Members in Australia


Radio Australia – part of the ABC’s international network


The ABC broadcasts radio from around 600 sites through 1200 transmitters in Australia. Lesser known is the fact that it has 17 transmitters in 12 countries of the Asia and Pacific regions. These are the domain of Radio Australia, the ABC’s international radio and online service. They represent the most remote services provided by the ABC and are in fact the only transmitters operated and managed by the ABC as well as being managed in partnership with other public service broadcasters.


The steady decline in short wave listenership has been countered by a steady increase in the listenership of international broadcasters through either partnerships (part time transmissions on shared frequencies) or rebroadcasts on dedicated FM services.


Over the past six years Radio Australia has pursued a vigorous expansion plan to create a network of FM services in the Pacific and South East Asia.


Such a plan is only possible with the cooperation of local partners. We believe there is a very positive and strong role for public service broadcasting in the region, with our role being to fill the gaps that local broadcasters are unable to cover, and, wherever possible, to assist to strengthen the local broadcasters to enable them to engage with the financial, technical and political swings and roundabouts.


Some four years ago Radio Australia determined that it needed a significant boost in its technical resources to manage the growing network of FM services, but also to put back into the region some of the expertise and knowledge existent in the organisation. We expanded our technical unit by including a specialist in FM and satellite communications. Initially to look after our own services. But we were well aware that we were among the larger broadcasters of the region and were increasingly asked to provide assistance to smaller, less resourced broadcasters.


Since joining us, Joe Sexton our FM network coordinator, has forged a very strong reputation for education, supporting and encouraging local technicians to stand on their own feet whilst providing support for them to call upon.


The ABC, through Radio Australia has run workshops in a number of Pacific countries trying to build the self sufficiency of local technicians. One of the initiatives has been the creation of the Pacific engineers web portal. http://pacificengineers.wordpress.com/ It’s a site that aggregates news, tech help tips and general information and provides a site for the engineers to post questions to each other about common problems. This is one way of trying to overcome the feeling of isolation... when molehills become mountains and when content makers and stations managers take the view that the engineer is a servant.


As we know, broadcasting is a collaborative effort. Content is made and content is distributed. One without the other is wasted effort. ABC Radio Australia is joining with regional broadcasting colleagues to avoid wasted effort.


John Westland, Head Distribution, ABC Radio Australia. GlobeCast Australia


GlobeCast Australia is the leading provider of services for International Broadcasters in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific Islands; operating facilities and links that span the World ...specialising in live digital delivery, SD and HD, and also at the cutting edge of 3D in 2010/2011.


GlobeCast Australia has delivered FIFA World Cup games, Rugby League and AFL games live in 3D to cinemas. The Company handles major channels, events and sports, including cricket, golf and tennis, for networks, sporting organisations and agencies along with global distribution of news events such as the Chile mine rescue and the canonisation of Mary MacKillop.


In 2010, the Company successfully wrapped global HD distribution of the Vancouver Winter Olympic and HD Super 14 Rugby across three continents. The Company also delivered the Commonwealth Games to Vodafone mobiles and, via fibre, to CBC Canada. This Summer GlobeCast Australia will deliver BskyB’s HD Ashes coverage live to the UK and will globally distribute Australian Open Tennis, live in HD, for the first time.


GlobeCast Australia’s main services include Direct-to-Home Satellite (DTH), Digital Satellite News and Sport Coverage (DSNG), International Fibre Distribution, Teleport Services and 24/7 Master Control, Mobile TV, Business TV, GlobeCam, Satellite Tracking and Disaster Recovery.


Along with Occasional Use services, the Company carries more than 150 full time services globally. Global delivery includes subscription channels such as MTV, National Geographic, FOXTEL and SKY News. DTH channels include NHK, CCTV, Setanta, Star Plus, Sony, the ART Group, Trinity and Al Jazeera.


Expansion in 2010 has doubled HD DSNG capability within Australia’s largest DSNG fleet and quadrupled global fibre capacity to complement the Company’s owned and operated satellite leases. All these are monitored from an upgraded and expanded 24/7 Master Control which provides tripled monitoring space and an upgraded Teleport.


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