New technologies and the ABC

Journalists' influence and credibility will be increasingly challenged by individual websites, such as blogs, which may offer previously unrepresented opinion, but which also already attract much larger audiences than some conventional columnists.

The old style exclusive, international news order is already dead, even in mainland China where the government strenuously and unsuccessfully attempts to enforce official accounts of international events. It has been effectively replaced by blended and multi sourced information, which collectively contributes to the new global media environment. The Internet allows the creation of multi-layered reports, which are embedded with images, video, and animation.

Accuracy will become a key issue as diligent consumers compare journalists' analysis with their sources original words. Authenticated websites which aggregate these reports, such as the BBC, and the ABC (Australia) can be expected to record rapidly rising page views.

As a result, public funded broadcasters may have a new lease on life, if they are able to adapt. High content programs which may have a low audience on radio or television can accumulate huge global audiences via the net.

In 2006, ABC Online reached an average of 2.02million people a month from within Australia, and ABC Online’s audience reach increased by 20 per cent from 2005 to 2006, nearly three times the rate of growth in Internet uptake (7 per cent). (Cook 2007)

It may be that governments will re-consider the worth of such broadcasters delivering information and therefore influence to wider audiences. This in turn may mitigate politicians past claims of public sector broadcasting elitism.

Specifically what are the challenges for the ABC?

The Internet will make corporate terrestrial transmitters and even satellite distribution increasingly irrelevant. Programs will be available on demand, transmitted by Internet, distributed by broadband, received by computer chip, and re-broadcast by individual transmitters within dwellings.

This means that if I want to listen to Phillip Adams, I can request the program at a time when it suits me, rebroadcast it on my house transmitter so that I can listen to Phil on my transistor radio as I do the gardening. Television will operate in a similar way and will be receivable on my mobile phone.

These technologies are already available in a limited form from ABC.net.au and JTV. As broadband speeds improve and hardware becomes cheaper and more accessible, they will become universal.

Meanwhile, the audience will be able to fact check and interact. If ABC staff remain remote, their credibility will be undermined in blogs, MSN or even Skype video discussions.

ABC shop revenues will be affected as consumers download music and videos from websites. Music stores are already closing around Australia as consumers buy their music directly from Apple's online iTunes store. To survive ABC shops will have to offer specialised consumer support and information.