ABC now costs us 4c a day each
THE ABC has made 50 Australian programs for the cost of two seasons of Netflix’s House of Cards, while costing taxpayers just 4c a day each.
Chief financial officer Louise Higgins yesterday told the ABC’s first-ever AGM the broadcaster was doing more with less.
Ms Higgins said funding had declined by 28 per cent since the mid-1980s, when the ABC famously cost the 8c a day per capita.
“In 1987 dollar terms we now cost each Australian just 4c a day,” she said. “In fact, for the money spent by Netflix on just two series of House of Cards, the ABC funded no fewer than 50 quality Australian programs, including 24 drama series.”.
Managing director Michelle Guthrie and chairman Justin Milne also delivered speeches on the successes and challenges of the public broadcaster.
“Our challenge is to meet the changes in audience behaviour to remain as relevant as we have always been now and into the future,” Ms Guthrie said.
Mr Milne highlighted the broadcaster’s digitally focused initiative “ABC 2.0”, in response to the meteoric rise of platforms such as Netflix.
With state and federal elections looming, Ms Guthrie also stressed the ABC’s commitment to democracy and its need for funding to maintain its independent analysis.
“This is why a wellfunded ABC is a strong ABC,” she said.