| Broadcast area | Australia - National AM/FM and Internet |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Variable |
| First air date | 1923 |
| Format | Talk |
| Owner | Australian Broadcasting Corporation |
| Webcast | abc.net.au/streaming |
| Website | abc.net.au/radionational |
ABC Radio National is an Australia-wide non-commercial radio network run by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Radio National broadcasts national programming in areas that include news and current affairs, the arts, social issues, science, drama and comedy. Some programs are relayed on Radio Australia, the ABC's international free-to-air shortwave service.
Radio National currently has 327 transmitter sites and covers over 98% of the permanently inhabited areas of Australia. Remote areas are served by satellite service.
All radio programs are available for live streaming over the Internet, and most (excluding drama, poetry and music) as audio-on-demand, or for download as MP3s for at least four weeks after broadcast. Some programs are available as MP3s going back to 2005, when Radio National commenced podcasting. About 25% of shows, mainly the flagship weekly shows, have written transcripts archived back to 1996.
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From 1928, the National Broadcasting Service, as part of the federal Postmaster-General's Department, gradually took over responsibility for all the existing stations that were sponsored by public licence fees ("A" Class licences). The outsourced Australian Broadcasting Company supplied programs from 1929. In 1932 a commission was established, merging the original ABC company and the National Broadcasting Service. It is from this time that Radio National dates as a distinct network within the ABC, in which a system of program relays was developed during the subsequent decades to link stations spread across the nation.
Radio National'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:
The first transmitters for 2FC, 5CL and 4QG were made by AWA with power output at 5 kw. They used a MT7A valve for the final high power RF stage and a MT7B for the modulator. The power supply was 12000 volts from three phase power rectified by MR7 valves.[4]
The radio transmitters for 3AR and 2FC were upgraded to 10 kw in a contract let in 1938 to STC. The transmitters were deigned by Charles Strong in London, and were notable in using negative feedback to ensure a high quality flat frequency response.[5]
From 1947 until the mid-1980s, "Radio 2" (as it came to be known) was broadcast to the major metropolitan centres, with a large broadcast footprint in adjacent areas due to the powerful AM transmitters in use. It contained most of the ABC's national programming.
The power level of 2FC 3AR and 5CL was upgraded to 50 kw in the early 1950s. The transmitters for these were housed in the same building as the radio 1 network. They were manufactured by STC. The final stage contained three parallel 3J/261E air cooled triodes running in class C amplifier at 90% efficiency. These were driven by a class B modulator with the same type of valves.[6]
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."[7]
In the early 1980s the broadcast footprint was extended with the construction of the first of over 300 regional FM transmitters (including community re-broadcast sites). In 1985, the ABC renamed "Radio 2" as "Radio National".
Since 1990, all Radio National stations have had the same callsign format, Radio National preceded by the appropriate number for the state or territory, sometimes followed by the locality (e.g., "2RN Sydney", "3RN Melbourne").
As a result of cuts in the 1996–97 budget, Radio National was hit with a reduction of a million dollars in its funding, with a significant impact on programming.[8]
The times shown relate to Radio National's schedules in the eastern states of Australia. Pre-recorded shows are broadcast on time delay in the centre and west.
Full program guides for all the different regional variations can be see at The Radio National website.
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.
In 2008, controversial programming changes once more raised the issue of funding cuts to the public broadcaster.[10][11][12][13] Presenter Stephen Crittenden leaked confidential Radio National programming changes in an unscheduled live broadcast before the start of his show, vehemently criticising his superiors.[14] Stephen Crittenden was suspended for his outburst, amid criticism from some colleagues for his unprofessionalism and praise from others for his outspokeness.[15] His unscripted comments were cut from Radio National's podcast and transcript of the program, but the subsequent comment by religious commentator Paul Collins on Crikey.com reiterated Crittendon's fears.[16] 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.[17] 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.[18]
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