The owner of Sky News Australia has accused the ABC of trying to block competition for the Federal Government's TV contracts with its multi-million-dollar push for international expansion.

ABC managing director Mark Scott has laid out a vision for the broadcaster's international future that includes opening five more bureaus in the Asia-Pacific region and launching services across Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.

Mr Scott also wants to merge the ABC's international TV and radio services, Australia Network and Radio Australia.

The Australian News Channel, which owns Sky News, says the Foreign Affairs Department's contract for the Australia Network will be locked up if the service is combined with the ABC-owned Radio Australia.

"Mr Scott is trying to absorb Australia Network into the ABC to permanently block any alternative service model," the company's chief executive Angelos Frangopoulos said in a statement.

"In doing so, he is suggesting the ABC can be both a policy arm of government and stay true to its charter to be independent of government. He can't have it both ways.

"If Mr Scott is intent on merging Australia Network and Radio Australia, he raises the question as to whether the provision of Radio Australia should also be subject to open tender."

The contract for the Australia Network will be up for renewal in 18 months. The Australian News Channel believes Mr Scott is pushing the department to roll the contract over rather than call for tenders.

Global plans

Mr Scott's expansion plan would see the ABC eventually providing content in Arabic to the Middle East. The proposal would require a large funding boost.

Mr Scott says other G20 countries are spending 10 times what Australia is on international broadcasting. He says even some increase in funding would allow the ABC's Asia-Pacific services to reach millions of new homes in the region.

But Mr Frangopoulos says Mr Scott has an outdated attitude that only a public broadcaster can provide services that are in the public interest.

"Sky News in cooperation with Foxtel and Austar has already demonstrated with our provision of Australia's public affairs channel, A-PAC, on a not-for-profit basis that the old models for public interest broadcasting can be improved," he said.

The Australian News Channel has indicated it would compete for the Australia Network in an open tender process. It says it would fulfil the diplomacy needs of the Foreign Affairs Department if it was awarded the contract.