Taxpayers will pay the ABC more than $1 Billion this year.   The ABC seems to get what it wants - an unbudgetted $30 million to meet the "growing demand" for its digital (web-based) services was magically found because the ABC wanted it.   Likewise an extra $70 million for the ABC to expand what passes for its "news" services was announced this year, again because the ABC wanted it.

Here are a couple of pointers to the ABC's funding - the first taken from the Federal Government's Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy (Stephen Conroy's ministry).

Funding

The ABC is primarily financed by the federal government through triennial funding arrangements. In the 2013-14 Budget, the government is providing the ABC with an additional $30 million over three years to meet the growing demand for its digital services. The ABC will also receive $69.4 million over four years from 2012-13 to expand its news and current affairs services. In addition, the government will provide a loan of $90 million over three years to the ABC to assist with the construction of a purpose-built ABC facility at Southbank, Melbourne.

In 2013-14, government funding to the ABC will total $1.05 billion.

And this report from The Australian 6 days ago shows where some of that new money is going.

The ABC has only just completed recruiting an extra 60 staff, making it one of the few media organisations that's growing and acquiring new capabilitities.

One of those capabilities is its new "fact-checking" unit.

The ABC set up the Fact Checking Unit to check the accuracy and factual basis of public statements by politicians and other public figures and groups, with its conclusions to be included as "branded'' segments within existing news programs.

It will also have a website that will encourage audience interaction to source issues and statements for fact checking as well as for feedback and crowd sourcing.

The appointment of Russell Skelton as head of the unit in May has drawn strong criticism, with ABC chief Mark Scott forced to defend the journalist in Senate estimate hearings against accusations he had shown bias against the Coalition.

Yesterday Northern Territory minister Alison Anderson also criticised Skelton's appointment, saying his work was "highly partisan" and that he was unfit for the role.

The ABC said more than 1000 people had applied for the approximately 60 new news positions it was filling, comprising roughly 40 journalists and 20 crew.

On the Fact Checking Unit, which will have a staff of nine, it was still looking to appoint a supervising producer, a digital and social media producer and researchers.

We need to get fair dinkum in setting our expectations of the ABC much more clearly.   It has the resources and the time to report, to research and to explain complex matters of importance to the  nation.   It's the judgement on what's important to the nation, that is the critical question.   At present imagined misogyny, bodgy menus and blue ties seem to be critical to our fully informed selves.

In the context of a looming general election where the incumbent Prime Minister is the subject of a police investigation the ABC has a clear obligation to research and to educate us.   It slavishly reported and repeated ad nauseum the manifestly false assertions of Ms Gillard with "I did nothing wrong".  In the interests of balance and completeness it ought to at the very least make enquiries about the reports you can read on this site, The Australian or The Age about the police raid on Ms Gillard's erstwhile offices rather than dismiss them out of hand.   And on the Legal Services Board's confirmation that lawyer(s) at Slater and Gordon who worked on The AWU Scandal matters are the subject of a criminal investigation by Victoria Police.

It's not good enough for the ABC to claim it "doesn't know".    Even with 60 extra news staff, the fact checking unit, $30 million for new online services - and $1 billion in annual funding - the ABC, it appears, doesn't want to know.

PS - you may be interested in this post containing some of the ABC's Managing Director's notes in preparation for a Senate Estimates hearing.   Fascinating.

http://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2013/02/more-on-the-abcs-briefing-notes-for-its-managing-director-on-the-awu-scandal-and-on-tony-abbott-punc.html