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Cory Bernardi Friends of the ABC (NSW) Inc. quarterly newsletter December 2013 UPDATE Vol 21, No. 3 incorporating Background Briefi ng friends of the abc The Fight for the ABC IS ON! THE ATTACK IS ON AGAIN. Today, Mike Carlton members of the government, including Inside Update SMH Cory Bernardi, Bronwyn Bishop and From the President 2 30 November 2013 Ian Macdonald, agitated to defund Caroline Jones’ Extraordinary Career 4 Australia’s public broadcaster. Liberal Please stop attacking a national icon! 5 Senator Cory Bernardi called our ABC Cory Bernardi: ABC ‘cannibalising’ ”Soon, my friends, we will have to gather a “taxpayer-funded behemoth,” and commercial online news 6 in defence of the ABC. With the Tories suggested that we could “perhaps Somerville 7 in power, the assault on the national cut the ABC budget and allow the How The ABC Should Serve The broadcaster grows more vicious by the commercial media operators to National Interest 8 day. Unsurprisingly, the campaign is compete. Concerned about the ABC? 9 spearheaded by the Murdoch press. Rupert v Aunty - the real News Rupert himself loathes publicly funded This is the Coalition throwing out a test Corp agenda 10 broadcasting because it attracts an balloon, so they can see how the public The Murdoch dynasty’s 70 years war on the ABC 11 audience which he believes is rightly his responds to their long-held desire to Branch News 12 to make money from. The platoons of slash the ABC. Pulled straight from the Mark Scott defends publishing toadies on his payroll troop obediently into Christmas wishlist of Rupert Murdoch and the right-wing think-tank the IPA, spy story 15 line, along with the rest of the right-wing The Uncertain Future of Public defunding or commercialising the ABC commentariat.” Broadcasting 16 would ruin a rare, educational and On Wednesday 4th December, Spying on Indonesia - Here is the news 18 uniquely Australian public resource.” community activist group GetUp sent Canberra’s Century Celebrated in Literary Style 19 out the following message: continued page 3. Page 1 FFRIRI 002121 NNewsletter.inddewsletter.indd 1 111/12/131/12/13 88:33:33 AAMM Update Publication Information From the President Update is published three times a year by Friends of the ABC (NSW) Inc. (FABC), PO Box 1391 NORTH SYDNEY 2059. Elected Director in Exile.” Printpost approved PP245059/00002 Caroline Jones Much of the content of Quentin’s To become a member phone Recognised in Walkleys (02) 9990 0600 or email to address is included in his article in [email protected] Caroline Jones’ career in the ABC spans this Update. (The uncertain Future or access our website 50 years, and she has broken new of Public Broadcasting) We were www.fabcnsw.org.au. ground for women in broadcasting for delighted that Quentin’s wife Beth Extracts from newspapers and other much of that career. Her leadership was able to attend the Annual Dinner publications appearing in Update do not with him. necessarily reflect the views of the and professionalism has been members of FABC. recognized in the 2013 Walkley Jonathan Holmes Update is distributed to all members of Award for Outstanding contribution Our End of Year Presentation was FABC, as part of the membership fee. to Journalism. We applaud an held on Friday 29th November on the Update is also supplied to journalists, politicians and libraries across Australia. extraordinary broadcaster. Dot Strong Terrace, Ultimo, where It is edited and produced in Sydney but Other ABC Walkley winners are the guest of honour was Jonathan contributions are welcome from NSW country Trevor Bormann and Vivien Altman Holmes, recently retired presenter and interstate branches. (Foreign Correspondent), Suzanne of Media Watch, and veteran of 32 Material may be quoted or reproduced from Update provided the source is Smith (Lateline), Caro Meldrum- years with the ABC in a number acknowledged and reproduction is sent to Hanna (7.30), Sarah Dingle (Radio of roles. Jonathan had also spoken the President FABC. Current Affairs), and Martin Butler at the NSW FABC Annual General Would you like to receive Update and Bentley Dean (Contact Films). We Meeting on 21st September. On both magazine electronically? congratulate all Walkley recipients on occasions Jonathan spoke of the Save the planet's trees and The Friends their important contribution to quality rapidly changing media landscape in printing and postage costs and read Update magazine on your computer. journalism. Further details of these Australia, in which the ABC will come Each quarter, when Update is published, you Walkley winners can be found in this under increasing pressure from its will receive an email with a link to the latest Update. competitors, from hostile commercial issue (each magazine is around 0.5MB). interests and political parties You can try this now by going to our website at www.fabcnsw.org.au