Radio National

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ABC Radio National
Broadcast area	Australia - National AM/FM & Internet
Frequency	Variable
First air date	1932
Format	Talk
Owner	Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Website	abc.net.au/rn

ABC Radio National (RN) is an Australia-wide non-commercial radio network run by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

RN broadcasts national programming including news and current affairs, the arts, social issues, science, drama and comedy. Some programs are relayed on Radio Australia, the ABC's shortwave service.

Most radio programs are available for real-time streaming over the Internet, as audio-on-demand, or for download as MP3 podcast files up to one month after broadcast. Selected programs are available as audio going back to 2005, when Radio National commenced podcasting. Some also have transcripts available on the Radio National website. Flagship programs have been archived back to 1996, providing an important information resource.

Contents 1 History 2 2008 Restructure 3 Programs 3.1 News 3.1.1 News and analysis 3.1.2 Talkback 3.2 Arts and music 3.3 Religion 3.4 Society 3.5 Science 4 See also 5 External links 6 References

[edit] History

From 1928, the National Broadcasting Service, as part of the Postmaster-General's Department, gradually took over responsibility for all the existing stations that were sponsored by public licence fees ("A" Class licences). The out-sourced Australian Broadcasting Company supplied programs from 1929. In 1932 a commission was established merging together the original ABC company and the National Broadcasting Service.

As a distinct network within the ABC, Radio National (as it is now known), dates back to 1932, with a system of program relays being developed over a period of several years to link stations spread across the nation.

RN's Sydney station 2FC ^[1] first broadcast on 5 December 1923. 2FC stood for Farmer and Company, the original owner of the station before the ABC took it over.

The origins of the other stations in the network were:

3AR Melbourne - 26 January 1924. "Associated Radio".^[2][3]

5CL Adelaide - 20 November 1924. "Central Broadcasters Ltd".

7ZL Hobart - 17 December 1924.

4QG Brisbane - 27 July 1925. "Queensland Government".

6WN Perth - 5 October 1938. "Wanneroo".

2CY Canberra - 23 December 1938.

2NA Newcastle - 20 December 1943.

From 1947 until the mid-1980s, "Radio 2" (as it came to be known, a name styled after BBC Radio 2) was broadcast to the major metropolitan centres with additional reception in adjacent areas. It contained most of the ABC's national programming.

In the 1970s, the network's program format began to take on a more serious tone, a style which continues to this day. Art critic Peter Timm later remarked that the network is "virtually the only non-print media forum for art in this country."^[4]

In 1985, the ABC renamed Radio 2 as Radio National. Since 1990, all RN stations have had the same callsign format, RN preceeded by the appropriate number for the state or territory, sometimes followed by the locality. Eg 2RN Sydney, 3RN Melbourne.

As a result of cuts in the 1996-97 budget, Radio National was hit with a reduction of one million dollars in its funding, with a corresponding impact on the network's programming.^[5]

[edit] 2008 Restructure

In 2008, controversial programming cuts raised the issue of political interference in the public broadcaster and its executive structure.^{[6][7][8][9][10]}

Presenter Stephen Crittenden leaked confidential Radio National programming changes in an unscheduled live broadcast before the start of his show, vehemently criticising his superiors.^[11]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: "... spells the death of religion at the ABC."

Welcome to the program. This week, the new line-up of Radio National programs for 2009 was announced. The Religion Report has been decommissioned, along with The Law Report - I'm sorry, The Media Report, The Sports Factor, The Ark, Perspective, In Conversation, and Street Stories, and Radio Eye. These programs are all going in order to make room for, quote, "more interdisciplinary work on the network", and the 8.30 time-slot is being remodelled to give it, quote, "more consumer focus". The decision to axe one of this network's most distinctive and important programs has been approved by the Director of ABC Radio, Sue Howard, and it will condemn Radio National to even greater irrelevance. The ABC specialist units have been under attack for years, but the decapitation of the flagship program of the Religion Department effectively spells the death of religion at the ABC. That such a decision has been taken in an era when religion vies with economics as a determinant of everything that's going on in the world almost beggars belief; but you have to remember that just a couple of years ago they axed the Environment Program. The ABC Religion Report has always been fearless, and I don't have to tell you that it has put many powerful noses out of joint. This is a signal to the churches that the ABC has decided to vacate the field. If you care about this program and what it represents, I suggest that you might consider writing to the ABC board or the managing director, Mark Scott. And now, as they say, it's on with the show...

