ABC hits back over criticisms of its new lifestyle platform
The ABC has hit back at reports this morning its soon-to-launch lifestyle platform, ABC Life, will be designed to “replicate content that does well on commercial sites”.
Earlier this morning The Australian published an article suggesting a number of publishers and broadcasters were outraged over the ABC’s plans to launch a replica version of BuzzFeed, which would seek to compete with the commercial sector in areas such as recipes, sex and relationships, travel and fashion.
The ABC has refuted claims this morning is it trying to create a BuzzFeed replica
The commentary included statements from Minister for Communications Mitch Fifield, a spokesperson for Fairfax Media, NewsMediaWorks CEO Peter Miller, Junkee Media’s chief executive, Neil Ackland and Free to Air chief executive, Bridget Fair, were among those who commented on the plans, suggesting it did not fit within the ABC charter.
For $1,100 million a year, originality, not imitation, might be expected.
The problem with most things written about the ABC is that they are written by so-called “journalists” who seem to think that the ABC is all about them and it should only be a “news organisation”. Well, it’s not. In fact the ABC Charter only mentions “news” in passing as one of the bits of content that should be run “to transmit to countries outside Australia” along with “entertainment and cultural enrichment”. No mention of domestic “news” at all. It does however require that the ABC “inform and entertain” and that’s obviously what it’s now trying to do with this new idea. OK it’s not original (the BBC started doing this over twenty years ago), but what is these days? Not much. So back-off all of those “journalists” who look down their noses at ordinary pursuits and let the ABC do the job that its Charter says it’s supposed to. The ABC’s television news ratings are down the tube, ABC Regional has been taken over and turned into a “news focused” (their words) service and the recent regional radio ratings show what a failure that has been. Maybe people are bored with having Donald Trump forced down their throats night after night and want something lighter from “our” ABC. Yes “journalists”, it’s “ours” not just “yours”.
Better for ABC to invest tax payer money into a proven concept than develop a ‘new idea’ which undoubtedly would be open to even more levels of scrutiny. Seemingly a lose-lose for the ABC on this one.
@ ex ABC.
Suggestion; Keep it sharp, crisp and to the point. [An old truism in advertising].
Ranting is a big negative.
Yep Ken, under normal circumstances I’d agree with you. However if you take a look at Amanda Meade’s “rant” “The ABC in Turmoil” in the Guardian as an example of the way so-called “journalists” are attempting to crowd out all other points of view on this subject, I’ll think you’ll understand why I figured it was appropriate to go the other way this time! My apologies for not keeping it to thirty seconds (or is it six these days of short attention spans?)
Gosh. What an amazing development: News Ltd attacks ABC for introducing a site that might match what local radio covers.
Oh, and really kind of the Australian to do it all in defence of Buzzfeed and co.
Don’t suppose this could be the same News Ltd that has all those “lifestyle” sites, would it……?
In short, The Australian and its stalemates’ campaign against the ABC is boring and hopefully futile.