The Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) was established under the Australian Broadcasting Commission Act 1932, on 17 May 1932.  The Act established the Commission as a body corporate with perpetual succession, a common seal and empowered it to acquire and dispose of real and personal property and to sue and be sued in its corporate name (1).  The Commission was initially composed of five commissioners, two of whom were to be appointed as chairmen and vice-chairman respectively.  The number of commissioners was expanded to seven in 1942, nine in 1967 and eleven in 1976 (2).

At its inception, the task of the Commission was "to provide and broadcast from national broadcasting stations, adequate and comprehensive programmes" and "to take in the interests of the community all such measures as ... were conductive to the full development of suitable broadcasting programmes" (3).   The Commission was responsible for the appointment of a General Manager under which all such officers as were felt necessary for the implementation of the Commission's task, would be appointed (4).

The senior statutory positions of the ABC were appointed by the Governor-General and between 1932 and 1983 were:

Chairmen:

 23 May 1932-   Jun 1934: Sir Charles Lloyd Jones
  3 Jul 1934- 2 Feb 1945: Mr W J Cleary
 12 Apr 1945- 5 Jun 1961: Sir Richard Boyer
  1 Jul 1961-30 Jun 1967: Dr J D R Darling
  1 Jul 1967-30 Jun 1973: Sir Robert Madgwick
  1 Jul 1973-10 Nov 1975: Professor Richard Downing
 26 Jul 1976-13 Dec 1976: Sir Harry Bland
 18 Dec 1976-31 Dec 1981: Mr J D Norgard
  1 Jan 1982-30 Jun 1983: Dame Leonie Kramer

General Managers:

 1 Aug 1932- 4 Mar 1933: Mr H P Williams
   May 1933-25 Jun 1935: Major W T Conder
 1 Nov 1935-26 Feb 1965: Sir Charles Moses
27 Feb 1965-31 Oct 1982: Mr T S Duckmanton
 1 Nov 1982-30 Jun 1983: Mr K Jennings

The Australian Broadcasting Commission commenced operations on 1 July 1932.  It inherited twelve broadcasting stations from its predecessor, the Australian Broadcasting Company, to which it continued to add each year in both regional and metropolitan areas.

Prior to the establishment of the Commission, media broadcasting was carried out by individuals or private companies.  The 1932 Act established a government controlled body which was closely modelled on the BBC and was responsible for the broadcasting of music, current affairs, religious, educational and other programs.  Initially, the ABC did not have its own news service.

Under the 1932 Act, the ABC was responsible to the Parliament through the Minister (at that time, the Postmaster-General).  It was funded from Consolidated Revenue by the licence fee for radio and television receivers and was required to produce an Annual Report and balance sheet to the Minister for presentation to Parliament.  The Commission's staff were not employed under the provisions of the Public Service Act.  The Australian Broadcasting Commission Act of 1932 was replaced by the Australian Broadcasting and Television Act 1942, No 33 of 1942.  This Act made some administrative and procedural alterations to the operations of the ABC which included an increase in the proportion of licence fees to which the ABC was entitled for its revenue (5).  The major achievements of the 1942 Act were that it made the first legislative provision for commercial broadcasting in Australia and established the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Broadcasting.  In 1948 a new Broadcasting Act provided for the ABC to be financed through annual Parliamentary appropriation (6).

At its inception the Commission was instructed and empowered to publish, on equal terms to other publishers, detailed information regarding its programmes, to collect news to encourage local talent, and to seek to establish musical groups for the purpose of high quality broadcasts (7).  In this capacity the authorized expenditure of the ABC was fixed at 5000 pounds for up to five years, after which the approval of the Minister was required (8).  Under the 1932 Act, the Minister responsible for the ABC and the Governor-General were empowered to direct or prohibit the broadcast of any material.  However, short of this, the Commission was largely able to determine the nature and format of its programming.  All its technical services were provided and operated by the PMG (9).  In fulfilment of this instruction, the Commission established several Symphony orchestras in the States.  It operated broadcasting stations in metropolitan and country areas and controlled an overseas shortwave service, known as Radio Australia.  The State Offices and some of the broadcasting stations (such as Radio Australia) have been registered by the Australian Archives and documented on separate sheets.

In 1947 the ABC introduced its independent News Service.  In 1956 the ABC was confirmed as the national authority for the introduction of television programming and its first television stations were opened in November of that year (10).

On 23 May 1979 an independent review of the ABC was announced by the Government.  The Committee appointed to undertake this review was headed by Mr A.T. Dix.  The recommendations of the Committee, released in March 1981, included an outline of a new administrative and organisational structure for the ABC.  The Government adopted a number of the recommendations of the Dix Committee for organisational change in the ABC.  In the resulting legislation the Australian Broadcasting Commission was abolished and replaced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (CA 3589) on 1 July 1983.

This is a provisional registration.  Users are referred to associated registrations to appropriate legislation and to secondary zones such as the Official History of the Commission (published by Melbourne University Press in 1983).


References

 1. Australian Broadcasting Commission Act, 1932 No 14 of 1932, 
    s 5(2)
 2. K Inglis, This Is the ABC, Melbourne University Press, Carlton
    1983, passim
 3. Australian Broadcasting Commission Act s 16
 4. Australian Broadcasting Commission Act s 15
 5. Australian Broadcasting Act 1942, no 33 of 1942, s 27
 6. Australian Broadcasting Act 1948, no 64 of 1948, s 12
 7. Australian Broadcasting Commission Act no 14 of 1932
 8. Inglis, op cit passim
 9. Ibid
10. Ibid
11. Ibid, p 426

Historical agency address
1932-1965: 264 Pitt Street, Sydney, NSW
1965-1983: Broadcast House, 145-153 Elizabeth Street, Sydney, NSW

Legislation administered
Creation: Commonwealth of Australia Acts No 14 of 1932, Australian Broadcasting Commission Act 1932
Abolition: Commonwealth of Australia Acts No 6 of 1983, Australian Broadcasting Commission Act 1983

Previous agency unregistered

Australian Broadcasting Company