🚀 go-pugleaf

Hear hear! I've just watched Kerry O'Brien interviewing Richard Alston 
(ersatz Communications Minister who reminds me of Pooh Bear - very little 
brain) on the 7.30 report re the ABC having 10% of its budget cut. Kerry 
posed some pretty damn pert questions (not to mention verbatim examples) 
of the Coalition reneging on its election promises with regard to the 
ABC, but, undeterred, our worthy Comms Minister refused to be baulked by 
fact....What *is* it with this Government? Didn't we have enough economic 
rationalism in the '80's?? Haven't they yet learnt that economic 
viability does not necessarily equate with virtue/success/prosperity? 
Must they be forever measuring progress - cultural, artistic, social - in 
commercial terms? First Vanstone, now bloody Alston. First up against the 
wall when the revolution comes....

G'day Ian,

>Please stop the ABC from becoming Another Bloody Commercial
>channel.

Personally, I'm in favour of Howard's activities.  In my opinion, the
quality of ABC programming has been declining for some years and the
network is considerably over-rated at present.

What have been the major new shows for the ABC this year?

1. After the Beep -- bloody terrible
2. Mercury -- boring

And so on.

It's my understanding that their only real successes have been
imported shows (e.g., Pride and Prejudice).  Otherwise, they've been
wasting too much resources on too little talent.

Doug

 _____                  .
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     | |    .                    .   . .          |
    /  | .                         .     .  . .   |
   /  .|  douglas.buckser@acslink.aone.net.au  .o |

In article <31ee27f0.7095109@news.mel.aone.net.au> douglas.buckser@acslink.aone.net.au (doug buckser) writes:
>From: douglas.buckser@acslink.aone.net.au (doug buckser)
>Subject: Re: Another Bloody Commercial Channel
>Date: Thu, 18 Jul 1996 12:29:24 GMT

>G'day Ian,

>>Please stop the ABC from becoming Another Bloody Commercial
>>channel.

>Personally, I'm in favour of Howard's activities.  In my opinion, the
>quality of ABC programming has been declining for some years and the
>network is considerably over-rated at present.

>What have been the major new shows for the ABC this year?

>1. After the Beep -- bloody terrible
>2. Mercury -- boring

Well, if you are only talking about this half year,

3. Border Town.
4. Funky Squad.

If I am not mistaken there have also be new episodes of programs like GP and 
Frontline.

So that is six shows employing Australian actors and crews, and there are 
others I am sure. 

How many shows have been prduced by the other stations, that require acting ?

As well as major contributions in the production and screening of some great 
docos such as The War on Drugs, which is not something any of the commercial 
stations would have the balls to show.

>And so on.

>It's my understanding that their only real successes have been
>imported shows (e.g., Pride and Prejudice).  Otherwise, they've been
>wasting too much resources on too little talent.

I am not sure of how great these shows  commercial successes are, but if we 
don't foster the development of local shows we are neither making a prudent 
commercial decision or a cultural one.

Perhaps the quality of these shows do not match your standards because they 
already do not have enough funds.

Cheers
IW

Ian Williamson (iw@emphasys.com.au) wrote:
: Coalition moves against ABC independence

: It shocks me that a personal friend of the PM's is about to
: 'head' the ABC. He hasn't had a chance to warm his chair (use his 
: brain), yet plans are a foot to re-write the ABC's constitution.

: Prior to the election, Howard displayed his phobia about the
: ABC's attitudes towards him. Whether the ABC demonstrated skills in
: prophecy, or maintained a small 'l' liberal stance, remains the
: question now.

: It appears that the PM's ideal ABC is a state run commercial
: style station with about as much loyalty and funds for the more 
: offbeat as the rest of our glorious media. In other words, if it
: is not main stream then it is not worth having.

: Please stop the ABC from becoming Another Bloody Commercial
: channel.

Effective control of the media is what all politicians would like to 
have. The freedom of the press, TV, and radio must be vigilantly 
protected from politicians and their desire for control of what they see 
as a powerfully persuasive tool for manipulating public opinion in their 
own interests.

