ABC’s five-year plan is an attempt to rediscover its youth
The ABC will adopt a ‘digital-first approach’ across its platforms to counter flagging TV and radio ratings.
The ABC will adopt a “digital-first approach” across its various platforms in a bid to engage a younger audience, as it struggles to counter flagging television and radio ratings.
Heralding the “evolution” of the national broadcaster in its new five-year plan, released on Friday, ABC managing director David Anderson said the taxpayer-funded media organisation had to remain “relevant” in order to serve the changing needs of its audience.
“As Australia changes, so must the ABC,” he said.
“This means changing to meet the needs of our audiences wherever they live. We will
continue to serve all Australians, contribute to our national identity and remain an essential
part of daily life.”
The five-year plan will focus on preparing for a “digital-majority audience” by 2028.
“We will focus on bringing audiences to ABC-owned platforms while also creating content for audiences who prefer social media and other third-party platforms. This will ensure we provide relevant content, in engaging formats, for younger audiences, especially those who
do not use traditional broadcast services,” the plan says.
Mr Anderson has previously spoken about the need for the ABC to embrace the digital age. But with the national broadcaster’s core audience skewing heavily to the over-50s demographic, the ABC faces a difficult balancing act of increasing its appeal to the “digital native” generations while not alienating its older listeners and viewers, particularly in the regions.
The 2023-28 blueprint, which is light on detail about reallocation of resources, outlines “a vision for the ABC to be an essential part of everyday life for all Australians through news and entertainment that appeals to different ages and interests”.
“As audiences take up ABC audio via digital services, we will be ready to rationalise our broadcast radio services and align them better with audience needs. We will reposition our television multi-channels to increase relevance for broadcast viewers,” it says.
“By enhancing our local presence we will help communities raise the issues that matter to them and encourage inclusive national debates that canvas a range of different views.”
In an all-staff email last month, Mr Anderson referred to the looming overhaul of the broadcaster’s radio division.
“Change is never easy,” Mr Anderson said in May. “Clearly this restructure impacts some of our leaders. Where this occurs, we will seek to redeploy as many affected employees as possible. But we expect there will be some redundancies and consultation with those leaders who are impacted is under way.”
Responding to questions from The Australian on Friday about how many jobs will be lost as part of the “rationalisation” of services, an ABC spokesman said: “The ABC is operating in an environment that is subject to rising costs due to inflationary pressure and will need to continue to invest in digital transformation.
“We are working through the impacts of both in combination and this may potentially result in a proposal for change that includes redundancies.”
The Australian understands that as many as 100 positions will be axed next month as part of the streamlining.
The release of the five-year plan comes as an internal advisory group is finalising its report into the ABC’s radio network, which has been plagued by plummeting ratings over the past 18 months.
The group is assessing the performance of each and every program presenter across the ABC’s metro network, with soft audience numbers in the capital cities of deep concern to management.
According to the plan, the ABC’s strategy over 2023-28 will be based on four pillars — prioritising the “trust of our audiences”; delivering “compelling content”; reflecting contemporary Australia; and making “sustainable choices in allocating resources”.
“Australians trust and value the ABC and this will not change. As we move through this
period of digital evolution, Australians can continue to rely on us for the content and services
that inform, educate and entertain,” Mr Anderson said on Friday.
“Our audiences can be assured we will safeguard traditional broadcast services as long as
these remain essential for keeping Australians informed and entertained.”
The ABC receives $1.1 billion in government funding each year.
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