The ABC should spend its money on ...

Purple Shoes says:

12:50pm | 25/03/10

“A new channel like fox news. Jeez most in this country have been made dumb like a bag of carrots because of the one sided left wing bias in ALL tv news.”

awesome sense of humour

Bob Marley says:

12:58pm | 25/03/10

What wasted money? I enjoy any channel that does not bend over backwards for Paris Hilton and other B-listed celebs (especially Aussie wannabes) who spend make headlines on 7,9 and 10

Louis McLennan says:

12:59pm | 25/03/10

I feel it needs to put more funds to supporting the ALP. I’m thinking add the 6:30 report and 8:30 report to the line up at night. Maybe give Kerry and Tony some money to run some compulsory classes for everyone at the ABC. Also perhaps another 2 or 3 guests of Tony’s choosing on Q and A. Maybe a bit of merch at the ABC shops. Also a warning if deceased Anglo-Australian’s might be shown or voices heard.

New line (it starts now). Perhaps more programs promoting the Australian culture for kids. Rather than being over run by do-gooders. I think the ABC television is quite good. It has a good all-round mix.

I’ve not listened to much ABC local radio as it’s only playing in the morning and car. I enjoy Saturday night country. The presenters all vary. I think it gives an alright representation of the of the listeners. However, there are times where one can’t help but wonder if some careful planning goes into the messages and callers put on.

Maybe try and boost triple j coverage in rural area’s.

I guess maybe try and save some money. I’m sure there is room to save money and maintain the same quality (it is government after all).

Jordan says:

12:59pm | 25/03/10

Love the ABC. Intelligent, informative, unbiased new reporting. Some really interesting doco’s. ABC, SBS and Ch 10 are the only TV channels presenting progressive programming in Australia. The ABCs advancements in digital content is outstanding. Ch 7 & 9 should be retitled “Women’s Weekly 7” and “New Idea 9”. They both churn out utter trash.

Andrew says:

12:55pm | 25/03/10

The ABC is not duplicating the work of the private sector; it is providing an essential alternative to the lowest-common-denominator, filthy-with-advertising, low-quality tripe the commercial sector prefers. On the advertising front alone, the ABC will always be at least one third better than any commercial channel, as “38 Minutes” proves.

tommo says:

01:01pm | 25/03/10

The ALP woops i mean the ABC is a waste of money…

Katie says:

01:01pm | 25/03/10

The ABC is doing a great job just as it is, good mix of news and entertainment and really good commentators.

Matt says:

01:01pm | 25/03/10

The government should stop wasting tax-payer dollars on commercial advertising and use the ABC for this info instead.  I disagree with ABC’s need to be more intellectual than commercial stations - it should be more appealing mainstream Australia, rather than just targeting a minority of the population.

CK says:

01:01pm | 25/03/10

They have the right idea, they just need more of it.  There are some awesome comedians and drama writers out there, they need to be given more chance, and the ABC is the best place for them.  The other channels can OD on cop shows and tacky sit coms, let the ABC do more of the intelligent and innovative stuff.

playa won says:

01:01pm | 25/03/10

less ‘delegates’ (aka freeloaders) at industry conferences such as aus doco convention, MIPCOMM, Cannes. Only 1 or 2 is required, not the usual 6-8. No Joke, Ive seen it myself…same goes for SBS while were at it.

Daniel says:

12:57pm | 25/03/10

Everything it is currently spending it on. ABC is ten leagues above anything the commercial stations foist upon the public.

Bill says:

12:57pm | 25/03/10

“In a media rich environment there should be no need for a state funded broadcaster. The ABC should be abolished.”

Oh please.  It is the only free to air station that has any credibility whatsoever…and that is exactly why it was created and should remain.  “Free Press” should also incorporate freedom from agendas of media moguls too.

We are rich indeed in other media as long as you consider drivel such as ACA as having any value at all.

Steve says:

01:03pm | 25/03/10

More CSI shows.. NOT!  Keep the ABC as is

Mark says:

01:04pm | 25/03/10

A journalistic series highlighting environmental issues, but looking equally at the threats faced by specific environments and the positive steps being taken in others.

John Paladin says:

01:05pm | 25/03/10

I tend to think that the ABC does a pretty good job by and large, but could perhaps do better.
One of the best shows on tv - Breaking Bad - was shown on ABC2 recently. I would love to see them pick up even more of the quality English language shows from around the world that aren’t picked up by the commercials because of possible niche appeal.
I would also cut Sunday Arts as a waste of time and (admittedly relatively little) money but I guess since an important part of their mandate is to show stuff that appeals to a smaller market that the commercials won’t cater for I need to take the good with the not-so.

