ABC: Comparative figures

Wednesday, July 31, 1996 - 10:00

According to a paper published by Dr Allan Brown from the Griffith University school of economics, Australia spends just 0.16% of gross national product on public broadcasting (the same as Canada) compared to Britain, which spends 0.32%. Not surprisingly, the BBC has the highest audience share (about 44% in 1993), followed by ABC and SBS combined (about 16%) followed by Canada's CBC (at 14%). The Public Broadcasting Service in the US (with a budget of A$1.26 billion) is watched by only about 2% of the population, partly the result of the proliferation of cable TV.

Brown's study of public broadcasting in the US, Britain, Canada and Australia found steadily falling audiences for public TV in all countries except Australia, largely because of the relative lack of commercial TV stations

(Canada has 60).
— Pip Hinman

From GLW issue 240