Viewers turning off ABC1, just ask the Insiders

Briefing notes prepared for managing director Mark Scott for last October's Senate estimates hearings, obtained under Freedom of Information laws, concede viewers are turning off the ABC even as the broadcaster chases additional taxpayer funds.

Opposition leader in the Senate Eric Abetz, who lodged the FOI request, told The Australian: "I believe the ABC, and particularly its news and current affairs programs, need to focus on being increasingly objective and balanced if it is to lift its ratings."

The brief says the ABC Appreciation Survey had found the perception of the quality of radio and television programming had dropped. It also warns the number of Australians who say the national broadcaster provides an efficient service has fallen.

It shows a drop-off in the average weekly reach of the ABC's metropolitan local radio stations and in their audience share, and tells a similar story for Radio National and News Radio.

It also shows a decline in ABC1's average weekly reach in the cities and in the regions and a drop in its share of free-to-air viewers in both markets in daytime viewing hours and in primetime. Most worryingly, it tells of a ratings drop in the news and current affairs programs on ABC1, one of the broadcaster's key selling points.

It shows average audiences for 7.30 and Four Corners were down 3 per cent over 2011-12 as Foreign Correspondent fell 6 per cent, the main 7pm news bulletin 8 per cent and Insiders a massive 14 per cent. The briefing notes add that while audiences for news and current affairs have fallen on ABC1, they have increased for the digital News 24 network.

Insiders host Barrie Cassidy told The Australian that viewers outside the east coast time zone were choosing to watch his program "live" on News 24.

He defended his viewing figures, insisting Insiders was "the only program ever devised that has grown an audience every year since its inception".

"I doubt if any other program could claim that," he said.

An ABC spokeswoman said that while audiences were down on ABC1, they had risen on News 24 and the ABC's web-based service, iview.

The spokeswoman said Insiders achieved a first run average audience of 228,000 across ABC1 and News 24 last year. She added that the program recorded 270,000 plays on iview, with an average of 6000 plays for each episode.

The briefing notes show that the ABC has also performed poorly in a number of other key areas.

Spending on consultants doubled, revenue from the broadcaster's commercial arm fell and its reconciliation action plan failed to meet indigenous employment targets. The broadcaster also fell short of occupational health and safety improvement goals.

The admissions come as the government prepares the next three-year funding package for the ABC.

The previous triennial funding came to an end on June 30 last year, but rather than announcing a new agreement in last year's budget, consideration of the broadcaster's requirements was deferred for 12 months.

Issues such as changes in the media landscape and the implications of the government's convergence review have been cited as reasons for the delay. Mr Scott indicated on Monday he would welcome additional funds.

Senator Abetz stressed the importance of transparency in funding discussions during the eight-month election campaign period.

He said he was concerned that a whole page was deleted from the FOI documents because the official decision-maker ruled that on balance it was not in the public interest to be disclosed.

"This page records discussions between (Communications Ministers) Stephen Conroy and the ABC in relation to the ABC, and includes recommendations and opinions," he said.

"It is clearly in the public interest that the relationship between this government and the ABC - particularly on funding and particularly in an election year - be transparent.

"I will be appealing the decision to exempt this page."