Patricia says:

01:05pm | 25/03/10

keep the format and build on it more! The kids channels are great.  The Uk content is also really good. Maybe a documentary style channel to complement whats already on and the news channel should keep to good qulaity professional journalism as we are used to with both local and international content/

Nick says:

01:06pm | 25/03/10

The ABC should setup a daily tabloid newspaper in each major Australian city. I hear it’s a profitable business.

Chris says:

01:07pm | 25/03/10

Keep on as you are.

More funds to enable more local dramas should be made available, IMO.

The same for growing Australian comedians.

There is nothing on the commercial channels that appeals to anyone in my home.

Dave says:

01:02pm | 25/03/10

More Leigh Sales! More Leigh Sales! More Leigh Sales!

Mark says:

01:08pm | 25/03/10

1. Provision Kerry O’Brien with a variable current electrode set to fry party hacks who avoid the question (and no rubber soles allowed!).

2. A worm.

3. A cape for Peter Cundall

S says:

01:08pm | 25/03/10

Information is too important to be left in the hands of a failing business model, so let the ABC give us news, and stop bitching about how they’re so damn good at it no-one can compete. Then commercial TV can focus on what it does best ... works of art like the Matty Johns Show, and anything involving weight loss or instant celebrity (or ideally both).

Matis says:

01:02pm | 25/03/10

More well funded investigative journalism & documentaries.

You will never find commercial stations working well in these areas – there is always some sponsor or bean counter to jerk their chains.

Adam says:

01:04pm | 25/03/10

The ABC does not duplicate the work of the private sector to any large extent. Show me a commercial network with the depth and breadth of news, documentaries and international programming that the ABC offers.

Young ABC viewer says:

01:04pm | 25/03/10

The first and most important element of the ABC must surely benews and currant affairs content without the bias of commercial interest.

The second objective of australian content.

Surely this has risien not as a result of ‘new media’ but because media outlets want to charge for online content and the free ABC news would render there business models unviable. Also, the ABC has had some very successful TV content recently and the commercial networks and pay TV really don’t like loosing the younger viewers to the ABC.

Weary says:

01:10pm | 25/03/10

It should just re-run episodes of Idol and Big Brother, from previous seasons, over and over.  Period.  If we don’t support these show they may not last, and that terrifies me as much as it terrifies other talentless imbeciles who crave fame despite the notable handicap of having no talent whatsoever.

Sam says:

01:11pm | 25/03/10

Real news from the ABC unlike the news from commercial TV which is crap.
Particularly like Lateline & Landline.

Vic says:

01:06pm | 25/03/10

1. Providing strong, vibrant competition to News Ltd, Fairfax etc in all areas of new content. For all it’s flaws, it’s the independent voice that a democracy needs. 2. Extending Media Watch to 30 minutes. 3. Getting rid of all the low quality British stuff.

ryan says:

01:12pm | 25/03/10

abc is a top rate television,its commentry are unbiased, and the journalist are arereally good,just take a lok at media watch providing some of insight into some of other so called journalistic-put them into shame.

Shan says:

01:16pm | 25/03/10

Leave the ABC alone! They do a fantastic job offering good programming that from what I’ve seen provides factual information with the opportunities for reporters to provide non-purchased opinions on interesting topics.

Marke says:

01:11pm | 25/03/10

The best news on TV is on SBS. So why don’t we just rebroadcast this on the ABC?  I also think the left wing political bias of the ABC’s current affairs journalists is unprofessional. Tony Jones and to a lesser extent Barrie Cassidy and Kerry O’Brien please take note.

Anthony says:

01:18pm | 25/03/10

I have to agree that it is time to be abolished.  The ABC is funded by the taxpayer and as such should be neutral and have no barrows to push. You go to school and have socialist propaganda rammed into your head then turn on the ABC for more of the same.

Malcolm Buchanan says:

01:20pm | 25/03/10

Leave the ABC alone.  Let them be creative, developmental, meet a particular clientele that doesn’t like the claptrap of 30 sec grabs that skew perceptions.

You can’t help but notice that after the ABC has shown/developed programs, the commercials pick them up to meet a different clientele.
This demonstrates a lack of vision by commercials.

Commercials will follow the crowd.  They won’t lead the way.

