SaveOurSBS.org » Campaigns

2010 campaign statistics

Save Our SBS — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:40:05 +0000

In the month leading up to the 21 August 2010 federal election, visitors to the SaveOurSBS.org website sent 15,427 emails to selected politicians asking for a promise to increase public funding for SBS to free it from advertising. 12,835 are confirmed by emails copied to us. Not everyone copied their email to us. Some informed us, via our Contact page, that they had sent an email but are not included in the 12,835 figure. Our site statistics track the total number of emails sent by the number of unique clicks to activate the software client to send an email. Unique means first time, one only per person and does not include those who returned to send subsequent emails to either the same, or a different politician. The site statistics (15,427) include emails copied to us as well as those not copied to us – first email, one only per sender counted.

During the month of the campaign, we provided three different sample template messages (Restore our multicultural broadcaster, Rescue SBS, and, Vote to restore SBS). Each ran in short succession. Many people took the time to reword the sample messages we had provided while maintaining the main points but expressed in their own words. Most signed their message with their name and address. Some also gave a phone number.

Emails were sent from all states and territories across Australia with the highest concentration sent from Sydney. Our site statistics show that the geographical locations included all capitol cities and most regional areas.

We kick started the campaign with newsletters to our subscriber base, who in turn told others. We also ran large animated banner campaign promos on our then Home page during the month long campaign period (one archived here). Nearing the campaign end, the President of Save Our SBS Inc, Steve Aujard, issued a media release.

Each sample template included a set of email address for the main political leaders in government and the opposition parties as well as a link to a list of 127 email addresses of local Members and Senators. The campaign participants were selective in who was sent an email. Not every politician was sent an email and many participants sent only to some that we had suggested in our templates. Some way into the campaign/s we provided the ALP email address as an option due to the stated care taker government convention, which closed the Prime Minister’s email contact.

The main points expressed by campaign participants asked the politician to commit to:-

amending section 45 of the Special Broadcasting Service Act 1991 to prohibit SBS from interrupting programs for advertisement and promo breaks;
funding SBS from the public purse to cover the loss of revenue as a result of the above;
ensuring that SBS is adequately funded by government so it could expand into the future without any advertisements;
funding to recover the shortfall from past years of under funding.

The emails broadly covered the view that:-

the public-commercial hybrid model was never intended to end up the way it now has for SBS;
an investment in SBS would be an investment in Australia’s future cultural diversity and would enable SBS to again be the special, multicultural broadcaster it once was, and more closely abide by its Charter without reliance on advertising;

Some emails expressed the view that SBS ought not be funded further until it had ceased interrupting programs for advertisements.

Many emails asked for a reply from the politician.

The Labor, Liberal, and, Greens parties sent responses to some campaign participants. The Nationals did not. The Department of Communications, Broadband & Digital Economy also sent a signed departmental letter to some.

Vote to restore SBS

Save Our SBS — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 10:06:06 +0000

tell your friends about this campaign here >

The Rudd government barely increased SBS funding with less than a stingy 6 cents/taxpayer/month* to produce Australian programs. Nothing for much needed expansion, nor catch-up money for years of chronic under-funding. And nothing to remove advertising. Under $1 taxpayer/month* would have covered that. Now SBS is suffering badly unless the government elected on 21 August rescues it. If you don’t insist now, it wont happen!
SEND this new pre-worded EMAIL MESSAGE to the Prime Minister, Opposition Leader, relevant Minsters, Shadow Ministers and other parliamentarians.

COPY these addresses into the TO field of a NEW email. Add more addresses if you wish. The PMs address Julia.Gillard.MP@aph.gov.au may now be inactive and emails held over but we’ve added laborconnect@australianlabor.com.au to alert her now.

Copy the MESSAGE into your own email. Include the 3 critical points even if expressed in your own words, that SBS needs:-

1) funding to cover the loss of revenue caused by a desire to not interrupt programs;
2) funding so SBS may expand into the future without adverts;
3) funding to recover the shortfall from past years of under funding.

Add your name and address at the end of the email.

SBS has been under funded for years and as a consequence, since late 2006, programs are disrupted for commercial breaks. Although providing additional income, the interruptions are offensive, not natural and “in effect make SBS a de facto fourth free-to-air commercial television station and serve to erode the fundamental tenets of public broadcasting that should be free from commercial influence” (S Conroy 11/10/07 saveoursbs.org/archives/127). The public-commercial hybrid model was never intended to end up the way it now has for SBS. It deserves better as do I and the whole of Australia.  Out of genuine concern for SBS, I am asking for a promise from you for three things:-  1)	funding to cover the loss of revenue caused by a desire to not interrupt programs;  2)	funding so SBS may expand into the future without adverts;  3)	funding to recover the shortfall from past years of under funding.  I consider you would be failing to support our multicultural broadcaster if all three are not included in your SBS election policies and promises for the future.  If Australia is to move forward please do not leave SBS behind.

Add a SUBJECT heading before you SEND.

If you use Outlook; Outlook Express; Windows Live Mail; Eudora; Mac Mail; Entourage; Thunderbird, etc, or any email client, you only need CLICK HERE then add a SUBJECT before you SEND.

