WHOSE ABC? OURS............whoever we vote for!

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WHOSE ABC? OURS............whoever we vote for! ACT FABC committee members have been upset that some members think we’re in the pocket of one political party.

Not so!

Because FABC is protesting against the present Govenrment’s inadequate funding, it may appear that we are agin the Liberals. However they are the ones in government - so they are currently the only ones with the power to ring the changes we want.

But we want to hear from politicians of all parties – or none – that they value the contribution of the ABC to the quality of life in many walks of life in Australia. We especially want politicians of all persuasions to have the courage to support an independent public broadcaster.

An independent public broadcaster should be free of pressure from any political party to follow the party line in news coverage and current affairs commentary. It should also be free of commercial pressure to publicise and comment only in ways that will sell the product of the advertisers or boost the shares of the media owners.

At the December rally and at the forthcoming Monster Rally and March on Feb 11, all Federal politicians have been informed of the events and all sitting members representing the ACT and surrounding regions have been invited to attend. Some have been more enthusiastic in their response than others. Some parties have been more active than others in their support of the ABC. ACT Friends has not sought out any one party. If the Democrats are being more visible in their demonstration of support for the ABC that is at their initiative, not the result of any special requests by us. The same goes for any other political party.

Everyone should come to the party..............We love the ABC and we vote!

-- Anonymous, February 04, 2001

Answers

Everyone knows that "Friends of the ABC" is just code for "Friends of the ALP". With the whole of ABC News and Current Affairs staff being honorary or actual members of the ALP why would the Coalition hand the ABC more money just to campaign against them. The majority of Australians have to "pay" for the TV they watch by putting up with adverts, and the lefty-liberal elites still living in the 70s get employment and a channel for their personal political views payed for by everyone else through their taxes.

-- Anonymous, February 16, 2001

Gordon,

Take a look around, 10,000 people marched for the ABC last weekend in Canberra. The ABC is a National Icon. No political party could get that number of people on the streets. What were they?? 10,000 lefty- liberal elites? What about Tim Fischer who swears by the ABC and Bob Catter too. The people who rallied last Sunday were from every walk of life. We all pay 8 cents a day for the total ABC service. It is a service for us all. Wouldn't you pay 8 cents a day NOT to have to sit through those mind numbing ads. True I don't like all that is reported on ABC TV or on the radio but by God I will fight for the rightof anyone to express their views. Even yours.

The one thing that the Friends have to be very careful about this maitaining an apolitical position. We have load of conservative leaning members. We have enormous community support at the moment precisely because people care about independence, freedom of speech and the development of of our culture. Not endless reruns of Seinfeild and the Simpsons and All McBeal and Terminator 2.

Why was it that in the Keating years that The ABC got hammered. Because they asked questions of the government. Political bias ha.. go listen to John Laws and Alan Jones. EVERY word they utter is placed there and paid for by God knows who.

Go ask National Party people in the country what they would do for contact with the rest of the world if it wasn't for the ABC.

If you still don't believe me, "please" come to one our meetings. Find out for yourself just who we are instead of mouthing right wing political retoric. We have a place for you. We have branches all over the country.

Thanks for you interest.

Peter

-- Anonymous, February 17, 2001


I would like to respond in detail to Gordon's comment. He wrote:

Everyone knows that "Friends of the ABC" is just code for "Friends of the ALP". With the whole of ABC News and Current Affairs staff being honorary or actual members of the ALP why would the Coalition hand the ABC more money just to campaign against them. The majority of Australians have to "pay" for the TV they watch by putting up with adverts, and the lefty-liberal elites still living in the 70s get employment and a channel for their personal political views payed for by everyone else through their taxes.

-- Gordon Drennan (gordond@tig.com.au), February 16, 2001.

Lets take these points one at a time:

1. Everyone knows that Friends of the ABC is just code for Friends of the ALP.

Friends of the ABC have never supported a vote for Labor. We have been hightly critical of David Hill when Managing Director of the ABC, especially over the backdoor sponsorship scandal. Mr Hill was appointed under an ALP government and later stood as an ALP candidate.

We have been highly critical of Brian Johns plan for the ABC to do a deal with Telstra. Our criticism of Mr Johns may be found on this website. Mr Johns was appointed under an ALP government and has often been identified with Labor.

2.The whole of ABC News and Current Affairs staff being honorary or actual members of the ALP.

The following Liberal Party identities all had long and prominent careers in ABC Current Affairs:

Peter Collins, TV Current Affairs, Sydney. Later Leader of the Liberal Party in NSW and currently Liberal MP.

Jim Bonner, Executive Producer for both radio and TV current affairs in Adelaide and Canberra. Now South Australian Direcotor of the Liberal Party.

Pru Goward, ABC radio current affairs, Canberra.Later appointed to senior positions by John Howard. Her husband David Barnett wrote a very favourable biography of John Howard.

Cathy Job, ABC Current Affairs, Brisbane, later a media advisor to Liberal Minister David Kemp

3. Most people have to pay for TV through advertisements, but the left liberals get their TV provided for them by others.

Everyone who buys products that are advertised (which really means everone) pays for commercial TV, whether they watch it or not. All taxpayers pay for the ABC (but not everyone pays taxes, at least not all of their life). 86% of Australians use the ABC each week. This is nine out of ten Australians, not a minority.

4. Left liberals get a channel for their personal views.

If this is the case, why did a survey conducted by the Australia last week show that 80% of coalition voters thought the ABC was doing a good job.

-- Anonymous, February 18, 2001


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