ACMA restructures for NBN, digital broadcasting and empowered consumers

Stuart Corner
Thursday, 22 October 2009 14:24

IT Policy - Government Tech Policy

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) is to revamp its internal structure to give a sharper focus on issues thrown up by the National Broadband Network and the transition to digital TV and radio; and "to give appropriate new weighting to the role of...individuals as citizens, as consumers and as audiences for content."

ACMA chairman and CEO, Chris Chapman, has written to about 100 of the ACMA's major 'stakeholders' outlining the new structure, which will come into effect on 1 December.

An ACMA spokesman told iTWire "The restructure...is designed to bring additional focus to several key tasks that presently face the ACMA, particularly our role in the transition to digital TV and radio and various telecommunications aspects of the NBN proposals. It also reflects recent Federal Government initiatives by allocating an appropriate new weighting to the role of the citizen – the notion of the interests of individuals as citizens, as consumers and as audiences for content.

"On a wider level, it is designed to reflect our commitment to regulating converging industries in a converged way and to increase our focus on stakeholder outcomes and satisfaction."

He added: "This is an initiative from within the ACMA which the agency has been working on for some time. The core change is a move from five to six divisions, with new names to reflect their roles, except for Legal Services, which will remain unchanged.

They new divisions will be:
- Digital Transition - responsible for all ACMA work related to the digitisation of television and radio broadcasting;
- Communications Infrastructure - which will carry forward much of the ACMA's current 'inputs to industry' work and "become a leading example of e-facing government services";
- Digital Economy - oriented toward the impact of convergence and related changes in the policy environment on the ACMA's activities;
- Content, Consumer and Citizen – created to realise the theme of "working for the interests of individuals as citizens, as consumers and as audiences for content." It will bring into one place the related ACMA investigation and compliance work;
- Corporate Services & Co-ordination - this will be a slightly expanded version of the current Corporate Services division with an enhanced co-ordination role;
- Legal Services - this will remain essentially the same.

The spokesman said that the shake-up would not result in any staff reductions. "Indeed there will be a need for additional staffing in some areas, as well as the appointment of two general managers for the Communications Infrastructure and the Content, Consumer and Citizen divisions... We will be advertising for the two new general manager positions in today's Gazette and the weekend press."

Giles Tanner will head up the Digital Transition Division, and Nerida O'Loughlin will head the Digital Economy Division. Dianne Carlos will continue to lead the slightly expanded Corporate Services & Co-ordination Division and Brendan Byrne, who recently joined the ACMA as general manager legal services will continue in that role.

According to its current organisational chart, dated 3 September, the ACMA presently has five divisions:
- Inputs to Industry - with branches for National Licensing and Allocations, Spectrum Planning, Pricing and Policy, Regulation and Compliance and Digital Television;
- Industry Outputs with branches for Industry Performance; Codes, Content and Education and Content and Code Compliance;
- Convergence and Co-ordination - with branches for Sector Analysis and Reporting, Strategy and Co-Ordination, and Converging Services.

The spokesman told iTWire that realignment of branches and sections would be settled and made publicly available in the final structure. "There are indicative names for branches and sections which will be settled before 1 December. While the number of branch heads is the same, their responsibilities will change to the extent that functions move from one branch to another."