The Australian government is conducting a mid-contract review of the network, which beams news and English-language learning programs to an estimated 4 million viewers throughout the Asia-Pacific region. The prospect is now being raised of extending the coverage much further.
“We are hearing that DFAT sees the Middle East and Africa as priority areas for the extension of the service,” Australia Network chief executive Bruce Dover said. “If you’re lobbying for a U.N. seat, that wouldn’t hurt. But there’s no pressure on us to do that,” he said.
The review has the capacity to vary the network contract to widen the coverage. But this would involve extra expense, Dover said.
Program rights would need to be extended and there would be technical issues. “It wouldn’t be a huge cost in the scheme of things,” he said. “For a comparatively small investment, we could turn to broadcast to the Middle East and Africa.”
However, the programs would need to be changed. Australia Network widely carries Home and Away, whose much-publicized lesbian romance might provide complications for re-broadcasters in the Middle East.
Recent surveys show half the population of some Pacific island countries watch Australia Network, with the biggest audience in India. But it has no coverage in China, which restricts English-language broadcasters to CNN.
Dover, who previously headed CNN’s Asia-Pacific operations from Hong Kong, said China might invite the Australia Network into the country. “They have become reasonably well disposed to the service, and we’re hopeful on that coming through,” he said.
The station is the latest manifestation of a series of mostly unsuccessful attempts by Australia over the past 15 years to establish a television presence in the region through the ABC and the Seven Network.
The Australian government provided $19 million a year for a more substantial service from 2006, when the ABC beat Sky in a tender process overseen by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The mid-term review will decide whether to roll the contract over for a further five-year term or put it out for tender again in 2011.
Sky has said it wants to compete again. Three satellites deliver the Australia Network signal, which differs slightly to the Pacific, East Asia and India. Since most countries jealously guard their media boundaries, it is necessary to negotiate contracts with domestic TV channels to rebroadcast the Australia Network signal. The network has signed 422 such contracts to date.
