Marcus Wilson’s Blog

In mid 2009 my employer, the ABC, decided to make some changes to the department I work in. Instead of trying to explain the changes myself, here are a few excerpts from the email that was sent to all staff.

“The media sector is in the midst of an unprecedented shift in the way it interacts with its consumers.  The ABC is adapting to the changing media landscape, not only in what we deliver to consumers, but in how we deliver it.

Today we are announcing a major change in the TV Presentation and Master Control functions of the ABC.

Television Presentation is where all of our programming is consolidated for distribution, either via satellite, cable or transmitter.  It includes the program material as well as station identity, watermarking, captioning, promotions and program classifications.  Master Control facilitates and manages the switching, monitoring and quality control of the various signals in, out and around the networks.

This work has been done largely the same way since television was introduced in Australia.  It involves the use of major network infrastructure and staff in Sydney with smaller infrastructure and staffing in each capital city for local events.

With the Presentation infrastructure due for replacement, advances in technology have created opportunities that will significantly enhance our ability to deliver programming to Australian audiences.  As a result the ABC is proposing a change in infrastructure that will lower our technology and running costs, while increasing the capability and capacity for television now and into the future.

In seeking to meet our desire to be the country’s ‘Town Square’, where communities can exchange information on what affects them directly, the ABC must devise new services and an efficient way to deliver them.

The ABC will be partnering with WIN Television Network Pty Ltd in a joint venture, to build a custom designed play-out facility for our television requirements.  By working with another broadcaster to defray the costs, the benefits that can be delivered through file based digital production technologies will be another step forward in the evolving media landscape.”

So… our department, Broadcast Operations is more or less being privatised. Without going into a lot of boring details…. 99% of us will be made redundent.

At first I was pissed off, but since then I have seen it as an opportunity. As previoulsy noted in my blog, I feel the need to move to Tasmania…. and the redundency pay out I get from the ABC will facilitate this move. I’ll be able to pay out my debt, get a bike and move my life to Hobart. I have been excited about this for a long time… but as the time of the move gets closer, the more excited I get. The only thing that does worry me just a tiny bit is gaining employment in Tassie. I am confident about finding work, but having no income for X amount of time… it does scare me just a little.

I also have another reason to move to Tassie…. not previously mentioned on this blog. More on that next time