THE ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Recommendation R1/1/07 - To all output Directors

Council notes the confusion in the community around environmental issues and the desire for greater understanding and practical solutions. The ABC is well-placed to play the leading role in informing and facilitating public discussion and policy debate in this area.

Coverage should focus not merely on how environmental issues are dealt with politically, but on building a fundamental understanding of environmental challenges and responses based on recognised scientific data and opinion. Where there are disputes as to the science, coverage should carefully reflect the nature and extent of these disputes amongst the mainstream scientific community. Ultimately, audiences should be equipped to be able to critically analyse proposed environmental responses for themselves.

Relevant current topics that may be of interest include (but are not limited to):

• the consequences of environmental problems such as climate change;
• an analysis of the economic and social costs and effects of proposed responses to environmental problems, including carbon credit trading schemes;
• examining the popular and emotional response of the public and the media to this issue;
• the consequences of inaction vis-à-vis climate change;
• renewable energy, clean coal and nuclear power; and
• sustainable consumption.

A co-ordinated and comprehensive approach to building understanding should include a variety of media and formats to appeal to a wide audience. These offerings should be cross-promoted and include documentary and current affairs programs such as Behind the News, Catalyst, Four Corners, and Hack and also more entertaining programs that accessibly introduce environmental concepts such as Two Men in a Tinnie. A section of ABC Online could be established to showcase environmental content offered across the corporation.

As part of its leadership of these issues, ABC Online could develop environmental resources for students. This material could, in turn, develop the themes for future television and radio productions.

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HARD TALK
Recommendation R2/1/07 - Director of Television

The Advisory Council appreciates the hard-hitting interview style of Tony Jones on Lateline. Building on this, the Council recommends that ABC TV consider commissioning a program in the style of the BBC's Hard Talk.

This would be a half-hour program consisting of a single interview with a political leader, entertainer, sportsperson or ordinary individual where the hard questions are asked to get behind the news. Such a program would adopt a more edgy interviewing technique. Given the ABC's renewed focus on providing a broad range of views to its audience, this type of program would be welcome addition.

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OLDER AUDIENCES OF triple j
Recommendation R3/1/07 - Director of Television

The Advisory Council recommends that a conscious effort be made to seek views and expertise from a broader base. In particular, Council recommends that where suitable Australian expertise can be found, it be given preference. Where there is no suitable Australian expertise, views should be sought from a wide range of sources than at present.

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OVERSEAS PERSPECTIVES
Recommendation R4/1/07 - Director of News

The Advisory Council recommends that with the proliferation of English language international news channels e.g. France 24, Al-Jazeera, Russia Today and Channel NewsAsia, a weekly wrap-up of news and opinion from across the world could be considered as an addition to ABC TV's news portfolio. The Council notes that NewsRadio rebroadcasts programs from around the world and that Radio National's Breakfast scans newspapers from around Australia. In line with the approach taken by these programs, Council suggests that a television program of this nature could be produced.

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Shakespeare Retold

The Council commends Shakespeare Retold. This program offers ”a very clever re-telling of Shakespeare's classics in a modern setting. The high quality matched with modern settings to make compelling viewing even for those familiar with the plays, but especially for those who were not.” “Had great feedback from two of the English literature teachers from Karratha Senior High. We will be getting the DVDs for the library at their request.”

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Bushfire Summer

The Council commends Bushfire Summer. 'Bushfire Summer - the show I heard the most about - everyone loved it.' 'This was a good documentary. From an educational perspective broadcasting a documentary on the ABC about bushfires makes sense. All Australians are impacted by bushfires at some point in their lives.'

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In the Shadow of the Palms: Iraq

The Council commends the screening of In the Shadow of the Palms: Iraq 'informative and fairly well balanced. Many people said they need more programmes like this to help them understand the complexity of the problems in the Middle East.' The program was well regarded as an intimate portrayal of life in Iraq pre and post invasion...also incredible because of the danger that those making and contributing to the film put themselves in to get their message out.'

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Bushfire Coverage

'...there was significant community reaction to ABC radio's role in reporting fires. There was satisfaction and gratitude for this and for the work on covering the effects of the drought. The coverage is timely, factual and on the spot. In the case of the fires, ABC radio's figurehead announcers in Tasmania moved into the threatened towns and did what radio can now do so well, they reported from the places where it was actually happening and did so in a factual, non-sensational way which was helpful to the police, fire, SES and ambulance.'

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