PUBLIC BROADCASTING – AUSTRALIA

ABC hits pause on log-in rollout

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Original article by Sophie Elsworth
The Australian – Page: 3 : 1-Jul-21

The ABC has advised that the introduction of mandatory log-ins for its iview streaming service has been pushed back to the end of 2021. The new system was to have been launched during July and August, but a spokesman says the public broadcaster will give users more time to understand how it will work and the benefits of creating a registered ABC account. Regional Communications Minister Bridget McKenzie has welcomed the decision to delay compulsory log-ins, and says the ABC should implement an ‘opt-in’ model.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS

Four Corners morale is at an all-time low

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Original article by James Madden
The Australian – Page: 19 : 7-Jun-21

The ABC’s decision to delay a ‘Four Corners’ program on the alleged links between Prime Minister Scott Morrison and a supporter of the QAnon movement is said to have caused a rift within the public broadcaster. ABC news director Gavin Morris referred the story to MD David Anderson, who decided that the story was not ready to be broadcast. The decision has angered senior journalist Louise Milligan and the executive producer of ‘Four Corners’, Sally Neighbour. The internal row follows the ABC’s recent legal dispute with former attorney-general Christian Porter.

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AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

ABC says staff free to post opinions

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Original article by James Madden, Sophie Elsworth
The Australian – Page: 4 : 27-May-21

The ABC’s MD David Anderson has told a Senate estimates hearing that the public broadcaster’s staff can post their opinions on their personal social media accounts without fear of being disciplined. However, staff must adhere to the ABC’s code of conduct when posting on its official platforms. Anderson has also advised that the ABC is set to secure commercial deals with Google and Facebook under the news media bargaining code. The new revenue stream will be used to boost the ABC’s news coverage in regional and rural areas.

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AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, GOOGLE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED

Business brains bolster ABC board

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Original article by James Madden
The Australian – Page: 19 : 17-May-21

Media industry veteran Peter Tonagh is one of three new appointments to the ABC’s board. The former CEO of Foxtel was recommended by the public broadcaster’s independent nominations panel, as was the former MD of the Seven Network’s Perth station, Mario D’Orazio. Communications Minister Paul Fletcher personally chose Fiona Balfour to fill the third vacancy on the ABC’s board; she has extensive experience across a range of business sectors. All three will have five-year terms at the ABC.

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AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS

‘Completely excluded’: budget delivers $58.6m to media but ABC misses out

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Original article by Amanda Meade
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 13-May-21

Former ABC bureaucrat Michael Ward has criticised the lack of funding for the public broadcaster in the federal government’s May 2021 Budget. He contends that the ABC is among the few media companies that are excluded from the $58.6m funding package. Amongst other things, SBS will receive a $30m funding boost, some $8m has been allocated to community broadcasting and the privately-owned AAP newswire service will receive $15m. The Australian Communications & Media Authority will receive an additional $4.2m to implement the news media bargaining code.

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AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS), AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA AUTHORITY

ABC regrets unfairness in finance probes

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Original article by Sophie Elsworth
The Australian – Page: 19 : 26-Apr-21

Liberal senator Andrew Bragg has criticised the ABC over a lack of balance in its business and economic reporting. It has been revealed that Bragg wrote to the public broadcaster in March to complain about its coverage of the federal government’s proposed changes to responsible lending laws. He contends that the article failed to present the government’s reasons for the legislative changes. The ABC has conceded that the article should have been more balanced. It has also recently corrected a series of reports about the alleged rorting of the JobKeeper scheme.

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AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Fletcher rules out sacking Buttrose over ABC investigation

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Original article by Ronald Mizen
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 14-Dec-20

The ABC continues to attract scrutiny in the wake of a controversial ‘Four Corners’ report on the personal lives of two federal government ministers. However, Communications Minister Paul Fletcher has refuted suggestions that the government could sack ABC chair Ita Buttrose, stating that he has confidence in the way she is handling a "challenging and very important job". Fletcher has also defended his decision to send a letter to the ABC board in late November querying the decision to broadcast the news story in question.

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AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS

Federal police drop case against ABC journalist

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Original article by Lilly Vitorovich
The Australian – Page: 7 : 16-Oct-20

The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions will not take legal action against ABC journalist Daniel Oakes over a series of reports known as ‘The Afghan Files’. The CDPP has deemed that the public interest does not require a prosecution in the case of Oakes; the Australian Federal Police has subsequently advised that its investigation into allegations that Oakes obtained classified information has been closed. ABC MD David Anderson says the matter should never have gone as far as it did.

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AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIA. DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC PROSECUTIONS, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE

ABC indulged ‘activist agenda’, says V’landys

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Original article by Kieran Gair
The Australian – Page: 7 : 15-Oct-20

Racing NSW CEO Peter V’landys has given evidence in his defamation lawsuit against the ABC and one of its journalists. The case centres on a story that appeared on the ‘7.30’ current affairs program in October 2019; it featured an interview with V’landys that was spliced with graphic footage of retired racehorses being killed at a Queensland abattoir. V’landys claimed that the story "pandered to an activist agenda" and alleges that the ABC failed to make it clear that he has no jurisdiction over racehorses in Queensland. V’landys is seeking aggravated damages.

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AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, RACING NSW

ABC, SBS under threat in regional areas

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 12 : 18-Sep-20

Federal Energy Minister Angus Taylor has become involved in a dispute between the nation’s public broadcasters and Regional Broadcasters Australia. The dispute, over maintenance and repair charges for broadcast equipment, has resulted in more than 400 residents in the New South Wales town of Goulburn not being able to access the ABC or SBS. Taylor, whose electorate of Hume covers Goulburn, says many of these residents are elderly and depend on the ABC and SBS for news and information. He has asked the ABC, SBS and Communications Minister Paul Fletcher to try to find a solution to the dispute.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS), REGIONAL BROADCASTERS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY