ABC managing director Mark Scott: we’re a public broadcaster, not a state broadcaster

This article doesn’t provide instructions on how best to high-five Mark Scott. Please amend.

yes, the ABC is asked to provide an independent national broadcasting service

but the vast majority of news and current affairs content, commentary and commentators are left leaning.

Honestly, what a question to ask of a public broadcaster ‘Whose side are you on?’. It could have come from an ignorant 3rd year high school student but no such luck, it’s our PM. And then to echo ISIS itself, threatening ‘heads should roll’…with no sense of irony at all. And no sense of the independence that should bear between ABC and government.

And no attack at all on News Corp, despite their extensive links to Mallah dating back to early 2000s, as detailed in Justice Woods judgement of the time. They gave him interviews, publicity and quite probably money as well (see today’s Crikey). So News Corps current hysterical attacks on ABC are the purest of hypocrisy.

The ABC is our most trusted media source by a country mile (no need to detail least trusted), broadcasting our most trusted news service. The ABC regularly fights it out with the High Court and the Reserve Bank as our most trusted institution. And there’s good reason for this. How’s our PM’s popularity going?

Great speech by Mark Scott – A solid rebuttal to team Rupert/Tony attacks.

@Joseph, you are saying that ABC is less politically bias than fairfax, news corp, or any other PRIVATE media organisation.

But that’s correct. Every one of them has their own bias/agenda, the issue is not that news corp has paid these terror suspect to be on their show. It is the fact ABC paid the same person with no privately owned ad dollars, it was paid for with public tax payer money. ABC does not make any money, their income is laughable. And the private institutions pay more to the Australian people back through their tax than ABC ever will.

ABC should be scrapped entirely, and in it’s place the leftist socialists can create any private outlet they can think up to rival Murdoch. Let’s call it SBC, Socialist Broadcasting Corporation.

Cheers,

The ABC used to, and should stand for the Australian Broadcasting Commission, but now unfortunately means A Biased Commentary. Even the regional ABC radio stations no longer announce an unbiased viewpoint in their morning local segments, but now spew forth one sided commentaries, only to be continued when hooked up to the city networks.

Now my comments are to be censored.

Just more ammunition for why the taxpayer shouldn’t be funding this. We have a diverse wealth of media options across print, radio and especially online, and all these options are far more accessible, to a far greater proportion of the population, than ever before. There is no actual need for a publicly-funded news outlet any more.

What an unmitigated, delusional disgrace.
This cabal of inner city Leftists have convinced themselves that they are unaccountable. Even though Australian taxpayers fund them to comply with the ABC Charter, they fail to comply. Mark Scott is paid over $800,000 a year by struggling taxpayers to do a job and comply with the rules. He does neither.

Having for base political reasons, promoted and lionised a man convicted of planning to murder public servants, a man who also advocated the gang rape or two female journalists – Mark Scott is now clearly detached from reality. He must be dismissed immediately, irrespective of whatever statutory processes are required.

Time to hit the ‘restart’ button on the ABC, in the public interest.
The Abbott government must dispense justice now, and ensure all those involved are held accountable and face the appropriate sanctions.
We, the real people of Australia, will accept nothing less.

This is not the first time in the past 12 months that Tony Abbott has had given any hint of wanting to take over the ABC, showing a more right wing extreme view.

Mark Scott is wrong. That WAS the right call by the ABC. As Mallah was not arrested, I have to conclude nothing he said was illegal.I don’t expect any rational perspective from Tony Abbott on this, but I’m astounded that big shot lawyer Malcom Turbull has waded into this – when clearly it’s the worst case of an Australian prime minister bullying an individual expressing an individual point of view I have ever witnessed.
Lets give Shorten the short shift – put in Albo and have an early election.

Leftist = Any view not held by the current conservative government.

‘ Whose side are you on?’ is a perfectly legitimate question to ask. It has nothing to do with ‘Which political party do you support?’ but everything to do with “Which team do you support, ours (Australia’s) or theirs (ISIS).

1) “As someone said to me this week, free-speech arguments would be easier if you were always defending Martin Luther King,” Mr Scott said at a Centre for Corporate Public Affairs’ function. “At times, free-speech principles mean giving platforms to those with whom we fundamentally disagree.

That is exactly the point, but it is precisely what you and the ABC never do. Is he really that dense? Does he honestly not see what the rest of us are saying. It is that the ABC does not give platforms to those with whom they fundamentally disagree, unless they first stack the deck.

Free speech is wonderful concept. Pity we didn’t see the ABC covering the views of Geert Wilders, Ayan Hirsi Ali, Patrick Moore, numerous scientists who have grave reservations about the climate alarmists and the wayward policies being implemented

2) ABC managing director Mark Scott has compared extremist Zaky Mallah’s right to appear on Q&A with the campaign for free speech that flowed from the jihadist murder of 12 journalists from the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.

To even mention Charlie Hebdo in such circumstance is beyond maddening. If I follow this analogy right, Zaki, according to Scott, is like those poor journalists who were murdered by jihadi gunmen, in that he is being deprived of his right to free speech (really, how? when? where?). And the jihadi murderers at Charlie Hebdo are likened to the people who object to Zaki, a former jihadist himself, being brought in to confront a government Minister on national television

3) “A state broadcaster is the communications arm of the Government. Its role is to communicate the messages of the Government—and certainly not to do anything that undermines the Government. But that has never been the role of a public broadcaster here, a public broadcaster formed in the tradition set out by Lord Reith the first head of the BBC, who spoke of a duty to inform, educate and entertain.”

By virtue of the fact that “the state” pays for the ABC at the moment, it is indeed a “state broadcaster”. It would be independent if it raised its finances independently. Mr Scott should either announce that the ABC is refunding the entirity of the $1.08bn and seeking public donations to operate, or accept the fact that by taking government money the ABC is, in fact, the state broadcaster; he cannot have it both ways.

so Peter,

you believe that the national broadcaster should pay for the attendance of a convicted fellon with terror links, some disgraceful public comments about women & rape who travelled overseas to fight for a foreign force in the Middle East, on a televised national debate and then give a platform to his views?

hmmm

The nut jobs will be here all day on this.

Part of the ABC’s role is to hold the government to account in an independent and fearless way, and it does a pretty good job of it. It’s not the government’s gazette.

Too many people scream “privatise” idiotically without having any concept of what the ABC does or why it does it.

Seriously, some clowns think that if you don’t support Abbott you don’t support Australia. Typical facist attitude. I love Australia and hate both ISIS and Tony Abbott.

“Who’s side are you on?” is just bullshit posturing, determined to divide everyone. If you vote Liberal you’re us. If you don’t you’re “them”. Even though of course this is EXACTLY what ISIS do, who let’s face it since they are religious fanatics, anti-science, anti-progressive ISIS too are just conservatives with a different language!

That’s right, Ginty. Mark Scott is being deceptive here. The issue is not which political side you are on but which side you are on between Australia and ISIS. If Mark Scott wants to be on the side of ISIS, then that’s fine but not at taxpayer;s expense. People forget that treason is still a crime and supporting and advocating an enemy of Australia like ISIS is a crime. Some think ISIS are just a nuisance. In fact, ISIS are much worse and more powerful than Nazi Germany under Hitler. Whereas Nazis pretty much were contained with some countries in Europe, ISIS has tentacles reaching into every western country. You have no idea what is coming.

Good lord Marty that is one of the stupidest things ever written on the internet.

75 years…and Australia would not be Australia without the ABC..this being a statement made on the 75th Birthday of broadcasting. And Abbott has the gall to belittle such a worthy cause….Abbott and his clan should take a long hard look at the many many mistakes they have made in their short time in politics, before trying to make such a big traumatic issue of this debate .

The ABC is our National Broadcaster, and a fine example of responsible journalism, documentary, and artistic endeavour. The fact that it operates without the support of the high end of town or the captains of industry, leaves it wide open to the accusation of leftist socialist leaning etc, when in fact, with the exception of one magnificently presented daily “little wireless program” (which I never miss if I can help it) the ABC remains refreshingly unbiased.

The PM should know better than to attack the ABC, but he seems to lack judgement in the operation of his thought to speech mechanism. A review of the entire Q&A storm, shows a sudden squall of wind and a puff of hot air, closed with a regrettably silly, yet generally harmless comment.

In my opinion, it was less than brilliant programming, but far from a major issue, it was in fact something less than a storm in a tea cup.

Mumbrella, I know you support the right for people to comment, but that post by Marty is just too dumb to give oxygen to.

“sub-editor” you said it exactly the way the ABC would want it: censor all views other than those of the inner city Leftists.
If it doesn’t comply with the Western values-hating, Australia-hating, women hating views of the ABC and their fellow travellers, then it gets cut.
In one line you embodied the problem, not the solution.

I don’t believe that the question of ‘which side are you on?’ is the best choice of words.

However, it does beggar belief that the public broadcaster would allow a man (albeit found not guilty) with extremist views who has proffered the wish to kill ASIO officers to take part in a publicly-funded program.

Regardless of politicising the issue, surely the error can be acknowledged by almost everyone except the ABC fan squad.

sub-editor, I suppose Mallah’s comments were not? You didn’t see what I was trying to do?

Birman, the ABC only holds a government to account when it’s a Liberal one. They pussyfoot around a Labor government.

The public are in a fanatical mood and you are going to have to excel in your primary task of reporting (not commenting) if you are to retain audience and prove you too haven’t been lighting fires you can’t put out ; trusting your own judgement about what’s worth reporting . Marks defence is sound and welcome but time has come for a response that cuts into the dumb idea of banishing evil. Time has come for the many ageing reactionaries in the ABC to let younger less cynical and snide people report on matters of the heart – so that we don’t all keep living in a war with the world way – young people if you haven’t noticed aren’t always a cynical as we are . Voltaire would hopefully see that all voices haven’t been heard on ABC because the dominant old myth and heresy of banishment of evil is now the grand good gospel and its momentum is growing and will keep growing while we feed it . We Christians are expected to be banished for promoting religion when Neiman points out we are both working the same territory – “where reason is missing” . In blessing the present configuration and blind reason limits , Mark fails to promote the vision that works and has worked to get us here ; the possibility of other programs that could grow and give better coverage of the open range than that often quickfix Q&A .Rather than limiting the vision to Voltaire , methinks we all outta go out with Waugh and seek to give seeding to more creativity and licence on his three channels – that way our precious ABC would not only be good , but would have many, many more scoops to be proud of. .Young people of Australia need to be reminded about why the glass is half full , not more glass half empty talk .

