The ABC needs to improve, but as do other television stations and the media.

Knowing that won't happen, I simply watch less television, do not buy newspapers and do better things elsehwere.

There is also a general stance of not wanting to offend others on mainstream television, but one problem is finding those with alternative views, their views need to stack up and have some credibility - so avoiding anti vaccination propoganda is perfectly fair and reasonable.

The ABC does have an excellent program, Media Watch and one program does cover Julia Baird who is a host of The Drum on the ABC. I don't watch it much anymore, as it is not overly challenging in terms of debate and the type guests that tend to appear have a similar overtone in terms of views. This also applies with Q&A on the ABC.

In one episode of The Drum Julia looks at an issue from a particular perspective but leaves out other details - and the ABC stands by misleading viewers and you can view more detail at:

http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/episodes/an-unholy-row/9972570

I don't think people should waste their time trying to fix the media at all, including the attitudes of hosts of some programs. Simply turn television off, don't watch it, don't buy newspapers and avoid the media online.

You may though like to watch Bluey on the ABC it is the best television show in Australia!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1M282QnTFE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEX5T7WfUAk

Hilarious how nativist &/or authoritarian conservatives bleat endlessly about the ABC while silent on what is the benchmark, 7WM, 9F or NewsCorp?

The latter operate in non market oligopoly which was created to support and/or appease 'special interests' i.e. foreign citizen Murdoch's need to be free from constraints (he managed the same in the UK years ago too); in return media give free media and polling support to the LNP (in lesser democracies would require govt. leaders and ministers to resign aka Austria).

Further, how many people publicly recognised as conservative have been employed by the ABC, on the board or constantly invited as guest? Too many ABC tv or radio talk programs follow the cliched Fox 'fair and balanced' by inviting on wing nuts, retired or existing LNP MPS, IPA sock puppets et al., but still complain?

Just more evidence that supposedly libertarian Australians are 'Tory snowflakes' fearful of their own shadows and of others' authority, if they are not doing the bidding for a higher authority (then be thrown under a bus when their use by date is up)?

How smart are Australians or LNP MPs who are against the ABC, but happy to do the bidding of imported US radical right libertarian socio-economic ideology, and NewsCorp demanding particular govt. budgets and services are cut (but not others like defence, religious school support, lobbying, kleptocracy etc.)?

As libertarian free speech conservatives would opine, if you don't like the ABC, change the channel or station..... and leave your aggression and threats for the sporting field vs. resorting to shutting down others' free speech through SLAPPs or defamation action.

Anglo libertarian ideology has morphed into authoritarianism for citizens, but freedom for the 'top people' aka Brexit, Trump and the Australian govt. is still trying to follow a Trumpian path to electoral victory..... based upon conspiracy theories; no wonder trusted and truthful media needs to be avoided?

Andras,

The private media ranges from the far left Guardian thru the SMH and Age to the conservative Newscorp and the far right. None of them is paid for by the taxpayer and nobody cares.

As I said before, if the ABC paid for itself I would care less about the dross it produces. However, it sucks up $1bn of funds that could go to hospitals or policing and produces an almost exclusively far-left agenda.