Its critics are determined to make the ABC the news
Amid the media storm around the public broadcaster Michelle Grattan, in this crosspost from the Conversation argues the ABC’s critics are on a crusade.
The ABC and its managing director Mark Scott are caught in a perfect storm.
Critics variously driven by ideology, commercial interests or a combination have found in the ABC’s decision to partner with Guardian Australia to publish the Indonesia spy story a big opportunity for the broader attack on the public broadcaster that is their recurring theme.
Conservative commentators, The Australian newspaper, and government MPs have all been outraged about the ABC co-reporting the story.
witch-hunt …
Abbott is clearly no fan of the ABC so they are on his hit list. But he is smart enough to know you have to actually build a bit of a case before you tear down such a loved brand.The fact that someone as respected a performer as Mark Scott has to be smeared in the process is most unfortunate.
It is sad that the Coalition continues to lament that the ABC can’t be a mouth piece for its political agenda. We are fortunate at least that Malcolm Turnbull is the minister responsible and is wily enough to defend it. And Malcolm has identified one thing that anybody who has ever worked with or for the ABC is well aware of, its inefficient work practices. There is much money which could be liberated from the ABC if the swathe of middle management could be drastically reduced and it truly became a competitive meritocracy. So far nobody has succeeded in getting to the bottom of this and the politicians have been more concerned with alleged ABC bias than efficiencies. Turnbull is the exception but it will probably defeat him as well.
Someone should investigate Greg Sheridan. He was heard on ABC Local radio (774 Melbourne) this week castigating the ABC, but using this unusual “amplify” argument. The exact same language of Abbott and Turnbull. Was he briefed prior? This whole push against the ABC this week seems to be well planned and coordinated.
Get the fvck out.!… really? this is being discussed as a rational opinion??
Of course the ABC should report and present the news, whether it is harmful to the government or not. This is what news reports and news papers are supposed to do.
INFORM THE PUBLIC!!!
I can only assume this sort of attempted cover up is the style that the current government and its cronies at News Ltd support.
It was always going to happen after News and Fairfax pay walled. Here we have two companies with failed business models grasping at straws.
Yes, both Fairfax and News Corp are doomed, but you would think the classical Liberals would see this as par for the course. These companies have failed to keep pace and now find themselves surplus to requirement.
They could gut the ABC, separate it or privatise it but it won’t save News of Fairfax because the people in charge of those companies are not fit to lead in the modern era. Their time has come.
Inform the public you say? I agree with that, but the ABC presenting information in a timely manner in line with their own political agenda does not amount to fact presenting. Case en point them sitting on the indonesia spy story from 2009 till the change of government 4 years later.
The only difference between the ABC, Fairfax & News is that WE pay for the ABC. They all have an agenda, why should we pay for one of them?
More power to the ABC. It’s not as if Abbott and Bernardi and their ilk have any kind of moral standing from which to belch their harpy cries. Having Murdoch on side isn’t enough for them?
They act more like stroppy kids caught with their hand in the cookie jar and are now complaining that the system allowed them to be caught. Grow up. Australia deserves leadership, not this system of bickering kids.
The ABC was a decision made over 80 years ago by Joe Lyons (conservative) government, and it was right for its time. A huge country, widely dispersed people, the need to unite them. It worked.
Now that the ABC divides Australians, who have other, infinite means of connecting and accessing information, it’s time is past.
Worse, it uses taxpayer funds to cannibalise the free market, damaging businesses who pay taxes to fund this predator. It’s over. There’s a valid functional case to keep one national radio network, but that’s it.
It’s irrelevant, grotesquely expensive, and now is a good time to say goodnight and goodbye.
Perhaps the outraged folk should ask this question: is the public interested in the fact that Australian spies tapped the personal phones of the Indonesian President and his wife? I think the answer is yes.
Do we think they obtained information important to our national security? I doubt it. Unless SBY and his wife have never had a security briefing.
Do we think it was dumb, over-reaching behaviour by our spies? Yes
Does it worry us that our spies are clumsy, over-reaching lummoxes who have offended the (moderate0 Indonesian president ahead of an election in which nationalism and xenophobia will be a feature?” Yes.
Finally, does it worry us that media that promoted a “Right to know” campaign are both critical of the ABC and the same corporation who tapped phones in the UK? Yes.
For God’s sake. The Guardian bosses were leveraging their legal risk because they are now going down the tube in a big, ugly way. They also wanted to tail on the ABC’s websites to pick up some eyeballs.
Australia’s taxpayers underwrote that legal insurance, and also picked up the tab for the eyeballs.
Right or wrong – it’s that simple. Really.
But don’t try to tell me the ABC is not acting precisely like the Big Corporation it has now become. I would have thought a few people in the Coalition might have appreciated that.
The ABC is an ever expanding parasite. It makes no pretense at balance and, like the BBC, is a sheltered workshop for lefty hacks.
I’ve gone from a fan to calling for Aunty’s head on a platter.
I want it gone and I won’t stop agitating until it is.
@Mi. You really should take something for that.