What is the ABC’s Project Jetstream, the scheme that doomed Michelle Guthrie?
Disagreements with chairman Justin Milne over ‘Project Jetstream’ have been listed one of the key reasons for ex-ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie’s sacking. But what is this mysterious project? Mumbrella’s Paul Wallbank explains.
In an interview on ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie’s abrupt termination today, chairman Justin Milne constantly referred to Project Jetstream, an idea he first floated in an interview with The Australian earlier this year. The interview left little doubt Guthrie’s opposition to the project had sealed her fate.
“We need to embrace Jetstream wholeheartedly and move forward,” Milne told ABC News’ Joe O’Brien. “It’s a big infrastructure project and it’s a difficult thing to decide to do because we’re building infrastructure that won’t be used for three years.
“This is a difficult moment for the ABC and is not a reflection on Michelle. The difficulty we have here now is we have to plan for the next ten years.”
Project ‘get the right leader’ should be their priority !!
Normally when a news article kicks off with a rhetorical question the story actually has some insight or attempts to address the question, not just reiterate that the author doesn’t, in fact, know the answer.
As the story says, Cynic, we do know what Project Jetstream is. It’s a plan to warehouse and to distribute all the ABC’s digital assets.
What we don’t know is whether the project is just a flight of fancy by the chairman or something more substantial.
Hope that helps.
Paul Wallbank
So it’s a media asset management system.
Bravo ! Great Answer.
This kind of media assets management (MAM) has been is use by SBS for some time.
And that costs hundreds of millions?
I am constantly baffled by the gazillions that new digital stuff costs and when it’s there, it’s only adding complications and perhaps costs to your life.
In the end you try to avoid the multimillion $ shiny new thing!!! The NBN is not perceived as progress here, with the permanently electricity costing modem for the landline a real annoying ‘progress’. In all likelihood, Milne was probably thinking of NBN profits, being an NBN director, too.
“just a flight of fancy by the chairman” pretty much sums it up. There have been similar proposals around for years, but the ABC is, by law and by definition, a “broadcasting” organisation and to spend so many taxpayer dollars on something like this was and is never gonna happen unless and until a “brave” politician (thank you Sir Humphrey) decides it’s time the ABC Act was torn up and started again..
Given the board has sacked the head of the ABC they put in place because they believe it has been mismanaged. (Their words, has proven not to be the right person to implement the changes needed and her relationship with the funders not good) I think it’s time the government stepped in and sold the ABC to someone that will continue it with the original platform instead of the left wing agenda that is foisted upon us now.
Booo
Maybe it was a series of unfortunate events.
Project Jetstream sounds a bit mad given its projected cost of $100,000,000 and its very distant implementation. Milne’s opinion doesn’t seem very balanced and this is probably why Gutherie disagreed with him. How much does the board know of this apparently important reason for removing Gutherie.
If Milne and/or the board are indeed “setting up the [ABC] organisation for a future where broadcasting becomes a thing of the past” and the ABC is delivered. 100% online, they are advocating a future where Australians can only access the ABC if they pay an Internet Service Provider at least $59 per month.
Currently you can only access the ABC if you own a television or radio and can afford to power them.
First time I’ve seen Mumbrella. The ABC should facilitate and encourage comment as Mumbrella does and skip Jetstream.
Ruthless is the way I would describe the ABC Boards dismissal of Guthrie. If a woman is worth $900K per annum then surely she is worthy of a little more respect than being sacked forthwith.
I presume Jetstream has nothing to do with Ms Guthrie’s directorship at Google?
I work in senior ranks within ABC Technology. Internally we haven’t the faintest idea of what JetStream is or isn’t. Milne’s depiction in various forums that it is a giant database connected to iview is much ridiculed. Internally JetStream seems to be a cure all.
Want to use lots of expensive consultants? Call it JetStream
Want to hire people without due process? Call it JetStream
Want to ignore standard procurement process and project diligence? Call it JetStream.
Want to tell people they are mad for asking all the questions this article asks and more. “You must be against us… Jetstream will fix it all.
Mumbrella keep asking these questions in to ABC Technology and Helen Clifton. There is little to no substance behind the concept other than “we need more money to do good stuff”. Which is true but a large public institution needs more diligence applied than what is happening currently.
Hooray, some common sense about this ridiculous sham of an idea!
It’s not a sham of an idea. Conceptually, it’s the same as the current ABC library digitalisation project.
Even if the public never accesses the Jetstream database directly, something like it is vital for effective factual production.
I think Jetstream is something Milne was intending to own, in conjunction with his intending to shut down ABC broadcasting. A re-definition of the ABC ‘output pipe’, a re-definition of the ABC’s publishing future. On the path to privatisation by sleight-of-hand.
I think ekesis sums it up perfectly!
This media asset management or as Justin Milne puts it ” Jetstream ” was a failed attempt by the Turnbull regime to shutdown our ABC ! Notice the keywords like ” After broadcasting ends ” or rather otherwise at around this time which was the last quarter of 2018 the parliament have passed sickening laws around intelligence and national security which prompted the Honourable Anneka Smethurst to tell us the everyday Australians that the signals directorate is spying on us which also prompted the federal police to raid her home and the ABC. Thankfully this ill fated ” Jetstream ” did not come to fruition due to its blackholes cost blow out and thank heavens Turnbull and his luvvies Milne Pyne and Bishop are gone !