UpdateAugust 2016 Vol 24, No. 2 Thrice Yearly Newsletter WOULD WE HAVE KNOWN WITHOUT OUR ABC? One hour of courageous, the nation and the world. Dylan Voller These are not isolated instances – Four (pictured) has written a letter of thanks to Corners has shone the light into many of our professional journalism those who helped “get the truth out there.” dark places with brilliance, brought down a on Four Corners on Monday 25th July NSW Premier Mike Baird is determined to government, exposed corruption in public has produced within 12 hours what close down the suppurating sore that is and private enterprise, and changed our two inquiries in the Northern Territory the Greyhound Racing Industry, thanks to society for the better. So why do some of could not – a Royal Commission into the a Four Corners program, which did what our politicians want to close down the ABC? incarceration and torture of children, and the police, the RSPCA and the industry a reaction of horror and disbelief across itself could not. Continued on Page 3. FOUR CORNERS: why no Can the Smallest State be A Letter from the National impact on changing this abuse? 4 influential in the New Federal Campaign Coordinator 13 Inside Parliament? 9 ABC Classic FM head says he ABC cleared of ‘anti-business’ is committed to ‘great radio’ 6 How ABC friends made the bias in independent review 14 Update ABC a ‘hot’ election issue 10 Letters to Michelle Guthrie 7 No cuts to the ABC? 15 ABC stops banging its drum 11 Top Liberal aide takes senior State News 16 role at ABC 8 ABC, Facebook and the NSW Branch News 20 Advertising Cookie Monster 12 Update From the Editor Publication Information (and NSW President) Update is published three times a year by Friends of the ABC (NSW) Inc PO Box 1391 NORTH SYDNEY 2059. he Federal election has come and the best of what the ABC does – thorough gone, with the lower house seat of research, the involvement of experts in Print Post approved: PP245059/00002. Herbert still undecided, and a final the field of Early Childhood Education, Extracts from newspapers and other T Senate makeup still some way off. As a inspirational teaching, and gifted and publications appearing in Update do not necessarily reflect the views of the result of the extraordinarily successful talented presenters engaging with their members of ABC Friends. campaign by ABC Friends, the ABC will audience. Not to mention engagement Update is distributed to all members of most certainly be a major issue in the with the social issues of the time, such as ABC Friends as part of the membership new parliament, with promises from most gender roles and multiculturalism. And all fee. Update is also supplied to major players (except the Coalition) that without the incessant and damaging to journalists, politicians and libraries across Australia. funding to the ABC should be significantly young minds advertising of product and increased, including strong guarantees lifestyle which is the blight of children’s Update is edited and produced in Sydney and contributions are welcome from the Greens and Xenophon Party that programs on commercial television and from state and regional branches. Email funding should be restored to pre-Abbott other media. your contribution (in Microsoft Word) to levels. These and other “minor” parties will [email protected] or post to above have significant power in a new and very Classic FM address. different Senate, and Friends will closely Material may be quoted or reproduced A few weeks ago, Limelight magazine monitor any deals which are done. from Update provided the source is made public rumours about plans to acknowledged and reproduction is sent Marginal seats were specifically targeted remove more live presenters from our to the Editor at the above email or postal in the Friends campaign, with the use world-leading classical music network as address. of highly successful social media, local a cost cutting measure, and followed up Would you like to receive press coverage, and many hundreds of with a detailed article from experienced Update newsletter members manning street stalls, railway producer and presenter Greg Keane. electronically? stations and doing letter box drops. We Many letters to Michelle Guthrie, Managing Save the planet’s trees and ABC Friends’ must acknowledge the especially the Director, some of which are reproduced printing and postage costs and read commitment of Ranald Macdonald, who in this Update, have resulted, and Update on your tablet or computer. When has driven the campaign with skill and despite public denials from Classic FM Update is published, you will receive an energy, Campaign Co-Ordinator Jeff Manager, Richard Buckham, Classic FM email with a link to the latest issue (each newsletter is a 2-3MB PDF). Waters, who brought great media skills remains a cause for concern and very and knowledge to his role, and the tireless close monitoring, especially in the light of You can try this now by going to www.fabcnsw.org.au and clicking on efforts of Margaret Reynolds, our National Buckham’s previous public assurances in “Newsletter”. If you prefer this delivery Spokesperson, who kept the ABC front late 2014, followed closely by a 50% cut in option for future Updates please contact and centre in the mainstream media. It live broadcasts and a 25% cut in staff! It is your local state branch (see back page). is no exaggeration to say that millions of hoped that ABC Management both realizes Who to write… Australians were reached in some way by and appreciates the value of our only the Friends’ campaign, challenged by the national Classical broadcaster to its diverse Anyone seeking basic information about writing to persons of influence might find question “Where will we be without our audience, especially as it occupies such it helpful to go to www.fabcnsw.org.au ABC?” You will find more detailed reports an important part of the ABC’s Charter where there are some menu items from Ranald, Jeff and Margaret in this in bringing world-class performers and under “Be Active” leading to pages of Update. performances to that national audience. information: Who can I write to? What can I say? We will continue to keep a close eye on the 50 Years of Playschool health and wellbeing of Classic FM! Update Editor - Mal Hewitt There are few Australians born in the last 40 Years of ABC Friends PO Box 1391 North Sydney 2059 50 years who have not been touched in [email protected] some way by Playschool, many spending It is 40 years since Walter Bass, with Assistant Editor - Chris. Cartledge those vital early formative years with others of like mind, created Friends of [email protected] Playschool presenters as best and trusted the ABC to advocate and lobby for our friends, as well as absorbing Playschool national broadcaster. The ABC of today Cartoonist - Phil Somerville songs and activities in preschools and would look back to those years with great Editorial Cartoonist for schools right across the country. The envy, as the level of funding was far higher The Sun-Herald (Sydney) [email protected] ABC has recognized this achievement proportionately than today, with viable ABC with some wonderful commemorative offices, studios and broadcasting facilities Layout Artist - Paul Martens programs and reminiscences, but we in every capital city – it was in every sense [email protected] must not forget that Playschool represents a national broadcaster. Since then we Page 2 have experienced the digital revolution, Former Brandis Staffer in WOULD with a myriad of changes in platforms Senior ABC Role and means of communication with WE HAVE The very recent appointment of Josh audiences, but the ABC does it all with Faulks to the role of Head of Partnerships KNOWN far less funding, people and resources. and Policy at ABC TV is receiving a The world has changed dramatically in WITHOUT lot of media attention, and with good those 40 years, and so has the ABC. But reason. Faulks, former senior staffer to THE ABC? the need for Friends is greater now than Attorney General George Brandis ( one in 1976 because of a changing media Continued from Page 1. of the ABC’s strongest critics,) and senior landscape where traditional commercial adviser to Malcolm Turnbull in 2009, broadcasters, and traditional newspapers, But that is not all that happened looks like another political implant to the on Monday night on our ABC. 7.30 are struggling to survive. In fact many ABC at senior level. Faulks has many reported on criminal behaviour in an have not, and the ABC is seen as a threat connections with organizations with a aged care facility in South Australia. to the survival of commercial competitors “free market” agenda. His appointment Australian Story brought us the story in the media. Hence the relentless, follows other free marketeers to the ABC, of Mojgan Shamsalipoor, victim of rape daily campaign against the ABC by the including Peter Lewis, who prepared the and domestic violence in her native Murdoch media, especially The Australian. “ABC Efficiency Review” for the Abbott Iran, the campaign by her friends and All the more reason to fight for an ABC government, and was then appointed to teachers at Brisbane’s Yeronga State free of commercial and political influence. the ABC Board. Should we be concerned? High School that she be given residence In NSW we will celebrate 40 years of There are many mechanisms to destroy in Australia, and the intransigence of Immigration Minister Dutton, who would Friends with a dinner on Friday 12th the independence of an organization, and have her returned to certain abuse and August, where the cake will be cut by infiltration is one of the more effective.