250 replies to this topic

[Timothy]

I know that many Australians do live overseas, but providing entertainment for expats is not the reason for the service.

I have no problems with them showing one or two games per week - it would show an aspect of Australia to those overseas and would certainly be appreciated by most expats.

However, having three or more games per week is overkill. It means that on the week-ends, a channel of some interest to foreigners with its mix of news, current affairs, drama, etc on week-days, turns into one screening almost back-to-back AFL, which is of no interest whatsoever to them.

If expats want more than one or two games per week, they should pay for it. It is not a human right to be able to receive 3+ AFL games per week for free.The Australian taxpayer should not be paying for sports rights for those who are overseas and not paying Australian taxes.

[tmorgan96]

If expats want more than one or two games per week, they should pay for it. It is not a human right to be able to receive 3+ AFL games per week for free.The Australian taxpayer should not be paying for sports rights for those who are overseas and not paying Australian taxes.

Australia Network relies on advertiser dollars too. And they would probably pay good money for ad space during AFL matches. State of Origin I know is a big one for AN when they telecast it. As for paying for 3+ games a week, which channels in South-East Asia apart from AN telecast the AFL? None. Besides, this gives the game some exposure to a new market, which I am sure the AFL is aware of.

I know that many Australians do live overseas, but providing entertainment for expats is not the reason for the service.

However, having three or more games per week is overkill. It means that on the week-ends, a channel of some interest to foreigners with its mix of news, current affairs, drama, etc on week-days, turns into one screening almost back-to-back AFL, which is of no interest whatsoever to them.

AN's news service is terrible anyway. And all they show during the day are English Bites etc.

[Johnson28]

Interestingly the AFL website did not mention anything about the new broadcast deal with Australia Network.
I am actually happy that AN will keep the AFL on its schedule even though it will broadcast less matches (last year it broadcast 7 or even 8 matches per week). Remember Kevin Rudd actually wanted AN to show less footy (and less sport for that matter) and got his wish. I also want to know which of the three matches will be shown live in 2012.

If expats want more than one or two games per week, they should pay for it. It is not a human right to be able to receive 3+ AFL games per week for free.The Australian taxpayer should not be paying for sports rights for those who are overseas and not paying Australian taxes.

The AFL does have an international streaming service called liveafl.tv but it is only for fans living or travelling in Europe, Great Britain, Ireland, the USA, Canada, Africa and New Zealand. It is not available to fans living in Asia.

Edited by Johnson28, 20 February 2012 - 08:07 PM.

[Timothy]

Fiji Sun:

FBC TV has been given the green light to broadcast Australia Network programmes on this free-to-air station.
This will add to the already existing international programmes such as Al Jazeera, NHK, and CCTV

That means all three FTA TV channels in Fiji will be retransmitting the Australia Network for at least part of the day.

[BJT]

Fiji seem to show alot of Australian news. Nine News now broadcasts into the local area.

[Timothy]

The Australian:

A forthcoming audit -- described by sources as "imminent" -- is believed to lash the government for basic failures of process in its handling of the tender for the international television service, the main face of Australia's "soft diplomacy".
The report is expected to pave the way for compensation to be paid to Sky.
But it is understood to make no negative findings against the ABC, despite allegations of improper lobbying during the tender process thought to have involved Resources Minister Martin Ferguson and then health minister Nicola Roxon.

[bambbbam]

http://au.news.yahoo...bungled-tender/

"The Gillard government reportedly has been forced to compensate Sky News $2 million after aborting a tender to run the Australia Network international television service.

The government decided quietly two weeks ago to pay Sky the compensation, which the news service sought after cabinet rejected its bid to take over the $223 million contract, The Australian said on Tuesday."

[Timothy]

The Australian:

THE Gillard government has been forced to hand over millions of dollars of taxpayers' funds in compensation to Sky News after bungling the $223 million tender to run the Australia Network international television service.

The Auditor-General has completed a report, which is yet to be released, that is highly critical of the handling of the tender.

The opposition has accused the government of incompetence over the tender process, which also involved allegations of improper lobbying of ministers by ABC executives.
Two weeks ago, the government decided to quietly pay Sky compensation of more than $2m, which the news service sought after cabinet denied its bid to take over the Australia Network contract.

[Timothy]

The report has now been released.

[Timothy]

The Australian:

THE ABC plans to make a wider range of content available to audiences in the Middle East and Africa on a variety of platforms.
An ABC spokeswoman said the broadcaster had been asked to "explore the opportunity to combine the Australia Network and Radio Australia with new online services to provide a multi-platform international media operation".

