Yeah ok Ben, yes the Cold War is over, but then why say that if you are talking about the ABC in terms of "left wing credentials", "left wing bias", anti- American, etc etc. Sounds to me like you are looking for the "reds under the bed" from the 1950's, despite being the 20-something you say you are. Whilst the ABC is far from perfect, at least it more balanced, than the corporate 7, 9 and 10's of this world. Have you ever watched Media Watch on the ABC? That program often challenges the ABC news and current affairs depts, on matters such as bias, plagarism, unethical reporting, etc.

One important thing you fail to realise here Ben, is that in the general scheme of things, the ABC is quite consevative in alot of ways. I wouldn't call it "left wing" at all, especially in this day and age of cost cutting and economic rationalism. Its funding is subject to mores of the Govt of the day. On the other hand, the corporate chanels seem to becoming more and biased toward certain economic and political interests all the time. ( the big boss and certain pollies feed of each other, eg Rupert's Fox and Dubya Bush) Give me the ABC any day.

Now that we have a neo-con Federal Government in full control of Parliament, we need alternative media outlets to offer different shades of opinion. On this forum we observe all shades of opinion, we need the media to do likewise. Does Ben believe we are going to get reliable information from Fox?

Conservatives don't like being caught out, and so don't like strong investigative journalism. It was a conservative who called the Prime Minister a "lying rodent"; not a "leftwing" journalist. WE need a strong media not a dumbed-down tame one.

ABC biased ? nah :) how could this be?

I mean.... when the 1 nation spokesperson on Immigration was giving a 'POLICY' launch, they at least showed in the afternoon coverage (when a large proportion of the voting public is at work) that the 1nation policy was 'population' based, and reported at least the first 2 points of her press release..

So, same day, EVENING news when EVERYONE is watching. How was the same story presented ? like this ==> They
1/ 'noted the fact of' the 1-Nation immig spokesperson making a press release
2/ Reported ZERO about the actual policy
3/ Reported ONLY that the 1-Nation person had SERIOUS CONFLICT with the Coalition minister of immigration.

Now that would have to rate as one of the all time shabbiest, most biased, selective, deliberate most politically motivated journalistic exercises of all time.

But Kerry Obrien, Lateline, 7.30report, 4corners generally give pretty good analysis, except for occasional trysts with political and liberal bias.

Howard tells his obedient, sychophantic troops to denigrate an un-compliant ABC. Then this - at times, with his bottom lip is, a mussolini look-a-like. Now comes the imitation duce's latest pronouncement "Obedience to the party comes first" Next the boots then arm bands finally the roman salute. Then Howard can lead his black/brown shirts in an attack on the ABC :-) And people see a man like this as wonderful? numbat

What I notice about Barnaby Joyce is that he is actually making the Senate do what it was CONSTITUTED to do... 'protect the rights of the states and be a genuine house of review'... GOOOO BARNABY !

Next time Mr Heffernan comes over to 'advise' you.. give him a bit of a hip and shoulder :) (kidding)

Cheers and Hoorays for those who have the courage to stand up for righteousness and do what their constituents put them there for. (where it is a genuine issue of fairness) And more joy that he is sticking to his guns after (apparently) the Government tried to 'bribe' him and make him go away by upgrading HIS phone and HIs communities (but not the rest). I don't in any way blame him over this, we need more like him in our political arena..

Onya Barnaby

The bias/non-bias of the ABC is a perennial unlikely to go away as long as individuals hold opinions. I believe that the ABC leans to the left, but I watch the 7.30 Report most nights for the same reason I read the left-leaning posts in this forum - noone is wrong or right all of the time. But, my main pleasure in the ABC derives from SOME of the entertainment sans commercials. I certainly do not rely on it for information or edification, because of the bias.

Claims of ABC bias seem, to me, to be vindicated by a rush of defenders of the ABC who regularly display 'lefty' opinions on every subject known to man - with the exception of Plantaganet who describes himself as a "conservative". But even he admits there is a "slight" bias which he enjoys as relief from the right wing commercial networks.

Some suggest that the answer to the ongoing argument about the ABC is to cast it adrift and make it self-reliant, get it of the taxpayer tit. But, look at SBS with it's commercials. Nothing has changed there. And, if you really looking for bias ........