ABC elites put their arrogance on display for all to see
The ABC is us, declares ABC chairwoman Ita Buttrose, who believes the billion-dollar anachronism’s magical powers are protecting us from democracy’s ruin, writes Tim Blair.
Opinion
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Imagine if the Catholic Church had imperiously dismissed all police inquiries into child abuse.
Imagine if, instead of facing royal commissions, charges and trials, the church persisted with this attitude: “There is no other authority better-placed to manage the church than the church itself. We know our business.”
Now imagine if the Australian Labor Party took the same approach to allegations of branch-stacking or widespread corruption: “There is no other authority better-placed to manage the ALP than the ALP itself. We know our business.”
One or two people might reject the notion that such institutions — or any institutions, for that matter — should be self-policing.
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Return at this point to reality, and consider our $1.2 billion-per-year ABC.
With that much taxpayer cash involved, some independent oversight is probably a good thing.
But not according to ABC chair Ita Buttrose, who actually declared last week: “There is no other authority better-placed to manage the ABC than the ABC itself. We know our business.”
Leave aside the fact that the ABC isn’t a business, and marvel at the arrogance of that statement.
And this was only part of Buttrose’s remarkable 605-word argument by assertion, posted at the broadcaster’s “About the ABC” site below the deliciously inviting headline: “What would Australia look like without the ABC?”
Short answer: more than $1 billion better off every year, with a vastly more diverse media market. But let’s hear her out.
“The ABC has not only helped shape Australia,” Buttrose claimed.
“We are the national voice that unites us.”
Remember the unity we all felt when the ABC falsely accused Australian navy officers of deliberately burning refugees at sea?
And the wholesome sense of national togetherness we enjoyed when the ABC ran an item by leftist Marieke Hardy saying the country was silently praying for then-Liberal minister Christopher Pyne to “get attacked by a large and libidinous dog”?
And the universal love of all things Australian — our industry, accomplishments and future — that is constantly generated by the ABC’s climate fearmongering?
“It’s about democracy,” Buttrose continued. If only. Then we could vote against the ABC.
“Without the ABC we would have a Balkanised and parochial bunch of broadcasters that are in danger of being compromised by profit and more intent on dividing than unifying.”
Buttrose’s entire richly-rewarded career was spent working within profit-compromised private media. Now those outlets are cast aside as merely “Balkanised and parochial”.
Is this a statement from the ABC chair or is it a hostage’s signed confession?
“Imagine what it would be like during the bushfire season if we had to rely only on state-based or even regionally based media outlets.”
Ashes fell on Sydney during the summer’s bushfires. In our neck of the woods, a little closer to the action, we copped burned leaves.
Obviously, this situation demanded close attention. But we didn’t once tune into the ABC. There was no need. State and regional media covered those fires brilliantly.
Do go on, Ita:
“When we are in the middle of bushfires, don’t we want to know that they are being covered by a knowledgeable and experienced network of journalists with all the supporting infrastructure of a large national network?”
Yes. Which is why I read The Daily Telegraph.
By the way, note how being employed by the ABC grants some kind of holiness to otherwise ordinary journalists.
Walk through the ABC’s doors and you suddenly become part of a “national voice” upon which the very fate of democracy relies.
You know, I worked at the ABC myself for a time. Every night I’d check for signs of a developing aura or halo. Sadly, no transformation ever occurred.
“The ABC, funded by all of us, regardless of our creed — race, age, political beliefs — is us.”
“We are us,” then-PM Julia Gillard mystifyingly announced at Labor’s 2011 conference. Now Buttrose is borrowing one of the weirdest prime ministerial phrases ever minted.
“It’s the way we build cross-cultural understanding, the way we help each other in times of need. It’s who we are collectively. Why would anyone want to diminish that and make us less than who we are?”
ABC staff are currently helping us during a time of need by not taking any pay cuts. Buttrose next deals with what she describes as “cuts” to the ABC’s budget, which turn out not to be cuts at all:
“Let me clarify the cuts because there seems to be some confusion in government circles about them … it is true that over the three years the ABC budget does still increase but by a reduced amount.”
Glad we got that sorted out.
“The strength of the ABC and its relationship with the nation comes from the very people who work for us. They are passionate about public broadcasting and are prepared to work for less than they would be paid by commercial media to deliver it.”
Paul Barry is paid $200,000 per year to present his weekly 15-minute Media Watch scolding session. How much do you think Barry might be offered if he proposed a similar service at a commercial network?
“There is no other authority better placed to manage the ABC than the ABC itself. We know our business and we are determined to honour our commitment to independence. All Australians expect this of us, just as they expect the government to provide the appropriate funds to allow us to do so.”
They can only remain independent by remaining dependent.
What a racket.