When done send this campaign to your friends by email and on Facebook and Twitter and let’s put the “special” back into the Special Broadcasting Service and rescue multicultural broadcasting.

This campaign “Vote to restore SBS” is the headline of this post only and refers to the 21 August 2010 Australian federal elections. This campaign post does not promote any specific political candidate or party.

If you participate in this campaign a copy will be sent to Save Our SBS Inc. This is important as it helps us understand how many people participated in this campaign. We will receive our copy via the TO field if zelection2010webMail@SaveOurSBS.org is included in emails sent using webmail and via the BCC field if zelection2010emailClient@SaveOurSBS.org is included in emails sent from an email client. These addresses have been pre-populated into those fields on this post. Please do not remove them. Be sure to include them so we have an accurate automated statistical count of the emails sent. We do not give, sell or publish your contact or other personal details to anyone at all. Save Our SBS Inc (SaveOurSBS.org) may contact campaign participants at a later date to give you feedback about this issue.

Rescue SBS

Save Our SBS — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 10:22:47 +0000

tell your friends about this campaign here >

SBS has been under funded for years and all governments have shirked responsibility for funding it adequately while the pursuit of the commercial path has offended many. SBS needs more government funding and no one wants the ads. Insist that the government elected on 21 August will stop the ads and fund it adequately. Don’t wait until after the election. The future of our SBS depends on your action now.
SEND a pre-worded EMAIL MESSAGE to the Prime Minister, Opposition Leader, relevant Minsters, Shadow Ministers and other parliamentarians. If composing your own email instead, the quotes below the boxes may assist.

Copy the SAMPLE MESSAGE or COMPOSE your own in under 200 words and include two critical points even if expressed in your own words:-

• government must fund SBS properly
• legislation must be amended to stop SBS interrupting programs

Add your name and address at the end of the email.Add a SUBJECT heading before you SEND.

I am aware that SBS has been under funded for years and it is shameful that all governments, including the Rudd government shirked responsibility for funding SBS adequately, leaving it to stray down the commercial path thereby eroding the fundamental tenets of public broadcasting. The public-commercial hybrid model was never intended to end up the way it now has for SBS. It deserves better as do I and the whole of Australia. SBS requires a significant funding boost from government and I do not want adverts or promos intruding into programs on our public broadcaster.   I am seeking a firm commitment from you, a promise, that you will:-   1) ensure SBS is adequately funded by government; and,   2) amend s45 of the SBS Act to prohibit SBS from interrupting programs for advertisement and promotional breaks.   An investment in SBS is an investment in Australia’s future cultural diversity and will enable SBS to again be the special, multicultural broadcaster it once was, and more closely abide by its Charter without reliance on advertising.   Please reply and tell me what you will do if you’re in the next parliament, in relation to my two points above.

If you use Outlook; Outlook Express; Windows Live Mail; Eudora; Mac Mail; Entourage; Thunderbird, etc, or any email client, you only need CLICK HERE then add a SUBJECT before you SEND.

When done send this campaign to your friends by email and on Facebook and Twitter and let’s put the “special” back into the Special Broadcasting Service and rescue multicultural broadcasting.

The quotes below may be helpful if composing your own email.

“The introduction of in program advertising to the SBS in effect makes the SBS a de facto fourth free-to-air commercial television station and serves to erode the fundamental tenets of public broadcasting- that is, that it should be free from commercial and political influence”. (Senator Conroy October 2007).

“Labor is committed to ensuring adequate funding and support for the SBS, to enable it to continue to provide Australians with high quality services, free from political and commercial interference”. (ALP November 2007).

“Labor has opposed and continues to oppose the decision by SBS to introduce in-program advertising”. (Kevin Rudd; Campaign Office of the ALP; and, Senator Conroy, November 2007).

If you participate in this campaign a copy will be sent to Save Our SBS Inc. This is important as it helps us understand how many people participated in this campaign. We will receive our copy via the TO field if zelection2010webMail@saveoursbs.org is included in emails sent using webmail and via the BCC field if zelection2010emailClient@saveoursbs.org is included in emails sent from an email client. These addresses have been pre-populated into those fields on this post. Please do not remove them. Be sure to include them so we have an accurate automated statistical count of the emails sent. We do not give, sell or publish your contact or other personal details to anyone at all. Save Our SBS Inc (SaveOurSBS.org) may contact campaign participants at a later date to give you feedback about this issue.

Restore our multicultural broadcaster

Save Our SBS — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 08:56:29 +0000

SBS is under attack. Still more adverts, staff being sacked, cuts at World News Australia, 30% reduction in subtitlers, and insufficient government funding. You can do something to reverse all this but you need to act quickly. Don’t wait until after the election. Send an email to Prime Minister and other parliamentarians. The future of our SBS depends on your action today. You can make a difference. Act now!

SEND an EMAIL HERE * to the Prime Minister, key Ministers and opposition politicians.

Julia.Gillard.MP@aph.gov.au,Wayne.Swan.MP@aph.gov.au,Senator.Conroy@aph.gov.au,Tony.Abbott.MP@aph.gov.au,J.Hockey.MP@aph.gov.au,Tony.Smith.MP@aph.gov.au,Senator.Joyce@aph.gov.au,Senator.Ludlam@aph.gov.au,Senator.Xenophon@aph.gov.au,zelection2010webMail@saveoursbs.org,

OR copy all the email addresses above and paste to the TO field of a new email THEN copy the message from the text box below and paste into your new email.

