Hi Belly,

I think many of the left are both underestimating and misreading the LNP.

I very much doubt that the government will tackle the ABC on bias, ideological, freedom of the press or political grounds. They don’t need to go there.

As onthebeach points out, the ABC is in real financial difficulties and that is where the “review” will be directed because that is where the ABC’s management has failed.

All the financial trend lines are going in the wrong direction. Executive wages up, total wages bill at $478m on revenues of $1.0b? 47%, what? Totally unsustainable.

Redundancies up from $3.1m to $7.3m? Earnings from commercial products down by $14m?

Over the past 4 years executive/high profile packages have almost doubled and general programming revenue has bombed along with audience reach and ratings.

So where has all this money for unsustainable wages come from?

Australia Network? $225m over ten years, $22.5m a year. ABC costs for this? Annual Report says 2% or $2.0m. Take out “transmission” costs and there is a surplus of $20m a year.

Fact Check? $10.0m. Production Costs? Nil. Not even mentioned in the AR.

Gillard “loan” $90m in May 2013. Where did that go? Well certainly not into production earnings. Unless you want to count the $14m decline.

So 2013, earnings down $14m, wages and redundancy costs through the roof and yet they had additional income of $122.5m? Wonder where that money went? The only area of growth at the ABC was salaries, that’s where they siphoned the money.

That is where the government is heading and that is where the ABC is most vulnerable. And guess what, they are so full of their own arrogance they can’t even see it coming. Like you they are still fighting the good fight on bias, freedom of the press, persecution, ideology and politics.

What a bunch of numb nuts

I wasn't aware that the ABC was supposed to earn revenue; I thought it was intended to provide a quality, unbiased, comprehensive and reliable 'service' to the public - and I think it has generally done a great job in that regard for many years. (I suppose the 'revenue' mentioned comes from international broadcasting of News Australia, and maybe from advertising on SBS, or such.)

Sure, cost is an important consideration, but without the ABC and SBS we would all be limited to (and at the mercies of) the 'commercial media' - a fate worse than death.

If ABC/SBS went entirely pay-to-view (TV and/or internet) I would happily subscribe - as long as they maintained the expected level of integrity and quality.

Ok, I have Foxtel - but for the movies and some quality 'serials', and for business news (and with ABC/SBS included).
Lord, keep my ABC/SBS so I can escape from the football, from sound 'bites', and from endless infuriating 'ads'.

Do we want an informed public; or a captive audience to spin, spoof, propaganda, and endless sports?
Be careful what you wish for - you just might get it.

If the ABC needs to cut costs, dare I suggest they could try going to 'serial programming' - whereby they repeat a more limited 'standard' broadcast composition several times throughout the day, interspersed with breaking or emergency news updates.
Foxtel employs this - just try watching Sky News for a few hours, or just about any channel, to see programming repetition in action.

And the ABC should stop trying to emulate the 'commercials', by dispensing with clap-trap like 'Spicks & Specs' or 'Would I lie to you'. (Surely we can find better things to do with our undoubted acting talent?)
The ABC has better things to do with its budget, and there's no time like the present to give it a go.

Saltpetre,

What do you think of the expensive proliferation/diversification of the ABC? Have you counted the number of ABC outlets?

If it was a company and you were the CEO, what would you say to shareholders demanding to know the whats and whys of excessive management overheads where redundancy in same is so damned obvious?

It does the ABC no credit at all that its own activist supporters did not believe it could do what the SBS and national indigenous broadcasting do.

Morning spindoc what is to be done about me?
I honestly hold the view Abbott/Murdock team is aiming at more income and less position for the Fox like Murdock media.
And no stirring, totally think Australia does not share some of Abbott,s thoughts and policy,s.
While tongue in cheek I honestly think if he could Tony would make war on all pollsters not showing him in front.
And I insist my view no government in the western world should have the right to force opinions it does not like to be hidden, has more that share it than do not.

Paul,

Considering your plethora of blunders in other posts from poor comprehension of posts and links, your shoddy spelling and grammar, and complete lack of understanding of any subject I would be reluctant to even classify you as functionally literate. The word salad that you consider a "pasting" is like the spittle spray of a drunk uncle with a hare lip.

In a battle of wits you are hopelessly unequipped.