I am not sure I really like ABC's political editor Andrew Probyn. That kind of translates as being I don't always agree with him. But hey, he is first class presenter of political stories. It is hard to believe he has been sacked.
Along with some not so magical machinations with ABC's arts programming.
And the loss of Sunday state based evening tv news for a national news service. I know what that means from radio. It will mean Sydney news with a local Sydney car crash story and a filler from one of the states.
I have marched on the streets for Our ABC. I was a member of Friends of ABC. I've been to large public meetings to support our ABC. These were mostly against conservative attacks and defunding of Our ABC.
I have written letters and latterly sent emails to all and sundry to urge support for Our ABC.
But I am old and I know ABC needs to go down a digital path for the newer generations. However, I feel so disrespected by these aforesaid changes, especially the loss of our local news. If ABC TV gets away with this, there will be no end to cuts to ABC from within.
PS My next post from England is a long time in the making. Hopefully tomorrow.
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I am with you all the way. And mourn. With some anger too.
ReplyDeleteLookiing forward to your next post from England.
It happens here. Something that works perfectly well is changed for no apparent good reason. Too often, it's change for change's sake.
ReplyDeleteThe major media are all murdocracy really. I get more local news from facebook community bogan forums.
ReplyDeleteRoentare, I've never really investigated local FB communities aside from those who focus is history.
DeleteI think the ABC made a mistake when they tried to emulate the commercial channels with a lot of their content. Being govt funded it shouldn't matter if they are popular - they should be informative and unbiased.
ReplyDeleteThe Stalker
ReplyDeleteI am disgusted . Probyn is one bloke who despite one’s political bias had always been an excellent commentator interviewer and analyst. I think the ABC is now wanting a different audience… It’s all about the youngsters. ABC is so up their own these days and they don’t realise the young get their news from social media. They have been conditioned to accept what they consider facts from other sources.They don’t watch TV or listen to news radio
Hope they keep Gardening Australia and Landline. As far as I am concerned they are consistently good, informative and free of reporters personal opinions
There is an online mag called New lines Andrew…free and it’s published overseas and gives others perspectives on current affairs . Worth having a look at
I don't know enough about it to comment, Our news has gotten to be more and more 'fluff'. The half hour of evening news always has some celebrity stories, and I don't understand why it should. There is so much happening in the world.
ReplyDeleteDebby, some years ago I did watch your evening tv news for a week or so when we were in NYC. I wasn't impressed.
DeleteI don't watch ABC so I'm not concerned, but I feel for those who do watch and are losing something. I'm already used to my nightly news being interstate based, I have it on mostly to catch the weather forecast, then it's back to DVDs until bedtime.
ReplyDeleteOur BBC has steadily declined and is now no longer the trusted broadcaster of factual and interesting programmes. It is now wall to wall reality and celebrity garbage shows with some news items of dubious quality thrown in. A total waste of our TV Licence money.
ReplyDeleteThe ABC has changed and it's changing once again, have to try and keep up with the times I suppose. I watch it occasionally but not a great fan.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realise you marched in the streets for our ABC and attended public meetings. We may well have met back then :)
ReplyDeleteHels, you weren't the lass who sat next to me at Dallas Brooks Hall and tried to pick me up?
DeleteMade redundant because ‘they’ didn’t need a political editor- who’s going to sort out all that stuff for it to be presented on other ‘platforms’. The tea lady???
ReplyDeleteCan't say anything about that don't know an ABC channel ! But can't be worse than the 1st Belgian TV where to wake you up, are only talking of negative things, not like the other European channels, they at least don't start with murders and catastrophes.
ReplyDeleteThe future of our marvellous BBC is also subject to regular threats... often from ignorant conservative politicians like Nadine Dorries.
ReplyDeleteThere is so little local news since the collapse of print.
ReplyDeleteI watch ABC News on YouTube every day while having my breakfast. I have also watched some current affairs programmes as well. I listen to ABC News Radio on the ABC News mobile app. I find the programmes quite interesting, and I like the presentation a lot.
ReplyDeleteI have not familiar with Andrew Probyn though. May be I have heard some of his programmes.
Regarding digitisation, well, all media organisations in the world, are transforming. I know for older people like us, it's quite whole new world.
Good to hear of support from a distance Pradeep.
DeletePublic broadcasting is under attack from conservatives in many countries. I wonder if Murdoch is behind it? Doesn't want the tax-subsidized competition, perhaps?
ReplyDeleteMurdoch media constantly attacks the ABC, generally unfairly.
DeleteI hadn't heard that Andrew Probyn had got the sack. He was a great presenter. I hate the way we have to watch National news unless we go to iview and watch the Queensland news.
ReplyDeleteWe prefer getting news from Youtube creators.
ReplyDeleteI am also considering writing about this, but time is tight. My main concerns with the ABC over the past decade are:
ReplyDelete(1) Removal of 15-minute news bulletin at 7:45am on ABC Radio Melbourne (3LO)
(2) Cutting 10-minute 6pm news bulletin back to 5 minutes and PM back to 30 minutes on 3LO. That bit of talkback with Rafael Epstein between 6:05 and 6:30pm is a waste of airtime and 6:30pm suits me far less to listen to PM. (I don't mind Raf's programme otherwise)
(3) The lack of coverage on TV and radio of Victorian state politics. Seriously - do you even know what is happening in state parliament right now? Richard Willingham is great, but I get the sense that he is stretched and has a very small state politics team beneath him. Much of the focus seems to be on Canberra and the seeming lack of scrutiny of Spring Street (compared to times past) is concerning.
(4) National ABC News on Sunday? It will be like national radio news bulletins when they occasionally occur - irrelevant. Also, does that mean that we'll have 10 minutes of weather or will weather be reduced to capital cities only?
My audience habits have changed in the past decade. I almost exclusively tune in to 3LO via the ABC Listen app (in the car) or on DAB+ (at home). The only ABC TV programme that I watch to schedule is ABC News Victoria, but even then I stream it on iView half the time (as my 4yo daughter likes to ask questions/talk over bits and I miss the details). All other TV is via ABC iView.
I get that the ABC needs to change and I support that, but I think they need to keep the news component. I don't think 3LO is quite as serious and probing as it was a decade ago. There's a little too much frivolous talkback sometimes. I do like the local aspect of it though, which is why I can't move across to 3RN.
Thanks Adam. It is all about the younger market, which generally only gravitates to the ABC as they age. Older ABC listeners are bread and butter and their wants ought not to be ignored.
Delete1 Tick
2 Tick, although I mostly don't listen to ABC Melbourne after 10.30 nowadays.
3. Double tick, extra annoying when they self advertise their connection to local communities.
4. Tick. The national 7pm tv news will be bad enough for Victorians. God help our smaller states to get any coverage at all.
At least ABC Melbourne does get serious for a couple of hours from 8am. Last time I tuned in ABC Sydney at about 8.45, Wendy Harmer was talking about a bush turkey coming into her house. As I was told by an ABC person, ABC Sydney is a very different beast to ABC Melbourne.