Miriam Germein writes: Chris Warren’s article “The ABC doesn’t need News Corp — News Corp needs the ABC” cuts through the tedium of an ABC cowering in the playground and Insiders marking the depths of descent into serious suck-up. How utterly nauseating to see a public broadcaster so willing to air the same old media ghouls with their repetitious and self-serving takes on matters of serious public interest.
Of key concern is the question of authority and responsibility. Where does it lie? And what process ensures that audience feedback is noted and given the respect it deserves?
Peter Monie writes: I ignore News Corp so why can’t the ABC?
Peter Lockwood writes: It’s time the ABC grew a spine, rejected News Corp’s views, and ignored it as irrelevant. These commentators exist only to abuse, hurt and humiliate. The sneering Rita Panahi, the disingenuous Paul Murray, the regular pile-ons during Outsiders all add to a divisive Australia. They call every progressive idea woke and a threat to Australia’s future. No debate of the issues, just fear, sneer and derision. The collective mental health of Australia is heading downhill with this quality of public “debate”.
Ross McGillivray writes: Might be worth noting that in WA The West Australian is pretty strongly pro-Voice. Out of tune with the rest of the media? Given that many people think WA will vote No, it might seem it’s also out of tune with its audience. It’s hard to find much good in the paper these days but credit where it’s due.
Michael Gormly writes: News Corp has declared open war on the ABC, enthusiastically supported by its far-right fans on social media and in letters to editors (published daily in its newspapers). Many of these critics proudly admit they don’t even watch the ABC so clearly their fury is entirely generated by News Corp propaganda.
As a lifelong fan of the ABC (I’m 70 now) I am distressed at its supine submission to this bullying, regularly sinking to a “false balance” by broadcasting without challenge the views of right-wing cookers. It’s easier, it seems, to simply move to the next scripted question. I recently had a complaint upheld over a straight-out climate-denialist lie told by a guest of Tom Switzer. A “note” was added to the online story.
If the ABC wants to lift its game it should identify “false balance” for the deception it is and reject it. It also needs guaranteed funding independent from the government of the day, as we see it barely recovering from a vicious spiral of News Corp-driven defunding resulting in a loss of quality. This is illustrated in the regular attacks on the ABC because it is “too Sydney-centric” after the loss of funding resulted in the closure of many of its regional bureaus.
The write thing
Don Matthews writes: Re “What makes a journalist? Let’s write professional accreditation into the job”: yes, I do want to know that you know your stuff and you try to tell the truth. Propaganda is not journalism. Someone tell News Corp.
Quentin Dignam writes: The Victorian Evidence Act would seem an obscure place to look for a definition of a journalist — not least because its quoted definition is circular (viz. “a journalist is a person engaged in the profession or occupation of journalism”). Unless, of course, the writers’ (and, let’s face it, Crikey’s) preoccupations — and Peter Greste’s lived experience — were so shaped on one side by legal constraints and threats to journalists (the recent examples are myriad), and on the other by the leakage of journalistic authority and status (due both to mainstream journalism’s own lapsed standards, post-truth scepticism, and the incursions of pesky and unaccountable amateurs).
If, as is evident, journalism now presents itself as an academic discipline (with schools, professors, etc), it might advance a more telling and comprehensive account of itself — historically and conceptually — including its role and rules within a modern, technologically sophisticated and somewhat democratic state. I’m heartened that Alexandra Wake and Johan Lidberg (as in other Crikey pieces) have invited their colleagues and us (consumers, readers, listeners, followers, etc) to that kind of examination of journalism. Whether they can persuade them to sit the other exam, I’d wonder.
Jean Lightbody writes: A free, impartial and fair media is important for the welfare and safety of Australians. This relies on the trustworthiness and ethical standards of journalists and the organisations that employ them. I would advocate for registration for journalists similar to that of accountancy, law and health professionals. This would mean that one could not hold oneself out to be a journalist unless one had undergone education and accreditation (that might include sitting and passing a journalism and publishing law and ethics test, as suggested) as specified by an Australian journalism regulatory board (or whatever it would be called).
The coalition bullied the ABC into a form of submission and they still have PTSD. They don’t seem to realise that the nasty man has gone away and can’t hurt them any more. But having said that I’m sure there are still coalition moles and sleepers installed in the ABC ranks.
The Drum this year – 31 appearances from Coalition party operatives (ex/members of parliament/councils, candidates and party officials – from 15 individual party office holders) : Labor 10 (6 individuals): Greens 4 (3 individuals).
Tuesday night – discussing “outsourcing conflict of interests of PwC” – Adrian Piccoli (along with Bruce Baird, Robert Hill and, previously, Wendy Machin – no Labor ex-politicians) on the “Strategic Council” payroll of David Cross’ (ex-NSW Liberal Party staffer?) Blueprint Institute (that uses his appearances on The Drum for PR publicity)…. Has Blueprint Institute done any ‘work’ for the NSW Liberal Party/government – as one might suspect?
A ‘sheepish’ Piccoli’s association not mentioned at all.
31 to 14 doesn’t seem very “balanced”
My mistake …. make that 32 : 14….. that “ACT Developer’s Friend”, Kate Carnell, on again tonight (hasn’t been on since March, and January before that).
In the last week we’ve been served up Piccoli, Fiona Scott and Carnell : no one from the Labor Party. Throw in Margy Osmond (who was married to Bryce Osmond, loyal National Party retainer, and worked for the Greiner government – could she be a “National Party member”? ) and Stephanie Hunt.
There was their habit of articulating “Labor/Greens Party Member” and forgetting those from the Coalition – but that seems to have changed just lately…. Funniest thing of late was Mark Kenny, on with “Stephanie Hunt, lawyer and Liberal Party member”, Monday night, her whining about The Voice becoming so political, so divisive, about how ‘they’ want solutions to closing the gap, which could include legislation : and Kenny reminding her “You mean over the 9 years that you didn’t do it?”
“… about how ‘they’* want solutions to closing the gap …” :-
‘they’* being Hunt’s Liberal Party/Coalition of course.
yes the CWA nsw Director – I wonder why she cares more about cats killing wildlife but stated declaring indigenous might want some support too ? wonder why a younger woman gets too job at an association which should promote older women in the boss roles ; not just lip service to right wing younger career climbers and ir same blokes in same beards and or suits
basic maths and logic- and avoiding vested interest groups representing business aka Carnell et al should be limited to inform OUR ABC-protection of democracy and not maintain unfair influence over voices and public debate
It’s Monday June 05 :- Zimmerman takes that tally to 33 : 14.
Wednesday June 07 (Baird’s back) and Yabsley’s on = 34 : 14.
Someone several years ago did analysis of The Drum panel, and found something similar; one can never get over how unions are at best avoided, or at worst disappeared, on topics that they are central to employment?
Whether one agrees with unions or not, it’s a terrible sign of authoritarianism and faux freedom of speech in media, that ignores various central players in society, if they challenge the status quo and look after people’s interests?
It’s so elitist and patronising.
The employer class and the “born to rule” – holding forth on what should be done – are far more represented than the ‘lower’ working …. then again Fanning and Baird were the dominant chairs for so long…..
Sad indictment of the Australian people’s ABC following the US and UK modus operandi of running protection for the <1%, censorship and/or suboptimal analysis by omission and dollops of authoritarianism e.g. SLAPPs, to keep both society and our respectful media class in line…
BBC effectively stolen by those who wish to profit from its public providence and cultural quality Experimental creative content ; Monty Python Not Only But Also , Getting On – imagine these getting on now Even Micallef and a feminist activist voices are quashed
UK BBC demise and content manipulation from puppetmaster corporate raiders is being seen here at the ABC
spot on; And not to mention the unfounded premise that the indigenous voice vote is on the decline ! Guess what Jeremy why such a declaration and why listen to Mundine – a man who has mining interests?
The ABC is placed in a double bind, which is one of the strategies used by a powerful parent over a child in a dysfunctional family. On one hand, through the Coalition, the Board and staff are essentially made up of a significant number of Murdoch affiliated people after well regarded quality journalists were moved on. There is an obvious impost on the ABC to ensure that a lot of positive attention is paid to the Coalition, and as other commentators here have written, the evidence is statistically indicated in who is repeatedly brought onto news type programs for political comment and who the guest journalists are affiliated with
Yet what makes the double bind is that the Murdoch media and the Coalition repeatedly castigate the ABC,who obviously are doing their bidding, for not doing their bidding.
Perhaps the only remedy is a complete clean out of Board and management and a minimisation of the number of Newscorp affiliated staff.
In other ways the ABC does very well on bringing beautiful environmental programs, a conscious mention of our indigenous heritage and some great Australian drama and documentary
Hear, Hear!
The ABC has turned into a commercial operation bellowing out everything you’d find at the likes of Fox and Ten. Just rehashed, commercial, boring, brain dead crap.
And don’t get me going about that bloody ad for ABC listen app!!!!!!
Pleaae ABC, get rid of commercialisation and the exec’s behind them.
takenistic – and the ridiculous adverts for witch / vampire B GRADE “dramas” … really poor local fare – where is the genius or Micallef gone – live music for all demograhics – oh yes they were firced to sell the ABC Elsternwick homes to Property developers ; the govt thought that smart move ? wow what cultural vandalism – remember the ex corporate Jonathan who reckoned Kath & Kim was a dud – he moved on back to his business mate culture and Kath& kim / Turner & Riley were permitted to do our thing unmediated by corporate vampires
siv tokenistic
Cheers to Michael Gormly’s comments, eg “As a lifelong fan of the ABC (I’m 70 now) I am distressed at its supine submission to this bullying, regularly sinking to a “false balance” by broadcasting without challenge the views of right-wing cookers.”
it is false balance indeed. Broadcasting disinformation isn’t balance. It’s broadcasting disinformation. I twice wrote to the ABC calling this out during the Voice debate and regard they contributed to the Referendum’s failure. Over and over and over researchers state the importance of labeling it as such and suggest things like stating a false view of x was given by <insert clip> and following up with accurate info to help combat it. I would like the ABC to hire Columbia School of Journalism which seems very on top of this issue to train staff in dealing with disinformation. Zero point in my writing to them over and over and over (started duing covid).