AFTER you have sent the email tell your friends to visit www.SaveOurSBS.org to participate in this campaign and from there, link to, and join our FACEBOOK, and TWEET everyone you know. FORWARD this email to your friends too.

* A click on the EMAIL HERE above will activate most email clients, e.g., Outlook; Outlook Express; Live Mail; MacMail; Entourage; Mail; Thunderbird, etc. If not copy the addresses above and the message from the text box below to an email. The text is editable.

This is eNewsLetter No 9 from Save Our SBS Inc (SaveOurSBS.org).

If you participate in this campaign a copy may be sent to Save Our SBS Inc. This helps us understand how many people participated in this campaign. We do not give, sell or publish your contact or other personal details to anyone at all. Save Our SBS Inc (SaveOurSBS.org) may contact campaign participants at a later date to give you feedback about this issue.

You have received this email because you are subscribed to receive occasional eNewsLetters from us. We are a not for profit organisation and staffed 100 percent by volunteers. As such we are unable to send regular mail outs but you can keep up-to-date by regularly visiting www.SaveOurSBS.org

The SaveOurSBS.org website is also syndicated via these RSS feeds:-
http://saveoursbs.org/feed displaying stories (posts)
http://saveoursbs.org/comments/feed displaying comments

If you would like to SUBSCRIBE to receive occasional free eNewsLetters or update your details, or UNSUBSCRIBE now go to http://lists.saveoursbs.org/?p=subscribe&id=1

EMAIL politicians about their SBS policies

Save Our SBS — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:33:45 +0000

Now is the time to ask all politicians or candidates who intend to stand at the next federal election to explain their policy in relation to funding and advertising on SBS. Do they value our multicultural broadcaster? Don’t wait until after the election. Act now!

Send an email before the next federal election is announced.

If you already know the names and email address of the elected politicians for your electorate, click to send an EMAIL from here now*. (The click will activate your email client with a pre-worded email which you may edit, delete or change if you wish. Webmail users see below). Type the recipients email address into the TO field. We suggest you send a separate email to each politicians for your electorate (and other candidates if you know who they are). At the head your email please type: Dear [name], and at the tail type your name.

After emailing the federal politicians in your electorate, you may want to email every federal politician if you can. See box below.

How to find the Name & Contact Details for Politicians

To find out the name and contact details of the federal politicians in your area, you first need to find out the name of the electorate where you live.

1.    If you are not sure of the name of your electorate click here to look it up. The answer will also show the names of the federal politicians for your electorate.

2.    When you are certain of the name (from the step above) you can then find the contact details of your federal member of parliament (MP) from the list of names here. If your local MP shows their email address, copy the address and paste it into the TO field of the pre-worded EMAIL*. You can also write a letter, phone and visit your MP as well.

3.    To find the contact details from the list of names for your federal Senators for your State or Territory click here. If your Senator shows their email address, copy the address and paste it into the TO field of the pre-worded EMAIL*. You can also write a letter and phone your Senator as well.

* The EMAIL links above will activate most email clients, e.g., Outlook; Outlook Express; Live Mail; Mail; MacMail; Thunderbird, etc.

Webmail

If the EMAIL link above fails to work, just copy the text from the box below and paste into your own email and send that. Remember to type the email address of your MP, Senator and each candidate standing at the next federal election, into the TO field. It may be helpful to also type into the CC field pre10election@SaveOurSBS.org if you want SaveOurSBS.org to receive a copy of your email. You may edit, delete or change the text if you wish.

If you send the email using the EMAIL links above, a copy may be sent to SaveOurSBS.org A copy to SaveOurSBS.org helps us understand how many people participated in this campaign. We do not give or sell your contact or other personal details to anyone at all. Save Our SBS may contact participants at a later date to give you feedback about this issue.

SBS 2009 Budget: Proper Funding & No Ads email the Treasurer & PM

Save Our SBS — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 10:24:50 +0000

Save Our SBS has launched a campaign to see SBS better funded in the 2009 triennial federal Budget and as part of an ongoing objective that would enable SBS to be the public, non-commercial, multicultural ’special’ broadcaster it once was. The Budget is the time to right recent past policies and prohibit the interruption of programs for advertisements. Save Our SBS has been lobbying for sometime with the support of thousands of concerned persons for this change followed by an eventual phasing out of all commercials on the SBS.

