MEMBER PRESS RELEASE

ABC Five-Year Plan 2023-2028: An essential part of daily life for all Australians

15th June 2023

Today ABC Managing Director David Anderson released the ABC’s new Five-Year Plan. 

This press release was originally published by ABC Australia and is republished with permission.

The central purpose of the Five-Year Plan is to ensure the ABC remains relevant, delivers value for Australians, and continues to be the most trusted media organisation in the country.  

It sets out the priorities for the ABC over the next five years to deliver this outcome and ensure that the ABC continues to have an essential role in Australian life. 

The core mission of the ABC is enduring.  The ABC will always be the home of trusted and independent news and information, telling distinctive Australian stories, entertaining the nation across all ages and celebrating Australian culture.  

However, as technology, audience behaviour and demographic changes transform the media market and society, the ABC must also adapt and evolve. 

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Over the next five years, the ABC will undergo a significant transition from maintaining both traditional broadcast and digital processes towards becoming an integrated digital operation. While broadcast will remain important, this Five-Year Plan is a first step to build an ABC that is prepared for a digital-majority audience. 

“As we move through this period of digital evolution, Australians can continue to rely on us for the content and services that inform, educate and entertain.”- David Anderson, ABC Managing Director

The ABC will enhance its primary digital products, ABC News, ABC iview and ABC listen, to provide a seamless, personalised service that enables audiences to more easily discover content that is relevant to them. 

The plan sets out a vision for the ABC to be an essential part of everyday life for all Australians through news and entertainment that appeals to different ages and interests.  It is a strategy that prioritises strengthening the trust of our audiences and commits the ABC to being more local. 

The Plan also reaffirms the ABC’s commitment to a culture of inclusion and diversity, and the imperative to better reflect contemporary Australia. 

Mr Anderson said the next stage of the strategy means the ABC will meet changing audience needs while maintaining the commitment to quality, relevance, independence and its role as Australia’s most trusted media organisation. 

“By 2028, the ABC will serve more Australians on the platform of their choice with made-for-digital content and journalism on ABC News, ABC iview, ABC listen and on major third-party platforms.” 

“Australians trust and value the ABC and this will not change. As we move through this period of digital evolution, Australians can continue to rely on us for the content and services that inform, educate and entertain. 

“Our audiences can be assured we will safeguard traditional broadcast services as long as these remain essential for keeping Australians informed and entertained. 

“As Australia changes, so must the ABC. 

“This means changing to meet the needs of our audiences wherever they live. We will continue to serve all Australians, contribute to our national identity and remain an essential part of daily life.” 

The ABC Five-Year Plan 2023-2028 can be accessed here. Background to the Plan can be accessed here.