ABC launches Q&A radio spin-off hosted by Tracey Holmes

This is just the sort of half baked synergy that I fear from the new CEO. Q&A is a panel show. The radio program is apparently an interview cum talkback segment.
So the abc is spending a bucket of money late at night to mimic a tv show that’s already finished.
Meanwhile radio national is being gutted.
Clueless. Utterly without a clue.

Hi ABC Fan,
I’d argue that it’s worth approaching with an open mind.
To use the TV show topics as a springboard for a discussion on the radio network doesn’t seem a crazy idea.
Don’t forget that ABC NewsRadio will have just broadcast the audio of the TV show so it will make sense to the listeners.
Also (given that it’s the woefully underfunded ABC News Radio), I strongly doubt that they’re spending buckets of money on it. I certainly see no evidence of that in the above announcement.
And my guess is that this one is a bit small to have crossed the new boss Michelle Guthrie’s desk (even if some of the stuff with Radio National does seem a bit hard to understand.). I’d put it down as no more than an interesting experiment.

Cheers,

Tim – Mumbrella

Tim, those little webcams cost a fortune. You can’t get a good one from Officeworks for under a hundred bucks! And think of the broadband bill.

I agree it’s worth a shot.

But the loss of Radio National is a real gut-wrench – there is stuff all else to listen to out in the bush.

Other elements of ABC radio have been cut off by the ABC as of just recently, particularly in remote areas of Australia. I’m not turned on by this and will be turning it off. I wouldn’t come back either. I 100% agree with the ABC fan. Finally to the ABC, can you please come back with something new and a bit more vibrant? After all I’ve just watched Q&A.

All very considered Tim. Will you be turning to radio after Q&A??

Clearly there is a bucket of money. It might not be a huge bucket, but the announcer and producer etc will be paid. If they have that money, why can’t be keep some of the innovative and informative programming Guthrie has hacked from RN?

Guthrie is not a maker of content. She has evidently embraced her HR manager, who also is without experience in making content. Nor is either a technical person. Rather both of them seem to be quite adept at spin. I’d be buying what Guthrie is selling if she had carried through the alleged war on bureaucracy and culled the cardigan army. I’d be thrilled if there was sign of innovation and truly unique content. So far, Stan Grant and a sharp reduction in RN. Meh.

I must admit I gave it a go last night, but went to bed after the Facebook Live feed dropped out five minutes in (not sure whether my end or theirs…)

Cheers,

Tim – Mumbrella

Usually at that time of night News Radio is taking the feed from the BBC World Service which is inevitably going to be far more interesting that the same old boring left v. right arguments about the same old left v. right issues … climate change, asylum seekers, aboriginal rights, gay marriage … yawn inducing. Oh, well, maybe it will put you to sleep.