July 1, 2015
ABC Southern Queensland today began streaming “live” on the internet as part of a beta trial.
ABC Radio has rolled out streaming to an extra 14 regional services throughout Australia, including the Toowoomba-based ABC Southern Queensland which services the South Burnett.
ABC Southern Queensland broadcasts on 747AM.
An ABC spokesman said the streaming service would be refined and tested over the coming weeks.
It would then be offered through the ABC Radio App for mobile phones from August 1.
The ABC’s new Regional Division – a major management restructure – also began operating today.
The restructure aims to improve efficiency in the delivery of regional services, however ABC Managing Director Mark Scott has said it was not a cost-cutting exercise.
“The new Regional Division highlights our commitment in this area,” he said.
“It is not a cost-savings initiative. It recognises that with new digital technologies and better organisation, we can be smarter and more focussed in our approach.”
It’s nice to see more rural news again being presented through the ABC network. Over the years, Government funds have been continually cut reducing the amount of air space on the ABC radio and television media.
I had a wonderful association with the Toowoomba studios over a period of 13 years through the late 60s and all of the 70s where they accepted radio broadcasts with some three stories a day from within the South Burnett. At the helm of the news presentations were John Heeney and Don Talbot.
This was complemented in the evening with television coverage at 6:53pm following the award-winning saga of Bellbird. On the weekend sport previews and results were given by Col Fallon.
The ABC reporter most remembered from the Toowoomba station was Rural roundsman Adrian Scott. Adrian would cover every major function in the agriculture and grazing network with on-the-spot broadcasts which meant attending meetings from as far afield as the North and South Burnett, the extensive Darling Downs west to Charleville and all of the Lockyer and Brisbane Valleys.
Of course, the other reason why the ABC stood tall was that the government allowed the networks to pay correspondents. I well recall receiving around $140 each month, however it was not the remittance as such, but the pleasure that it gave you in hearing all of the South Burnett news on this national network.
South Burnett Online, the No 1 presenter with its accurate coverage in editorial and pictorial networks, is now a replica of how the ABC with Government finance was able to bring a wonderful regional coverage.