On 5 August 2008, Save Our SBS Inc made a recommendation to Senator Conroy that the Budget for SBS for the years 2009 to 2012 be set at not less than half that provided to the ABC and indexed annually in the usual manner and that the interruption of programs by advertisements should be prohibited by amending section 45 (advertising) of the SBS Act. We further recommended that the prohibition on interrupting programs for advertisements should be followed by a complete ban on all advertising on the SBS. The full report can be read at http://saveoursbs.org/archives/323 or http://saveoursbs.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/08/sbs-triennial-funding-submission-from-2009-to-2012-proposed-by-save-our-sbs-inc.pdf

We urge all concerned persons to email the Treasurer & Prime Minister from here before the May 2009 SBS Triennial Budget is delivered. Demand SBS receives increased funding and without commercials. Insist Labor’s pre-election sentiment is honoured: “Labor has opposed and continues to oppose the decision by SBS to introduce in-program advertising” (saveoursbs.org/archives/165). Act today to see our public, multicultural broadcaster is once again ’special’ and funded fully by government with an end those annoying advertising interruptions. Prior to the Nov 2007 election Labor was committed to ensuring “adequate funding and support for the SBS, to enable it to continue to provide Australians with high quality services, free from political and commercial interference” (alp.org.au/platform/chapter_16.php) then in the lead up to the Nov 2007 election the ALP publicly stated “Labor has opposed and continues to oppose the decision by SBS to introduce in-program advertising” (saveoursbs.org/archives/165). But nothing has changed. In Oct 2007 Senator Conroy wrote: “The introduction of in program advertising to the SBS in effect makes the SBS a de facto fourth free-to-air commercial television station and serves to erode the fundamental tenets of public broadcasting- that is, that it should be free from commercial and political influence” (saveoursbs.org/archives/127). The May 2009 Federal Budget is the time to restore SBS to the multicultural broadcaster it was supposed to be. Many are now demanding that the government to live up its pre-election sentiment to support and fund SBS adequately, with an immediate end to interrupting programs for commercial breaks followed by a phasing out of all advertising on SBS. In these economic times it is more important than ever to support our public, multicultural broadcaster so it may once again be a special broadcaster not reliant on advertising. Click http://sbsbudget.saveoursbs.org and wait while you are redirected to part 1 (send an email to Wayne Swan) then follow the links to proceed to part 2 (send an email to Kevin Rudd).

One Minute Survey Results

Save Our SBS — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 04:00:31 +0000

Save Our SBS conducted an online one minute multiple choice question survey about SBS. In addition to the nine multiple choice questions, we also asked for each persons post-code and provided an open ended comments box, for those who wanted to express concerns beyond the questions asked.

The survey commenced in October 2008 and is on-going at www.survey.saveoursbs.org

The results of the survey to date are below. This post will be updated periodically until the survey closes.

The total number of people who participated in the survey was: 1733 participants.

1) In the past six months, how often did you watch SBS-TV?

16 being 0.92% answered “A lot”

149 being 8.6% answered “Somewhat”

618 being 35.7% answered “Not much“

947 being 54.7% answered “Never”

2) In the past six months, how often did you listen to SBS-radio?

1023 being 59.0% answered “A lot”

484 being 27.9% answered “Somewhat”

179 being 10.3% answered “Not much”

44 being 2.5% answered “Never”

3) Would you like SBS-TV to stop interrupting programs for commercial breaks?

1669 being 96.3% answered “Yes”

64 being 3.7% answered “No”

4) SBS-TV began interrupting programs for commercial breaks in late 2006. How frequently do you now watch SBS-TV compared to before, when there were no commercial break interruptions?

809 being 46.7% answered “Less now than before”

497 being 28.7% answered “Somewhat less now than before”

402 being 23.2% answered “About the same now as before”

21 being 1.2% answered “More now than before”

5) Do you want the government to legislate to prevent programs from being interrupted on SBS-TV?

1661 being 95.9% answered “Yes”

72 being 4.1% answered “No”

6) Given that SBS is a public, tax payer funded broadcaster, do you want SBS to be better funded from the public purse so that it is not reliant on advertising at all?

1682 being 97.1% answered “Yes”

51 being 2.9% answered “No”

7) Since SBS-TV became more ‘commercial’, how faithful do you think SBS-TV is to the SBS Charter?

1240 being 71.6% answered “Less faithful to the Charter now than it used to be”

110 being 6.3% answered “Neither less nor more faithful to the Charter now than it used to be”

8 being 0.5% answered “More faithful to the Charter now than it used to be”

372 being 21.5% answered “I am not sure”

8) Given that SBS was established as our multicultural broadcaster, do you think SBS-TV should broadcast more programs in languages other than English (LOTE) in prime-time viewing than it currently does?

968 being 55.9% answered “Yes (more LOTE programs please): SBS should have more programs in languages other than English during prime-time (evening) viewing”

57 being 3.3% answered “It is now okay (leave it as it is): SBS should neither increase nor decrease the number of programs that are in languages other than English during prime-time (evening) viewing”

708 being 40.9% answered “No (less LOTE programs please): SBS should have less programs in languages other than English in prime-time (evening) viewing”

9) Do you want SBS to cease broadcasting advertisements completely?

1440 being 83.1% answered “Yes”

293 being 16.9% answered “No”

10) Any additional comments?

Many people provided additional comments. A summary of those comments will be posted at a later date.

A State by State break down of participants:

618 were from NSW/ACT

10 were from NT

164 were from QLD

153 were from SA

25 were from TAS

274 were from VIC

100 were from WA

28 were from elsewhere

As at 1 December 2008 the total number of genuine responses was 1733. The reason why the total percentage of responses to each question did not add up to the total of overall responses is because a small number of people did not answer every question and in the case of YES/NO answers a null response was treated as NO and in the case of Q8, a null response was treated as OK. We detected only 7 bot responses out of 1733 participants and believe that more than 99 percent of responses were genuine responses from real people.

The figures and information above for this post was last updated on the date shown.

