we are discussing at aussieseek.com on the australian political messageboard whether it is time to rething the abc and save the 4700 million... and growing. perhaps a program maker like nz on air

any input is invited

keitha

Discussion: The ABC Costs $700 million Per Year. Frank king Advanced Member

Posts: 4689 5:43 pm on May 26, 2003

Australians really have to bite the bullet on this issue. With cable TV rapidly covering the country and Jones and Laws dominating the airwaves, WE DON'T NEED A NATIONAL BROADCASTER. The whole concept is out of date.

Shut it down, and as a consequence tax on business profits could be lowered. Johnny Advanced Member

Posts: 1646 6:13 pm on May 26, 2003

In reality the ABC serves about 10% of the electorate. The very same 10% who make up the voters for parties like the Greens, Democrats and other self-centred, left-leaning, utopian-seeking, out-of-whack fringe groups. Unfortunately this 10%, although completely devoid of logic, are highly vocal (chatterers) and are not about to allow the demise of their propaganda machine.

The ABC is irrelevant to the other 90% and it's bias and lack of balance is overwhelming. Some give it a credibility it does not deserve.

It should go - now. Eddie Advanced Member

Posts: 1473 3:54 pm on May 27, 2003

Did you not think that quite a lot of us enjoy the programmes on the ABC because we arn't idiots who don't like the pap served up on commercial stations. Frank king Advanced Member

Posts: 4697 5:09 pm on May 27, 2003

Fox News-Station serves up no pap. No political spin. They report, the viewers decide. Fair and balanced news coverage. Number one News-Station in the USA. Yesterday the son of Bobbie Kennedy was torn into strips because of his campaign to force Americans to use midget cars. Hannity knew that Kennedy had his own private jet. Bobby Jnr. was nonplussed. Johnny Advanced Member

Posts: 1650 5:16 pm on May 27, 2003

No Eddie, I didn't think that at all. I just think you are either one of those who unfortunately can't afford to connect to an unbiased educational and informative alternative like Foxtel, or you sunconsciously accept that the you might find the information available via Foxtel a little daunting - better to be told how it is by the GayBC and avoid the need to think for yourself. Admittedly, the commercial channels are lacking in more ways than one and a lot of their programming would only attract the adsolute brain dead (Jerry Springer comes to mind as but one example). But the ABC and Springer's opposite Andrew Denton as alternatives - come now, you jest.

Obviously you are one of the 10% I mentioned. It shows. Eddie Advanced Member

Posts: 1476 6:31 pm on May 27, 2003

It has been said that the only ones who watch O'Reilly and the token Demmocrat, who looks like a Martian ,are the Right Wingers so I suppose watching O'Reilly will be an exercise in mental masturbation. I like the ABC and this includes regional radio because it provides me with good commercial free entertainment.The operative word being entertainment. If I want diverse political views I get them from the Internet ,as can be seen by a lot of my postings . aaamatilda Advanced Member

Posts: 4495

6:50 pm on May 27, 2003

keitha says news ltd could bid for the abc network as a fouth free to air tv channel with a ready made network of abc transmitters. (how to turn $700 million into a profit - greedy bastards the abc want $250 million more ) the creatvity will come from a new funded australian programing foundation to make and sell programs for commercial television.public television and sbs like nz on air. we need to hold a public think tank. dont worry eddie abc radio illawarra would stay

abc

4700 Johnny Advanced Member

Posts: 1652

7:38 pm on May 27, 2003

That's right Eddie, you "like the ABC and this includes regional radio because it provides me (you) with good commercial free entertainment". No dounbt the added incentive that appelas to you is that it's biased reporting and slanted programming provides you with what you want to hear. I prefer to treat Foxtel and the programming it offers as an education/infomation tool that allows one to come to his/her own conclusions.

If I want entertainment I can always joust with Nogun or play with the dog.

There are many better ways of spending $700M of taxpayer's money.

Dion Newbie

Posts: 2

11:02 pm on May 27, 2003

The ABC is the only Television station interested in maintaining Australian culture. The documentaries and historical programs provide Australian's with a rare insight into our unique heritage, something not one of the commercial stations are interested in. Also the ABC for KIDS segments provide children with relevant, educational, imaginative and mainly violence free programs that are specific to Australian children. We are not the rest of the world. This is Australia and I'm glad that the children around me have the ABC to protect their fragile childhood and their unique Australian heritage.

Now go back to your Big Brother, A Current Affair and assorted other swill. Those that watch the ABC are usually those with an education that pay the highest taxes and are entitled to get something back for their efforts. redinkblot Advanced Member

Posts: 219

11:57 pm on May 27, 2003

When you look at the absolutely pathetic, mostly violent (even the childrens programs), brain dead, diarrhoea that is braodcast by commercial stations, I think they all should be banned and only the ABC allowed to broadcast. Only 10% of people watch the ABC because only about 10% of the population have any measurable level of intelligence.

I think television, especially commercial stations, has become a cancer in our society. It is particularly bad for children.

Television broadcasting should be restricted to just one or two stations and should only be allowed between 5 and 10pm. There should be at least one day per week with no television broadcasting and at least one braodcasting day with no advertising, and all other days advertising restricted to 6 minutes per hour.

Frank king Advanced Member

Posts: 4701

12:14 am on May 28, 2003

Redinkblot says, "Only 10% of people watch the ABC because only 10% of the population have any measurable level of intelligence". And they are probably all nurses, like Redinkblot. With degrees too! neville222 Advanced Member

Posts: 144

1:11 am on May 28, 2003

Despite the failings or bias' the ABC may seem to have, depending on one's viewpoint, it has managed to be of a higher quality product than the other so called "free to air" stations. Maybe Fox has improved. it would have wanted to!!! I did have pay cable TV for 12 months a couple of years ago and cancelled immediately after the contract was up. I found the programs to be tedious, boring, repetitive, still full of commercials or endless station identifications, etc. A number of people I know had similar experiences and also signed off. And, yes, it was too darned expensive for too little in return.