[Homer]

As a fairly frequent international traveller, I am disappointed at the programming choices made for the Australia Network. For example, at 7am this morning in Singapore (9am AEST) I was in the hotel gym and I would have loved to watch Insiders on the treadmill television. Instead, Australia Network played Q&A from last Monday (the George Pell/Richard Dawkins episode) which I saw before leaving Sydney six days ago! Also during the week when there was a tsunami watch issued (which included Singapore waters), Australia Network was playing the outdated looking news they produce in the mornings and there was absolutely no mention of it when I checked. However the ABC was obviously across it because the ABC News Online site had a "Breaking News" banner. I hope somebody pays some attention to this service soon.

[makko]

You are correct to be disappointed. With all the fuss made about Australia Network over the tender business, the greatest benefit it has had is that nobody in Australia (well almost) has the slighest idea what it shows - because it is truly an awful service and an even worse image for the country.
If any journalist or any newspaper had the sense to spend a few days abroad just watching and gathering the locals' impressions, there might be some pressure to improve.
As it is, programming is a patchwork quilt of often out of date, often inappropriate shows, with worthy-but-dull news and current affairs.
Not that Sky News would have done any better.
If the bureaucrats and pollies imagine all the money going into this thing is doing Australia any good, they're mad! But it doesn't matter, because almost no one's watching except a few lonely and homesick Aussies.

[Timothy]

<div>
<p><a href="http://www.theaustra...6332103382">The Australian</a>:</p>
<p> </p>
<p>

</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 40px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">Answers to questions on notice from Senate estimates released yesterday also reveal details of the contract with the ABC to run the Australia Network are yet to be finalised. They talk of high-level discussions between the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Communications Department over the directions of the service. Prime Minister and Cabinet have also held talks with the ABC over its proposals for the network.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 40px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">&quot;PM&amp;C is participating in discussions with DBCDE, DFAT and other relevant agencies to settle advice to the government on the long-term arrangements for the Australia Network service,&quot; one response from Prime Minister and Cabinet to South Australian Liberal senator Simon Birmingham says.

</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 40px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">How long can this possible take? This is getting truly ridiculous - after the tender process was delayed and delayed again, you'd have thought the government had a pretty clear idea of what they wanted from the service.</p>
</div>

[Johnson28]

The Federal Parliament's Public Accounts and Audit committee voted this morning to refer the Australia Network tender process to further investigation: http://www.theage.co...0523-1z4ki.html

[Timothy]

The Australian:

THE Gillard government is yet to conclude a deal with the ABC to run a $223 million diplomatic TV channel, six months after a contentious decision to leave the service with the public broadcaster.
Julia Gillard's department has taken control of the talks over the Australia Network but federal cabinet has not made a decision on the terms of the deal, a Senate committee heard last night.

How many more delays can there possibly be? This is beyond ridiculous.

[Johnson28]

As of this week, the Friday Night AFL match will be shown on 3.5 hour delay (2.5 hour delay for matches in Adelaide and Perth) on Australia Network, starting at 9pm Hong Kong time. The Saturday and Sunday matches will still be shown live.
Also this week, Channel Seven's cooking competition series My Kitchen Rules premieres at 7pm Hong Kong time this Friday. It will begin from Season 1, which aired in Australia in early 2010.

[Johnson28]

Beaconsfield, starring Lachy Hulme as Todd Russell and Shane Jacobson as Brent Webb, premiered on Australia Network last Sunday (June 17). Strangely, AN decided to air the two-hour telemovie as a two-part mini series, with part 2 to air this Sunday night.

[Johnson28]

The ABC has released the Australia Network app for iPhone. The app provides direct access to Australia Network news, sport, TV guide, English language learning resources, other Australia Network video content and streams Radio Australia. It's available at the iTunes App Store.
Also, Friday Night AFL is again shown live at 5.30pm Hong Kong Time (7.30pm AEST) from last Friday (July 13), with My Kitchen Rules season 1 pushed back to 8.30pm HKT, following the AFL.

[Timothy]

Crikey:

The ABC’s Australia Network service has been transmitting to the Asia-Pacific region via Newcastle and the Nine affiliate NBN for a good dozen years. That will end later this year; the contract has expired and Aunty has informed NBN it will move to the Mediahub playout centre in Sydney like the rest of the ABC TV network. “NBN knew that the plan was to transition over to MediaHub and agreed to extend the previous arrangement for 12 months while this transition occurred,” an ABC spokesperson told us.

[Timothy]

If I remember correctly, the last funding extension given to the ABC for running the Australia Network is due to expire this month. The new agreement for services after that date was supposed to be finalised in March. This apparently has not yet been finalised - yet another ridiculous delay in this never ending saga.

Something will have to happen this month - either they will need to finalise plans for the future of the channel (how hard could it possibly be?) or they will have to give another six month funding extension under the old arrangements, leaving the channel in limbo yet again.