Some of the biggest media runs in the UK this week have centered on both sides of the BBC debate.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/10406971/BBC-could-lose-right-to-licence-fee-over-culture-of-waste-and-secrecy-minister-warns.html

Like wise in Australia there are similar debates about the ABC. Is it now time to examine the issues of public funded broadcasters?

Public broadcasters exist because there was a time when the media market was immature and lacked the capacity or funds to more broadly serve the public. This has changed dramatically in the last 50 years. Competition from government in any business sector has the potential to skew and damage that market, do we still need government competition in the media market?

Does the market “uniqueness” that the ABC was originally chartered to supplement remain the same? Does the ABC retain the high ground on trust, credibility and honesty? If so on what basis?

If the market has not changed then is there still a case for the existence for the ABC in its current form? Should the ABC Charter reflect the reality of the current media landscape rather than trying to fill gaps that no longer exist?

I rarely watch commercial TV, in part because of the barrage of advertising and the obvious bias, in the case of some, of the owners of the channel.Plus there is a lot of puerile rubbish on many channels.
The ABC informs me of many things just not available on the commercials and that includes sport.
To me the ABC has an important role to play and from my viewpoint always will as the commercials show no indication of lifting their standards or broadening their outlook.
SD

If the ABC played as many good documentaries & movies etc. as it plays promos all would be well, alas!

ABC is only in the spotlight because conservatives feel it is biased against them.
Strange ALP voters often think it is them in the ABC target zone.
All party,s have got candidates from Aunty ABC.
We tend to over look that in comparison to ABC other Medea is both privately owned and quite often a carrier for its owners thoughts.
ABC for non urban Australia is as Aussie as Walseing Matilda and as much loved.
I have little doubt Abbott small minded crew will further cut the ABC, in fact like to destroy it.
But like the BBC and increasingly true. quality Australian/British programs must come from these two pillars of balance
We must defend Medea not owned by the very rich only, so keep my ABC.

would say Shaggy, that the ABC misinforms you on more things than it informs you.

If you are left leaning, there is a probability you will believe their spin, if not, it is imposable to watch.

SBS still has some good programs, but we must be giving them too much taxpayer money these days. They are commissioning more documentaries themselves, with the result most of these are almost as far left as the ABC.

I agree there is little on the commercials worth watching, except for sport, & much of sport today has become a bit too commercial. Being made for TV is destroying sport.

I reckon cutting the ABCs funding by 50% & allowing advertising would force them to move back towards the middle of the road in search of audience. This would reform it to a reasonable extent, without heavy government intervention, or kill them, it really doesn't matter which. As it stands, the ABC is merely a subbranch of the ALP, & valueless to the country

i..used to/be a rusted on..abc suporter
but with the sport/tort..the cooking..the endless dimes-tore quiz's..murder ccc-rap..im..sort..of over it..

its not..my abc..it belongs the artsy fartsy..nancy plants
[imagine turning/off the kids channel..at 9.30..[when..there is so ,much archived quality..learning stuff rotting..in/the archives

noabc..has.been dumbed down/deliberately
turn..it into..a full time media/teaching SCHOOL
just do education..news..[not sports nor murder..nor coooking]
and for gods sake..no..more quize shows

abc..will.never.reach to..the letter z
but its loyalists..are being bored to.sleep
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..abc..you are..dissapointing me.