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The Forum > Article Comments > The ABC's centre of gravity > Comments

The ABC's centre of gravity : Comments

By Douglas Kirsner, published 9/4/2008

It is not the job of the ABC to act as a counterweight to other media or mainstream ideologies perceived to be too right wing.

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Also, I think citing Nick Cohen as an authority on the state of public institutional culture is pretty weak sauce, given that he’s been engaged in such a protracted acrimonious dispute with the British liberal establishment over his staunch position in favour of the Iraq war, and his annoying tendency to view the war, and alarmism about Islam, as a litmus test for bona fides on everything. Clearly he is pushing a barrow in his dispute with the British intellectual left over the Euston Manifesto, which has morphed into a kind of bunker mentality when the pro-war position, and the credibility of the current US administration, collapsed into oblivion.
Posted by BBoy, Wednesday, 9 April 2008 12:02:15 PM
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Well put BBoy.

I've actually not thought about this too much in the past, writing it off as the usual conservative attempt to suppress different voices.

Some of the assertions seem a little stereotypical but I like the cultural left idea, although to describe it as left might not be accurate.

I'll have a bit more of a think about this. To be flippant, when in the past this issue has come up I've asked "When do we get a left-wing Phillip Adams?"
Posted by Passy, Wednesday, 9 April 2008 2:08:11 PM
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Has anyone ever noticed that those on the "right" seldom, if ever, make any real criticisms of the commercial media and its general banality and awfulness----titty-tainment and "offical information" for the masses.

And lets remember that the function of commercial media is to give advertisers access to the consumers(suckers) wallets.

Every time you "tune" in to commercial media (or any media) you have allowed yourself to be colonised by the corporate "world"-view----buy this, believe that, be excited (or repulsed) by blah-blah.

No discriminative intelligence allowed or encouraged. The occasionally bits of intelligence get lost/forgotten in the overwhelming tide of banality---or babble.

Without the ABC (with all of its faults and biases) Australia would be a media wasteland.

And isnt most of the commercial media, especially Fox so called "news" an integral part/player in the military-industrial-entertainment complex.

And Fox a fully paid up franchise for Orwell's Ministry of Truth.

Meanwhile I find this site to be an excellent antidote to the consensus "reality" promoted by the mainstream media.

1. http://www.medialens.org
Posted by Ho Hum, Wednesday, 9 April 2008 4:01:59 PM
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Ho Hum

The difference is obvious. The taxpayer is not funding the Commercial stations and they don't pretend to be balanced. The ABC have the audacity to pretend that they are neutral. Their ingrain love of leftist policy was never so evident by all the protesting when they played 'one' balanced scientific view of the global warming crap they continue to promote. They should either get funded by the earth worshippers (Greens) or stop brainwashing the gullible.
Posted by runner, Wednesday, 9 April 2008 5:35:17 PM
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Highly predictable from Doug Kirsner. Bland, unwatched and unchallenging drivel like Difference of Opinion gets the thumbs up. Two of the ABC's most awarded correspondents get the thumbs down (though it's noted he wasn't game to name them when he pushed this twaddle to his mates at The Australian).
And guess what? Doug doesn't like 4 Corners running a piece that shows Muslims in other than a negative light. That's all part of the ABC's left of centre agenda (Doug of course being the centre around which Australian political thought revolves). The reporter in that piece doesn't take Muslim extremism seriously according to Mr Kirsner. What a goose.
Conveniently he ignores the fact that the same 4 Corners reporter (Sally Neighbour) has broadcast a series of stories and published a highly regarded book, all dissecting the growth of radical, violent Islam in this region. But all that is of course swept away because she dared to discuss the issue of Muslim men without emphasising any threat they represent to our way of life.
You're right there at the centre Doug.
But it's terrific that you think Lateline and The World Today are among the ABC's shining lights Doug. You're obviously unaware of the inconsistency of your argument in singling them out but we'll let you figure that out by yourself.
Posted by furry, Wednesday, 9 April 2008 8:11:24 PM
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Well said Furry.

I am amused that the author of this drivel claims to be a professor given the poor general level of scholarship, spelling and factuality.

Perhaps gathered his information from one of his less distinguished minions at AIJAC who regularly “ghostwrite” for his friends like Tim Blair, Piers Akerman and their sad ilk.

This was particularly amusing.

“In terms of balance and fairmindedness (sic), Middle East correspondents Matt Brown and David Hardacre( sic) are marked improvements from(sic) the days of Tim Palmer and Peter Cave.”

I don’t believe that Palmer or Cave ever had to apologise for bias.

David Hardaker who is being held up by Kirsner as a fine example no longer works for the ABC. I Presume Prof. Kirsner endorses this story that Mr Hardaker did before he decided to go work for the Evil Emirs for a motza.

http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2007/s2083957.htm

This bit down the bottom should not be missed

“Editor's Note: Parts of this story have been amended or omitted and the audio removed to address issues of factual correctness. The story was also found to have lacked balance because there was insufficient opportunity for Israeli authorities to respond. The ABC apologises for these instances of inaccuracy and lack of balance. ”

“This correction was run at the end of AM on Thursday, February 28, 2008: On November the 7th last year, AM broadcast a story relating to drug use among Palestinians. The story has since been found to contain inaccuracies and a lack of balance. The ABC apologises for these errors. The amended transcript can be found on AM's website for November the 7th
Posted by Foggy, Thursday, 10 April 2008 2:21:11 PM
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