the (red) set*

Cross posting Dan Harrison’s piece in the Age today exploring the state of drama output over at the ABC:

“FUNDING to lift the ABC’s Australian drama output is likely to be delivered over several years, possibly stretching beyond the next election and into the broadcaster’s next three-year funding agreement.

Before the 2007 election, Labor promised to amend the ABC charter to mandate minimum levels of Australian drama on the national broadcaster, similar to the obligations that have long applied to commercial television networks.

This would involve increasing the broadcaster’s yearly drama output from 17 hours last year to between 90 and 100 hours, at a cost of about $40 million a year.

Industry sources expect next week’s federal budget – which will decide the ABC’s funding for the next three years – to set out a schedule for stepping up the broadcaster’s drama output, but some fear the Government may cite the financial crisis as justification for delaying the commitment until the following three-year funding agreement, to be decided in 2012.

Simon Whipp, director of the equity section of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance, said: “The Mother Hubbard excuse will not be accepted.”

Let’s see how this one pans out …..