Ramon

Daniel Lawrence wrote:
> 
> >>Please stop the ABC from becoming Another Bloody Commercial
> >>channel.
> 
> >Personally, I'm in favour of Howard's activities.  In my opinion, the
> >quality of ABC programming has been declining for some years and the
> >network is considerably over-rated at present.
> >What have been the major new shows for the ABC this year?
> >1. After the Beep -- bloody terrible
> >2. Mercury -- boring
> >And so on.
> >It's my understanding that their only real successes have been
> >imported shows (e.g., Pride and Prejudice).  Otherwise, they've been
> >wasting too much resources on too little talent.

Two simple words..... Police Rescue!

Not only has P.R. been accepted in the Australian community through 
numerous logies but has also been shown to numerous overseas networks.

G'day Ian,

>3. Border Town.
>4. Funky Squad.

Yes, I'd forgotten about both of these shows.  Based on their very
good reviews in the Age, I watched the first two episodes, then
stopped.  Border Town had admirable social ideals, but the production
and scripts were not up to scratch.  And Funky Squad was simply a
self-amusing exercise by the Frontline staff.

>If I am not mistaken there have also be new episodes of programs like GP and 
>Frontline.

It's my understanding that GP will be cancelled at the end of this
year and Frontline will not appear until next year.

>How many shows have been prduced by the other stations, that require acting ?

Just off the top of my head, I'll can think of Water Rats and Halifax
FP.  This doesn't include the myriad of soapies and information
presentation shows (e.g., houses, money).
>
>As well as major contributions in the production and screening of some great 
>docos such as The War on Drugs, which is not something any of the commercial 
>stations would have the balls to show.

If we look at the high-profile ABC shows, they don't appear to have
performed well in recent years (e.g., Four Corners) and are simple
copies of American shows (e.g., Lateline copies Nightline).  I'm
struggling to think of news that the ABC has broken this year.

>I am not sure of how great these shows  commercial successes are, but if we 
>don't foster the development of local shows we are neither making a prudent 
>commercial decision or a cultural one.

If the local shows which are produced are of the quality of After the
Beep, Border Town, Mercury, et cetera, then I'm not convinced that
it's either a worthy cultural or commercial exercise.

>Perhaps the quality of these shows do not match your standards because they 
>already do not have enough funds.

It's my understanding that the ABC receives over $500,000,000 each
year.  If it needs even more money than this to create some decent
shows, then I would think that there is a serious management and staff
problem.

Doug

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"If I was ever through with my life, I'd like to go out in style,
taking as many deserving individuals as possible with me.
Maybe I'd join some terrorist organization and volunteer to use
their 'suicide bomb.'   Of course, I'd want to 'say goodbye' to
the whole group just before I left the hideout for the target."
      -- Bob O`Bob

douglas.buckser@acslink.aone.net.au

G'day Ramon,

>Effective control of the media is what all politicians would like to 
>have. The freedom of the press, TV, and radio must be vigilantly 
>protected from politicians and their desire for control of what they see 
>as a powerfully persuasive tool for manipulating public opinion in their 
>own interests.

This is a very difficult goal to obtain if the television and radio
network is directly funded by the government.  As long as the
government can turn on and off the money taps to the networks, it will
continue to have an indirect avenue for influencing the networks'
presentation and content.

The obvious solution is to eliminate this potential conflict of
interest by removing direct government funding of the broadcast media.
I have not yet read a convincing argument which identifies why a
government-funded broadcast network is necessary.

Doug

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What happens if a big asteroid hits the Earth?  Judging from realistic
simulations involving a sledge hammer and a common laboratory frog, we
can assume it will be pretty bad.  -- Dave Barry

douglas.buckser@acslink.aone.net.au

In article <31f02c67.2756796@news.mel.aone.net.au> douglas.buckser@acslink.aone.net.au (doug buckser) writes:
>>3. Border Town.
>>4. Funky Squad.

>Yes, I'd forgotten about both of these shows.  Based on their very
>good reviews in the Age, I watched the first two episodes, then
>stopped.  Border Town had admirable social ideals, but the production
>and scripts were not up to scratch. 

I agree somewhat.

> And Funky Squad was simply a self-amusing exercise by the Frontline staff.

True, but it still amused and entertained.

>>If I am not mistaken there have also be new episodes of programs like GP and 
>>Frontline.

>It's my understanding that GP will be cancelled at the end of this
>year and Frontline will not appear until next year.

Yes, but are they not being replaced by other shows ?

>>How many shows have been prduced by the other stations, that require acting ?

>Just off the top of my head, I'll can think of Water Rats and Halifax
>FP. 

Two ! And what sort of funds did they have at their disposal ?

> This doesn't include the myriad of soapies and information
>presentation shows (e.g., houses, money).

I did say "that require acting".

>>
>>As well as major contributions in the production and screening of some great 
>>docos such as The War on Drugs, which is not something any of the commercial 
>>stations would have the balls to show.

>If we look at the high-profile ABC shows, they don't appear to have
>performed well in recent years (e.g., Four Corners) and are simple
>copies of American shows (e.g., Lateline copies Nightline).

Four Corners has been a bit down, but I would not call it a copy of an 
American show. Still there is still the odd brilliant one.

>  I'm
>struggling to think of news that the ABC has broken this year.

Has this go anything to do with their time slot ? I think so. What is more 
important is the type and style of coverage that they produce.

>>I am not sure of how great these shows  commercial successes are, but if we 
>>don't foster the development of local shows we are neither making a prudent 
>>commercial decision or a cultural one.

>If the local shows which are produced are of the quality of After the
>Beep, Border Town, Mercury, et cetera, then I'm not convinced that
>it's either a worthy cultural or commercial exercise.

Firstly, you forget the huge contribution the ABC makes to young children's 
viewing, which is generally not commercially viable. (It is better to throw 
something copraphilous at their parents), like "The Bold and the Beautiful".

>>Perhaps the quality of these shows do not match your standards because they 
>>already do not have enough funds.

>It's my understanding that the ABC receives over $500,000,000 each
>year.  If it needs even more money than this to create some decent
>shows, then I would think that there is a serious management and staff
>problem.

I feel I get my money's worth. Even if I didn't, I would still like Howard to 
keep his dirty paws off.

Cheers
IW

>Doug

>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
>"If I was ever through with my life, I'd like to go out in style,
>taking as many deserving individuals as possible with me.
>Maybe I'd join some terrorist organization and volunteer to use
>their 'suicide bomb.'   Of course, I'd want to 'say goodbye' to
>the whole group just before I left the hideout for the target."
>      -- Bob O`Bob

>douglas.buckser@acslink.aone.net.au

G'day Ian,

>> And Funky Squad was simply a self-amusing exercise by the Frontline staff.
>
>True, but it still amused and entertained.

To be honest, I was disappointed with Funky Squad (although we're
certainly both entitled to our differing views).  The first show was
funny, because there were some excellent parodies of those crappy cop
shows.  However, if my aging memory is accurate, the subsequent
episodes basically repeated the same gags.

>>It's my understanding that GP will be cancelled at the end of this
>>year and Frontline will not appear until next year.
>
>Yes, but are they not being replaced by other shows ?

I'm not sure whether they'll be replaced by Australian productions or
imports.

>>>How many shows have been prduced by the other stations, that require acting ?
>
>>Just off the top of my head, I'll can think of Water Rats and Halifax
>>FP. 
>
>Two ! And what sort of funds did they have at their disposal ?

That wasn't the question you asked.  It's possible that the budgets
for the commercial stations are higher than the ABC, but that's not
really an excuse for producing bad programs.  After all, I'd imagine
that Frontline is a low-budget production, but it's better and funnier
than most of its counterparts.

