Australian Broadcasting Company

Not to be confused with Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The Australian Broadcasting Company was a consortium of entertainment interests formed in 1929 to supply radio programs for broadcast on the former "A-class" transmitters contracted to the Federal Government's National Broadcasting Service. The Royal Commission of 1927 had recommended full nationalisation in the style of the BBC, but the conservative government of the time chose this out-sourced approach instead. As each of the "A-class" licences expired during 1929 and 1930, the Commonwealth acquired and then maintained the station's transmitters and studios, while the programming was supplied by the Australian Broadcasting Company.

Funding was supplied through licenses rather than through advertising. However, license fee income was low, jeopardising its viability.

The contract with the Australian Broadcasting Company expired on 30 June 1932 and thereafter programming for the National Broadcasting Service was provided by the newly established Australian Broadcasting Commission. The Australian Broadcasting Company continued as a separate entity, eventually acquiring interests in "B-class" licences and was prominent in the industry until at least the 1950s.

See also

• History of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
• History of broadcasting in Australia

References

• History of Australian radio
• From Commission to Corporation - 75 years of the ABC