor party and eventually when it was re-bid, the ABC won over NewsCorp. Ever
since NewsCorp has been determined to hit back at the ABC and by throwing
political support behind Abbott and his campaign in 2013 is now getting
"payment" for that support.
This is political. While ideological reasons might seem to be explanation here
that's not the driving force IMHO. It's just convenient cover for Abbott. After
all, every poll I've seen suggests that the Australians across all political
persuasions support the ABC to some degree or another and it is essential in
rural Australia where the Liberal-National coalition is strong.
--
-Rob de Santos
-----Original Message-----
From: John A. Figliozzi [mailto:jfiglio1@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2014 9:40 PM
To: Shortwave programming discussion
Cc: Rob de Santos; Internet radio discussion
Subject: Re: [Swprograms] [Internetradio] Radio Australia
I have no disagreement whatsoever with your excellent (as usual) analysis. But
I find it somewhat discordant that the BBCWS constantly touts increases in raw
listening numbers worldwide and targets that represent near double digit growth
year to year. I sincerely doubt there are 180 million "opinion formers" (or
whatever phrase they're using these days) to target.
In RA's case, however, none of this is the cause. This is, pure and simple, an
ideological attack on public service broadcasting. RA knows full well who it's
target audience is: media and information deprived areas in the Pacific island
nations and principally urban audiences in Southeast Asia. It's in their
recently revised charter as a major focus. It's not RA that is the genesis of
this contraction, it's the Abbott government's design to strangle the ABC under
the guise of rationalizing its organization and services and dramatically
shrinking the public sector in favor of the private under the guise of necessary
emergency efficiencies -- a manufactured crisis.
This has been a pattern with conservative-oriented governments and factions the
world over, including here. While no one should deny that there are reasons to
pursue prudent efficiencies, those reasons are being falsely overblown and
inflated in the pursuit of purely ideological objectives that demonstrably lack
majority popular support. It might be the most successful propaganda effort in
history and it is happening right underneath our noses. The stench is
overpowering but we seem incapable of locating the air freshener.
jaf
Sent from my iPad
> On Jul 15, 2014, at 7:52 PM, Richard Cuff <rdcuff@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> Over the past 10+ years, one of the fundamental changes in how
> international broadcasters operate is that broadcasters have become
> selective and purposeful in identifying audiences to serve. The BBC
> was one of the first to do this, focusing on "opinion formers", if you
> remember their stated approach in 2001 when they cut English shortwave
> broadcasts to North America.
>
> Simply reaching the largest possible audience is no longer the goal.
> Rather, the goal is to identify a specifically defined target audience
> segment, and then figure out the best way to reach that segment.
>
> If that means abandoning your existing audience, so be it, if you
> don't believe that existing audience serves your national purpose.
>
> To Rob's point, if the people one believes are important to reach are
> those in the major capitals, or in the Internet-rich areas of South
> Korea and Japan, then that's where one puts the effort...shortwave be
> damned.
>
> This line of thinking is diametrically opposed to the thinking that
> drove the establishment and growth of international broadcasting from
> the 1920s to, say, 1990. In those days, bigger was better...you
> wanted to reach the largest possible audience as reliably as possible.
> You didn't worry about "targeting" -- the concept really hadn't
> developed yet. This approach was serendipitous for the listener...in
> these pre-Internet days...because those who wanted to hear diverse
> voices had no alternatives available to them.
>
> While this trend is understandable, it's also parochial and grievously
> short-sighted. Humanity will be less-informed, less aware of diverse
> views, and less sensitive to the plight of the "have nots".
>
> This is not a good thing...
>
> Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA USA
>
>
>
>> On Tue, Jul 15, 2014 at 3:50 PM, Rob de Santos <rdesantos@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> 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.
>>
>>
>> A sad day as the voices on shortwave will be further diminished.
>>
>> --
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