ABC supporters protest outside ABC board meeting, as Turnbull and board duel over cuts
Supporters of the ABC today protested outside the public broadcaster’s headquarters in Ultimo, ahead of board meeting where director of the broadcaster were consider cutting key programs such as Lateline.
Jonathan Holmes speaking at the ABC rally. Source: Get Up
The rally was attended by more than 300 supporters and staff from the broadcaster, with the ABC’s Quentin Dempster telling the audience about the importance of the Lateline program, and Jonathan Holmes speaking about his online petition, which garnered 57,000 signatures in less than 48 hours.
Holmes also attempted to present the board with the petition urging the not to cut Lateline or any other current affairs programming, but was not allowed into the board meeting.
The cuts are being made after the government slashed the broadcaster’s budget in May, and the protest comes just a day after the Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull took aim at suggestions the board might seek to cut key programs like Lateline or children’s program Peppa Pig.
“It is wrong to draw a link between budget cuts, back office savings and the ABC’s potential axing of Lateline. Those programming decisions are for the ABC board, not the Government,” wrote Turnbull in a piece on the Drum and his personal blog.
“Suggestions that popular programmes or services are at risk because of budget savings are not credible. The savings sought from the ABC are not of a scale that will require reductions in programme expenditure.”
In response the ABC issued a statement saying: “The ABC board has an obligation to ensure the corporation runs efficiently and effectively but also to reinvest in its future. In the past, the ABC has used efficiency savings to fund its new digital initiatives like iView and a string of other mobile and online services.
“Government cuts mean efficiency savings will now go to Canberra, and reinvestment funds will have to come from somewhere else. The investment in news has enhanced ABC news coverage, particularly in regional areas.”
The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU), which represents many ABC employees, also issued a statement this afternoon urging the government to reveal the size and extent of the proposed ABC cuts.
“Malcolm Turnbull needs to put his cards on the table and tell the ABC and the public the size of the cuts that his Government is planning to inflict on the Corporation,” said Michael Tull, national president of the CPSU.
“He can’t keep reassuring us that the ABC’s programming and quality will not suffer unless he is prepared to reveal just how much of a cut the broadcaster is going to have to absorb.
“The ABC can’t plan for the future if it doesn’t know the size of its budget. Staff are also adamant that any savings that the ABC makes should be used to reinvest back into areas such as programming or innovations, as has happened in the past.”
Nic Christensen
57,000 signatures? You’ll find plenty of duplicates in there!
So what about the 23,940,000 Australians who didn’t sign?
Slash AND burn. Aunty needs the green dream.
Advertising segments of ‘up coming ‘ ABC shows between segments on ABC is now almost as bad as commercial stations.
This is only station left we thought , without commercial advertising.
It is very noticeable ‘ABC’ “advertising for long periods, has already jumped on the bandwagon.
Is it time get rid of the TV altogether? In the meantime, thank Hod for the remote.
It’s a wonderful opportunity to revamp Lateline which hasn’t really captured anyone’s attention for a few years now. It is a rally important program but needs an adrenaline hit.
The ABC and SBS are the last bastions of critical thinking and critical news coverage in this country. Nothing would please Team Abbott and its corporate sponsors more than silencing them just as they silenced ABC’s Australia Network across south-east Asia
I’m nearly 65, partially disabled, and watch the ABC and SBS, along with European Sport, UK-TV and the BBC on Pay TV (which I will not be able to afford much longer). I find Foxtel SO expensive, and there is NO alternative. Even a 90% reduction in price still provides us with so much rubbish in the Essentials Package +ADVERTS.
The ABC and SBS are all we have left with any decent, creative or critical viewing and destruction of them is spiteful. What are we forced to listen to then SkyNews (opinionated nonsense at night), Channels 7 & 9 and 2CH? I’ll be forced to listen to computer radio forever unless someone can show me how to get BBC & EPL on the computer.
Welcome to the Fascist State. Book Burning will follow as soon as enough Jackbooted Thugs going under the name of state security are brain washed to terrorise any opposition..America is Bankrupt and Capitalism is in its death Throes. Nobody wants to know .They will soon learn as world events demonstrate.WORLD WAR 111 OR WORLD REVOLUTION .TAKE YOUR PICK.ONE OR THE OTHER IS AN ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY. RAY L.
Thank Hughie for an alternative to the corporate driven free to air TV stations. I also love the fabulous content on News Radio, Local ABC, JJJ, Double J and Radio National. Whilst the contrived dullness of reality TV blunts my brain there is invariably something worthwhile on ABC / SBS or the excellent iView service.Sure some of the politics can be a bit left of centre, but a nice alternative to the Terrorgraph, 2GB, Andrew Bolt and co.
I am now an older viewer I have been part of the ABC and SBS story from way back I protested 20 years ago against cuts and I protest again why do I have to keep defending some of the best journo in the country . I hope to remain non racist, listen to intelligent conversation and live by my creed “of do unto others” etc until I pass on I don’t believe other stations TV or radio will back me on th8s creed so I will have to do without both it seems. What a pity and what a tragedy we have regressed I was feeling anxious for what lay ahead anyway, seems I wasn’t far wrong.
Cori & Malcolm,
I believe that your main argument is that the ABC is far more expensive to run than other networks and so it should be trimmed down.
That argument would resonate with me but for one fact. The ABC is not and was never intended to be like other networks. Rather it is intended to be a vital part of democratic government, a part that actually makes democracy possible. The fact that 84% of the people hold the ABC in high esteem is of great significance when seen in the light of the partisan nature of other networks and news channels as it can be safely assumed that they would each be out of favour with about half the population at any point in time BECAUSE of their open bias.
The trust the ABC enjoys, and, its professionalism makes it possible for all of us to obtain information that generally has more creditability than other outlets even if at times it doesn’t fit our individual prejudices. Thus its influence enables the community as a whole to avoid being polarized to such an extent that sensible decisions, that all people can accept even if grudgingly, can no longer be made, .
I would like you to think of the absurd results of such polarization that one sees in USA on certain issues and note that there is nothing there equivalent to the ABC.
In fact what you should be doing is re-doubling your efforts to improve the trust it enjoys and to improve its professionalism, not deprive them of funds that support these attributes.
Alan D
Tiny protest. Get rid of Q & A. Even media watch agree’s it is not balanced. Lefties run the ABC, with some token greens for extra rubbish thrown in.
Another couple of years and the ABC will be gone, then Rupert the yank will have the whole of the Media and news to himself and Alan Jones. Great thinking Libs that will drive forward into a bright future!