Beware the one that considers himself so self-righteous as to call others names and demands his version of the world be the only right one – for as he points his finger forward and waves it around to impress himself … he has three fingers pointing back towards him.

Yes of course Marty. That’s the best you can do?

Abbott’s ” Who’s side are you on?” just confirms the level of government in this country and his playground bully technique . It is the same tactic this govt used against Gillian Triggs . Sanctimonious, outrageous , inflammatory and win argument at all costs with a govt inquiry. What a waste of tax payers money in both cases. Where is the grown up debate ? And how about getting on with trying to create good govt policy instead of playing politics. A complete distraction to the main game.

By the way Marty that’s crap- have you watched the ABC’s The Killing Season on Rudd and Gillard ?

So if I’m understanding the commentary above…Mark Scott loves ISIS and anyone who disagrees is a ‘leftist socialist’ (as opposed to those right wing socialists?)? Also, opinion is way more important than fact. Got it, thanks.

My other take out is that there are a lot of people sitting around waiting for their crazy Google alerts to ping, who need to get a job or take up golf.

Marty, I’m fairly sure the regimes you refer to started by isolating themselves, then co-opting the media (forcibly), strengthening the military and cracking down on dissenting civilians. Fascism follows. Recognise this playbook? Is it happening here/now?

night woman, Labor are no longer in government so pretty safe to show THE KILLING SEASON now.

here_we_go_again so “cracking down on dissenting civilians” is how you describe beheading civilians?

It is odd how people think their political views are not biased, but anyone who disagrees with them is biased. If only they all put as much time and effort in trying to stay neutral as the ABC does, then maybe there would be fewer people making claims which have been proved over and over to be wrong.
On Q&A nobody said anything which even implied ISIL was anything but bad. But still there are people linking the ABC to ISIL and or the left, which have nothing to do with ISIL either. Mystifying just mystifying.

Brad, David, Tim, Mike, Marty …

… if you want the national broadcaster to be the mouthpiece of the national government then simply move to North Korea.

JG, you’re doing a Mark Scott and deliberately skewing my comments to feed your agenda. Where did I say the ABC have to be mouthpiece for the government. They must be independent of government and have every right to hold the government to account although in many cases it appears it likes to hold one type of government to count but that’s another issue. Please see Zaky Mallah’s recent YouTube video. The ABC invited, arranged travel and allowed him to ask a question on live TV, a convicted criminal who served time in jail for making threats to kill ASIO (gov’t) officers. That’s the issue. Nothing to do with free speech as many contend here.

Marty- I know Labor are no longer in power, thanks for telling me. But the Govt had a field day with The Killing Season ! They used it against Labor in question time! Then the Govt turns on the ABC with Q+A . Weird how you connect Mark Scott with ISIS and taxes. In fact it is an affront to do so- but that is free speech. He’s a former journo who previously worked for the State Liberal party in Govt before becoming a media executive. He’s hardly a hot head channelling his views on ISIS on air. Get real !

Marty, I included the word ‘if’. It is a subtlety of English that appears to have eluded you in your zealous defence of the incumbent government and attack on the ABC.

I have no agenda, apart from defence of the Australian Constitution, our rule of law, and protection of free speech.

Can I assume that you are as vitriolic against the other media that have also had Zaky Mallah on them, interviewed him, or published his comments – in the interest of balance of course. I’d love you to post links to that effect.

Also, Marty, I have a question for you – parallel but not directly connected. Do you think Bronwyn Bishop is being impartial as Speaker of the House?

Marty. Yes, Zaky Mallah has been in jail and yes, he has made threats to kill.However while he might not be a nice person, he is not a convicted criminal and has never served time in jail for making threats to kill ASIO (gov’t) officers.
While on the subject of thing you have got wrong, Mark Scott has never said or indicated he wants to be on the side of ISIS.

Fear mongering and radicalisation of youth – brought to you by the LNP

Apparently “bias is bad”, m’kay?

Surely the ultimate bias is an election.

Boy oh boy, once Tony gets rid of those elections (and the ABC and the ALP and the Greens) we can REALLY see Good Government.

Starting with those mutinous Doctors and Scientists.

Oh wait, didn’t Toto say “good government starts now” after a year of practice?

I figure everyone to the Left of the Coalition is, basically, everybody. Like, everyone South of the North Pole is a “Southie”. How much space IS actually to the Right of the LibNats – apart from that occupied by Bolt, Ackerman, Hadley and Jones?