(Editor's note: Mr. Hodge is a visiting Australian journalism student. He wrote this special report for ABS-CBN News. Click here for part 2 of the special report, Will change come to PTV4?)

MANILA - Presidential Communications Office (PCO) head Martin Andanar has signaled plans to transform government station People’s Television Network (PTV4) and Philippine Broadcasting Service to replicate state broadcasting services such as the British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC) in the U.K. and Australian Broadcasting Corp. (ABC) in Australia.

Andanar said he hopes to bring back government media to its glory days in the 1980s when the People’s Television Network was at par with local commercial broadcasting stations.

The communications secretary is an experienced broadcast journalist who studied in Australia and interned at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and the Special Broadcast Service (SBS), two government-funded networks in Australia.

While interning at Australian state broadcasters, Andanar said he learned “editorial independence and professional news broadcasting can happen in a government-run network.”

“PTV4 can be remodeled according to work ethic, professionalism and editorial independence,” he said.

Andanar said he plans to bring Filipino government broadcasting up to standard with other countries and, in an interview with ABS–CBN News, he said he has sought the assistance of the ABC to help transform PTV4 into an independent network.

AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORP.

If Australian media is enlisted to help guide PTV4’s transition to a competitive and independent network, a look at the structure of Australia’s national broadcaster may provide an idea of what Mr. Andanar has planned.

The ABC is an important corner stone of Australia’s media and informally referred to as "Aunty," a sign of public affection for the national broadcaster.

An independent 2015 research poll found 84 percent of Australians believe the ABC provides a valuable service to the community across its radio, TV and digital platforms.

The same poll found 80 percent of Australians believe that the ABC does a "good job" covering country and regional issues compared with 42 percent for commercial media.

The ABC fairs well with commercial competitors, receiving around 7.4 million online visitors each week and an average weekly TV reach of 9.4 million, or 58 percent of the five major city metropolitan market.

The vast majority of the ABC’s funding comes from the government, which allocates roughly AUD $1.1 billion to the broadcaster each year.

There is no advertising on the ABC and it makes money through retail shops, publishing, and distribution.

The network has complete editorial independence from the government under the ABC Act 1983, and provides Australia with innovative and comprehensive broadcasting services from 56 locations in Australia and ten overseas bureaus.

EDITORIAL INDEPENDENCE

PTV4 has historically been a mouthpiece for the government and it lacks credibility among Filipino audiences, which explains why its ratings are so poor.

READ: Gov't station 'bulok,' says incoming PCOO chief Andanar

Unlike ABC, PTV4 is allowed to raise revenue from advertising after former President Aquino signed into law Republic Act 103901, authorizing the infusion of fresh capital into the government TV network, said Herminio Coloma, former head of the Presidential Communications Operations Office.

The new law mandated the government to pump in P3 billion from the national budget beginning 2014, and source the P2 billion from the privatization of Radio Philippines Network (RPN 9) and Intercontinental Broadcasting Corp. (IBC 13).

The station had previously relied on subsidies from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and the Philippine Gaming and Amusement Corp., and President’s discretionary funds.

PTV4 also sells airtime space, a practice called blocktime, subsidizing programs of government bodies, people’s organizations and non-governmental organizations.

Despite the new law, the state network’s revenues continue to lag behind what commercial media broadcast firms earn.

A Commission on Audit end of 2014 report said income the previous year was only P139,392,445 with the network receiving P466,639,155 in government subsidy. PTV’s financial statement said it received P 583,682,886 in 2015.

Dismal sales revenues could be linked to the network’s low ratings; none of its programs figure on the top 20 charts of survey firms.

MEDIA FEUD

President Duterte’s ongoing feud with the media escalated when he announced he would stop holding press conferences and his statements will instead be issued through PTV4.

Duterte’s decision has

raised alarm bells

for free press in the Philippines, and has signaled that PTV4 may be taking a backwards step reminiscent of the Marcos era when the state broadcaster was used as a propaganda mouthpiece.

Editorial independence is essential for the state broadcaster to be the voice of the people and to transform into a modern and competitive news network.

READ: Duterte communications chief pushes for independent state media

Andanar is fully aware of this. “Editorial independence is essential to gain credibility among top media professionals and the public,” he said.

How Andanar will boost PTV4’s credibility remains to be seen. However, he has said he plans to introduce “edgy developmental documentaries and experimental news” programs to the network.

PTV4 has a long way to come if it is to compete with commercial and foreign state broadcasters.

“Cultural change will be a challenge, [in terms of] changing the set-up to a streamlined and lean and mean cost-effective news organization,” said Andanar.

JOURNALISTIC FLAIR

The ABC is home to some of Australia’s most respected, award-winning journalists, and the broadcaster hosts a number of investigative journalism and documentary-style current affairs programs.

Programs broadcast across the ABC’s four TV channels and online streaming service are educational in nature and contribute to a sense of national identity that reflects the cultural diversity of the Australian community.

The ABC also produces panel discussion shows such as 7:30 Report, Insiders and Lateline, where politicians are scrutinized and current affairs are debated.

A popular live panel discussion program called Q&A is a platform for Australians to ask politicians and public figures questions about important topics in the country’s discourse.

Australian politicians, such as current Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and former Prime Minister Julia Gillard, have appeared on the show to answer questions from the electorate.

STRUCTURE

A board of up to seven directors is responsible for the ABC’s operations and the Governor-General appoints these directors on the recommendation of the government.

The managing director usually appears before the Senate three times a year to explain how they are spending taxpayers' money.

When the current managing director Michelle Guthrie appeared before a Senate committee in May, senators took aim at the perceived bias in ABC’s political reporting.

It is not the first time politicians and commentators have accused the ABC of biased reporting on political issues.

Former Prime Minister Tony Abbott took issue with the ABC’s reporting on asylum seekers in early 2014, suggesting the national broadcaster took “everyone’s side but Australia’s” and failed to show “some basic affection for the home team."

Abbott quarreled with the ABC again in 2015 when he banned his cabinet from appearing on Q&A after a convicted criminal in the live studio audience was allowed to ask a government front-bencher a question.

Despite the occasional accusation of political bias, the ABC maintains balanced reporting and data from ABC’s 2013 election coverage shows even treatment was given to the two major political parties.

In the recent federal election in Australia, ABC provided Australia with premier, in-depth election coverage across multiple platforms and traditionally calls election results. -- with interviews and reports by Inday Espina-Varona, ABS-CBN News