Groupthink

Posts Tagged Mark Scott

ABC – Asleep at the wheel

Mar 12

Posted by cosmicjester in Foreign matter, Media | 6 Comments

When I woke up this morning I turned on the TV to try and see the latest news from the terrible earthquake and tsunamis that hit Japan. Instead ABC 24 was showing a rerun of an interview with Mia Freedman. Whilst I’m sure it was a very interesting interview, I strongly doubt that the people glued to their screens today are watching for reruns.

Further on the days programming, in-between short news segments we have been treated to reruns of the 7:30 Report and Foreign Correspondent.

ABC 24 hasn’t been reluctant to cancel regular programming and cut to breaking news in the past. Whenever a government minister or senior opposition member gives a presser they usually cut to live coverage. I’ve even seen them cut to Ian Thorpe’s “Qantas advertorial” return to professional swimming and even to the heads of major companies giving speeches at their AGMs.

I dont expect ABC to have the resources to have their own continuous coverage from Japan immediately, but ABC like most news services has recipricol arrangements with other news services for occasions like this. When the Christchurch quake hit, ABC 24 ran a New Zealand news channel’s live coverage as they were giving the most up to date coverage at that time, and last night the ABC showed the feed of the English language version of the NHK. So surely the ABC can be using these resources today, but when big news hits that isn’t Western or Canberra-centric the ABC seems reluctant to give it rolling coverage.

Currently on Twitter there are reports of a Japanese nuclear plant going into meltdown and ABC 24 is showing a rerun of the childrens news show Behind the News.

Mark Scott, we know 24 is new, has stretched resources and is finding its feet, but this is beyond pathetic.

Tags: , ,

Stick To Your ABC

Dec 1

Posted by Bob Dumpling in Media | 6 Comments

Anyone who follows the media would know that it’s a great time to be working at the ABC. While the wolf is at the door for many commercial and community outfits, our government funded ABC can sleep relatively soundly at night. Nothing highlights this better than Managing Director Mark Scott, who proudly tells the rest of the media they need to focus on quality journalism, stay ahead of the pack and other heart warming motherhood statements.

This is all very well coming from the public broadcaster with $800 mil coming in from Treasury. I have no problem with the ABC fulfilling its charter. What bugs me is the ABC running around doing things (with public money) where there is no imperative to do it.

I hate to say it but as Kim Williams repeated in Crikey;  “… in the digital age we need to be careful to ensure that public broadcasters like the ABC don’t merely replicate what the private sector is now doing or inadvertently crowd out market-driven creativity and innovation.”

And what is this replication that shits me? The inane, pop-culture of the malnourished, sub-70 IQ celebrity kind. Essentially why is the ABC wasting time and resources on infantile dross like this: http://blogs.abc.net.au/articulate/.

Or (and this is far worse) this: http://blogs.abc.net.au/theshallowend/.

I read the ABC Charter all the time and still can’t locate the section where it says it is required to fill the gap not taken up by commercial interests to inform and report every hot celebs current crisis or full colour documentation of the current fashion disaster unfolding at some drug-infested awards night or event opening.

Surely the funds being sent in the direction of the Vacuous Celebrities Awareness Department of the ABC would be far better administered by employing a few more journalists or funding some of the core services that are the reason for the ABCs existence?

Tags: , , , ,