Trowzers says:

01:24pm | 25/03/10

I’d like them to have a regular daytime timeslot where they show old documentaries to show us how we got where we are now (not just ABC documentaries either).  Even if they are out of date or misinformed - then a short panel show afterwards discussing them.  Maybe rescreen Walkley award winning docos as part of this.  Put this up in the Judge Judy/Days of Our Lives timeslot.
Other than that - keep doing what you they doing!  ABC is my ‘default’ channel.  Very, very rarely do I watch the commercial channels these days and then usually only for one specific show like House.  If the ABC is not showing something I’m interested in- I usually end up turning the TV off!  How could I think that ABC TV is ‘duplicating mainstream TV’ when the ‘mainstream’ stuff is so generally distasteful and repetitive?

jay says:

01:27pm | 25/03/10

This whole agenda is just being pushed by Rupert having a gripe with the BBC, ABC etc. How is he going to charge for his ‘quality and innovative’ journalism, when state broadcasters churn it out for free (well from our tax dollars)?

Sam says:

01:28pm | 25/03/10

I only watch ABC lateline and not the commercial networks’. ABC is worth anything

Jarrod says:

01:23pm | 25/03/10

The ABC is the channel which is on most of the time when the television is on in our house. Years ago I abandoned the commercial networks due to their erratic scheduling of programs and tendency to play things out of order. I now watch the programs I want on dvd or other means with out the excessive amounts of advertising whenever I want, like most of other people I know. The ABC is the one channel which show programs which actually make you thing and more importantly *want* to watch week in week out.

The ABC have made all the right moves to retain their audience. Showing a wide selection of programs appealing to most parts of our community. With the launch of the digital ABC channels, they are moving into the same kind of model as the BBC uses in the UK. Their iView service is second to none in relation to web based content to the other Australian networks (who else deals with our isp’s to work out deals which makes data from iView not count towards our caps). As far as I’m concerned, my tax dollars are being well spent.

My only criticism would be more programs giving up and coming Australian actors, comedians and musicians a chance to reach a larger audience. And no, that does not mean ‘reality’ programming.

Barny says:

01:31pm | 25/03/10

I would like to see a politics news channel that cover state and federal politics right around Australia as well as major developments around the world. Also I think some televised footage of court proccedings should be available on T.V so people can gain an appreciation of how the Australian justice system works.

James1 says:

01:29pm | 25/03/10

Buying more shows the The Wire, Breaking Bad, and HBO series, so that the commercial stations don’t show them in the middle of the night, and cancel and shift time slots sporadically.  What we need is quality drama - who cares where it was made?

John says:

01:36pm | 25/03/10

Leave the ABC alone. It provides a wide range of programmes to suit every taste. Look at the number of shows the ABC have run which have been either bought off or rerun by the commercials, especially the comedy shows. Non of the commercials have a programme as good as Foreign Correspondent or 4 Corners or even a programme like Talking Heads which is one of the best face to face talk shows around. If you have a complaint just let Media Watch know, they will follow it up. You can see the rip off shows on commercial which try to beat shows like Can We Help. The ABC suits me and millions of other Australians, leave it alone and keep up the funding.

Saurabh Das says:

01:35pm | 25/03/10

As long as the continue to spend money on “ABC Dig Jazz” I’ll be happy. (http://abcjazz.net.au/)

Dig Jazz is Awesome…

Simple says:

01:42pm | 25/03/10

This must be for the really simple people?
How ABC spend it on tax practices of News and its subs

Wasted money is Foxtel and rest of News LTD journalists *cough*

Panda eyes says:

01:45pm | 25/03/10

PSB’s by definition should supplement commercial mass broadcasts and not compete with them. They should focus on meeting the needs of minorities and highlighting the plight of the disenfranchised.

By the way, the headline on News.com.au is grammatically incorrect. It should read “If it WERE your ABC” and not “If it WAS your ABC”.  Maybe this is a good example of private and public media.

Mel of Adelaide says:

01:46pm | 25/03/10

The private sector has not been able to replicate the quality of the ABC

Alex says:

01:47pm | 25/03/10

I am really pleased with the current ABC content. I’m sure it will need modification and updates over time but nothing drastic as far as I am concerned.
It would be a tragedy if the ABC was forced to show the inane content that is currently on commercial TV.

