Just 14 people in the Northern Territory complained to the ABC about its
decision to switch off its short-wave service.
“Fewer than 15 people
located in the Northern Territory have contacted us since we made the
announcement,” ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie told a senate estimates
committee.
“The impact we have seen over the past three months is very
clear by the number of people who have contacted us.”
The Senate
Communications committee said it had 52 submissions, and the only submission in
support of the decision to axe the service was the ABC’s own.
Ms Guthrie
said the ABC would not reverse its decision.
Victorian Nationals Senator
Bridget McKenzie strongly disagreed with the decision to axe short-wave because
it left remote rural communities including farmers and fisherman unable to
access ABC services. “It works and has a utility for people and until something
supersedes it surely we stick with it?” she asked.
David Pendleton, the
ABC’s departing chief operating officer said short-wave was “not a reliable
technology going forward” and the ABC said many broadcasters around the world
were shutting short-wave services.
Northern Territory short-wave service cost
the ABC $1.2m a year, the international short-wave service cost $2.8 million
each year. The budget savings would be transferred into digital services and
content, the ABC said.
The ABC said other states and territories do not
have an ABC short-wave service.
It also pointed out that there were
22,000 active decoders for Viewer Access Satellite Television (VAST) in the
Northern Territory, as well as AM and FM radio which people could access instead
of short-wave.
“We go to VAST being a stopgap here and it’s simply not
true.” Senator McKenzie said. “You didn’t talk to the people.”
“The continued provision of short
wave service for a long contract is not in the best interest of efficient
operation of ABC budget,” Ms Guthrie said.