No advertising on SBS Your Submission To Government

Save Our SBS — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 12:59:19 +0000

Make a submission to government today

Following our recent eNewsLetter of a couple of weeks ago Save Our SBS has received enquiries from many people who would like some assistance in making a submission to the public enquiry into SBS. The feedback to us is that the Minister’s 36 page background discussion paper is too long and the Department’s website for submissions difficult to navigate through. Many are overwhelmed and at a loss to know what to say or where to begin. Our supporters have asked us to show a sample submission. As a result, we have taken the very unusual step of issuing another eNewsLetter now.

We urge you to look now at our sample submission at: http://sample.saveoursbs.org/

You can use any, all, or none of our sample, for your own submission.

It would be highly desirable to write your own submission in your own words if you can. No more than 1000 words are allowed.

If you have limited time, better to make a submission rather than no submission. If this is the case, you are very welcome to use our sample submission as your own, or you can delete any part of it, or change the sections in ours that you do not want. It is up to you. Whatever you do, please make a submission. Make it today. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Begin at http://sample.saveoursbs.org/

Please act now.

Submissions close 4pm AEDT on 12 December 2008.

Save Our SBS will make a submission about SBS too. Ours will be a bit more detailed than the sample at http://sample.saveoursbs.org/ and we will publish a copy of it on www.SaveOurSBS.org in mid December.

Thankyou for supporting our cause to restore and save SBS.

eNewsLetter No 5 Save Our SBS

The SBS Must Be Special

Save Our SBS — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 13:01:33 +0000

A PDF of the statement below may be viewed at: http://saveoursbs.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/the-sbs-must-be-special-signed.pdf

The SBS Must Be Special

The Special Broadcasting Service was established by the Fraser coalition government, building on the creation of the publicly funded multi-lingual radio stations 2EA and 3EA by the Whitlam government. ‘EA’ stood for Ethnic Australia.

Concrete government support for multiculturalism was a bi-partisan issue in the mid-seventies, but recently the special nature of the SBS has been under threat.

Since the introduction of sponsorship and advertising to SBS-TV in the 1990s the service has steadily become more generalist and less specialist and multicultural. While SBS radio has remained a specialist multilingual network, SBS-TV is in danger of losing its way. English language lesson programs, greatly valued by new arrivals, have been phased out of the TV schedule.

Ethnic communities are concerned. Both the Federation of Ethnic Communities Council (FECCA) and the National Ethnic and Multicultural Broadcasters Council (NEMBC) have spoken out.

As the SBS Board and management have sought to increase audience share, languages other than English (LOTE) have been pushed out of prime time. Coverage of community events and customs on SBS-TV has declined. Meanwhile big money is going into a locally produced motoring program. The general is overtaking the special. Mainstream is replacing multicultural. Not only is SBS-TV becoming less special, but it is also losing sight of the original idea of the service. The SBS should focus on the special needs of viewers, rather than on selling consumers to advertisers.

Since late 2006 SBS-TV has been interrupting programs of all kinds for advertisements by forcing breaks into programs.

The Special Broadcasting Service was never intended to be like other broadcasters and was certainly not created to mimic the look of the commercial networks. The SBS is a taxpayer funded public service broadcaster and should, as its creators intended, be both special and committed to serving its audience.

The above statement was prepared by Save Our SBS Inc, and has been endorsed by the following:

Professor A.R. Blackshield; Julian Burnside QC; Dr June Factor; Malcolm Fraser, PC, AC, CH; Professor Raimond Gaita; Professor K.S. Inglis; Professor Mary Kalantzis; Patricia Lovell; Siobhan McHugh; Bruce Petty; Judith Rodriguez AM; Stephen Sewell; Dr Heinrich Stefanik O.A.M.; George Zangalis

A media release about the above statement may be viewed at: http://saveoursbs.org/archives/319

No Ads on SBS – one minute survey

Save Our SBS — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 19:00:45 +0000

Save Our SBS is conducting a one minute survey at www.SaveOurSBS.org that seeks to find out peoples views in relation to SBS. The survey asks a series of multiple choice questions about advertising, programming and the Charter of SBS and seeks to find out what people think about the ‘commercialisation’ of SBS.

The data at the end of the survey period will be published on the SaveOurSBS.org web site and may be provided to politicians and media outlets.

Personal details of the participants will remain confidential and will not be handed over to anyone. It is possible to do the survey anonymously.

SBS-TV began interrupting programs for advertisements in late 2006. It was reported that a few years before that, SBS had engaged a research company to find out peoples attitudes towards the idea of SBS-TV interrupting programs for advertisements. It is believed that the large majority of people did not want SBS to interrupt programs for commercial breaks. However despite the findings of the researchers, SBS proceeded to adopt a more commercial approach and interrupt programs for ad breaks. SBS has not chosen to publicly release their study.

Unlike the research conducted for SBS, Save Our SBS will publish the findings of our online survey.

To participate in this important study, click www.survey.saveoursbs.org and wait whilst you are re-directed to the survey form.

NO ADS ON SBS & ABC: email campaign

Save Our SBS — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 13:30:47 +0000

A Joint Email Campaign Organised by SOSBS & FABC

Save Our SBS and Friends of the ABC joined forces for a joint last minute campaign in the lead up to the 2007 Federal Election. Aside from this joint campaign, each organisation remains separate and independent from the other.

