Australia's main public broadcaster is the Australian Broadcasting Corp. (ABC). Modeled on the BBC and also known colloquially as Aunty, it is fully funded by the taxpayer at an estimated 14 cents daily per Australian.
It was started in 1929 as the Australian Broadcasting Co. and converted into a state-owned corporation in 1932. The ABC Act of 1988 guarantees its editorial independence, with CEO Mark Scott making the point recently that it is a public but not a state broadcaster; China Central Television (CCTV) is a good example of the latter. Appointments to its governing board are made by governments bearing in mind qualifications, backgrounds and political affiliations. The board chair is nominated by the prime minister and endorsed by the opposition leader.
With an annual budget of 1.22 billion Australian dollars (about ¥110 billion), the ABC provides TV, radio, online and mobile services throughout Australia, as well as overseas in limited jurisdictions. The Australian public holds it in high regard in terms of quality, reliability, and educational and cultural programming, which the commercial sector would unlikely supply on its own.