Kylie Minogue promoter blasts reports ABC wanted to hire popstar

Kylie Minogue’s promoter has rubbished reports the ABC wanted to enlist the Australian pop icon for a public-relations campaign for $170,000.

Ms Minogue was going to sing one song about the ABC for $750,000, according to Fairfax Media. Picture: Getty

Kylie Minogue’s promoter has rubbished reports the ABC wanted to enlist the Australian pop icon for a public-relations campaign for $170,000.

Michael Gudinksi said the story published today in Fairfax Media was completely “unfactual”.

“To drag Australia’s greatest pop export into this further shows what a mess the ABC is in internally right now,” Mr Gudisnki said.

“It’s an absolute disgrace they’ve used Kylie’s name because of some internal politics and a document that must have gone around. I’m horrified.”

Fairfax Media had reported that former ABC chairman Justin Milne wanted to hire Kylie to help funding negotiations with Canberra.

Mr Milne stood down as chairman last week after it was revealed he had instructed former ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie to sack chief economics correspondent Emma Alberici and “shoot” political editor Andre Probyn to appease the government.

Some of the management team believed the broadcaster needed a PR boost before triannual funding negotiations began with the government, according to Fairfax Media.

It is understood Ms Minogue was going to sing one song about the ABC for $750,000 as part of the $3 million campaign.

Mr Gudinski said he had been in negotiations with the public broadcaster to televise a Minogue concert but the “timing didn’t work out”, adding that “there was never one single conversation about money. She was doing it for nothing.”.

According to an ABC spokesperson the $750,000 figure was for production costs involved in staging and airing the concert, not a payment for Minogue to advertise the ABC.

The national broadcaster has cut around 1000 journalism jobs over the last four years.

Ms Guthrie was reportedly livid due to the hefty price tag and shot down the idea.

Mr Milne has confirmed he thought the idea was “cool”, and that he believed the national broadcaster needed an image boost after intense scrutiny from Canberra.

“It wasn’t my idea,” he told Fairfax Media. “An emotional campaign with Kylie singing a song … I thought that could be cool.”

Mr Milne denied going directly to the ABC’s financial management team, but did admit he had not approached Ms Guthrie.

“I think Michelle was away at that time,” he said.

The broadcaster launched the ABC Yours brand campaign in February.