An efficiency review has been handed to the ABC and SBS.Credit:Christopher Pearce
Sources said the review suggests the public broadcasters refocus activities to ensure they are more aligned to their charter obligations. In particular,ABC Life and SBS Food were referenced as being"further away"from the core duties of the two broadcasters.
The declaration has already frustrated some public broadcasting executives who believe considering whether content is"charter-aligned"falls outside the scope of the review,which was ordered by the Turnbull government in 2018.
A separate review into whether the public broadcasters compete unfairly with commercial media companies recently cleared the SBS and ABC of claims their taxpayer-funded status put their rivals at a competitive disadvantage. Television lobby groups argued that some programming,like SBS Food,was outside the charter requirements.
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Other recommendations of the efficiency review include more back-office collaboration between the ABC and SBS,which is not seen as a controversial suggestion given the two already share some operations. The review was not allowed under its terms of reference to suggest merging the two broadcasters.
From July 2019,the ABC's funding indexation will be frozen for three years,representing a reduction in overall funding of $84 million. The broadcaster,which receives more than $1 billion in funding each year,says services will be affected by the squeeze.
The efficiency review's findings landed as the ABC's board,acting managing director,head of news and triple J content director fronted a Senate inquiry into political interference.