Bogan says:

01:47pm | 25/03/10

Yep, down with the ABC. If it were up to me, I’d ...
* Get rid of Kerry O’Brien and Tony Jones and have Peter Overton and Paul “Fatty” Vautin handle the serious interviews.
* Drop Four Corners and encourage Today Tonight and ACA to run for an hour each.
* Sh-t-can Spicks and Specks and give Richard Wilkins his own music quiz show.
* Drop Foriegn Correspondent and add a new reporter to Getaway.
* Axe Media Watch and ... ahhh, actually, that poses a problem.
* Fold Lateline and have the commercial stations air their brilliant phone-sex fantasy ads a little earlier.

Eric says:

01:48pm | 25/03/10

Expanding shows like Mediawatch.

BaSH PR0MPT says:

01:49pm | 25/03/10

Hiring awesome bloggers like me who cover games and technology along with random op ed and vox pop stories! 140k demographic reach, ahuh, yeah baby. You can’t BUY my cult following.

Sam says:

01:52pm | 25/03/10

It really isn’t worth watching any commercial channel for current affairs or news.

No commercial network takes its journalism seriously anymore.  They are purely for entertainment and for advertising revenue - not to be taken seriously.

heather says:

01:53pm | 25/03/10

ABC local content is great, especially the comedy, but for god’s sake, don’t let the PC mob get hold of it, or it will end up like 9 or 7. And get rid of all those awful British TV programs; impenentrable gibberish most of them.

Ben H says:

01:56pm | 25/03/10

I like the non-commercial manner in which the ABC produces its news and current affairs. News can’t be news when there is money involved; it becomes tainted and biased, and often tries to pass-off advertising and/or business/political agendas as objective, rational and balanced reporting. If I could write the law, there would be no commercial networks, and all advertising - except having your business name and number in the phone book - would be banned. The ABC never advertises, but it does seem to be somewhat dominated by the left on issues of religion and morality.

Jason says:

01:55pm | 25/03/10

How ironic for Rupert Murdoch to attack one of the best media sources in the country.

He really has no idea, after squeezing journalism for all its worth.  And after sleazy tabloid media profits got thumped by the internet, he goes running to paywalls.  But he understands so little.

Joe says:

02:04pm | 25/03/10

I find the ABC is not only the most educational channel on T.V its also the most entertaining. Don’t change nothing. This could be a recipe for a bigger disaster.

Em & Em says:

02:05pm | 25/03/10

It’s comforting to know the commercial stations are pulling out their “tax payers’” angle as their reason for thwarting the ABC.  It must mean the ABC will be more than adequate competition to the tripe they call news on the other channels.  Long live the ABC.

Paul says:

02:08pm | 25/03/10

Careful kiddies, this article isn’t about serious discussion. Rupert Murdoch (owner of this website), has made it quite clear, and on numerous occasions that he’d like to see the ABC vanish into thin air.

If our pollies weren’t so desperate for their 30 second grab on one of Ruperts networks, questioning the relevance of the ABC would be the thing that vanishes.

David says:

02:14pm | 25/03/10

Original Australian Drama, and not the generic Cop/Doctor/Suburban Drama, Something that Australia hasn’t seen before

JTH says:

02:16pm | 25/03/10

Why does the ABC broadcast things like Footy for example when it is already on several other radio stations?

IANB says:

02:19pm | 25/03/10

The drivers for this type of campaining are from those with a commercial Interest.  This is a logical campaign, in that it has very commercial roots because it is a good outcome to reduce the quality content output from other broadcasters and competitors. Lachlan Murdoch was on the podium in Scotland only last year complaining about the BBC’s unfair advantage in that they have too much content.  It’s no so much unfair and a flaw of the system, it’s just a historical fact that they own the output of > 50 years of broadcasting.
This debate is driven from this very commercial view and completely ignores the topic of bias and conflict of interest.
Every successful democracy has had incorporated within its structure the need balance power and it’s misuse.
I think the same applies here, and their are plenty of examples in this sphere where it has been shown that their are numerous possibilities for a conflict of interest, and, because content is now far more important than the specific broadcasting medium ( think how you get pelted with the same news on newpapers,TV, phone & Internet) then it is even more important that we do our best to keep the balance.
The concentration of the different mediums is also a real concern as there are real commercial drivers to pump the same content out to all the various channels without any additonal cost ; read human intervention and variation. If in the end you could have a small clique determining all the content on all the channels ,yoiks!

I’ll bet my bottom dollar I know which news that Lachaln’s Dad watches when he’s in town.
Vive la différence

Simon says:

02:15pm | 25/03/10

The best thing you could do for the ABC is to leave it alone! Aside from SBS, they are the only independent channel we have!

