ABC concedes signing on China deal was moved back, fires back at The Australian’s coverage
Public broadcaster the ABC has admitted plans to sign a new broadcast deal with China in Shanghai on May 4 have been moved back, but hit back at The Australian for its reporting of the situation.
The Australian, which in recent months has been highly critical of the ABC and its management, has in recent days run a number of articles by China correspondent Scott Murdoch questioning whether the deal between the ABC and the Shanghai Media Group, China’s second largest broadcaster, had the correct approval of Chinese authorities.
In today’s edition of The Australian Murdoch wrote: “There is speculation the announcement of the deal was rushed to appear before the federal budget next month. The ABC operates the Australia Network under a 10-year, $223 million contract from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. However, its future is under threat after Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said the government was concerned about its direction and the ABC’s ‘‘soft-diplomacy’’ management of the network.”
However, today the ABC released a statement which claimed “in recent days there has been some incorrect reporting following our joint announcement”, whilst admitting it had pushed back the ratification of the agreement until June.
It then went on to list a series of points which challenge The Australian’s coverage on the issue:
Let’s get some facts on the table.
Fact 1: ABC International has been offered an unprecedented opportunity to establish a multi-platform media arrangement in China.
Fact 2: We are working through the details of the arrangement, which are on track.
Fact 3: We expect to sign an arrangement with the SMG Group in Sydney in early June.
Fact 4: We will be sharing news content with our Chinese partners under this new arrangement – just as we are doing now under our current partnership arrangements.
Fact 5: ABC has not rushed into this arrangement. The joint announcement released on April 17 has been delivered on the back of an established partnership with SMG that goes back to 2010.
The announcement that SMG Group and the ABC will sign the deal in early June is a change from the original announcement which said the deal to formalise the arrangement would be signed in Shanghai on May 4.
The ABC is one of the first Western networks to secure such a deal which, according to the original announcement, came with the support of media authorities of the Chinese Government in Shanghai.
“This historic agreement opens up a whole new world of television and online cooperation between Australia and China,” said Mark Scott, managing director of the ABC in the original statement. “It provides a truly unique window for all Australian media to build a friendly and mutually cooperative relationship with China.”
The deal will see ABC International establish an online portal for its content in China that will allow a range of ABC and other Australian media content and services to be offered and presented to partner Chinese media organisations.
Full statement from John Woodward, head of marketing of ABC International:
On April 17th ABC International released a joint statement with the Shanghai Media Group outlining unprecedented opportunities for Australian media and Australian business.
This statement coincided with our Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s successful China trip where he stated that Australia “sought a relationship with China that went beyond investment or economics.” The arrangement announced with the SMG Group gives us an opportunity to build closer ties between Australians and the Chinese people and we are working with our Chinese partners to realise this opportunity for Australia.
In recent days there has been some incorrect reporting following our joint announcement.
Let’s get some facts on the table.
Fact 1: ABC International has been offered an unprecedented opportunity to establish a multi-platform media arrangement in China.
Fact 2: We are working through the details of the arrangement, which are on track.
Fact 3: We expect to sign an arrangement with the SMG Group in Sydney in early June.
Fact 4: We will be sharing news content with our Chinese partners under this new arrangement – just as we are doing now under our current partnership arrangements.
Fact 5: ABC has not rushed into this arrangement. The joint announcement released on April 17 has been delivered on the back of an established partnership with SMG that goes back to 2010.
Nic Christensen
Let’s ask some other questions (besides the Austr.alian’s half-witted attack variety):
– This deal is ABC International. Is that the same as Australia Network and if so in what way?
– It is an online portal. Does that mean it will stream Australia Networks (seems unlikely though possible with Chinese censor constantly able to black out what is not wanted)
– Or is it making available selected programs (Chinese approved in other words) to run on this ABC/SMG portal. If so is this just selections from the ABC library that is unrelated to Australia Network content?
– re “sharing news” as apparently in present or proposed contract: how many such ABC items appear in China and hpow many SMG news items appear on ABC bulletins in Australia? (here’s a hint: have there been any at all?)
PS: Chinese government is not in Shanghai as your story suggests – any though no doubt that is an inadvertent error, there is a significance. SMG has previously run foul of the national government and its requirement that foreign news material is routed only via CCTV (even Reuters feeds etc). Therefore is SMG’s apparent interest in ABC material doomed before it begins.
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Hmmmm…….not sure that ex-News Ltd spinner Andrew Butcher’s appointment by the ABC to “advise” Mark Scott on improving relaitons with News Ltd/The Oz is paying dividends yet.
The Australian spends a lot of energy attacking the ABC for no positive result. It might keep some of those working at The Australian happy, but the rest of us just ignore the rubbish.
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To whom it may concern……………
In China the government has recently given local authorities the task of self censoring content for both TV and online. This gives Australia a direct line into China for content.
I’m about to do a business plan for a TV movie possibly coproduced with CCTV6 about Chinese set in Sydney. The benefits for business and tourism is enormous as over 50 million people will see the movie in China on TV and then online IPTV.
This type of exposure would cost millions of AUD but it will cost only one million to make and there will be a return on the invest ment through global distribution at least through Chinese viewed TV and new media.
About time we market Australia to the Chinese masses the smart way and the project is being accepted entusiactically by my Chinese partners.
I live in Beijing.
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