The New Media division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) will disappear under a wide-ranging restructure announced by ABC managing director Mark Scott today. Mr Scott says the changes will enable the ABC to maintain its leadership in the digital media world. “Digital media is now integral to everything we do. It is not an add-on, it is not a novelty, it is the present reality as well as the future,” Mr Scott said.
The changes to be introduced in coming weeks in consultation with staff include:
The integration of the ABC News Online unit with the news and current affairs team into a rebadged ABC News Division as the ABC develops the most content rich news site in Australia, drawing on the wealth of audio and video content gathered by ABC journalists every day
The creation of a new Innovation Division as an incubator for digital development across the ABC, and reporting directly to managing director Mark Scott
Integrating ABC TV and ABC2 in the Television Division to improve the synergies between the two channels and creating a structure that can sustain additional digital television channels in the years ahead
The Radio Division to become the Radio and Regional Content Division, accelerating the process of turning each of the ABC’s 60 local radio stations across Australia into hubs for digital content generation - providing both audio and video content for radio broadcasts, local ABC websites and television programming
Combining the ABC’s international operations into one division to promote and grow audiences for Australia Network and Radio Australia
Pursuing the potential for new revenue streams afforded by digital technology, including video-on-demand, the digitisation of the ABC archive and partnerships to disseminate ABC content more widely.
Mr Scott also says a new commercial division, ABC Commercial, will be established, which would incorporate the current activities of ABC Enterprises with a brief to pursue new sources of revenue made available through developments in digital technology. Former director of ABC New Media and Digital Services Lynley Marshall will head up the Commercial division.
Mr Scott says consultation committees, including staff from areas affected by the changes, will be established immediately. “These changes are evolutionary, and are driven by the need to provide ABC audiences with ABC content when and where they want it, and on whatever device they choose - be it traditional TV or radio, online, on their mobile phones or iPods.It is recognition of the fact that Television and Radio is no longer simply a matter of broadcasting to a mass audience, but must encompass online delivery, multichannelling, podcasting, vodcasting and a greater engagement with our audience.”
(Source: ABC News Online/R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)