The ABC does at least cover topics that the Current Affair or Today Tonight or 60 Minutes rubbish don't. The latter still are back in the old days of setting up entrapments for shonky repairmen, car salesmen, or neighbourhood feuds. ZZZZZZZZ!

Last night, for e.g. Foreign Correspondent covered the rising tide of militant Islam in Malaysia just as one of its topics.

Also, the ABC has quality entertainment shows such as The Bill which beats hands down any Aussie or USA cop show production. And the ABC eventualy shows the educational Geographical Magazine shows as seen a litle earlier on Cable.

It is still true that in remoter areas only the ABC is available. It was always the case that the ABC would put up a tower for a repeater station, people would buy the sets, then the 9,7,10 stations would piggy back on the repeater!

I also find SBS news the one to watch if one wants to really have a good idea of what's happening outside of your own city or Australia.

Without the ABC or internet we would be really as ignorant as the Americans who haven't a clue what happens outside their own town, Hooterville, and think NZ is part of Australia.

---------- neville

Eddie Advanced Member

Posts: 1477

2:45 am on May 28, 2003

You are right Johnny ,I like the slanted biased programming being a fan of, The The Bill,Taggart ,The Fat ,The Glasshouse ,Dimensions,Grass Roots,Gardening Australia,Compass and strangely enough, even though I can't play ,Indoor Bowls. On the radio .The morning Quiz ,Compost Heap and local news.

aaamatilda Advanced Member

Posts: 4496

2:49 am on May 28, 2003

keith says to

Dion Newbie

Posts: 2

11:02 pm on May 27, 2003

The ABC is the only Television station interested in maintaining Australian culture.

---- not true get real

The documentaries and historical programs provide Australian's with a rare insight into our unique heritage, something not one of the commercial stations are interested in. --- not true

Also the ABC for KIDS segments provide children with relevant, educational, imaginative and mainly violence free programs that are specific to Australian children. We are not the rest of the world. This is Australia and I'm glad that the children around me have the ABC to protect their fragile childhood and their unique Australian heritage.

--- well when was the last latest release movie... black and white uk movies.. wonder what they paid for those/ a great contribution to aussie culture

Now go back to your Big Brother, A Current Affair and assorted other swill. Those that watch the ABC are usually those with an education that pay the highest taxes and are entitled to get something back for their efforts.

---- class struggle eh?

redinkblot Advanced Member

keitha to redinkblot

When you look at the absolutely pathetic, mostly violent (even the childrens programs), brain dead, diarrhoea that is braodcast by commercial stations, I think they all should be banned and only the ABC allowed to broadcast.

---- the abc would be replaced by an independent program maker you will still get the same diet only elsewhere on your channel selector

Only 10% of people watch the ABC because only about 10% of the population have any measurable level of intelligence.

---not true

I think television, especially commercial stations, has become a cancer in our society. It is particularly bad for children.

-- the new corporation could focus on schildrens programs. I see the abc 's first program cut was to blackmail the GOVERNMENT BY HOLDING CHILDREN HOSTAGE AND CUTTING A KIDS CHANNEL.

Television broadcasting should be restricted to just one or two stations and should only be allowed between 5 and 10pm. There should be at least one day per week with no television broadcasting and at least one braodcasting day with no advertising, and all other days advertising restricted to 6 minutes per hour.

--- YOU WANT TO DECIDE THE BOOKS IN THE LIBAR

-- Anonymous, May 28, 2003

Answers

There have been a number of wild and unsubstantiated claims made by some contributors to aussieseek, who have also posted comments to this forum.

I'll respond to just two. Firstly it has been suggested that the ABC is only used by 10% of the population. This claim is total nonsense. The standard ACNeilsen surveys, used by commercial radio, show that ABC radio gets far in excess of this figure in ALL major markets. This is publicly available information, carried out by polling companies paid by the ABC's competitors!

An independent survey conducted by Australian Nationwide Opinion Polls in 1990 found that 86% of Australians use an ABC service each week. This was reported by The Australian, a paper that is certainly not a member of the ABC fan club. Since that time ABC audiences in both radio and television have increased slightly.

The second unsubstantiated claim was that only Democrat, Green and leftist voters use the ABC. Again, independent studies have conclusively shown that Coalition voters not only use the ABC heavily, but also support it.

A survey conducted by Newspoll and published in the Australian on 2001 found that: * 80% of coalition voters thought that the ABC was doing a good job with news and entertainment * 50% of coalition supporters thought the ABC should receive more money

Note: Newspoll is owned by Rupert Murdoch, as is the Australian. None of these organisations could be said to be a supporter of the ABC.

Darce Cassidy

-- Anonymous, May 28, 2003

I must comment on Johny's contribution...vis."Fox News-Station serves up no pap. No political spin. They report, the viewers decide. Fair and balanced news coverage....."

"Faux News" efforts in Iraq have made them a laughing stock. From numerous claims of having found WMD to serious suggestions of having Peter Arnett (a New Zealander) charged with treason they lost whatever credibility they had.

Given that many of their management team are former GOP media advisers.....it's no surprise they've become little more than 'White House TV'>

-- Anonymous, May 28, 2003

Darce the ABC is flat out rating 15%, and you know it! Privatise the old nag while it is worth a bob or two! I've had a gutful of funding an exclusive club for the looney left.

-- Anonymous, May 29, 2003