Australia Network announces shutdown date and time

[RegularReader]

I've always found abc international product an inferior service. It was nice for a bit in the 90s when overseas and it was a good link home but the channel hasn't kept up with competition and it is a pretty much last choice for where I'd go on anything australia wise from a Entertainment and news perspective. On demand is the future and iView is a superior product by far.

They'd be better off spending the 20 million a year they use now to sort out rights issues and broadcasting abc news 24 on the satellite, and freeing up access to iView. Better use of money I reckon.

Not sure I agree with it being of "inferior quality".

Also back in the 90s the channel was run by the 7 Network.

As for "keeping up", there's not really anything to compare it to, except perhaps the French and German channels.

It is a hybrid of News, Education, "soft diplomacy" programs, Documentaries, Australia Dramas and of course the AFL.

This is most certainly a wide spectrum, much of it being content the ABC was required to carry, both under its charter and the deal with DFAT.

Now that has finished, it seems the way they have extended their news coverage especially by taking more from ABCNews24 and changed The World program into basically a 60 minutes bulletin with some commentary, is perhaps an indication as to where it might be heading - if the channel stays on air in some form, or another

I'd be happy if they put more into the online development and providing access to programs currently geo-blocked. But, one issue that needs to be addressed is the requirement to service local communities throughout Asia. Remember that once you get outside the major population centres in many countries, the internet speed/quality is not much better than dial-up

when I say inferior quality, I meant that it didn't really show the full gammet of what was available on the ABC proper. And what you get on the current channel compares poorly with other satellite offerings. Al Jezera, BBC, Bloomberg etc.

As for soft diplomacy - no one watches it apart from expats who wanted their AFL/NRL. It wasn't even put on True Visions so I don't think even educated Thai's wanted it. And you get some crap on True Visions which says alot for where ABC stood in the pecking order.

I'm not sure somone up country in any asian country is really watching it apart from expats. Which sucks if you are an expat upcountry with a crappy internet connection.

Most locals up bush can't really afford the satellite dish you need. And if they could, they werent going to watch it. So for me the soft diplomacy argument, while a good aim, was always a stretch. Old fashioned as it sounds, I reckon scholarships etc are better forms of soft diplomacy.

Maybe, but I thought that the "soft diplomacy" approach did work with some educated Filipinos, Singaporeans, Malaysians and others getting some amusing entertainment in the form of "Parliment Question Time", which to them was like an intellectual comedy show, with politicians ripping each other apart using (to non-Australians) such colourful language as "what a bunch of galahs".

As for it not being on Truevisions, well, maybe the Thais who subscribe to it are more interested in entertainment channels (often for their children), such as movie channels like HBO, Star Movies, or children's channels such as Disney, Cartoon Newtork and perhaps even Natgeo and Discovery Channel (both of which have some genuinely educational shows/documentaries) rather than the Australia Channel or even DW TV, TV5, CNN, BBC or CCTV etc. (even if some of these channels are offered).

Not sure which providers hotels in Thailand are partnering up with, but I've been able to watch the Australia Channel in hotels ranging from Centara Mae Sot to hotels in Khon Kaen and Chiang Mai, so there has traditionally been good coverage so far. Similar story in neighboring countries - plenty of hotels in Cambodia, Singapore, Malaysia, Laos and Vietnam with the Australia Channel.

I'm not sure if these other international broadcasters consider their programming in foreign countries to be a form of soft diplomacy, perhaps they do or perhaps they don't. But in an indirect way at least, I feel it is. Either way it's a loss for Aussies and anyone who was interested in watching Australian programming abroad.

