Tell the Senate: Hands Off Our Arts!

Your ABC plans on denying Australians weekly TV reviews and quality online content of our diverse arts & cultural life by axing its Melbourne-based TV Arts unit of 15 specialists.

If the ABC is allowed to drop Art Nation and make ‘redundant’ its TV Arts team:

• many emerging & established art forms will not get the exposure they deserve
• the ABC’s commitment to arts coverage and its own Charter is critically weakened
• we lose TV programs and Arts Gateway content produced by a team of independent specialists who monitor developments in our thriving arts industry
• the ABC’s invaluable archive of over 50 years of TV arts content won’t be added to as commercial producers keep the rights to new programming

What is happening to your ABC?  Have your say by September 9th

The Senate will investigate the ABC’s planned cuts to TV production of the arts, local sport, innovation & regional content (WA & SA). Inform the Senate of your support for TV Arts by making a short submission – see overpage for how to do this & the terms of the inquiry.

You can also contact ABC Managing Director Mark Scott Scott.Mark@abc.net.au or www.Twitter.com/abcmarkscott 

Visit our web page for campaign updates and suggested submission points:

http://yourabcworthfightingfor.blogspot.com  Email: yourabc2011@gmail.com

Have your say & keep up to date on our Facebook page & Facebook cause:

http://www.facebook.com/ItsYourABC

http://www.causes.com and search ‘Your ABC worth fighting for’

Making a Senate Submission

Your submission can be long or short – what matters is that you put one in! You can include facts, opinion, arguments and recommendations against all or some of the terms of reference for the Inquiry (see below). We would love to see a copy of your submission: yourabc2011@gmail.com . A submission to the Senate committee can be made:

1. online http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/ec_ctte/abc/info.htm

2. or by email to ec.sen@aph.gov.au as an attached Adobe PDF or MS Word format document. The email must include full postal address and contact details.

3. Alternatively, written submissions may be sent to:

Committee Secretary

Senate Standing Committees on Environment and Communications

PO Box 6100

Parliament House

Canberra ACT 2600

Format

There is no set format for how your submission should look, here’s the senate’s guidance on making a submission: http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/wit_sub/bro_one.htm

• Use the terms of reference as headings for the structure of your submission
• If your submission is longer then a couple of pages, included a summary at the front
• If emailing or submitting online try and use MS Word
• If posting either type or print clearly in blank ink on A4 sheet of paper

Confidentiality

Submissions may be published by the Senate. You can elect to have your submission considered on a confidential basis. Please ensure that you do not have any personal information in the document itself. If you are posting in your submission clearly indicate at the top or in a covering note stating that you wish your submission to remain confidential.

Senate Inquiry Terms of Reference

The decision by the television management of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) to significantly cut the number and amount of ABC-produced programs, jobs (including through forced redundancies) and potentially affect resources, as announced on 2 August 2011, with particular reference to:

(a)    the implications of this decision on the ABC’s ability to create, produce and own its television content, particularly in the capital cities of Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Hobart;

(b)    the implications of this decision on Australian film and television production in general and potential impact on quality and diversity of programs;

(c)    whether a reduction in ABC-produced programs is contrary to the aims of the National Regional Program Initiative;

(d)    the implications of these cuts on content ownership and intellectual property;

(e)    the impact of the ABC’s decision to end internal production of Bananas in Pyjamas and to outsource the making of a ‘Bananas in Pyjamas’ animation series to Southern Star Endemol Proprietary Limited; and

(f)    the future potential implications of these cuts on ABC television’s capacity to broadcast state league football and rugby; and

(g)    any other related matters.