Updated: ABC defends playout outsourcing
Jul 02
The ABC’s chief operating officer David Pendleton has responded to criticism of the broadcaster’s move to outsource its television master control operations in a joint venture operation with WIN Television. Responding to criticism from ‘internal sources’ in Crikey yesterday, he said that it is “simply untrue to say that the new facility will not be controlled by the national broadcaster.”
The ABC’s TV presentation infrastructure has reached its used-by date and needs replacing. New technology means the ABC can not only ensure that current functionality is replicated, but that quality assurance will be improved, with response times for the rectification of technical faults and disaster recovery much easier at the new facility, given it will operate from one single location.
There is a lot to be gained from this new partnership. It will enable the ABC to provide state based versions of ABC1, ABC2, ABCHD and other channels nationally; and the ability to respond quickly to local state emergencies, which means providing breaking news into any region around the clock.
He added that the savings made from the move would allow the broadcaster to expand its spending on programming, citing ABC News Breakfast as one product of ‘backroom effiencies’. Media Spies have highlighted the potential for the new operation to improve the transmission quality of both network’s television signals, allowing the ABC to maintain its current suite of channels in addition to the forthcoming ABC3.
Further criticism has emerged from the Public Sector Union, which says that the plan will cost jobs at WIN stations in regional areas.
Karen Atherton said “there will be less people doing this work so less opportunity for that anyway but yes, if you’re in a small regional centre doing highly specialised work like this it’s going to be hard to find a job in the same field,” she said.
Read the full article at Crikey, or discuss in Media Spy’s forum topic.
TGIF July 2nd 2009