This country can’t afford to be dominated by rubbish like A Current Affair, Today Tonight or Channel 10 (Generation Y) news.

The ABC should continue to spend its $$$ on making shows available via iView and embracing new technology like their iPhone app. They are WAY more advanced than Ch 7 and Ch9 who are still churning out crap like a cheese factory.

How many more reality, dance, cook, fat, sing shows can we make in this country? That’s Australian TV for you.

notsurprised says:

02:18pm | 25/03/10

This is a fact. The ABC is just one of the many government bodies that frivilously waste taxpayer money in order to justify their budgets. Initiative to save money is not promoted because departments need to justify their high costs in order to secure the same, if not more, money the following year. This is how the system has been functioning for years. I know of one person at the ABC who had the idea of selling redundant video equipment to try to recoup some costs, only to be told to forget it because it wasn’t in their (collective) interests. Often the ABC would aquire new equipment when it wasn’t necessary for just this reason. Aren’t you happy that your hard earned tax is being put to good use?

Peter says:

02:24pm | 25/03/10

Lose all the spruiking lefties and their insufferable agendas. Until that happens, I refuse to watch (or listen to) the ABC

Michael_S says:

02:25pm | 25/03/10

...Yes, and Australia needs more endless dumb coverage of Lara Bingle and any other moronic celebs.

ABC and SBS have become the only news I watch because I got so sick of celebs being covered by other news sources. We only have PayTV for sports and documentaries. The rest is all endless repeats…How many times can you really watch Gilmore Girls, Simpsons, etc?

Lachlan says:

02:31pm | 25/03/10

The ABC runs good programming you can’t - and wouldn’t see - on commercial television, due to the profit motive. I watched a great Australian documentary the other night about a photographer on Lake Eyre. No commercial channel would have screened it, but it was absolutely amazing.

That’s what the ABC is good for - it does its job well and it’s well resourced. I think the 24 hour news network is a great idea too, because people who can’t afford pay tv don’t have a 24 hour news network.  Plus, there are some areas of Australia where distances and infrastructure costs compared to viewers wouldn’t support a number of privately owned broadcasters - the ABC is really important in rural and regional australia, for example.

Scott says:

02:40pm | 25/03/10

More infrastructure for its news team.

An award winning news service and its Journalists in the field can’t get a Logo raincoat or a decent link to the office through which to broadcast breaking news.

The commercials can manage it…Why can’t the publicly funded ABC?

Nicholas says:

02:36pm | 25/03/10

SBS AND ABC is the ONLY quality TV available! If anyone touches them…they will have to mess with me first. I get angry when people touch my ABC!

Gus says:

02:47pm | 25/03/10

Its not the ALP’s ABC money to spend - its ours. Start by paying our the current contracts of the bunch of rabid left wing global warming alarmist, left wing, Labor loving, one eyed, narrow minded, idealogical driven so called journalists, and do it now. Once thats done, find new fair minded people to host, 7.30 Report, Lateline, Q&A, Insiders etc, and get back to the basics of reporting news and current affairs with balanced opinion pieces. I used to enjoy the ABC and wander in to have a look now and then - I then reach for the remote soon as Red Kerry or Jones opens their mouth. Must be some stupid form of self torture I put myself through!!  Or we could just save money and privatise the ABC and save the taxpayer heaps, which would be a much better and cheaper solution.

Angus says:

02:41pm | 25/03/10

We need the ABC to provide a standard that none of the commercial networks could ever provide. I view the ABC with the highest regard, especially in terms of their attitude towards journalism. I know they can sometimes put out some boring stuff which you have to question, but what other network doesn’t? They are very dedicated to providing unbiased, comprehensive coverage on issues that ACTUALLY affect the people and culture of Australia. News Limited needs to lay off, I’m happy for my tax dollars to go towards something even if I don’t watch it, but know how important it is!

Pendulum says:

02:49pm | 25/03/10

The one thing the Conservatives do MUCH better than Labor who are geneuinely trying to get on with the incredibly difficult task of fixing eleven wasted years of neglect in critical areas of public health, mental health, dental health, public education, disabilities and environment….is play/manipulate/control the media.

Daily our country is bombarded with right wing froth from 7, 9 and 10, the shock jocks, Jones, Sattler and the like. Joe Hockey, Tony Abbot - kings of hype over substance and about as much positive policy as an empty plastic bag.