This campaign is now closed.

The campaign involved participants clicking on a link, within the email flyer below, that activated a pre-filled, generic email in a ready to send state to the leaders of the political parties. Some parties responded by email to some participants. To read those replies from the politicians see the heading “The Reply From The Politicians” which is under the email flyer below.

Results of this Campaign

In a little over a week some 1119 people sent emails to the leaders of the political parties as per that stated on the campaign email flyer below.

Email not displaying correctly? Links not working? View it on-line at: http://coalition.SaveOurSBS.org

NO ADS ON SBS & ABC

Run down and dumbed down, Australia’s two public broadcasters are being commercialised. A Federal Government hell-bent on stifling the capacity of the ABC and SBS to probe, question and inform has undermined their independence.

The ABC and SBS have been starved of funds. Their governing Boards have been stacked.
Advertisements now interrupt SBS viewing and program selection is driven by the need to attract advertisers.
ABC Australian content is at an all time low. Internal production units, like the Natural History Unit, have been shut down.
SBS’s website is cluttered with ads. The ABC is planning websites that carry ads.

FORWARD this email to your friends
EMAIL the message in the box below to our politicians

JOIN OUR CAMPAIGN TO REBUILD THE ABC & SBS

Our public broadcasters are meant to inform, educate and entertain, and SBS to provide multicultural programming.

Let the politicians know we want our public broadcasters nurtured and protected, not muzzled and attacked. Politicians must commit themselves to rebuilding the ABC and SBS so they can again:

produce innovative and exciting programming
increase production of local content

be independent – from political interference and commercial influence
be ad-free

ACT NOW – 3 steps

1) FORWARD this email to your friends (in Rich Text HTML).

2) CLICK HERE to send an email our politicians. Some email users will need to copy and paste the message text and email addresses below into the email.

3) The only way to email the Prime Minister is via http://www.pm.gov.au/contact/index.cfm

Dear Prime Minister, leaders of The Nationals, ALP, The Greens and Democrats,

I call on you to support the nation’s public broadcasters by guaranteeing that your party will, if elected:

fully fund SBS and the ABC to fulfil their Charter obligations to a high standard so they do not have to rely on advertising or other commercial revenue;
legislate to ban advertising on both public broadcasters; and
introduce a new system of appointments to the ABC and SBS Boards that is transparent and merit-based.

courtesy copy to: The Minister & Shadow Minister for Communications and Information Technology and campaign organisers

The Coalition to Rebuild Public Broadcasting

Friends of the ABC and Save Our SBS

Authorised by Glenys Stradijot, 195 Bank Street, South Melbourne 3205

	NSW Qld Tas Vic WA
www.FABC.org.au/national			www.SaveOurSBS.org

Text or web-mail? Copy the email addresses & paste into the TO field of your email.

EMAIL ADDRESSES

VaileM@aph.gov.au,Kevin.Rudd.MP@aph.gov.au,BrownB@aph.gov.au,Senator.Allison@aph.gov.au,CoonanH@aph.gov.au,Senator.Conroy@aph.gov.au,fabcvic@vicnet.net.au,campaign.coalition@SaveOurSBS.org,

COPY web page http://coalition.SaveOurSBS.org PASTE to an email. SEND to friends.

Where possible campaign organisers may email participants at a later date.

November 2007

What Are The Policies of the Parties?

To read the policies of the political parties please click: http://saveoursbs.org/archives/127

Reply From The Politicians

Some politicians were slow to reply.

The first to reply was the ALP Campaign Information Services. Later the same policy was sent by Senator Stephen Conroy the then ALP Labor Shadow Minister, and, later by ALP leader, Kevin Rudd.

Later Lyn Allison, then Leader of the Australian Democrats replied.

Days later Helen Coonan the then Minister sent out email replies.

As far as we know, the then Prime Minister, John Howard never replied.

The Liberal-National-Party coalition-government was thrown out of office the day after the joint SOSBS & FABC email campaign above ended.

The email replies from the parties are presented below in the same order that the replies arrived.

ALP Reply

Labor’s ABC Policy

Labor considers the ABC to be one of Australia’s most important cultural institutions. The ABC reports on all facets of Australian culture and is integral to the development of Australian culture and identity. Accordingly, it is vital that the ABC be unbiased in its approach to news and current affairs and that the ABC is not be run by Howard Government sympathisers who may use the ABC to promote the political agenda of the Government.

The ABC Board

The Howard Government’s appointment of its mates to the ABC Board has seriously undermined its independence and integrity.

Labor is committed to a transparent process for appointments to the ABC board. Labor’s policy is that:

- vacancies should be advertised;

- an independent selection panel to undertake a proper shortlist selection process;

- there should be clear merit based selection criteria;

- If the Minister does not appoint a short-listed candidate he or she will have to provide reasons for departing from the shortlist to Parliament; and

- the ABC Chairman is to be nominated by the Prime Minister and endorsed by the Leader of the Opposition.

To ensure the independence of the ABC Board a Rudd Labor government will prohibit the appointment of any former politician or senior political staffer to the ABC Board.