Stephen Crittenden was suspended for his outburst, amid criticism from some colleagues for his unprofessionalism and praise from others for his outspokeness ^[12]. His unscripted comments were later excised from the ABC's podcast and transcript of the program, and the subsequent comment by religious commentator Paul Collins on Crikey.com reiterated Crittendon's fears ^[13]

Crittenden was eventually reinstated as a reporter in the flagship investigative program Background Briefing after an independent investigation resulted in a confidential settlement with the presenter ^[14]. However his program, and the other eight cancelled or merged were not re-instated.

Another casualty of the controversy was head of ABC Radio Sue Howard, who was dismissed in 2009, partly for the perception that the controversy was mishandled.^[15]

[edit] Programs

The times shown relate to Radio National's schedules in the eastern states of Australia

[edit] News

• AM, The World Today, PM: in-depth news and analysis (Monday to Fridays at, respectively, 7.10, 12.00, and 17.00)
• Asia Pacific: current regional affairs in the Asia Pacific region, mirrored on Radio Australia (Tuesday to Saturday at 0.05 and 5.00)

[edit] News and analysis

• Counterpoint hosted by Michael Duffy with views from libertarian perspectives (Monday 16.00, repeated Fridays 13.00)
• Breakfast: "comprehensive coverage and analysis of national and international events - serious, fun, topical and diverse" hosted by Fran Kelly (Monday to Fridays, 6.00 to 8.30; includes BBC and CNN coverage before 6.30, and AM at 7.10)
• Bush Telegraph: "an entertaining look at rural and regional issues around Australia" (Monday to Friday 11.00)
• Background Briefing ABC Radio's agenda-setting current affairs investigative program (Sunday 9.00 repeated Tuesday 19.00, Wednesday 4.00)
• The National Interest features in depth analysis of national issues of interest (Fridays 18.00; repeated Saturday 3.00, Sunday 12.00), hosted by Peter Mares and formerly by eminent writer and journalist Terry Lane
• The Health Report: appealing to "both specialist and mainstream audiences by applying a broad definition of health, and seeing health and medicine within social, scientific and political contexts" and hosted by Dr Norman Swan (Monday 8.30, repeated Tuesday 0.30)
• The Law Report: "Breaking legal stories across Australia and overseas, analysing law reform, legal education, test cases, miscarriages of justice and examining legal culture" (Tuesday 8.30, repeated Wednesday 0.30)
• Life Matters, hosted by Richard Aedy and including the Talkback Classroom segment, talks with the main people behind Australia's social policies – from workplace reform to education, health, family relationships, and social change (Monday to Fridays at 9.00 and 21.00)
• Late Night Live, hosted by Phillip Adams and broadcast on Monday to Thursday at 22.00

[edit] Talkback

• Australia Talks: Monday to Friday 18.00–19.00, repeated Tuesday to Saturday at 03.00)

[edit] Arts and music

• Artworks: What's happening now in new music, art and culture in Australia and around the world (Sunday 10.00, Tuesday 15.00)
• Airplay: radio plays (Friday 21.00, Sunday 15.00)
• Poetica: poetry featured and produced for radio (Thursday 21.00, Saturday 15.00)
• Music Deli: live music performances (Tuesday 2.00, Friday 20.00, Sunday 16.00)
• The Music Show: latest developments in music, featured music and interviews with performers/composers (Saturday 10.00 and 20.00)
• Sound Quality: latest new music in the genre of electronica and others hosted by Tim Ritchie, former JJJ announcer and DJ (Friday 23.20, Part 2 repeated Monday 0.30)
• The Daily Planet / The Weekend Planet: "a unique window into the world's diverse, traditional and innovative musics... Good players don't put music into little boxes, so we don't either" (Monday to Friday 14.20 and repeated Monday to Thursday 23.10, Saturday and Sunday 22.00)
• 360: "the best radio features and documentaries from Australia and around the world" (Saturday 14.00, repeated Wednesday 13.00)
• The Night Air: "listening for pleasure: an audio adventure in which ideas, sounds and music are remixed around a new theme each week" (Sunday 20.35; Part 1 repeated Friday 21.30, Part 2 repeated Saturday 0.00)
• The Book Show: discussion of everything relating to the written word, presented by Ramona Koval (Monday to Friday 10.00, repeated 20.00)

[edit] Religion

Radio National's religion unit provides reporting and analysis on religious and ethical issues for Australia. Following its ABC charter obligations, this unit forms a key part of the ABC's religion output, and is unique in providing the independent analysis of a public broadcaster.