The commercial media is about as factual and substantial in their political analysis as yosemite sam - without the ABC and SBS we may as well all go and live in Saudi Arabia as if/when the right wingers like Mr Abbot and Co get there way - there will be little difference.

Tegan says:

02:50pm | 25/03/10

The ABC might swing more with the left wing of politics, but because of the ABC ACT 1983, IT IS EDITORIALLY INDEPENDANT.

Not everyone would agree with the programming or financing of the ABC but the ABC is crucial to the development of Australian Arts. Many shows that wouldn’t have been given a chance on commercial networks, have become a great success with the guidance of the ABC. Not to mention that if you want a new story with any substance then usually your only option is The ABC.

I would much rather my tax money go to funding a network that doesn’t ram adverts down my kids throats to pay for an American television program and ‘report’ on Brad and Angelina’s relationship status or botched up boob jobs. We need at least one other option.

codeturner says:

02:46pm | 25/03/10

Information is power.  That fact alone should be enough to dissuade anyone from abolishing national broadcasting body.  It is the only line of defense agains comercial broadcasters whose job is to increase shareholder wealth, often at the expense of the truth and certainly the taste. The comercial broadcasters have their place in the media mix just as the national broadcaster has and removing either would skew the picture in the favour of the remainig camp.  To right wing orientated - “Profit over substance” is not a good recepe for smart population.  To left wing orientated - not all problems are caused by “profit chasers”.  To the rest - “vote with your remotes”.

P. Darvio says:

02:46pm | 25/03/10

Americans put a Man on the Moon for 8 cents a day per citizen over the life of the Apollo Program. Wasn’t the ABC’s catch cry that it only cost the taxpayer each “8 cents a day”? So my question to the ABC is when are they putting a man on the Moon?

jay says:

02:48pm | 25/03/10

The ABC should invest in those things that most scurrilous Australian news media fail to invest in .... quality news and journalism.

Nathan says:

02:49pm | 25/03/10

I propose they hand it back. Firstly, it’s not their money, it’s OUR money (sorry Penbo). I don’t think we really need the ABC. If anyone wants such a thing, they can purchase such a thing, be it recycled BBC shows or Lefty, editorialised ‘news’. The advertising-assisted networks provide enough colour and movement for the mouth-breathers, and everyone else who has a job can decide what additional content they want to buy with the money they get from a tax cut. Perhaps it could go on healthcare, if they see fit. After all, its our money.

David Hallam says:

02:53pm | 25/03/10

ABC great, especially “I View” where there are really great shows to watch in my time and thedownloads on the ABC national- Great !.  Better than BBC and CNN.  Keep up the leading edge stuff

Blink says:

03:00pm | 25/03/10

How about some fair and balanced news and current affairs?  Getting rid of media watch or at least making it impartial?  At the moment the only worthwhile things on the ABC are the kids shows that keep my kids entertained on the rare occasions they actually watch it.

Spectoral says:

03:00pm | 25/03/10

Sitcoms. ABC is not just about News. It’s about Aussie entertainment that we can then export. Invest ABC money into quality Australian sitcoms like the BBC do! I’m sick of a) Yet another Crime show, and b) All the clones of game shows, panel shows, recycled out-of-work comedian talkshows and novelty shows. They are cheap, repetitive and wasteful of proper talent and timeslots. How about a thinktank of creative writers and some great COMEDIES? Why can’t we have our own “The IT Crowd” / “Father Ted” etc… no proper sitcoms since Hey Dad!? Btw, no more Aussie Battler stories. Get some original ideas!

Clara says:

03:07pm | 25/03/10

“Holier than now”? Oh dear.
If some of you ABC haters would actually tune in to the occasional 7:30 Report or Lateline, rather than the latest episode of Australia’s Fattest Idiot, maybe we’d have a slightly better-informed populace. Don’t worry, I’m sure the occasional episode is not going to turn you into a raging Communist.

Scott W says:

03:05pm | 25/03/10

ABC has proved itself as an innovator and ahead of the curve in recent years. They provide real news, they discuss the real issues in there current affair programs, they provide an alternative to Americanised TV programs and your not bombarded with advertising like we are in almost every other form of media. To top it off there ‘iview’ website is better than any other Australian tv stations alternative. I would prefer not to be fed the dribble that the other stations come up with. The only reason not to watch the ABC or SBS is if you want to watch sports that the larger stations have secured. At the end of the day people will complain because the ABC is not like the other stations but that’s exactly why we need to keep it.

xenu says:

03:28pm | 25/03/10

Why has the ABC spent $1.5 million in 4 years on 4 different versions of a project to replace it’s web content management system? This included a junket overseas to Europe so that managers could see various vendor systems working. Whats to see working in a web page that can’t be demonstrated on a laptop?
Spend my money better than this.