Further a Rudd Labor Government will restore the appointment of a staff-elected Director, so that there is a person on the Board with the expertise to question the advice coming from the ABC’s executive.

Labor considers it crucial to return the ABC to its former state of independence, so as to enhance democracy by screening unbiased coverage of news and current affairs.

ABC Funding

In order to ensure that the ABC is in a position to continue as a broadcaster of national import and as a producer of fine Australian drama, news and current affairs programs, Labor is committed to ensuring adequate funding and support for the ABC.

The aim of such funding is to enable the ABC to continue to provide Australians with high quality broadcasting services, free from political and commercial interference and so that it is able to exploit the potential of new technology to deliver attractive and innovative content over digital television and the internet.

ABC and advertising

Labor is concerned by the ABC’s new leaning towards commercialisation. It is Labor’s position that it will not accept advertising on any part of the ABC, which includes ABC branded websites.

Should advertising be allowed on the ABC, it is likely that programming decisions would become more conservative and less innovative. Labor considers it critical that the ABC maintain its independence and that it is not swayed by advertising dollars.

Labor’s SBS Policy

Labor considers the SBS an icon of Australian broadcasting. By providing both multicultural and multilingual broadcasts that aim to educate and entertain Australians of all backgrounds, the SBS plays an important social and cultural role in Australia and one that Labor champions.

Labor recognises that greater Commonwealth funding would assist the SBS to produce and broadcast more programs and news and current affairs bulletins for Australian viewers.

At its National Conference in April 2007, Labor acknowledged the importance of the SBS and committed Labor to ensuring adequate funding and support for the SBS, to enable it to continue to provide Australians with high quality services, free from political and commercial interference.

In order to ensure the independence of the SBS, Labor will make sure that all future SBS Board candidates are selected on the basis of merit. Candidates will be considered by a panel established at arm’s length from the Minister. The Minister will then appoint Board members from a short list prepared by the panel.

Labor has opposed and continues to oppose the decision by SBS to introduce in-program advertising.

SBS maintains that they can put advertisements into their programs without there needing to be a change to legislation.

Section 45 of the SBS Act 1991 provides for advertising only during periods before programs commence, after programs end, or during natural program breaks. Accordingly, Labor is concerned that the SBS’s action may place it in breach of the Act.

Senator Conroy pursued this matter with SBS at Senate Estimates in October 2006 (see: http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/senate/committee/S9768.pdf ) and again at Senate Estimates in May 2007 (see: http://www.aph.gov.au/hansard/senate/committee/S10314.pdf ).

To keep abreast of Labor policies and views you might like to visit the ALP website: www.alp.org.au where you can find the Party Platform, media releases, speeches from Labor Party MPs as well as other information of interest.

Kind Regards,

ALP Campaign Information Services

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to respond to your query in full. Please monitor the Australian Labor Party website (www.alp.org.au) for further information

Liberal-National-Coalition (then government) Reply

1. Funding for ABC and SBS

The Coalition Government is the best friend that our national broadcasters, the ABC and SBS, have ever had.

The Coalition Government has always been committed to funding our national broadcasters to ensure each is able to meet their Charter obligations.

Since 1996 it has funded a significant expansion of their services. Both the ABC and SBS now receive record levels of funding under the Coalition Government as well as providing greater access to their services than ever before.

In its last year of government, Labor slashed the ABC’s funding to $522 million. This year, the ABC will receive more than $863 million in funding, an increase of more than 65 per cent since 1996. In the three years to 2009, the ABC will receive a total of more than $2.5 billion in funding from the Australian Government.

In the 2006/07 Budget, the Coalition Government announced funding of $88.2 million over three years for new initiatives at the ABC, described as “the best result in 20 years” by the then ABC Chairman, Mr Donald McDonald.

The funding included:

· $45 million to replace old or outdated equipment, particularly in its studios outside Sydney and Melbourne; and

· $30 million over three years for new Australian television content production, enabling the ABC to establish an independent commissioning arm to invest in high quality drama and documentaries from the Australian independent production sector; and

· $13 million to boost local and regional programming.

A re-elected Coalition Government would continue this commitment to the ABC with an $82 million commitment to funding a quality children’s digital channel for Australian families to enjoy. It will be advertising free and broadcast 15 hours a day, seven days a week.

Similarly, the Coalition Government has properly resourced our multicultural and multilingual broadcaster and this year, SBS will receive almost $190 million in funding from the Coalition Government. By contrast, in Labor’s final year in government, the SBS received $83.2 million – more than $100 million less than current funding levels.

In the two years to 2008/09, $11.7 million will be provided to SBS to acquire new international programmes.

In 2005/06, SBS received an additional $4.7 million to help meet the increasing cost of securing broadcast rights for major sporting events, including the FIFA World Cup.

The 2005/06 Budget continued funding for SBS Independent, at a cost of $37.6 million over the four years from 2006/07. SBS Independent’s funding is used to commission high quality films, drama and documentaries from the independent production sector.

2. Advertising on ABC and SBS

The Coalition Government is committed to the maintenance of the integrity and independence of our national broadcasters. It considers the current restrictions on advertising to be critical, and a re-elected Coalition Government will maintain them.

The current prohibitions on both advertising and sponsorship would remain should the Coalition Government be re-elected.