and philosophically opposed to publicly clicking on Update. FABC Salutes Three funded broadcasters. The events of If you prefer this delivery option for future Great Broadcasters recent weeks are certainly bearing Updates please send an email to the out much of what Jonathan spoke Membership Secretary. Quentin Dempster about. He was presented with a plaque Who to write… The Annual Dinner of Friends of inscribed as follows: Anyone seeking basic information about writing to persons of influence might find it the ABC on Wednesday 28th August Excellence in Broadcasting Award, helpful to go to the FABC NSW website was a wonderful occasion in an 2013, to Jonathan Holmes, in www.fabc.org.au where there are some historic venue (Cello’s Restaurant recognition of your long and menu items under "Be Active" leading to in Castlereagh St), and provided the distinguished career with the ABC as pages of information: Who can I write to? What can I say? opportunity to thank ABC veteran Producer, Presenter and Journalist. Quentin Dempster for his support Jonathan writes for FABC in this FABC (NSW) Executive Committee of Friends of the ABC over many Update. (Here is the News – a good Office Bearers years. Quentin has willingly attended story gets told, not held) President - Mal Hewitt Phone: 02 9637 2900 countless Friends functions throughout Alan Saunders Email: [email protected] NSW and interstate, where his honesty 29th November was also an occasion and directness have always been Secretary & Treasurer - James Buchanan to honour the career of Alan Saunders, Phone: 02 9371 5621 appreciated, including his criticism of who died in 2012 whilst working Email: [email protected] the ABC when appropriate. In 1996 for Radio National. A plaque, which Membership Secretary - Angela Williamson the Howard government abolished Phone: 02 4883 4048 the position to which Quentin had will be placed in the Ultimo ABC Email: [email protected] just been elected – Staff-elected headquarters, read as follows: Update Editor - Mal Hewitt Director, but Quentin continued as a Excellence in Broadcasting Award, PO Box 1391 N. Sydney NSW 2059 2013, in memory of Alan Saunders, Email: [email protected] courageous spokesperson for ABC staff during some very diffi cult years for the Philosopher, Food Writer and Cartoonist - Phil Somerville Editorial Cartoonist for The Sun Herald ABC. He was presented with a plaque Consummate Broadcaster. Winner of (Sydney) inscribed as follows: the Pascal Prize for Critical Writing [email protected] Excellence in Broadcasting Award, and Broadcasting (1992), awarded Layout Artist - Paul Martens 2013, to Quentin Dempster, in the Special Media prize from the [email protected] recognition of and gratitude for your Australian Association of Philosophy Membership Line: 02 9990 0600 tireless support of Friends of the ABC, (1997), PhD from Australian and your years of service as “Staff- National University. Page 2 FFRIRI 002121 NNewsletter.inddewsletter.indd 2 111/12/131/12/13 88:33:33 AAMM In recognition of a distinguished career in broadcasting with the ABC. Once again our thanks to Jason FROM PAGE 1 Lowe and his hard-working Events Committee who ensure that FABC gatherings such as the Annual The Fight for the ABC Dinner and Presentation Night are so successful. We Salute Our IS ON! Branches We like our ABC free But make no mistake. The back page of Update gives the of ads, free for all, The fi ght for the ABC contact details for our regional free to remain fair and Murdoch power is on.” branches, and it is our branches balanced. Will you and money ABC Managing which are the grassroots strength make sure Tony Abbott combined with Director Mark Scott of Friends of the ABC throughout knows to keep it that the ideological responded to both the NSW, with their local advocacy, way? objections to a Indonesian security support, activities, publicity and The petition attached publicly funded matter and the issue lobbying, and their direct contact to this statement had, broadcaster from of ABC salaries in with local political representatives. at the time of Update the far right of an interview to ABC The recent Federal election saw going to print and over his party (unless News 24, covered in most of our branches involved in 5 days, attracted over that broadcaster this Update. However, “Meet the Candidate” forums, with 200,000 signatures is simply a for commentators on the opportunity to engage with all from ordinary mouthpiece for the Murdoch payroll, candidates on their policies and Australians determined the government) rational argument attitudes regarding the ABC – a to defend their ABC will be very and presentation of unique example of democracy in – an extraordinary diffi cult for Prime facts matters little. action. We thank those who take on response. Minister Abbott As Mike Carlton leadership of the branches and their to resist.
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