The Albanese Government has delivered on its election commitment of five-year funding terms for the national broadcasters to ensure both the ABC and SBS can continue to deliver quality content and services with certainty.
This includes an additional $103.8 million over five years to extend three programs which would have terminated under the former Coalition Government and roll them into ongoing funding:
- ABC Enhanced News Gathering, which supports regional journalist positions in regional bureaux throughout Australia;
- SBS Media Sector Support, which provides news, content, subtitling and English learning resources to Australians who speak languages other than English, with a focus on Chinese and Arabic communities; and
- ABC and SBS Audio Description, to make screen content more accessible to audiences who are blind or vision impaired.
The ABC has also received $8.5 million over four years to expand transmission infrastructure in the Pacific under the Indo-Pacific Broadcasting Strategy.
The funding will provide further access to Australian content, boosting media connections in the region, and is in addition to the $32 million provided in the October 2022 Budget to expand its regional transmission, content production and media capacity training in the Indo-Pacific.
The ABC and SBS provide trusted news that helps keeps Australians safe during natural disasters, counters misinformation, reflects our national identity and cultural diversity and support a strong and robust democracy.
This funding stability underpins the delivery of quality content and services that inform, entertain and educate millions of Australians, including children, regional audiences and diverse multicultural communities.
This funding announcement follows the decision in the October 2022 Budget to provide the ABC with an additional $83.7 million over four years to reinstate funding cut by the previous Liberal-National Government.
Providing the public broadcasters funding certainty is part of the Albanese Government's commitment to a more informed, connected and protected Australia.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Communications, the Hon Michelle Rowland MP:
"After a decade of cuts and attacks by the Liberals and Nationals, the Albanese Government is providing stable funding to support the independence of the ABC and SBS.
"Our national broadcasters keep millions of Australians informed and entertained, including children and multicultural communities, support a strong and robust democracy, combat misinformation and play a key role during natural disasters. That's why Australians love the ABC and SBS.
"This funding certainty will guard against political interference in Australia's democratic institutions and support their independence, and ensure the national broadcasters can continue telling the stories that matter.
"I'm proud to belong to a Government that's delivered this essential funding stability".
