Global InformationAustralian Broadcasting Corporation information
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| Formerly | Australian Broadcasting Commission (1932–1983) |
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| Company type | Statutory corporation |
| Industry | Mass media |
| Predecessors |
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| Founded | 1 July 1932 |
| Founder | Lyons government |
| Headquarters | ABC Ultimo Centre, Sydney, New South Wales , Australia |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people |
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| Products |
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| Services |
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Operating income | $1.247 billion (2022–23) |
Net income | $60.960 million (2022-23) |
| Total assets | $1.994 billion (2022-23) |
| Total equity | $1.171 billion (2022-23) |
| Owner | Australian Government |
Number of employees | 3,805 (2022–23) |
| Divisions |
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| Website | www |
| Footnotes / references [1] | |
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is the national broadcaster of Australia. It is principally funded by direct grants from the Australian Government and is administered by a government-appointed board. The ABC is a publicly owned body that is politically independent and accountable such as through its production of annual reports and is bound by provisions contained within the Public Interest Disclosure Act 2013 and the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013[2], with its charter enshrined in legislation, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983.[3] ABC Commercial, a profit-making division of the corporation, also helps to generate funding for content provision.
The ABC was established as the Australian Broadcasting Commission on 1 July 1932 by an act of federal parliament. It effectively replaced the Australian Broadcasting Company, a private company established in 1924 to provide programming for A-class radio stations. The ABC was given statutory powers that reinforced its independence from the government and enhanced its news-gathering role. Modelled after the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), which is funded by a television licence, the ABC was originally financed by consumer licence fees on broadcast receivers. However, the licence fees soon proved to be insufficient due to Australia's small population compared with the vast area to be serviced and the need for individual divisions in each state such that by 1949 the Chifley government decided that the ABC would be directly funded by the government.[4][5] Licence fees however continued to be collected until 1947, however they were subsumed into the government's general revenue. Later funding was supplemented with commercial activities related to its core broadcasting mission. The ABC adopted its current name in 1983.[3]
The ABC provides radio, television, online, and mobile services throughout metropolitan and regional Australia. ABC Radio operates four national networks, a large number of ABC Local Radio stations, several digital stations, and the international service Radio Australia. ABC Television operates five free-to-air channels, as well as the ABC iview streaming service and the ABC Australia satellite channel. News and current affairs content across all platforms is produced by the news division.
The postal address of the ABC in every Australian capital city is PO Box 9994, as a tribute to the record-breaking batting average of Australian cricketer Sir Donald Bradman.[6][7][8]
- ^ Australian Broadcasting Corporation Annual Report 2023 (PDF). about.abc.net.au (Report). 22 September 2023. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
- ^ "Legislative framework". about.abc.net.au. Archived from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
- ^ a b Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983 (Cth)
- ^ "National Museum of Australia - Start of the ABC". www.nma.gov.au. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
- ^ Harding, Richard (1985). "Australia: Broadcasting in the Political Battle". In Kuhn, Raymond (ed.). The politics of broadcasting. London: Croom Helm. p. 239. ISBN 978-0-7099-1542-3.
- ^ Daffey, Paul (28 November 2004). "The Ten". The Age. Archived from the original on 1 May 2024. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
- ^ Australian Story (27 July 2015). "Sir Donald Bradman: Seven interesting facts about the world's greatest Test batsman". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
- ^ Eason, Alan (2004). The A–Z of Bradman. HarperCollins. ISBN 9780733315176.