Steve says:

03:47pm | 25/03/10

1) 24 Hour news channel
2) More Aussie made shows that aren’t a so called “reality show” (hardly reality)
3) Locally made documentaries.  Not just nature Doco’s either, have a wide variety.
4) A big production show.  There is no show made in Australia right now, by any network which expresses Aussie culture AND has a story too it.  Only problem is many Aussies don’t seem to know our own culture.  Yet at the same time no producer seems willing to take a risk.  So lets see if someone can have an entertaining big production (lots of money/actors/resources) kind of show.  Try floating some original ideas.  Basically do something the commercial stations wouldn’t try. ...gee thinking back to #3, I can think of Doco’s that the no one would make, how about suppressed cultures and ideas…like ..umm.. Nimbin…  lol.. no one would do that would they?  (That’s out there in left field)  Or a comedy show based on it… There’s one, how about a comedy show on a Principality in oz, Australia has more Principalities than any other country.  There’s 2, ... try a story line that’s completely original but also based on something that happens in Australia, and could also be made entertaining, it’s not hard just take a risk!  There are lots of Unique thinks in Oz, it always annoys me people seem to judge what would/wouldn’t work by looking through glasses fogged up with lots of American TV.  Otherwise its just Outback stuff…  No wonder the rest of the world thinks we have no culture.  Cause we can’t even find it on our own on TV!

Amanda says:

03:49pm | 25/03/10

Hardcore investigative journalism. After all, no other media spends money on it anymore.

Freeman says:

04:00pm | 25/03/10

it seems that the ABC has reporters on overseas junkets all the time. much more so that privately owned media. they always cross to such and such africa, joe blow in spain, someone else in greece, it must be a good gig and it must cost a bomb.
but my biggest problem with ABC is the ideology and objectiveness of it’s news reporting. some of the posters on this thread can’t seem to see this, and this is likely because those who can’t see the ABC’s bias agree with it.
you just have to look at the 4 corners hour long attack on tony abbott to see it. you’d think it was a crime to be catholic! they constantly attack the libs and were the major pushers of the “children overboard” story for months but illegal boat people barely get a mention now.  their bias is best shown in what they choose to report. now ALL media is biased, but the ABC is publicly owned and funded and should be unbiased .How dare they use public money to push their own agenda!

Sam Chowder says:

04:22pm | 25/03/10

An iron for Kerry O’briens skin - Full HD TV is not kind.

John T says:

04:57pm | 25/03/10

1. 24 hour News channel with international, national and local coverage, even if the latter requires separate state/regional programs.

2. A website where news stories, especially local news stories don’t disappear without trace

3. A better search engine which allows easier retrieval of stories from the archives.

4. Archiving all news stories (video and text only)  online indefinitely.

5. Rebroadcasting APAC or, if that not possible, broadcasting of parliament (and committees thereof) .

6. Allowing ads (as BBC World News does) where programs are transmitted or available online in overseas markets.

Shelley says:

12:31am | 26/03/10

Before the ABC worry too much about their plan for world domination it’d be nice if they could figure out a way for people in Australia to receive their broadcasts when the wind blows. The quality of the ABC Breakfast show is a joke both for it’s poor reception and it’s poor presentation. It’s got about an hour max of worthwhile content if you’re really generous . The rest is repeats. And the presenters leave a hell of a lot to be desired. 
Before I became aware of the left lean on the ABC I was horrified by a couple of segments I happened to catch of 7.30 Report, Lateline, and Q&A. Now I can’t be bothered with the dribble they produce.
The dribble Greens member Clive over on The Drum is allowed to publish unchecked is also a disgrace. The cancellation of a couple of rights of reply the Drum had commissioned was a very poor show . The Drum is not Hamiltons personal political soapbox.
And I agree with xenu. Why the heck do the ABC need overseas jaunts to check out web pages?
It’s about time this taxpayer funded corporation had to prove itself viable by showing a larger viewing audience. Especially before any more funding was tipped into it unquestioningly.

Shelley says:

12:54am | 26/03/10

What he said.

