The Liberal alphabet:

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Three reasons why I watch the ABC in preference to any other channel:

1) They have the best shows by a long way. And I don't mean Q&A or Lateline, because they are boring. I mean 'Doctor Who' and 'QI' and 'The Micallef P(r)ogram(me)' and 'Upper Middle Bogan' and 'The League of Gentlemen' and 'Sherlock' et. al.

A lot of Australian television is imported: the ABC consistently produce the best Australian comedy shows and they import good quality comedy and drama from the BBC, whereas the commercial channels import American tripe like 'Two and a Half Men' and all their locally produced shows seem to be reality shows which are considerably less exciting then Q&A and somewhat less exciting than a test pattern.

2) No ads. Ads during shows shyt me to tears. I cannot remember the last time I watched commercial TV because I can't stand the damn ads.

3) They have the best streaming service of any television network. Way better than SBS's, which I use occasionally because they have good movies, some interesting docos and South Park. I did try one of the commercial network's streaming service a year or two ago. Channel 9's, I think. I was not impressed.

//that's no reason why they should not fund it themselves.//

Are you proposing some sort of system where we get to decide where our taxes go? I'd support that: I could not pay taxes for the roads that I don't drive on, and have that money used to fund public transport instead. Or not pay taxes for those lazy bludgers getting paid handsomely to sit on their arse and sweet FA known as the 'NSW Police Force', and have that money used to fund the health system and education instead. Or not pay taxes for the ridiculous pension allowances for politicians and have that money used to fund our ABC instead.

I watched the Q&A program in question, and I assume everyone who comments on that show On this forum has too?
If they have all watched it, then I wonder why, as so many posters appear to hate the ABC? Why put yourself through it?

I agree it was probably a mistake to have the obviously disturbed Muslim fundamentalist on a live TV show where the producers had no idea what he might say or do. I would have felt just as upset if one of those rabid pro-life tea-party type person was on too.
Mind you, isn't it better to know what we are dealing with in these cases?

The ABC is not aligned to any particular political party, and like most journalists, they are much more likely to report on, and pick apart, the policies and actions of the party and ministers who are currently running the Government.

As I recall, there was no PM more vilified or personally picked apart by TV media and journalists of all stations than Julia Gillard or her labor party when they held government.

For all the lies Abbott has told, and the poor decisions he has made since being PM, you rarely hear the media going on about what he wears, his hair colour, his gender, his personal life, or the size of his bum or .....ears.
The worst I ever heard was the hysteria about his little speedo's on one of the regular he-man activities he has the media take photo's of....

As much as the writer is entitled to his views, this article is rubbish, to the point where I almost wondered if it was satire. He should stick to fighting the good fight against airport lounge restrictions.

The most basic difficulty for this writer, as for any extremist, libertarian or otherwise, is his complete inability to see how he relates to others in society. Here he follows the standard far right view that anyone who is not far right, such as that renowned pinko Turnbull, is therefore far left, and an enemy. By this calculus the Austrelia that voted Abbott to power is 90% left wing. He boldly proclaims the ABC to be 'pro-green' without a single example or shred of evidence to back this, then has a baseless dig at refugees - even the politically cleansed term asylum seekers is considered to provide too much humanity for these people - again without a shred of evidence.

Then we have him ridiculing Turnbull and Pyne for taking such a wimpy moderate approach. Again, by this line of reasoning, Ciobo should have physically got up and belted Mallah as apparently pouring petrol on the fire is the best way to put it out. I assume he also complained to Gina Rinehart and co, and asked Bolt to boycott his show, when the same simpleton appeared on Channel 10 earlier on.

Finally we have the MSNBC anecdote, which mainly shows that libertarian jaws in the US are made out of similar glass to those of their Australian contemporaries. One tweet. That's it? That's enough to get you kicked out of the club? Nevermind the fact that this private network's single remark would pass as outstandingly polite and almost sheepish in comparison to those from our many shock jocks and some of our wackier Libs and senators who prefer burning witches and slitting throats.

As a proud Labor voter I am proud that the ABC provides a forum where my views and values can be expressed ALONGSIDE THOSE I DISAGREE WITH. That is democracy, after all. Thank God for the ABC.

The regressives always claim that the national broadcasters are not biased despite their Christophic rants, hatred of Israel, promotion of homosexuality and abbottphobia. Interesting enough it is the regressive who scream loudest when their are any cuts to the ABC. I wonder why if they are so neutral.

Whoops, look like we shook another one out of the tree.

@runner. Every single thing you accuse the ABC of in your own Christophic (?) rant is untrue. Promoting an acceptance of homosexuality does not equate to what you said. Promoting the idea that there are two sides in the Israel Palestine conflict is not hating Israel. The other two aren't even worth responding to.

You are free to not like homosexuals or Arabs all you want, just keep it to yourself. In the adult public discourse most genuine Labor and Liberal voters, and I would have thought those anti-18C libertarians as well, accept that we can agree to disagree, and that tolerance is important. If you have some burning hatred inside you, maybe you should deal with it yourself before projecting it onto others.

runner, WTF are you on about? What are these Christophic rants? Whose hatred of Israel are you refering to? (though they have interviewed plenty of people who hate Israel, that doesn't seem to be their editorial line and overall their coverage seems quite balanced). The ABC doesn't seem to be any more pro homosexuality than the commercial stations. And as for abbottphobia, I think the reverse is true: all those accusations of bias have resulted in timidity, and they've given him a far too easy run.

The Left want the ABC to be strong; the right seem to want it to be obsequious!