Some recent media reports have suggested that Radio National may be in for another round of bloodletting, but the truth is far less dramatic. The network is going through a process of “network alignment,” and “evolution,” rather than budget cuts. Fresh from a strategic meeting of Radio National network EPs this week, acting manager of Radio National, Michael Mason, speaks to radioinfo about changes coming to the ABC’s national talk radio network.

Changes at the network began in 2010 when the Director of ABC Radio Kate Dundas outlined to all ABC Radio staff a 3-year strategic plan. The objectives included “building on the strengths of individual networks by identifying gaps and overlaps in our offering to audiences.”  That “network alignment” process has been ongoing since then across the Radio Division. 

In the recent federal budget the ABC budgeted for expenditure of $329 million this year in its Radio Division, which, according to the figures, is unlikely to spark any drastic rounds of budget cutting.

Since March 2011, ABC Radio National has been working to create a road map for the network for 2012 until 2014. “This planning has comprised workshops and consultation with all Radio National staff, discussion with the broader ABC leadership group, the RN Executive and, most recently, a 2-day conference with the network’s Executive Producers,” Mason told radioinfo.

He says it has been exciting to work with the Network’s EPs “whose engagement with, and commitment to, the revitalisation of the network is a credit to their dedication to RN and our audience… I also acknowledge that there’s a lot of work ahead but that this is the right time to do it.” 

The network’s vision has been “front and centre” during the realignment process, according to Mason. The network’s vision statement says:

Our purpose is to help nurture the intellectual and cultural life of this country, to be a vital part of the contemporary Australian conversation, while at the same time securing a safe and pivotal future for the network by identifying and engaging with the next generation of RN listeners and subscribers.  

There is a lot of work still to be done before network changes are made says Mason: “Needless to say there are a lot of big questions, many of which warrant a great deal more consideration, but over the last couple of days with the EPs we were able to identify some definite areas to concentrate our thoughts  – new content genres to include in our offering and how to reframe and better schedule some of our current programs.

“As a result of our discussions we also identified some areas of our content and presentation that we could easily work on between now and the end of this year that would enable us to start refreshing our sound.”

In 2008, RN presenter Stephen Crittenden famously lashed out on air at the schedule changes being introduced then (see our article from that time). The same response is not expected this year. ABC Radio doesn’t want to throw away its older audience, but it is also looking to the future, says Mason.  “The changes have our existing, loyal audience in mind, front and centre.  We hope too that the people who will become our next loyal audience will respond to these refinements.”

Mason summarises the planned changes this way:

• We are committed to retaining and improving specialisation on the network.
• We want to sound more live when the listeners’ look to us to sound live (for example, at the time of a major breaking news story or event).
• Nurturing genuine and real intellectual ideas and debate is core to us and our purpose.
• We are not being driven by cuts or threats with this Network Alignment process.

In July and August Mason plans to make some recommendations for 2012 and communicate and consult on them with staff, the Radio Executive and the ABC leadership group. After that, in September, new ideas and concepts for next calendar year will be developed and tested. New program elements for the 2012 line up will be commissioned in October and November.

As plans become more clearly defined, staff will be consulted further throughout the coming months: “Internal and external media and our audience will also be kept informed following appropriate consultations with any staff that may be affected by change.”

Mason emphasises that, at this stage, there are no plans to radically change ABC Radio National, but instead to ensure that “the network evolves along with our audience and their varying needs.”

Part of that evolution will undoubtedly involve the use of podcasting, which has given new momentum to block programmed networks such as the ABC’s Radio National and BBC Radio 4. The ability for fans of specialist shows to time and place shift the programs to when and where they want to listen to them has proven that specialist long-form content still has a large and loyal audience, but that, in today’s busy world, people want to consume that content in ways not limited by a standard programming schedule.

In 2010, Radio National had over 20.7 million downloads of its programs. The progressive figure this year for RN is (January to May 2011)  9,673,268, compared with (January to May 2010)  7,955,830.