ABC ‘short-sighted’ over Olympics radio neglect
The AOC has condemned the national broadcaster as being “monumentally short-sighted” failing to provide live radio coverage of the Tokyo Games.
The Australian Olympic Committee has condemned the national broadcaster as being “monumentally short-sighted” and ignoring the obligations of the ABC Charter by failing to provide live radio coverage of next year’s Tokyo Games.
AOC chief executive Matt Carroll has vowed to do everything in his power to see the decision overturned before Tokyo 2020 starts next July and said the committee would be contacting ABC chairwoman Ita Buttrose personally about the matter.
The Australian exclusively revealed on Monday that the ABC has taken the unprecedented decision to pull out as an official broadcast partner with the Games.
“The ABC should reconsider this decision. The AOC is prepared to put this case to the chair of the ABC directly, on behalf of the eight million Australians who participate in Olympic sports,” he said. “(That is) not to mention the millions more who follow, support and celebrate those athletes.
“The AOC believes the decision is monumentally short-sighted and a great letdown to Australians who rely on their national broadcaster — from the smallest of communities to our suburbs.
“We live in times when we need to inspire even more Australians to participate in sport to defeat the growing scourges of obesity and mental illness.”
The public broadcaster has carried live radio cover of every Olympics since Helsinki in 1952 but has cited budget constraints and an evolving media environment for its decision not to pursue the non-commercial radio rights.
Mr Carroll said it was a particularly disappointing call, given the Tokyo 2020 would be held in a time zone far more suitable for listeners than that of the Rio Games four years ago.
He said it also came in direct contradiction to the obligations laid out by ABC’s Charter.
An ABC spokesperson said ABC News and ABC Grandstand would still provide daily updates throughout the Games.
AAP
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