Harpodom Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 IPA/Abbott have clearly got it in for the ABC...and now its starting to look quite serious. The ABC appears to be engaging in autocannibalism..... http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/sep/22/abc-looks-at-budget-cuts-to-news-and-current-affairs-on-tv-and-radio?CMP=soc_567 [h=1]Lateline and state-based 7.30 shows face cull in new round of ABC cuts[/h] All eight state-based 7.30 shows, plus 10 specialist Radio National programs among programming targeted for cost-savings ahead of Coalition review ‘We need to think more in terms of genres and audiences, rather than platforms,’ says Mark Scott, managing director of the ABC. Photograph: Tracey Nearmy/AAP Image All eight of the ABC’s state-based 7.30 current affairs shows, 10 specialist Radio National programs, radio news bulletins, radio current affairs and Lateline are to be targeted in a major cull of traditional ABC programming to fund new digital projects. While Leigh Sales hosts a national 7.30 program Monday to Thursday, on Fridays each state and territory broadcasts its own 7.30 program, previously known as Stateline, with a host and a team covering local issues. Abolishing the Friday 7.30 would provoke a huge backlash from the states, as the ABC has already centralised television production in Sydney and Melbourne and the current affairs programs represent the only remaining productions in some states. On Tuesday the ABC board will consider a plan that would save millions by reducing the news and current affairs programs the broadcaster produces – on top of a radical restructure of back-end functions outlined by the Lewis review. Guardian Australia understands that the ABC managing director, Mark Scott, will ask the board to push ahead with cuts to programming ahead of confirmation from the Coalition’s expenditure review committee of the final amount of funding the broadcaster could lose. The communications minister, Malcolm Turnbull, said last week the ABC could still maintain quality while cutting as much as $200m from its budget. As he signalled in a speech last month, Scott is determined to find savings to fund the ABC’s expansion online which he sees as vital if the ABC is to thrive in the digital future. The bulk of the ABC’s $1.1bn budget is spent on television and radio rather than on digital. Scott said in August that “the projected funding cut and demands of operating in a digital media environment” required urgent change in the way the ABC operates. “To meet the future, we will need to contemplate and embrace measures that extend beyond operational efficiencies, forcing real content choices,” he said in the speech at the Queensland University of Technology. However, an increased ABC online presence will antagonise commercial media, much of which see the public broadcaster as taxpayer-funded competition. On the chopping board is the length of ABC radio news bulletins, which would be cut from 10 minutes to just five, as well as current affairs staples such as The World Today, which may be cut in half. But the highest-profile casualty would be Lateline, which has an independent reporting staff of about 12. The argument for axing it is that the ABC cannot sustain two daily current affairs programs, something even the BBC doesn’t do, one source said. If these plans are approved dozens of journalists and program-makers would be made redundant on top of the hundreds of production staff already in the firing line. Broadcasters Jim Middleton, Sean Dorney and Catherine McGrath have already left after they lost their jobs when the Australia Network closed, along with 85 other staff. After the Lewis review, which has not been made public, Scott brought in consultants from PricewaterhouseCoopers to work on the restructure and to find savings. The plan to go to the board on Tuesday is the result of their work, with options drawn up by various divisional heads. “Why Lateline?” one news executive asked. “There is no rationale for it. Is the ABC doing the government’s bidding? Isn’t it brainless to reduce content in preparation for a digital future?” Scott has argued that he was able to innovate by making savings through automation and outsourcing production, enabling services like iView. However, with the government demanding more cuts, he will have to cut programs to continue to innovate. “In many respects, we have an analogue structure, an organisational inheritance that sits uneasily in a digital world,” Scott said last month. “We need to think more in terms of genres and audiences, rather than platforms – make sure we focus on the ABC’s content strengths, genres in which it already leads the way.” The ABC gave Guardian Australia the following statement on Monday night: “Keeping staff informed is our priority. As soon as there is something definite to say our commitment is that we will tell them first. However such discussions would be premature. No decisions have been made.” [h=2]Proposed ABC cuts [/h] • Lateline: axed or stripped to just an interview and headlines and moved to ABCNews24 • State-based 7.30 current affairs TV shows: axed • Radio news bulletins on all networks: cut from 10 minutes to 5 • The World Today radio program: cut in half • Radio National: 10 programs including Bush Telegraph, Rear Vision, 360, Hindsight, Encounter and By Design Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight7 Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 What they should cull is that dreadful Q and A- gets worse each week. What on earth do the ABC expect? They are supposed to present unbiased comment and news. The last 5 years has seen it deteriorate into a farce. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish.01 Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 As the conservative side gets more extreme they see the abc as more and more left wing...in truth it is more often just the right moving further right as they leave traditional Australian politics behind and embrace American conservatism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 As the conservative side gets more extreme they see the abc as more and more left wing...in truth it is more often just the right moving further right as they leave traditional Australian politics behind and embrace American conservatism. What drivel, and even if it is true, still no excuse for the extreme left wing bias of the ABC. There is no evidence that the Liberals are moving to the right, and even less that there is any kind of Aussie 'Tea Party' developing. If anything, the ALP has moved further to the left, judging by the imcompetence of Rudd/Gillard compared to Hawke/Keating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish.01 Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 What drivel, and even if it is true, still no excuse for the extreme left wing bias of the ABC. There is no evidence that the Liberals are moving to the right, and even less that there is any kind of Aussie 'Tea Party' developing. If anything, the ALP has moved further to the left, judging by the imcompetence of Rudd/Gillard compared to Hawke/Keating. Granted, you should be very familiar with drivel. The conservatives of Australia have left traditional liberal party values behind. The evidence is in the proposed legislation and the source of those ideas. The type of more extreme people now being elevated to high positions confirms it. The type of people supporting them confirms it. As the coalition have moved further to the right the ideology has ramped up and up, and the false claims against the abc have increased. Our politics are being hijacked by the failed policies of ideologues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 Turnbull says they can still maintain quality despite saving $200, 000, 000? Well, I'm sure they've got some old episodes of 'I Love Lucy' in the archive, or they could send someone down to JB Hi-fi to pick up a 'Friends' box-set and put those on instead of making programmes which inform, educate and challenge us. It feels like this govt won't be happy until they give Murdoch the level of influence he craves. It can't be long now before that happens. SKY News must be salivating at the thought of 'boots on the ground' in the fight against ISIS. It's like a World Cup, but with corpses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diane Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 Thought QandA tonight was excellent. Educated and articulate women, and Scott Ludlum who I think one day will make an excellent PM - oh hell, why wait till 'one day' - put him in the job now and get the hopeless moron we have currently at the helm out as soon as possible! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 What drivel, and even if it is true, still no excuse for the extreme left wing bias of the ABC. There is no evidence that the Liberals are moving to the right, and even less that there is any kind of Aussie 'Tea Party' developing. If anything, the ALP has moved further to the left, judging by the imcompetence of Rudd/Gillard compared to Hawke/Keating. Seriously Dave?, there are no socialists left son. The 'Loony Left' died in the UK when Kinnock lanced the Militant boil in the mid-80's. You right-wingers are fighting phantoms. It's all about 'the compassionate management of capitalism' and 'the third way' nowadays. If you're scared of Ed Milliband or Bill Shorten re-nationalising the ground you walk on then you've got another thing coming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harpodom Posted September 22, 2014 Author Share Posted September 22, 2014 What drivel, and even if it is true, still no excuse for the extreme left wing bias of the ABC. There is no evidence that the Liberals are moving to the right, and even less that there is any kind of Aussie 'Tea Party' developing. If anything, the ALP has moved further to the left, judging by the imcompetence of Rudd/Gillard compared to Hawke/Keating. Now talking of drivel....that's a fine example. You can barely get a fag paper between the policies of the ALP and the current govt. The only REAL voices of dissent are from the Greens, a few independents and a handful of ALP backbenchers. I shudder to think what Australian TV would be like if they degraded and diminished the ABC's current affairs output: FFS (along with SBS shows like Dateline) its the BEST thing on TV here! What will be left? Repeats of 'Open all Hours'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 Its not on, they are always going on about the ABC and just like not reading Andrew Bolt and his right wing rubbish we can stop listening or watching. Are we a democracy, if we are are we going to stay one under this government. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 Andrew Bolt is awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harpodom Posted September 22, 2014 Author Share Posted September 22, 2014 Andrew Bolt is awesome. I bet you'd love him to be hosting 7.30 parley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harpodom Posted September 22, 2014 Author Share Posted September 22, 2014 Is Bolt even a journalist? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach pig Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 Is Bolt even a journalist? He talks a lot of sense in the tiser paper:wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 I bet you'd love him to be hosting 7.30 parley That would be great. There are places for balance and there are places for bias if you want to call it that. No I wouldn't really tinker with 7.30 it is an excellent program already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 Is Bolt even a journalist? Why don't you 'critically' read some of his articles and find out? He does not just spout conspiracy theory rubbish like they do in Fairfax about Abbott's anti terrorism laws there to cover up his mistakes with the Budget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish.01 Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 He talks a lot of sense in the tiser paper:wink: Constantly only presents one side of the story with disingenuous logic and skewed examples in the courier mail...can we have your version Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 I like the ABC, enjoy listening to James Valentine and Richard Glover every arvo at work. Other programmes are great too, but not Q and A, and the job of the ABC is to report the news from a neutral point of view. The reason the Left hate Bolt so much is that he makes so much sense to most Aussies. If he wrote nonsense, the Left would like him! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 I see Tony is back up in the polls since he started to get tough on terrorism too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harpodom Posted September 22, 2014 Author Share Posted September 22, 2014 I see Tony is back up in the polls since he started to get tough on terrorism too. aah......Distraction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parley Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 Well on the way to re-election it seems. http://www.9news.com.au/national/2014/09/23/00/51/govt-wins-back-support-newspoll Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 I read the Sydney Morning Herald, Daily Tele, and The OZ every day and enjoy them all. The Herald is the home of Australia's ratbags on the letters page though, which I find a bit ironic when I turn to Domain and read in hushed tones about where the City's 'quality' is buying and selling their multi-million dollar homes. The letters page is far to the left of The Guardian, whilst Domain is far to the right of Britain's Daily 'Torygraph!' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish.01 Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 I like the ABC, enjoy listening to James Valentine and Richard Glover every arvo at work. Other programmes are great too, but not Q and A, and the job of the ABC is to report the news from a neutral point of view. The reason the Left hate Bolt so much is that he makes so much sense to most Aussies. If he wrote nonsense, the Left would like him! Most Aussies in your circle maybe Dave, not mine. I dislike him because he uses his intellect to justify his meanness and selfishness rather than to really contribute to solving complex issues that need input from all fair minded people of the left and right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harpodom Posted September 22, 2014 Author Share Posted September 22, 2014 Why don't you 'critically' read some of his articles and find out? He does not just spout conspiracy theory rubbish like they do in Fairfax about Abbott's anti terrorism laws there to cover up his mistakes with the Budget. I've tried watching him on TV and reading his 'journalism' but TBH, he comes across like a petulant teenager, very shouty and pouty, short on substance, big on attitude, especially if that attitude is begrudging any ideas of equality with minority groups. He's a cheerleader for frightened, angry, narrow minded bigots. Not saying he is one himself, but he speaks for them, just like Brandis did when he said 'people have a right to be bigots'. Nah. Put Bolt up against a proper grown up journalist like, say, Virginia Triolli or Kerry O'Brien and the gulf of class would be immense Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted September 22, 2014 Share Posted September 22, 2014 What they should cull is that dreadful Q and A- gets worse each week. What on earth do the ABC expect? They are supposed to present unbiased comment and news. The last 5 years has seen it deteriorate into a farce. What do you Tories want? Total world domination? Q & A has been noticeable in its attempt to bend backwards in order to accommodate the right in recent times. Far from a farce. All too little media in this country presenting balanced views as it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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