Recommendations
Promotions - Fillers
Recommendation R1/1/02 - Director of Television
It is noted that due to varying program length, there can be up to five minutes of non-program time between scheduled television programs. At present this dead time is filled by running an excessive number of 15 or 30-second promotions. The Advisory Council proposes an investigation of the more creative use of this time. Suggestions include:
- An edited highlight from coming programs (a segment from an arts show, gardening show, part of an interview from Foreign Correspondent, a scene from a comedy program etc.)
- Screening Australian made short films or footage of arts events (eg photography, dance, theatre, music)
- Inviting children, youth (and possibly others) to compile a segment suitable for broadcast based on the Race Around the World program and/or the material made available to the ABC through the October 2001 Australia Council funded "Noise" festival of young peoples multi media.
Online - Personalisation of websites - linkage of information
Recommendation R2/1/02 - Director of New Media
The Advisory Council recommends that the ABC examine the possibility of providing for personalisation of information from the ABC webpages into a "My ABC Homepage" that would provide users with customized news, weather, program schedules and information from ABC specialist websites (The Lab, The Space, The Playground, Fly, Backyard etc.) dependent on their age, geographic location and interests. This could also facilitate enhanced community interactivity, and information services delivered via e-mail along the lines of the existing Radio National e-mail alerts.
Council also recommends that websites contain better linkage of information. For example The Lab site to other ABC science related pages, Landline to Heywire and other Rural pages.
Council will write to the Director of New Media setting out further details of these considerations.
Time Delay
Recommendation R3/1/02 - Director of News and Current Affairs and Director of Radio
Council recommends that there be greater attention paid to the time-delay across Australia, particularly when giving Sports results. The practice of warning the audience that results are about to be broadcast should become a standard feature. Council would also like to see further consideration given to allowing participation in quiz and talkback programs for people in states other than on the east coast. It is noted that during daylight saving, many programs give the local time in South Australia as well as the time in Western Australia and Queensland. A number of South Australian listeners felt they would rather have the news on the half-hour and hear the broadcasts live as opposed to remaining on half-hour delay and making it difficult to participate in talk back and the nightly quiz.
Sports results
Recommendation R4/1/02 - Director of News and Current Affairs and Director of Radio
Council noted the self-congratulatory tone of sports results and in the main reference only to Australians participation. This has been particularly evident in coverage of the Winter Olympics. Council recommends that sports results have a broader perspective and also reflect achievements from other countries.
Landline
Recommendation R5/1/02 - Director of News and Current Affairs and Director of Television
The Advisory Council was disappointed to see the Monday repeat of Landline replaced by the English program Maisie Raine and recommends the continuation of daytime repeats of Landline, Four Corners, Australian Story and Foreign Correspondent to ensure that these programs attract as diverse an audience as possible including schools.
Commendations
Election websites
The Advisory Council commends the ABC Election website for drawing good information together and making it accessible, particularly to Australians travelling outside an area where they receive in-depth coverage (for example, South Australian's interstate or overseas during the recent State election.
7.30 Report - at the wharf
The Advisory Council commends the innovative format of this particular program of the 7.30 Report. The longer-form in-depth discussion was appreciated. It is hoped that programs like this with such a diversity of guests and views will be included in the future. The criticism of the "elitism" was unfortunate and may have been avoided had a different venue been chosen.
Hopman cup
The Advisory Council commends the ABC for its continuing and uniformly excellent coverage of the Hopman Cup.
Jazz
The Advisory Council commends the screening of the Jazz series.
Andrea Bocelli
The Advisory Council commends the showing of the Andrea Bocelli program.
Coverage of African issues - Sally Sara
The Advisory Council commends Sally Sara for her reporting on African issues.
Australian Story
The Advisory Council commends Australian Story for the program on Gary McDonald.
Island Life
The Advisory Council commends the interesting Australian nature series Island Life.
Rising Stars
The Advisory Council commends Rising Stars for presenting the opportunity to see young talent. Council would have also liked to have had the opportunity to hear more from the young people themselves (an example would be the Kings School series).
100 Years of radio
The Advisory Council commends the ABC on the great use of archival material during the celebration of 100 Years of Radio.
Coverage of bushfires
The Advisory Council commends ABC Local Radio in NSW and the ACT for the excellent work during the bushfires.
Bringing down a dictator
The Advisory Council commends Bringing Down a Dictator and looks forward to more programs of this high standard.
Cross promotion
The Advisory Council commends the creative way the new series of Absolutely Fabulous was cross-promoted.
Space
The Advisory Council commends the new series Space and suggests a repeat in an earlier time-slot where it could be accessed by a family audience and for educational purposes and general viewing for young people.
Compass
The Advisory Council again commends Compass for the recent series on philosophy, particularly as this series seems to have broadened the traditional audience for the program.
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