ABC boss Ita Buttrose won’t listen to the haters

Just a year into the top job at the national broadcaster, Ita Buttrose has a message for her critics — she doesn’t listen to you.

Ita Buttrose has a message for her critics — she doesn’t listen to you.

Just over a year into what was seen by many as a controversial appointment to the top job at the national broadcaster, Buttrose, 79, admits the job has carried with it more than its fair share of scrutiny over perceived “left wing bias”.

ABC chairwoman Ita Buttrose says it’s always the case that some people love you and some people don’t.

But Buttrose, who began her media career as a copy girl aged just 15, said she is accustomed to the knocks.

“It’s like anything really … some people love you, some people don’t and that’s just the way it is,” Buttrose said.

“It’s a provocative position and you learn that some days you will be commended and people will appreciate what you are trying to do and then there will be those in the media who harass us over certain ­issues. That’s just how things operate and it’s just a part of the challenge. Does it get me down? No, it doesn’t.”

It comes as the ABC has found itself under heavy criticism over its decision to shift its flagship panel show Q&A from Monday evenings to Thursday — a move which has seen the show’s ratings fall to the lowest ever under new host Hamish Macdonald.

Buttrose said the program will stay and eventually find its mojo on Thursdays.

“It always takes time to bed in a new program and very rarely are changes like this an instant success,” she said.

Meanwhile, the ABC will also open up its Australia Talks survey to the public from today. You can vote online on a range of hot-button topics across “non-Census type” ­issues, from domestic violence to the COVID vaccine rollout to fears for the country’s economic future.

The major findings will be revealed in a 90-minute program next month.