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Two issues, ABC funding and the race to restore our nation's recorded history.
First, the article gives the impression that there is relief from further cuts after adjustment for inflation.
It's the calm before the fiscal storm. These budget documents are big. It looks like the calm before the fiscal storm.
If you thought that further budget cuts in real time are over, then according to "The Australian", https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/budget-2021-freeze-ends-but-abc-sbs-face-cuts/news-story/62ae07d6579559de9963571beddaee7e there will be a 6% trim by 2024-2025.
Mention of ABC in "The Australian" attracts mostly negative comments, such as "cut the ABC by another 94%", "commercialise the ABC", "no more Q & A".
There may well be valid criticism of the ABC's programs and too many channels. There may well be a valid criticism of SBS's content which could well be accommodated into the ABC.
But don't expect "Sky News Australia" or commercial radio or TV: to send a reporter to India or places that are not in the UK or the US to fill a void by the absence of the ABC.
Furthermore, don't expect commercial TV to supply educational TV. It's been over 30 years since the science program "The Curiosity Show" on the Nine Network and Network 10's "Totally Wild" has recently been ditched.
Secondly, on the issue of cuts to the National Sound and Film Archive's budget, it's a bad decision. Our recorded history stored on film and magnetic tape may well be lost forever.
Film made in the late 1800s and early 1900s were made of a celluloid base that over time would vinegarize and the images and recorded optical sound is lost forever. Vinegarization refers to the conversion of the celluloid material into vinegar acid. Optical sound refers to the audio soundtrack recorded on the film. History is lost if the information recorded on film is not transferred to durable media.
Similarly video and sound recorded on magnetic material may be lost over time as the magnetic material becomes detached from the plastic base. This results in a loss of audio and video information. History is lost if the information recorded on tape is not transferred to durable media.
Then comes the issue of the machines originally used to record and playback the recorded material especially the machines used to record and playback video and audio on magnetic tape.
The various tape formats are not compatible especially in the method of recording the video and audio on tape. The 2" quad video tape, the 1" broadcast quality video tape, the 3/4" U-Matic video tape, the Betamax broadcast for ENG, the Betamax domestic and VHS.
Even if the recording medium is mechanically similar, does not mean the signal encoding/decoding is the same. For example the 1" format for broadcast is not the same as the 1" format used in schools (1970s), hospitals and industry. Similarly, the Betamax cassette used in broadcast had a different colour encoding system and operated at seven times the speed as the domestic Betamax machine. Even in VHS, the sound could be recorded on the top of the tape above the video signal or may also be encoded diagonally for Hi-Fi tracks.
The Betamax cassette is mechanically the same for Betamax broadcast and Betamax domestic but the signals are encoded differently. In addition, the Betamax broadcast machine ran at seven times the Betamax domestic machine.
Then the machines that recorded the audio and video information have been out of production replaced by digital forms of recording and storing audio and video information.
Consequently, there has to be a ready supply of machines and spare parts in order to transfer the recordings to a more durable medium.
Then there has to be the personnel with knowledge of the analogue technology to keep the machines in working order.
Thus it is imperative to provide the resources to preserve any vestige of our history, NOT cut.
Something to ponder: will there be the spare parts and machinery available in the future to playback the preserved audio and video?
Thank you,
Anthony of interesting and curious Belfield