A snippet from The ABC’s waste of money on nothing new or original

Most noticeable has been the steady decline in the intellectual content of the ABC’s programming. Ironically the ABC shows much less Australian content than the commercial channels, whilst we all recall Sea Change with affection it didn’t represent a distinguished period in the ABC in local output and the ABC has not yet recovered to levels of Australian output it had in the 70’s. It’s difficult to visit a seaside or country town these days without being an unwitting extra in an ABC ‘drama’ from that memorable series. But where is the volume we need of truly high-quality Australian programming? Where are the serious Australian-made documentaries, drama, mini-series and performance art programs on the ABC? You can still find them, but they’re fewer and further between than they should be especially given the current massive increased level of ABC funding.

What viewers want and deserve and should be getting for their ABC taxes is superior, content and a capital A in terms of national programming. There should be more dramatized novels, more serious discussion of books and science, and more edgy ABC-made versions of, The Wire and Mad Men.  This—improving content quality and scope —is where the ABC should be spending the $137 million in extra funding it is getting from the Federal Government.

Daniel says:

07:51am | 26/03/10

They need a better news website. The layout of the current is shocking.

Justin Turner says:

08:14am | 26/03/10

Less niche broadcasting/programming, particularly when it’s at the expense of things that would be listened to or watched by more than 17 people & a dog.

Digital radio is an area that strikes me as out of balance. Dig, Dig Jazz & Dig Country - how many people are actually listening to these services? At the same time there’s a struggle to broadcast all the sporting events the ABC covers because they are limited to Grandstand & (sometimes) Grandstand 2.

One the claimed benefits of digital was that Local radio would be able to carry alternate programming on the digital version of the station (e.g. 702 Digital in Sydney) while sporting events were being covered. Due to the limit of 2 Grandstand channels, Local digital has to carry the sport too when there are 3 events to cover (e.g. Saturday night in Sydney - league, union & AFL).

Leaving aside the fact that SBS was given way too much digital bandwidth at the expense of the ABC, the ABC must use what it has for the benefit of most Australians, not just small groups.

Shelley says:

10:44am | 26/03/10

The ABC has a problem. This comment for example lifted from

http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/column_nowhere_to_put_all_those_new_australians/

I was listening to ABC radio today and the presenters had Bernard Salt (the demographer) on but only referred briefly to the academic Bob Birrell (who opposes a larger Australia)in their discussion.

Needless to say, it was a very shallow interview with the consensus being that any opposition to a ‘big Australia’ would be racist in nature. They even started the discussion by stating what they wouldn’t discuss or where they wouldn’t go. ie: the social cohesiveness or lack thereof from large scale immigration.

If this is the calibre of such an important topic in our taxpayer funded media, I’d be surprised if the debate even ventured outside the parameters of the economic or environmental costs associated with mass immigration.

The elite sections seem to be deliberately ignoring the symptoms now apparent in Europe, of such massive, unprecedented immigration.
Nicholas of Melbourne (Reply)
Fri 26 Mar 10 (12:59am)

Ross says:

11:34am | 26/03/10

The ABC is by far the best broadcaster in the business, how could anyone compare the commercial networks to the ABC. The ABC actively monitor for bias. Tell me when the other networks did that, or for that matter put entertainment up there with product flogging as important. There push for profit gives us pap like repeats of Green Acres and Gilligan’s Island. The only new programs invested in on commercial networks are so called reality TV or crime from USA .so they can make us as brain dead as Americans. Let the ABC spend its budget as it sees fit and increase it if you want to support Australian drama..

Guy Littleford says:

07:49pm | 26/03/10

We damage our ABC and SBS at our peril!

Mark says:

04:15pm | 29/03/10

If anything, the ABC should have their budget doubled, while we need to ensure that even though remaining publicly funded, it should remain a couple more arm lengths away from the government. I’d also like if they were not so heavily criticised if they tried to push the boundaries (e.g. the chaser fiasco). In terms of taxpayer dollars, we’re not paying much for it per capita. The traditional players in the industry are going downhill from falling revenue and the quality of their reports also deteriorating. Who’s with me?

thomas vesely says:

06:02am | 30/03/10

a better DAB+ signal,my new radio is constantly dropping the signal.(box hill victoria)

Chris Johnson says:

03:18pm | 06/04/10

Recovery!
Bring back the Saturday morning Recovery session on ABC TV, with established and up and coming acts alternating as house band.  Re-boot is with new talent.  Look at where the previous generation ended up.  Dylan Lewis, Angus Sampson and most successfully Leigh Wannell.
Other than that, how about a Saturday late night show for new talent to gain exposure.