Furthermore, if I were to examine the television guides closely, I
would think that the commercial stations create more than two
non-soapie shows.  If it's that important to this discussion, I'd be
glad to.

>>If we look at the high-profile ABC shows, they don't appear to have
>>performed well in recent years (e.g., Four Corners) and are simple
>>copies of American shows (e.g., Lateline copies Nightline).
>
>Four Corners has been a bit down, but I would not call it a copy of an 
>American show. Still there is still the odd brilliant one.

Yes, you're right, I should have used an "or", not an "and".  I had
not intended to state that all ABC shows were copies of American ones.

I will continue to support my statement, however, that Four Corners
has been performing at a low level.  Most of the locally-produced
episodes (and there have been quite a few imports) haven't really done
a lot.  I'm struggling to think of a really memorable one.

>>  I'm
>>struggling to think of news that the ABC has broken this year.
>
>Has this go anything to do with their time slot ? I think so. What is more 
>important is the type and style of coverage that they produce.

It is a -news- broadcast.  I would assume that you believe that news
programs should attempt to be involved in investigative journalism,
etc.  (If not, that may be the source of our disagreement on this
issue.)  Yet I can't think of many times when the ABC has led the
pack, instead of chasing news which was broken by other networks.

>Firstly, you forget the huge contribution the ABC makes to young children's 
>viewing, which is generally not commercially viable. (It is better to throw 
>something copraphilous at their parents), like "The Bold and the Beautiful".

Perhaps the ABC should concentrate on producing children's shows,
which is one of the strengths of its American counterpart.

>I feel I get my money's worth. Even if I didn't, I would still like Howard to 
>keep his dirty paws off.

Why?  The ABC is just another government department and presumably
should not be immune to the government's budget problems.  Do you
support a carte blanche policy for the ABC?

Doug

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
It is certainly insensitive of you to call it a "dumb bear". It would 
have been much more enlightened to refer to it as a "vocally challenged 
Ursine-American". I'm surprised at you. -- Kelly Fitzpatrick

douglas.buckser@acslink.aone.net.au

In <31f02c67.2756796@news.mel.aone.net.au> douglas.buckser@acslink.aone.net.au (doug buckser) writes:
>It's my understanding that the ABC receives over $500,000,000 each
>year.  If it needs even more money than this to create some decent
>shows, then I would think that there is a serious management and staff
>problem.

The 500-million you speak of (even if accurate) should be taken in 
context.

That not only funds ABC-TV, but 7 radio networks, 6 symphony orchestras,
and a myriad of other functions.

I will concede that there is some wastage in the ABC .. but significantly
less than is commonly believed.

Consider .. for less than the operating costs of Network 10 & its 
affiliates, the ABC brings 
* domestic television to almost all the nation,
* a window on Australia to Asia via ATV & Radio Australia, 
* Metro radio for capital city markets, 
* Regional Radio for the bush, 
* Classic FM (the only chance outside the big three cities to hear quality 
  music), 
* TripleJ nationwide (or close, anyway), 
* Radio National, to canvass the issues that no-one else does, 
* Parliamentary broadcasts & Australia's only continuous rolling news 
  format (cap-cities only), and
* Symphony orchestras which would simply cease to exist without ABC support.

And that's without even mentioning the only news that can really say it
operates without fear or favor. I know some don't like the ABC's alleged 
bias .. but ask yourself .. what would Australia be like without the ABC?

I worked in commercial radio/TV  for 15 years, and know how many stories I 
was forced to pull because it may impact on the station's bottom line. 
I do NOT want to see the same happen to the ABC.

Yes, I work for the ABC (and hence my views must be seen in that light)
but I also spent a decade-and-a-half in the commercial radio/TV sector, as
well as managing a community radio station.

And for those who believe the ABC is a hotbed of labor-leaning pinkos ..
consider that the previous Labor government also attacked the ABC .. 
because it had the temerity to question decisions.

Even Bob Katter, not noted for his left-wing views, has conceded that an
independent ABC is about the only genuinely independent news source.

