UpdateApril 2016 Vol 24, No. 1 Thrice Yearly Newsletter Since the election of the Abbott/Turnbull Government, the ABC has LOST: STOP THE • Almost $500m in funding, and almost 500 jobs, including many senior staff • The Australia Network (ABC Television broadcasts into Asia and Pacific), & 72 jobs CHOP! • Much of the reach and diversity of Radio Australia • TV production facilities in Adelaide and Hobart (Brisbane and Perth had already gone) • ABC Shops CUTBACKS have included: • Televised sports broadcasts • Classic FM Live Broadcasts (50%) • Foreign Correspondent • Regional news bulletins and state news rooms • Regional radio (12 studios closed) • Specialist programming units (50%) ALSO AXED • State 7.30 Programs • At the Movies • RN Specialist Programs – Bush Telegraph, Hindsight, Encounter, Poetica, First Bite, • Into the Music, 360 Documentaries, YOUR ABC IS By Design, The Media Report. As a Footnote, the Rudd/Gillard Labor Government increased ABC Funding BEING GUTTED by $130m From the President 2 Mark Scott says goodbye 8 Snapshot of the ABC 12 Inside ABC Friends National Mark Scott to PM: Don’t break State News 12 Delegation to Canberra 4 your word on ABC funding 9 NSW Branch News 16 Update ABC braces for budget cuts National Campaign Battered broadcaster’s as Mark Scott exits 9 is set to go 5 Bolt delusion 18 Quentin Dempster on a The anti-ABC phobia of Merger of ABC and SBS 6 Gerard Henderson 10 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. elcome to this special pre- THE NATIONAL CAMPAIGN election issue of Update. All Print Post approved: PP245059/00002. The National Fighting Fund of almost ABC Friends branches are Extracts from newspapers and other W $150,000, contributed by many concerned preparing to raise public awareness of the publications appearing in Update do Australians, will be brought into play not necessarily reflect the views of the desperate situation in which the Abbott/ immediately, with the employment of a members of ABC Friends. Turnbull Government has placed the ABC, National Campaign Co-Ordinator, the Update is distributed to all members of as it has starved our national broadcaster production and distribution of badges, ABC Friends as part of the membership of sufficient funds to fulfil the most basic banners, stickers and T-shirts, and the fee. Update is also supplied to requirements of its Charter, particularly journalists, politicians and libraries launch of a song and publicity material on in relation to the provision of services to across Australia. both mainstream and social media. Ranald ALL Australians, wherever they may be. Update is edited and produced in Macdonald, Convenor of the Friends Action Our focus in the election campaign will Sydney and contributions are welcome Committee, reports in this Update on the from state and regional branches. Email be upon what has been lost, as we seek campaign, and we are grateful to the many your contribution (in Microsoft Word) to undertakings from candidates from every Friends volunteers who are working so [email protected] or post to above party that they will support the restoration address. hard to make this campaign as effective of the funding which has been taken Material may be quoted or reproduced and far-reaching as possible. Please note away. It is interesting to note that, as a from Update provided the source is that you can still contribute to the Fighting acknowledged and reproduction is sent result of the cuts, the ABC now costs Fund through the national website on www. to the Editor at the above email or postal every Australian LESS THAN 10c per abcfriends.org.au address. day. There is concern within the ABC that funding for the next triennium will see Would you like to receive FRIENDS GO TO CANBERRA further cuts – we await the May budget Update newsletter with little confidence that the government On 1st March, all Friends State Presidents electronically? will be sympathetic! descended on Canberra in order to spend Save the planet’s trees and ABC Friends’ printing and postage costs and read Update on your tablet or computer. When Update is published, you will receive an email with a link to the latest issue (each newsletter is a 2-3MB PDF). You can try this now by going to www.fabcnsw.org.au and clicking on “Newsletter”. If you prefer this delivery option for future Updates please contact your local state branch (see back page). Who to write… Anyone seeking basic information about writing to persons of influence might find it helpful to go to www.fabcnsw.org.au where there are some menu items under “Be Active” leading to pages of information: Who can I write to? What can I say? Update Editor - Mal Hewitt PO Box 1391 North Sydney 2059 [email protected] Assistant Editor - Chris. Cartledge [email protected] Cartoonist - Phil Somerville Editorial Cartoonist for The Sun-Herald (Sydney) [email