As for Al-Jazeera and the BBC, I get the former here but rarely watch it. It's not bad, but as a news channel you'll quickly realise that recurring news broadcasts become very dull and monotonous after just an hour or so of watching. There are the occasional documentaries, but for the most part it's repeating the same news over and over again or an in-depth analysis on what's happening in the Middle East, a region of the world not particularly relevant for me. As for the BBC, well, their programming is much more boring and with less variety than anything the Australia Network has been able to show. Although again, since the BBC is a news channel you can't expect much variety in terms of programming, it's just basically news and news related stories. The main international news channel I watch is Channel News Asia, which is Singaporean. Their Asian-centric programming is exactly what is relevant and interesting for me, but again, you can't watch it all day, you watch it for the news and maybe a half hour documentary or something and then switch to another channel.

One thing I thought they did particularly well - much better than BBC or CNN - was to provide a knowledgeable and fair minded approach to events in the region. Their coverage of the recent Indonesian elections and the trouble in Thailand were very good and as unbiased as they could be. But now people like Zoe Daniels in Thailand and Karen Percy (?) in Indonesia have been moved on. Both these journos learnt about the places they were in and were able provide a much better coverage than either BBC or CNN. This will be missed, too as is obvious in the current news services and the now shell shocked nightly Asia Pacific current affairs program, The World. Those left to carry on are trying hard, but with such little support it must be so difficult to put the show to air and remain relevant.

[samran]

I've always found abc international product an inferior service. It was nice for a bit in the 90s when overseas and it was a good link home but the channel hasn't kept up with competition and it is a pretty much last choice for where I'd go on anything australia wise from a Entertainment and news perspective. On demand is the future and iView is a superior product by far.

They'd be better off spending the 20 million a year they use now to sort out rights issues and broadcasting abc news 24 on the satellite, and freeing up access to iView. Better use of money I reckon.

Not sure I agree with it being of "inferior quality".

Also back in the 90s the channel was run by the 7 Network.

As for "keeping up", there's not really anything to compare it to, except perhaps the French and German channels.

It is a hybrid of News, Education, "soft diplomacy" programs, Documentaries, Australia Dramas and of course the AFL.

This is most certainly a wide spectrum, much of it being content the ABC was required to carry, both under its charter and the deal with DFAT.

Now that has finished, it seems the way they have extended their news coverage especially by taking more from ABCNews24 and changed The World program into basically a 60 minutes bulletin with some commentary, is perhaps an indication as to where it might be heading - if the channel stays on air in some form, or another

I'd be happy if they put more into the online development and providing access to programs currently geo-blocked. But, one issue that needs to be addressed is the requirement to service local communities throughout Asia. Remember that once you get outside the major population centres in many countries, the internet speed/quality is not much better than dial-up

when I say inferior quality, I meant that it didn't really show the full gammet of what was available on the ABC proper. And what you get on the current channel compares poorly with other satellite offerings. Al Jezera, BBC, Bloomberg etc.

As for soft diplomacy - no one watches it apart from expats who wanted their AFL/NRL. It wasn't even put on True Visions so I don't think even educated Thai's wanted it. And you get some crap on True Visions which says alot for where ABC stood in the pecking order.

I'm not sure somone up country in any asian country is really watching it apart from expats. Which sucks if you are an expat upcountry with a crappy internet connection.

Most locals up bush can't really afford the satellite dish you need. And if they could, they werent going to watch it. So for me the soft diplomacy argument, while a good aim, was always a stretch. Old fashioned as it sounds, I reckon scholarships etc are better forms of soft diplomacy.

We live in Udon Thani and apart from maybe a few other crazy Aussies, and a couple of bars in town, what you say about Thais and the dish is true. However, at my mother in law's house (also in Udon) they used to subscribe to a local cable company who carried the Australia Network.

But, let's not get bogged down in Thai viewing habits. They are rather unique.

I doubt an Australian Drama - with so many words and subplots - such as "A Place To Call Home", or even the "Rafters" (both could be regarded as "quality" soaps, I guess), would be able to compete with the melodramatic clichéd story lines, side ways looks of the about to be ravaged, damsels in distress and the ever present slap stick maids of the Lakhon series.

But there is an audience apart from expats in many other places, such as the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and India, as well as in the Pacific region.

More, the ABC was beginning to develop an interest for its children's and educational programs in China.