• Encounter : "a radio documentary series exploring connections between religion and life" (Sunday 7.10, repeated Wednesday 19.00)
• The Rhythm Divine : "a musical journey through the world of belief" (Friday 21.00, repeated Sunday 5.00)
• The Spirit Of Things: "an adventure into religion and spirituality, exploring contemporary values and beliefs" (Sunday 18.00, repeated Tuesday 13.00 and Wednesday 2.00)

[edit] Society

• All In The Mind presented by Natasha Mitchell, investigates the mental universe, the mind, brain and behaviour (Saturday 13.00, Monday 13.00). There is also an All in the Mind blog.
• Big Ideas deals with concepts of global importance (Sunday 17.00, repeated Monday 0.00, Friday 4.00)
• The Philosopher's Zone: your guide through the strange thickets of logic, metaphysics and ethics, presented by Alan Saunders. (Saturday 13.35, Monday 13.35)

[edit] Science

• The Science Show: recent developments in the field of science, presented by Robyn Williams ( Saturday 12.10, repeated Monday 19.10, Tuesday 4.00)
• All in the Mind: lateral explorations of the mind, brain and human behaviour presented by Natasha Mitchell (Saturday 13.00, repeated Monday 13.00).
• Ockham's Razor: a weekly opinion piece presented by Robyn Williams (Sunday 8.45)

[edit] See also

• BBC Radio 4
• List of Australian radio stations
• Radio New Zealand National
• Timeline of Australian radio

[edit] External links

• Radio National website
• Australian Broadcasting Corporation
• Radio National Frequencies
• Podcast of Stephen Crittenden's speech

[edit] References

v • d • e ABC Radio and Regional Content Radio (List of stations) Radio National  · ABC NewsRadio  · Triple J  · ABC Classic FM  · DiG  · Local Radio ABC Rural The Country Hour  · Bush Telegraph  · Heywire See Also Australian Broadcasting Corporation  · Radio Australia  · Timeline of Australian radio

v • d • e Radio in Australia ABC Radio ABC Classic FM  · ABC NewsRadio  · Radio National  · Triple J  · ABC Local Radio  · DiG Music Radio  · ABC Jazz  · ABC Country  · Radio Australia SBS Radio (five feeds) Austereo Today Network  · Triple M  · Radar  · Pink Radio ARN Mix Network (Mix 106.5, Mix 101.1, Mix 97.3, Mix 102.3, Mix 106.3)  · Classic Hits (WSFM 101.7, Gold 104.3, 4KQ)  · The Edge  · Cruise 1323  · Pure Country DMG Nova  · Vega  · 5AA  · Nova Nation  · Koffee Fairfax Media Talk Radio (2UE  · 3AW  · 4BC  · 6PR)  · Magic 1278  · 4BH  · 96FM  · regional stations Macquarie Bank Hit Music Network (Hot FM, Sea FM, C FM, Star FM)  · Local Works (includes Heart FM)  · Kids FM Racing networks Sport 927  · TOTE Sport Radio  · 2KY  · ACTTAB Radio  · Radio TAB Christian radio stations (incomplete) 1WAY FM  · Sydney's 103.2  · Life FM (Gippsland)  · Light FM  · Life FM (Gold Coast)  · Life FM (SA)  · Ultra106five  · Rhema FM  · Vision Radio Network Other RPH Australia  · Fine Music Network  · CRN  · NIRS  · 2SM Supernetwork (2 networks)  · Radio 2  · Grant Broadcasters  · Capital Radio Network  · Ace Radio (2 networks)  · Pacific Star Network  · Macquarie Radio Network  · Coastal Broadcasters  · Prime Radio Network  · Redwave Media (3 networks)  · North East Broadcasters  · WIN Corporation  · Raw FM  · Radio Outback  · Flow FM  · Rebel Media (2 networks) See Also Stations in: Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney