UpdateDecember 2016 Vol 24, No. 3 Thrice Yearly Newsletter ABC FRIENDS SALUTES FOUR CORNERS t the Annual Award questions of the medical profession. Presentation for Broadcasting Even in her illness, Liz was still the AExcellence on Friday 25th relentless investigative reporter. November, ABC Friends (National) It is these qualities, along with recognised the extraordinary persistence, patience, integrity, contribution of Four Corners to curiosity, thoroughness, balance and Australian life and investigative compassion, the hallmarks of great journalism of the highest quality journalism, that have undoubtedly over the past 55 years. Throughout been a thorn in the side of politicians those 55 years, Four Corners has of all persuasions, and those in consistently and with commendable positions of power and authority courage shone a light into many who have been under the relentless dark places in our national life, and microscope of a Four Corners has, without any doubt, investigation. Very recent examples changed Australia for the come to mind: “Broken Homes” better. The final program examined our totally inadequate and for 2016, A Sense of misnamed Child Protection System; Self, was no exception. and her persistent search for the “The Forgotten Children” painfully Liz Jackson, multi-award best medical options with her documented the evaporation of hope winning journalist with Four partner Martin Butler, displaying amongst refugee children under Corners for 30 years, laid exceptional courage, honesty and detention on Nauru; “Australia’s bare her private and family professionalism. In so doing, she Shame”, in graphic detail, showed life in documenting her struggle with taught us all how to be better patients, the onset of Parkinson’s Disease better carers, and to ask the right Continued on Page 4. From the Editor 1 How’s the ABC Boss doing Gutting a cultural treasure 13 now the honeymoon’s over? 8 Quentin McDermott 5 Hands off Radio National Inside Red Letter Day for the ABC 9 Music 15 Friends goes national 5 Media Releases 10 State News 16 Update Explanation demanded for Radio National cuts 6 From the National President 11 NSW Branch News 19 Report from National Save RN Music Rally 12 ABC Radio’s deliberate Campaign Director 7 step to the right 22 Update From the Editor Publication Information (and NSW President) Update is published three times a year by ABC Friends National Inc. GPO Box 4065 Melbourne Vic 3001 s 2016 draws to a close, we another part of the ABC, and offer classical look back upon a momentous music on a much cheaper digital stream, Print Post approved: PP245059/00002. year for ABC Friends, and for presumably so that we can all listen to Extracts from newspapers and other A the ABC. Friends celebrated 40 years the Ring Cycle on our mobile phones! publications appearing in Update do not necessarily reflect the views of the since its founding by Walter Bass, ran an Management should also be made aware members of ABC Friends. extremely effective campaign to ensure that vast areas of Australia have an internet Update is distributed to all members of that the ABC was an issue in the Federal service so poor that receiving a strong and ABC Friends as part of the membership Election, especially in marginal seats, and consistent signal is a hopeless pipedream. fee. Update is also supplied to is about to sign off on the establishment As a resident of the Blue Mountains, within journalists, politicians and libraries across Australia. of Friends as a national as well as a sight of Sydney’s Centrepoint Tower, my state-based organisation. The National internet reception is appalling, and unlikely Update is edited and produced in Sydney and contributions are welcome Fighting Fund, launched over a year ago, to improve. from state and regional branches. Email raised from donations over $150,000 – Whilst we must never forget that many of your contribution (in Microsoft Word) sufficient to mount a campaign during the problems besetting the ABC at the to [email protected] or post to the election period which, through address below moment are the direct result of drastic extensive use of social media and the Material may be quoted or reproduced funding cuts at the hands of the Abbott/ huge unpaid contribution of the creative from Update provided the source is Turnbull governments, and these cuts are acknowledged and reproduction is sent team, reached an extraordinarily large ongoing, it is tempting to draw an analogy to the Editor at the above email or postal audience, numbering well into the millions. between Twilight of the Gods, and the address. Max Gillies as Rupert Murdoch produced destruction of the world as they knew it, responses from all over the world. We are Would you like to receive largely because they could not manage indebted especially to Ranald Macdonald Update newsletter change, and the current practices of ABC (National Campaign Director) and Jeff electronically? Management, which seems determined to Waters (National Campaign Co-Ordinator) Save the planet’s trees and ABC Friends’ bring major changes to the ABC without for the success of the campaign, which printing and postage costs and read either consultation or communication Update on your tablet or computer. When did not stop once the election had taken with those most affected, namely the Update is published, you will receive an place, but has continued apace. Friends staff who produce the programs and the email with a link to the latest issue (each now has a strong and effective lobbying audience who receive and enjoy them. It newsletter is a 2-3MB PDF). presence in Canberra, thanks largely brings to painful recollection the disastrous You can try this now by going to to the leadership and influence of our www.fabcnsw.org.au and clicking on handling by management of the hundreds “Newsletter”. If you prefer this delivery National President, Margaret Reynolds. A of redundancies in late 2014 resulting option for future Updates please contact priority for Friends in 2017 will be to keep from the first Abbott budget cuts, and the your local state branch (see back page). reminding Australia that an independent, notorious “hunger games” in which staff well-funded ABC, free of political and were required to justify their retention in Who to write… commercial influence, is essential to our their positions in front of others competing Anyone seeking basic information about national health. for the same job! Scarcely a day passes writing to persons of influence might find it helpful to go to www.fabcnsw.org.au now in the mainstream media without where there are some menu items MANAGEMENT IN CRISIS further reports of rising tensions in the ABC under “Be Active” leading to pages of I write this whilst listening, on ABC Classic between management and those who information: Who can I write to? What produce the programs. These tensions are can I say? FM, to the broadcast from Melbourne of Opera Australia’s outstanding production heightened by reports of the addition of further expensive layers of management at Update Editor - Mal Hewitt of Gotterdammerung (Twilight of the the same time as sacking program makers PO Box 1391 North Sydney 2059 Gods), the fourth in Wagner’s mighty [email protected] Ring Cycle, all brought magnificently to and creative people. listeners all across Australia, and around Assistant Editor - Chris. Cartledge the world, by the musically knowledgeable CATALYST [email protected] Classic FM team, with clarity and depth In relation to Catalyst, there has been Cartoonist - Phil Somerville on a clean and vivid FM signal. I wonder no attempt on the part of managers to Editorial Cartoonist for as I listen how much longer the ABC will justify the axing of a program which was The Sun-Herald (Sydney) offer this service, at this quality, to all popular, occasionally controversial, but [email protected] Australians, even though it is clearly part successfully communicated science to Layout Artist - Paul Martens of the ABC’s charter. Rumours continue a wide audience in a popular format. [email protected] of management plans to take the FM One would think that the ABC was doing band from ABC Classic and give it to exactly, according to the charter, what it Page 2 is supposed to do. Robyn Williams, RADIO NATIONAL ABC FRIENDS WILL NOT GIVE highly respected veteran of 40 years It has been difficult to avoid the conclusion UP THE FIGHT of science broadcasting, put it well in recent years that ABC management has ABC Friends exists because we believe – “This week up to 17 Catalyst staff a problem with intelligent radio, given the that Australia will be a better, kinder and will leave the building, one of the disproportionate cuts suffered by RN in happier place for all its citizens as long top teams in the world dedicated comparison with other ABC platforms, and as it has a strong, independent, fearless to science communication, with not the loss of searching programs of depth public broadcaster, free of commercial a farewell, a handshake or a stale and intellectual rigour – Bush Telegraph, and political influence. That is why our biscuit – like felons out onto the street. Hindsight, Encounter, Poetica, First Bite, thousands of members, along with our This effectively halves the numbers of By Design, 360 Documentaries, Into leadership at a local, state and national science journalists working in Australia.” the Music went 2 years ago. Now we level, give so generously of their time, (No doubt to the delight of the are to lose The Inside Sleeve, The Daily their expertise and their energy in climate change deniers in the Turnbull Planet, The Rhythm Divine and The Live defence of our public broadcaster.