Australian Broadcasting Corporation
submission to
Australian Communications and Media Authority
A Radio Quiet Zone in Western Australia
Discussion PaperApril 2006
Australian Broadcasting Corporation Submission to the Australian Communications and Media Authority
on A Radio Quiet Zone in Western Australia
Introduction
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) welcomes the opportunity to respond to the discussion paper “A Radio Quiet Zone in Western Australia.”
While the ABC is generally supportive of the goals of the Radio Astronomy Park to be located in mid-west Western Australia and has no objection to the establishment of the Radio Quiet Zone (RQZ) at Mileura Station, Western Australia, the Corporation believes that the proposed Spectrum Embargo has the potential to reduce its ability to fulfil its obligations to deliver
broadcasting services to all Australians. The ABC notes that the proposed Radiocommunications Assignment and Licensing Instruction describing procedures for coordination in the outer zones has the potential to limit the coverage area into which it can deliver new and planned services.
Four ABC transmitter sites that broadcast in the 100-230 MHz band currently lie within the RQZ: the Meekatharra and Cue sites are located within the RQZ restricted zone radius of 150 km and the Mount Magnet and Yalgoo sites lie within the RQZ coordination zone radius of 260 km. All sites provide analog television, Local Radio and Radio National services, serving a population of about 3,000. There are plans under the current roll-out of Digital Terrestrial Television services to provide digital television from each of these sites as well.
As the proposed Spectrum Embargo would have a significant impact on the introduction of ABC radio services and digital television to the area, the Corporation would seek exemption from this Embargo to ensure spectrum would be available for digital television and the establishment of a full complement of radio services in the future.
While alternative methods for delivering future services exist, they are likely to be costly. Should the Corporation be required to comply with the Spectrum Embargo, it would seek a guarantee that funding for alternative delivery platforms will be made available.
The ABC is also happy to make its programming available to local
communities who elect to provide additional ABC services available via the self-help model. The ABC notes that self-help stations rebroadcasting ABC services are also located within the RQZ at Burringurrah, Murchison, and Karalundi. The ABC considers that their services are valuable to the local community and they should not be disadvantaged as a result of the Spectrum Embargo.
ABC Broadcasting Services close to the proposed RQZ
The ABC currently provides the following services close to the proposed RQZ:
TOWN ABC Local
Radio Radio
National ABC analog TV Triple J Meekatharra 106.3 MHz 107.9 MHz Channel
8189.25 MHz
Mullewa 107.5 MHz Channel 9
196.24 MHz Mount Magnet 105.7 MHz 107.3 MHz Channel 8
189.25 MHz 99.3 MHz Yalgoo 106.1 MHz 107.7 MHz Channel 10
209.25 MHz
Self-Help Services are also operated within the RQZ by community groups that provide the following ABC broadcasting services:
TOWN Service Frequency Burringurrah ABC analog TV Channel 69 814.25 MHz
Murchison ABC analog TV Channel 63 772.25 MHz
Karalundi ABC analog TV Channel 68 807.25 MHz
The map below details these services and others close to the RQZ.
ABC Broadcasting Services
The ABC currently provides four national radio networks (ABC Classic FM, Radio National, Triple J and NewsRadio on the Parliamentary and News Network); a network of 60 Local Radio stations providing a range of local, regional and national news and information programs; and a national analog television service that provides, among other regional content, State- and Territory-based News bulletins. The ABC also provides as part of its digital television roll-out a digital version of the main channel, ABC2 (which is a mixture of repeated programming from the main channel and channel- specific programming), a High Definition Television service, the dig digital music services and an Electronic Program Guide.
Provision and Extension of ABC Broadcasting Services
The ABC as the national broadcaster provides a range of terrestrial analog and digital television and radio services to the Australian community. These are delivered in accordance with the general policy that terrestrial radio and television services are provided, as far as practical, on the basis of near universal coverage across Australia.
Over the years various policies have been established by the ABC, the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts
(DCITA) and the former National Transmission Agency (NTA) for setting the basis for expansion of ABC transmission services. The justification is that all Australians contribute to the funding of the ABC and should therefore be entitled to receive the Corporation’s services. Moreover, as a public utility, the ABC has the first responsibility to reach into those remote areas where other sectors of the industry cannot economically provide a service.
Need for Terrestrial Broadcasting Services
In general, universal coverage means terrestrial broadcast because this is the only form of transmission that can be received on standard consumer
receivers, whether fixed or mobile. Mobile and portable reception is
particularly relevant to radio services which are received on a range of fixed and portable receivers including in-car and hand-held. Satellite delivery can provide universal coverage, but access is available only to fixed receivers using special satellite decoding equipment.
The ABC would not be averse to the use of alternative delivery mechanisms for its future services, including the use of a fibre network, as proposed in the discussion paper. However, it notes that these are expensive options that place a significant cost impost on broadcasters and/or the general public. If the Corporation is not permitted to continue with the planned roll-out of digital television and other services in the area of the RQZ, it would want a guarantee that these additional costs will be met.
The ABC also notes that cable-based solutions will not address the issue of future digital radio delivery, which will require portable reception, or the need for emergency services broadcasting in the FM bands. Similarly, the installation costs of cable suggest that such solutions would be unlikely to allow the delivery of new services outside of the immediate vicinity of townships.
ABC Broadcast Service Extensions
ABC service extensions have frequently been determined by an uncertain set of criteria and principles but also include the general understanding that communities of fewer than 500 people but more than 200 people can expect to receive a limited range of ABC services by terrestrial means, including
particularly ABC Local Radio and Radio National and ABC Television Services.
These priorities are based on the ABC’s preference to provide local or regional content relevant to audiences (particularly in an emergency) over a national network. The ABC has arrangements in place with emergency services agencies in each State and Territory that makes ABC Local Radio, in
particular, the broadcasting service in times of emergency including cyclones, storms and bushfires.
The introduction of the Radio Quiet Area so close to the population centres of Mullewa and Meekatharra and the Great Northern highway and the
proposed impact on terrestrial broadcasting services would render any future additional services reflecting increased populations impossible to deliver. In particular, the ABC notes and draws attention to current media coverage of new resource and related infrastructure projects in the area which could quite reasonably result in new settlements and increases to current populations in existing communities.1
Conclusion
The ABC is concerned that any future requirements to make any antenna changes to the ABC’s existing analog TV, Radio National and Local Radio services serving the Meekatharra area could be adversely affected by the proposal to establish the RQZ, because of the proposed embargo on new services or changes to existing services. This will also impact on the delivery of the ABC’s digital terrestrial television service to this area. The ABC is part- way through a ten year plan to roll-out digital television services to all areas currently receiving analog television services. All these ABC services are currently operating within the 100 to 230 MHz, 150 km restricted zone for the RQZ. It is also possible that population changes in the area may require the ABC to change service areas to suit audience coverage needs.
1 Ian Hammond “Iron ore mining venture planned for Midwest” Civil Engineers Australia
Furthermore, the ABC is concerned that these proposals may adversely affect the delivery of ABC services through the current and potential future Self- Help facilities.
