2020 has ended badly for the ABC — so badly that it’s time to ask if chair Ita Buttrose is capable of halting the broadcaster’s slide. Right now it looks like she’s not. But is there anyone who could, given how the stars have aligned against the ABC this year?
Here’s a wrap of December so far:
Communications Minister Paul Fletcher demanded answers from the ABC board over Four Corners’ “Inside the Canberra Bubble” story, which reported on an alleged toxic culture with respect to women in the Liberal government. Fletcher upped the ante by tweeting his two-page complaint alleging bias in the report and questioning if it was in the public interest
Before the episode aired, government senators Sarah Henderson and Amanda Stoker interrogated the ABC’s managing director on its content during estimates hearings
Coalition Senator James McGrath led a Senate motion which ordered the ABC to release an internal review finding instances of alleged bias in the ABC’s 2019 election coverage
Liberal Senator Andrew Bragg demanded the ABC provide details of a content supply agreement with online publication The New Daily and questioned if the deal had an impact on the broadcaster’s independence.
Buttrose has reportedly accused the government of a pattern of political interference in her reply to Fletcher’s complaint. She also launched a strong objection to the Senate’s demand to produce the ABC’s internal review — but to no avail.
Adding to the pain inflicted by politicians, broadcast media regulator the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) this week found a Four Corners report on the Murray-Darling Basin Plan from 2019 breached impartiality rules. The ABC said it disagreed with the finding, pointing out that the government had failed to provide a spokesperson for an interview.
In the hands of its enemies, though, it is yet another stick to beat the broadcaster.
Can it get worse?
At this stage the Morrison government is happy to bring the ABC to its knees in the interests of promoting its own political fortunes. And there are plenty of its fellow travellers cheering it on. To that extent Buttrose — or whoever is chair of the ABC — stands little chance of stopping the tide.
But the government is also flirting with the destruction of an institution which plays the role of one of Australia’s few remaining public interest agencies, even if it does its job imperfectly at times.
Only a public backlash could halt the slide to destruction. But who would count on that now?
More:
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/can-the-abc-survive-the-war-under-general-buttrose-could-anyone/ar-BB1c7D9X?ocid=msedgntp