Changes

''Not to be confused with the'' [[American Broadcasting Company]]

''Not to be confused with the'' [[American Broadcasting Company]]

The '''Australian Broadcasting Corporation''', shortened to '''ABC''' is a public broadcaster in [[Australia]]. The ABC is operated on a budget of over $1 Billion (Australian) <ref>http://www.budget.gov.au/2009-10/content/bp4/html/bp4_agency_resourcing_04_bcde.htm</ref> and has been criticized for it [[left-wing|left]] leaning [[liberal bias|bias]] by [[conservative]] figureheads in Australia.<ref>http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/column_your_abc_of_bias/</ref>

The '''Australian Broadcasting Corporation''', shortened to '''ABC''' is the state-owned public broadcaster in [[Australia]]. The ABC is operated on a budget of over $1 Billion (Australian) <ref>http://www.budget.gov.au/2009-10/content/bp4/html/bp4_agency_resourcing_04_bcde.htm</ref> and has been criticized for its [[left-wing|left]]-leaning [[liberal bias|bias]] by [[conservative]] figureheads in Australia.<ref>http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/column_your_abc_of_bias/</ref>

==History==  

==History==  

The ABC originally started out as a radio station called the Australian Broadcasting Company in 1923 and in 1932 the company was nationalized under the Australian Broadcasting Commission Act.<ref>http://www.acmi.net.au/AIC/RADIO_HIST_AUS.html</ref><ref>http://www.radio.adelaide.edu.au/intro/history_OZ-radio.pdf#search=%22%22Australian%20Broadcasting%20Company%22%22</ref> It started broadcasting as a television service in1956 and in the 2000s digital channels were added such as ABC2.     

The ABC originally started out as a commercial radio network called the Australian Broadcasting Company in 1923. In 1932, the company was nationalized under the Australian Broadcasting Commission Act.<ref>http://www.acmi.net.au/AIC/RADIO_HIST_AUS.html</ref><ref>http://www.radio.adelaide.edu.au/intro/history_OZ-radio.pdf#search=%22%22Australian%20Broadcasting%20Company%22%22</ref> It started broadcasting as a television service in 1956 and in the 2000s digital channels were added such as ABC2.     

== Funding==

== Funding==

==Ratings and programs==

==Ratings and programs==

As it is not a commercial network it does not necessarily go for high rating programs but concentrates much of its air time on news and current affair programs such as “7.30”, “Four Corners”, “Lateline” and the “ABC News” as well as many local programs such as children’s programs from 6am to 10am every weekday.<ref>http://www.abc.net.au/news/programs</ref>  It consistently polls around 15 – 20% of the overall population share every day.<ref>http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2009/12/week-52-3.html</ref><ref>http://www.throng.com.au/ratings/free-air-tv-ratings-monday-december-7-2009</ref>

As it is not a commercial network it does not necessarily go for high rating programs but concentrates much of its air time on news and current affair programs such as ''7:30'', ''Four Corners'', ''Lateline'' and the ''ABC News'' as well as many local programs such as children’s programs from 6am to 10am every weekday.<ref>http://www.abc.net.au/news/programs</ref>  It consistently polls around 15 – 20% of the overall population share every day.<ref>http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2009/12/week-52-3.html</ref><ref>http://www.throng.com.au/ratings/free-air-tv-ratings-monday-december-7-2009</ref>

==Politics and allegations of bias==  

==Politics and allegations of bias==  

 

The ABC been accused by Australian conservatives over allegations of [[left-wing]] bias in its journalism, especially when it over represents [[leftist]] issues in Australia such as [[immigration]], [[republicanism]], [[multiculturalism]], reconciliation and its support for the centre-left Australian Labor Party over the conservative [[Liberal Party of Australia]].<ref>http://candobetter.org/node/17</ref><ref>http://www.themonthly.com.au/monthly-essays-robert-manne-new-teeth-aunty-reinvigorating-national-broadcaster-749</ref> Conservative commentators in Australia such as Andrew Bolt as well as Coalition members have stated that they believe the ABC to contain bias from the Left.<ref>http://newmatilda.com/2009/08/24/small-l-liberal-not-left</ref> [[John Howard]] who was the Liberal Party Prime Minister of Australia from 1996 – 2007 had cut the funding to the ABC by close to 10% for what he believed to be left-wing bias. In a 2004 poll of journalists the ABC came in second to the question of "the most politically biased media organisation in Australia".<ref>http://www.roymorgan.com/resources/pdf/papers/20040903.pdf</ref>

The ABC been accused by Australian conservatives over allegations of [[left wing]] bias in its journalism especially when it over represents [[leftist]] issues in Australia such as [[immigration]], [[republicanism]], [[multiculturalism]], reconciliation and its support for the centre-left Australian Labor Party.<ref>http://candobetter.org/node/17</ref><ref>http://www.themonthly.com.au/monthly-essays-robert-manne-new-teeth-aunty-reinvigorating-national-broadcaster-749</ref> Conservative commentators in Australia such as Andrew Bolt as well as Coalition members have stated that they believe the ABC to contain bias from the left.<ref>http://newmatilda.com/2009/08/24/small-l-liberal-not-left</ref> [[John Howard]] who was the Liberal Party Prime Minister of Australia from 1996 – 2007 had cut the funding to the ABC by close to 10% for what he believed to be left wing bias. In a 2004 poll of journalists the ABC came in second to the question of “the most politically biased media organisation in Australia”.<ref>http://www.roymorgan.com/resources/pdf/papers/20040903.pdf</ref>

==References==

==References==