However, some limited advertising is permitted in the ABC’s magazines and on the ABC-owned website, countdown.com.au, which is independent of the ABC’s main website, abc.net.au (ABC Online). These commercial activities must operate at arms length from the Budget-funded ABC activities and are subject to normal ABC editorial controls and responsibilities.

The SBS is permitted to air up to five minutes of advertising per hour. The Coalition Government has no intention of increasing this legislated cap on advertising for SBS. SBS is an independent organisation and day to day operational decisions are a matter for SBS Management and its Board. The SBS Board has allowed limited program promotion and advertising within program breaks rather than between programs.

The Coalition Government is committed to ensuring that the continued independence of both the ABC and SBS, so that they may continue to deliver the quality programming and high standards that Australians have come to expect.

3. ABC and SBS Board appointments

The current appointment process provides that appointments to the ABC and SBS Boards are made by the Governor‑General on the recommendation of Cabinet. This method of appointment reflects standard practice for Commonwealth statutory authorities.

The Coalition Government’s first priority has been to ensure that the members of the ABC and SBS Boards have the right mix of skills to run what are not only national broadcasters, but modern corporations with large annual budgets.

The Coalition Government has got that mix right. There has been no suggestion that Mr Newman is not doing an excellent job as ABC Chairman, for example.

The insertion of a taxpayer funded bureaucratic ‘expert panel’, presumably appointed itself by the Government of the day would not assist in the appointments process for either national broadcaster. It would only serve to bog down appointments in an extra layer of bureaucracy.

In any event, the ‘Nolan Rules’ process for BBC appointments in the United Kingdom have been no great panacea. Appointments to the BBC under these rules have similarly been criticised for their partisan nature.

A re-elected Coalition Government will continue to consider appointments to the Boards of our national broadcasters on the basis of merit and with the best interests of those corporations in mind.

HELEN COONAN

Democrats Reply

Dear Public Broadcaster Supporter

Thank you for your email, the Australian Democrats agree that public broadcasting should be independent from government influence and be well funded without the need for commercial advertising. Our Action Plan on public broadcasting can be found at http://www.democrats.org.au/docs/ActionPlans/Communications_Public_2007.pdf

Both the Friends of the ABC and Save our SBS rate our policies as the best of all the political parties, please see http://friendsoftheabc.org/ and http://saveoursbs.org/archives/127

It is more important now than ever to end the rubber stamp and return the Senate to a proper house of review. For thirty years the Australian Democrats have worked tirelessly to improve government legislation and to initiate progressive policy. Vote Democrats to Bring Back Balance. For more information on the policies we are taking to the federal election please go to http://www.democrats.org.au/campaigns/election_07_our_election_platform/

Regards

Lyn Allison

Leader, Australian Democrats

Senator for Victoria

Level 1, 62 Wellington Pde

East Melbourne VIC 3002

T: 03 9416 1880

F: 03 9417 1690

www.democrats.org.au

The Australian Democrats stand for a fair society that values justice, democracy, individual freedom and diversity. We work for a prosperous, environmentally sustainable and equitable economy; good, accountable governance and responsible, peaceful engagement in the global community. We are honest, compassionate, beholden to no interest group and we provide a voice for the voiceless.

Greens Reply

The Greens did not send email replies to the campaign participants however they did send their policy direct to Save Our SBS which is published at: http://saveoursbs.org/archives/127

No Advertisements OR Sponsorship on SBS: petition

Save Our SBS — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 07:09:19 +0000

What does the petition say?

A preview copy of the No Ads on SBS petition is below.

You can still sign this petition until it is presented to the Minister in 2008. Read then click here to sign.

To The Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts,

No Advertisements OR Sponsorship on SBS

I appreciate the important role that SBS plays in Australian life as our valued public broadcaster, that reflects and enriches

Australia’s diversity and multicultural society.

However I am furious at SBS’s decision of 2006 to reinterpret the Special Broadcasting Service Act (1991) and interrupt programs for advertisements. Previously advertisements were between programs only.

SBS has now redefined the concept of “natural program breaks” referred to in the Act and is forcing breaks into programs for advertisements (& promos), which is contrary to the spirit of public broadcasting, if not the Act itself. I consider that advertisement interruptions into program are not natural; are not part of the Charter of SBS; and, ultimately will compromise the unique and independent character of SBS.

I urge you to immediately require that:-

1) The SBS Board cease disrupting all programs for advertisements.

Furthermore, I call on you to protect the integrity and independence of SBS from government and commercial influence by:-

2) Amending the SBS Act to prohibit advertising and sponsorship on SBS;

3) Fully funding SBS so it is not dependent on commercial revenue nor supplementation from advertising; and,

4) Introducing a new system of appointments to the SBS Board that will result in Board members being appointed on the basis of merit with a strong commitment to multiculturalism and SBS independence, and, that the Board is independent from the government of the day and commercial influence.

I value SBS and do not want it to broadcast advertisements at all.

Please let me know what your government will do about the matters I have raised.

Yours Faithfully,

To sign the petition click here and wait while you are automatically redirected to the petition server which is located at http://petition.saveoursbs.org.

It is anticipated that the petition will be submitted to the Minister in 2008. The petition will remain active until that time. You can still sign this petition. Results of the petition will be posted below.