An Australian media lobbying group says plans to broadcast Australian television content into the Pacific isn't what the region needs.
The government has partnered with industry body FreeTV Australia to stream 3,000 hours of Australian television content into the Pacific over the next three years.
The plans were announced during an historic trip to Vanuatu and Fiji by Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
But it's caught the ire of Supporters of Australian Broadcasting in Asia and the Pacific, which wants a return of the ABC's shortwave service to the Pacific.
The group's co-convener, Jemima Garrett, told Mackenzie Smith that by pushing TV content, Australia is ignoring calls from the Pacific for radio.
Supporters of Australian Broadcasting say Australian TV content is not what the Pacific needs.
Photo: Wikipedia
Transcript
JEMIMA GARRETT: I'm sorry to say but I think it's really political because we've seen two reviews in Australia about what Australia could do in the region in terms of broadcasting, and Pacific leaders and Pacific communities and the audience too have said that what they want is quality journalism, the return of the ABC, radio in times of natural disaster, that sort of thing. And Scott Morrison has announced television. I think it really reflects the fact that the coalition government here is very anti-ABC. And with an election coming up, really it looks like a handout to his commercial media mates.
MACKENZIE SMITH: Do you think this is what the Pacific wants?
JG: It definitely isn't. The Pacific really made a big effort in putting in their thoughts to these two reviews that have taken place, right up to the Vanuatu Prime Minister, who made some very strong remarks. In his first communication with the government back in 2017, he said that many, many lives could be lost in Vanuatu because of the shutdown of the ABC's shortwave services. So, there's a track record here. We've seen the staff and students of the University of the South Pacific saying that they want quality journalism, we've seen organisations like the Parties to the Nauru Agreement, the eight very big tuna nations in the region, saying they want quality journalism. There are 10 Pacific countries now that really have no service from ABC radio, and luckily we've got RNZ Pacific because really there are very few places for all the members of the Pacific Islands Forum, the people of all the members of the Pacific Islands Forum, to get together and debate important issues facing the region.
MS: I thought it was interesting television was a medium here. We saw a similar thing in New Zealand last year with the announcement of a dedicated TV channel which would provide soft power benefits, what do you make of the role that television is playing in the so-called Pacific Reset and the step-up from Australia?
JG: Look, I think television is great, everyone loves it. But it's not the most cost-effective way to communicate with people. It only gets to the urban areas and if you look at what people are asking for, it's not Home and Away and The Bachelorette. There are bigger things at play here. I mean I would like to see Pacific Island creatives funded to make dramas rather than to see Australian dramas made for an Australian audience dumped in the region.
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