The Communications Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, has announced an enquiry into the national broadcasters. The ABC and SBS Efficiency Study will not review the broadcasters’ charters, or its editorial and programming decisions.
The study, to be conducted by the Department of Communications, will conclude in April and the findings given to the Minister. The SBS Chairman will also receive a copy.
The last departmental review of SBS was the ABC SBS Review which allowed direct input from the public.
The current study will include a review of advertising on SBS and operational, governance, structural, financial and cultural issues within the organisation. The main purpose of the study is to find out if SBS is efficient. This may be code for funding cuts.
This study will seek to clarify . . . costs, [and] provide options for more efficient delivery of services . . . [focusing] on the costs of inputs–that is the ‘back of house’ day-to-day operational and financial operations, structures and processes applied to delivering ABC and SBS programs, products and services.
The study will consider the output of services in relation to costs.
Mr Peter Lewis, formerly Chief Financial Officer of Seven West Media Limited, will assist the Communications Department in conducting the study.
Full details of the study are here.