Believe me, the issue of the ABC's independence is vital to democracy in 
this country.
 
(NB .. on this, as on all issues, I speak _not_ for the ABC)


-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
|cairns.graham@a2.abc.net.au    ((|))      gcairns@mtpost.apana.org.au  |
|NewsRadio (PNN), Brisbane.       |         Mansfield,  Qld, Australia. |
|                                 |                                     |
|-------------------------------- ^ ------------------------------------|
|                                ^^^                                    |
|Broadcaster, journalist,       ^^^^^          and all-round nice bloke!|
| I work for, but do not speak for, my employer. All comments are mine. |
|               http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/7845                 |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

In <31f35e97.8186520@news.mel.aone.net.au> douglas.buckser@acslink.aone.net.au (doug buckser) writes:
>>Yes, but are they not being replaced by other shows ?
>I'm not sure whether they'll be replaced by Australian productions or
>imports.

That, in large part, depends on the budget.

It is, of course, cheaper to buy shows 'off-the-shelf' from OS .. but the
ABC has always prided itself on its local production.

Currently, between 43 and 46% of all air-time is locally produced .. the 
aim is (or was, before the cuts) to bosst that above 50%, AFAIK.

>I will continue to support my statement, however, that Four Corners
>has been performing at a low level.  Most of the locally-produced
>episodes (and there have been quite a few imports) haven't really done
>a lot.  I'm struggling to think of a really memorable one.

The problem is that you can't have a 'big league' every week. In the past
year, there have been some interesting shows (Kennett's Casino comes to mind)
but none that have the far-reaching impact of the expose of corruption in
Queensland, under Joh, or New South Wales, under Wran.

Blue Murder, on the other hand, was an excellent docudrama (sorry, NSW 
people, I can't give details :-)

>It is a -news- broadcast.  I would assume that you believe that news
>programs should attempt to be involved in investigative journalism,
>etc.  (If not, that may be the source of our disagreement on this
>issue.)  Yet I can't think of many times when the ABC has led the
>pack, instead of chasing news which was broken by other networks.

And slicing 12% off the budget will help investigative journalism? 

Doug, you know as well as I that the net result will be more media releases
masquerading as news, not less.

>Perhaps the ABC should concentrate on producing children's shows,
>which is one of the strengths of its American counterpart.

The ABC is _not_ analagous to PBS .. and should never be marginalised into
that role.

The US, with its huge population base, can afford niche broadcasting of that 
nature. Australia cannot (IMHO).

>Why?  The ABC is just another government department and presumably
>should not be immune to the government's budget problems.  Do you
>support a carte blanche policy for the ABC?

But there is little doubt (to me, at least) that the ABC is not being 
subjected merely to black-hole inspired budget cuts. It is being 'taught a
lesson' by the Howard government. 

Consider: the figures being talked of are roughly equivalent to the entire 
operating budget (TV/Radio/SOs) for Queensland, South Australia and Western
Australia COMBINED.
(Source: ABC Manager: Radio - Qld,  Bob Wurth, in note to staff 20/7/96)

The figures being spoken of are almost a carbon-copy of those pledged under 
Fightback.

The appointment of a man who slavers over John Howard as Chairman, and of a
corporate hatchet-man with no media experience as an overseer .. these are
not merely 'budget cuts', these are an attempt to remodel the ABC into
something akin to the old SABC, or most government broadcasters.

(Usual disclaimers x 2)


-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
|cairns.graham@a2.abc.net.au    ((|))      gcairns@mtpost.apana.org.au  |
|NewsRadio (PNN), Brisbane.       |         Mansfield,  Qld, Australia. |
|                                 |                                     |
|-------------------------------- ^ ------------------------------------|
|                                ^^^                                    |
|Broadcaster, journalist,       ^^^^^          and all-round nice bloke!|
| I work for, but do not speak for, my employer. All comments are mine. |
|               http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/7845                 |
-------------------------------------------------------------------------