Your ABC: proudly brought to you by your sponsors?

Senator Munson, a member of that Canadian Senate Committee described CBC radio - which is not commercially funded in any way - as a bridge, a bridge which spanned the country from Newfoundland on the Atlantic coast, to Vancouver on the Pacific coast. He said, "what the CBC in this country gives us is a mature, independent, public voice of a broadcaster, the only public voice in this country. If we allow advertising on CBC radio, on which there is no advertising, I think it would be the death knell of our public broadcasting system".

Sounds reminiscent of our ABC doesn't it?

What's the protection?

Currently advertising on radio and television is prohibited by the ABC Act (Section 31), "The Corporation shall not broadcast advertisements". It would require an amendment to the ABC Act before we could see or hear ads on ABC TV or radio.

There are two concerns here. First, legislation is not the constraint it was, now that the Government has a majority in the Senate. This is illustrated by the 2006 amendment to the ABC Act abolishing the position of Staff Elected Director on the ABC Board.

Second, advertising online is not explicitly prohibited by the ABC Act, drafted as it was before the Internet came into existence. Although pressure to carry advertising on the ABC's website has been resisted so far, a black letter interpretation by the ABC Board of "broadcasting" could see ads on ABC Online.

What is at stake?

Those inspiring hopes, articulated 75 years ago, of service, not for profit but purely in the interests of every section of the community are what are at stake.

It is worth pausing over those words: “a service”, “not for profit”, and “every section of the community”. All very strong words, and in 1983 they were embodied in legislation, in the amended ABC Act 1983. Section 6, the Charter, sets out that the ABC must provide "innovative and comprehensive" broadcasting services "of a high standard", The ABC's programs should "contribute to a sense of national identity" and should "reflect the cultural diversity of the Australian community".

I would contend that it is only a “not for profit” organisation which could meet these standards. Commercial networks deliver audiences to advertisers which target narrower and narrower demographic categories - “household shoppers”, “dual income no kids” or “empty nesters”.

By contrast, we look to the public broadcaster to respond to the need for programs about history, science, education, sport, our natural and built environment - wildlife, architecture, the way we live generally and the international as well as national dimensions of these. Similarly, there should be programs about regional and rural life throughout the country - as are provided now. Children's programs are vital also.

Finally, there should be programs and forums dealing with our differing cultures, religions and histories, providing balance and fairness for all groups, whether majority or minority.

The ABC has a proud record, in both radio and TV, which should be maintained.

When asked what he thought distinctive about the ABC the late Andrew Olle answered in one word: “credibility”.

That’s not a bad test. A broadcaster you can trust. That surely means trust to give you the truth, and behind that is a whole range of things - to have done thorough research, to have looked at all sides of an issue, to have recognised an issue as just that and to have put it before the public.

And that is the sort of independent voice which only a public, non-commercial broadcaster can possess.