ABC’s Scott attacks article in News Ltd’s The Australian as ‘ludicrous’

Tim Burrowes

February 9, 2010 4:01

Mark Scott, ABC managing director, has hit back at The Australian’s front page article which claimed the broadcaster had ‘shelved’ a controversial film, describing it is part of News Limited’s persistent attack aimed at scuppering the ABC’s expansion plans.

The News Ltd paper today led its front page with the article “Film ‘shelved’ in ABC China push”, which related to a documentary about Uighur leader Rebiya Kadeer. The paper claimed it may have been pulled by the ABC to promote Scott’s “vision of a ‘soft diplomacy’ role for the public broadcaster”.

Scott responded this morning on the ABC’s Radio National, saying the article was “quite ludicrous”.

He said:

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Tim Burrowes

Tim Burrowes is the publisher of Mumbrella and Unmade. He co-founded Mumbrella in 2008 and sister title Unmade in 2021. He's worked in the UK, Middle East, Asia & Australia and has specialised in writing about the communications world for the last 25 years. He wrote the book Media Unmade, published in 2021, and became the presenter of MediaLand on ABC Radio National in 2025.