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The Forum > Article Comments > What's the task of a public broadcaster? > Comments

What's the task of a public broadcaster? : Comments

By Peter West, published 30/6/2015

ABC, you are supposed to represent all of Australia. Look at yourself and look hard. Don't go into another orgy of indignation and self-congratulation about this recent crisis.

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I cannot agree with the assertion that the government wants the ABC to endorse its policies. The government is not that naive, and the ABC has always hated anything right of centre to the point of mania.

West does, however, point out the ABC's other manias: an unnatural obsession with Muslims, manufactured victims of all kinds, llegal immigrants, and the more hard-bitten and charmless type of feminism. I would add its inability to get 'good help' - I.e presenters.
Posted by ttbn, Tuesday, 30 June 2015 9:54:44 AM
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I agreed with almost everything which Peter West said, except his implication that taxpayer funded government should always oppose government policy.

On the Falklands war, both sides of the question should have been examined on public TV. Although what valid position a peacenik could take in the face of outright aggression against Britain I would like to know. You can hardly blame the commercial press for conveying the anger of the British people when somm banana republic in South America dared to invade their UN recognised territory, shoot at British soldiers, arrest the British governor, and unceremoniously haul down the Union flag.

That is a surprise attack on an unsuspecting and even friendly country. You can not blame the British people for being angry about it, not blame the commercial press for reflecting that anger.
Posted by LEGO, Tuesday, 30 June 2015 5:05:17 PM
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"I agreed with almost everything which Peter West said"

Peter, obviously next time you eat those mushrooms you should consider locking the word processor away first.
Posted by Craig Minns, Tuesday, 30 June 2015 5:09:35 PM
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'We love our ABC - but we'd like it to be a bit more reflective of all the people of Australia." I totally agree with that statement. I only watch ABC, SBS and NITV- the commercial channels are too shallow and loaded with commercialism and neoliberal bias (I wont even get started on the Murdoch propaganda media).

Having spent a year in the United States where the only impartial news radio station NBC has to have a few days a month begging for donations - in a country of 350 million people - I really appreciate our national broadcasters.

But I want ABC to be even better; greater diversity of presenters is needed. Also they should survey viewers as to what they think are the big issues.

PS I really like Q and A and even Paul Kelly said last Monday's session was really good TV. So he should have - he and Tim Wilson - right wing champions - had more than enough opportunity to express their views!
Posted by Roses1, Wednesday, 1 July 2015 12:02:25 AM
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Peter, the people you visit in Western Sydney hospitals aren't watching the ABC any more. And there's no reason why they should, since we've opened up the media fire hose with cable and streaming video, and they can find things to watch that are much more compatible with their tastes. Things that if the ABC tried to duplicate, it would find itself in much deeper doo-doo than from merely giving would-be terrorists air time.

The ABC and public libraries are in the same boat; the services they once were sole providers of -- and generally very good at -- are now available from a thousand others. In a just society their budget would be reduced to reflect their ever-diminishing market share, just as the commercial channels are learning to live with less. Maybe this fracas will start making that happen, though I doubt it. People still love their ABC -- they just don't watch or listen to it.
Posted by Jon J, Wednesday, 1 July 2015 7:07:30 AM
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