protected] Layout Artist - Paul Martens [email protected] Page 2 a day talking to as many members and for Friends to strengthen links with The has appreciated greatly Mark Scott’s senators as possible, and to attend the Australia Institute. The full report may be openness and willingness to engage launch of a report on the ABC by The found on the Friends website. with Friends on many ABC issues, and Australia Institute. National Spokesperson to attend our conferences and meetings, Margaret Reynolds reports on the visit SUBMISSION TO the SENATE in marked contrast to some previous in this Update, and whilst it is extremely INQUIRY MDs. We feel that he has led the ABC difficult to have meetings with our well throughout a period of rapid change ABC Friends has made a submission, representatives on a very busy sitting and enormous challenge, especially in prepared by Margaret Reynolds and day, our presence at Parliament House, establishing the ABC’s pre-eminence Ranald Macdonald, to the Senate and the invitations issued, ensured that over its commercial rivals in the digital Inquiry into the ABC Amendment (Rural our advocacy for the ABC was noted by era. His advocacy for and defence of and Regional Advocacy) Bill, 2015, many. the ABC in the regular Senate Estimates which would, in effect, force the ABC hearings in Canberra has been a hallmark to reallocate additional resources and THE AUSTRALIA INSTITUTE of his time as Managing Director, and services to regional Australia. The ABC REPORT whilst Friends has not always agreed with points out that it already spends one third Management’s priorities in the allocation This body, headed by Ben Oquist, is a of its budget in rural and regional areas, of diminishing resources, and has non-political research institute which has and is resistant to any proposal to legislate expressed concern at the management already produced some useful papers specific amounts of spending. The full of staff redundancies, we recognise the on a range of issues. On 2nd March, Friends Submission is also on the Friends importance and value of Mark’s leadership Parliament House was the venue for the website. in one of the most public and difficult of launch of “No Politics at Aunty’s Table jobs in Australia. Our best wishes go with – Depoliticising the Governance of the THE MARK SCOTT ERA him as he leaves. ABC.” Hosted by Andrew Wilkie (Tas. DRAWS TO A CLOSE Independent MHR) and attended by Friends will be seeking a very early The ABC’s Managing Director, Mark several politicians, the paper, written by meeting with Michelle Guthrie, the new Scott, is soon to leave the position he has Fergus Pitt, discusses the depoliticising Managing Director. occupied for the last 10 rather turbulent of the ABC Charter, the ABC Board, the years, under 5 Prime Ministers (Howard, And now, we have an election campaign appointment process and ABC funding, Rudd, Gillard, Abbott and Turnbull) to fight, with your help. along with the implications for regional and some challenging Ministers, from Mal Hewitt Australia. It was a valuable opportunity Richard Alston to Mitch Fifield. Friends President, NSW & ACT Friends Page 3 ABC Friends National Delegation to Parliament House Canberra MARCH 2ND 2016 Margaret Reynolds ABC Friends National Spokesperson The ABC FRIENDS National Delegation met in Canberra on March 1st and 2nd to launch the year’s election campaign for parliamentary recognition of public broadcasting as essential to Australian democracy. In the months leading up to the Federal Election, ABC FRIENDS will be campaigning to ensure that all candidates and recontesting parliamentarians commit to the ABC as the independent voice of Australia. Ranald Macdonald (Vic), Margaret Reynolds (Tas), Mark Hayes (Qld), Jessica Knight (SA), Mal Hewitt (NSW), Ross McDowell (Qld) In recent years there has been significant reduction in funding resulting in the loss vast majority of the public finds value and Representatives also focused on specific of senior professional broadcasters a wide range of stakeholders rely on its state concerns, with state presidents and program makers as well as political continued charter fulfilment. The increased giving details of their local experience of interference which has threatened the politicisation of its charter, funding and staffing retrenchments, and the end of ABC’s independence. governance in recent years is an affront to local television production and reduced public support. The key to lifting the ABC local news services. Western Australia Therefore it is important that ABC above ideological battles is to manifest demonstrated the serious impact at State FRIENDS rally to conduct a national its public and stakeholder support into level with images of the new Perth ABC campaign which highlights the value of the formal processes of wide engagement, office which now stands virtually empty.