AFL is sport - not the sort of "soft diplomacy" programming I was referring to - no matter how much I enjoy watching it. I was meaning the soaps, such as Home and Away, the cooking shows and some of the adventure and nature programs.

I think under the pressures from pollies and the charter requirements, they did a fairly good job of fitting a lot of square pegs into round holes.

Change it. Make it more relevant to the region by all means. But. don't destroy the work of the last 15 years or so, because of some petty polly ego centric carry on like we have seen.

I think you are into something in that it tried to be many things to many people which is why I perhaps didn't take to it very much.

Part of the other issue is that I'm sure that the abc, while officially government has a commercially focused arm, so they were never going to give their best stuff away for free via satellite when they could get revenue from selling it to regional programmers. Much of that stuff was kids stuff which the abc seems to be particular good at selling.

Anyway, what is done is done. Certainly no fan of Abbott and sloppy Joe but this is one thing, probably the only thing, I'm not shaking my head at from those too gooses.

[Chao Lao Beach]

Worst political decision made by the Abbot Government out of this year's budget. Not happy about this, the content has improved steadily over the past few years - good current affairs, local asian flavoured biz programs, learning English which my staff love (and it has been helping them improve their English skills)

Who do I write to?

This was part of Murdocs deal with Abbott the maggot as payback as Fox was not awarded it under Rudd when it came up for tender.

Where thsi will really hurt the ABC is that many of it's foreign corresponds (and small offices) are supported by the Australian Network Budget.

Don't know if you have noticed how much Abbot and Hockey hate the ABC, the later has done 1 interview in the last couple of years, that was only recently on Q&A on the condition that there was no one else asking questions.

Edited September 3, 2014 by Chao Lao Beach

[Chao Lao Beach]

A death of the Aussie network party maybe

[chainarong]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Worst political decision made by the Abbot Government out of this year's budget. Not happy about this, the content has improved steadily over the past few years - good current affairs, local asian flavoured biz programs, learning English which my staff love (and it has been helping them improve their English skills)

Who do I write to?

1 Term Tony and the backward men are all on the nose in Oz , they've just ripped out 129 million of superannuation on the next crop of retires coming through, saying it go's into their pockets, yeah like paying increased prices, 63% are out of pocket before payday.

[kingalfred]

All of Australia should be ashamed of the Abbot government

[joncl]

looks like moves are afoot to back door morph Australia Network into Australia Plus

see http://australianetwork.com/announcement

Edited September 5, 2014 by joncl

[RegularReader]

looks like moves are afoot to back door morph Australia Network into Australia Plus

see http://australianetwork.com/announcement

[RegularReader]

At least it keeps "something" up there.

Then, when this mob are kicked out (after one term hopefully), a new government puts enough resources into bringing the channel back up to full strength.

But of course, because there are not many votes in this, it will be up to us expats to make a noise so it is not forgotten.

[ripstanley]

Worst political decision made by the Abbot Government out of this year's budget. Not happy about this, the content has improved steadily over the past few years - good current affairs, local asian flavoured biz programs, learning English which my staff love (and it has been helping them improve their English skills)

Who do I write to?

This was part of Murdocs deal with Abbott the maggot as payback as Fox was not awarded it under Rudd when it came up for tender.

Where thsi will really hurt the ABC is that many of it's foreign corresponds (and small offices) are supported by the Australian Network Budget.

Don't know if you have noticed how much Abbot and Hockey hate the ABC, the later has done 1 interview in the last couple of years, that was only recently on Q&A on the condition that there was no one else asking questions.

The big push to get rid of Australian Network was from Julie Bishop. Saving money from her portfolio. She was interviewed on Insiders yesterday.

[ClutchClark]

ABC was the best network anywhere.

Sure beat the heck out of everything in the US today.

[joncl]

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/764130-australia-network-closes-tonight-enter-australia-plus/

[samuijimmy]

A + Seems to work well! .... can't wait to watch Giggle and Hoot!....