A long time ago Australians were forced to pay for a license to watch television or listen to radio - and that was to fund the ABC. " Aunty " was the epitome of rectitude. It provided this nations premier news service. It's shows ran precisely to their allotted time slots - and it's charter tried to bridge a gap between " educating " and " entertaining " it's audiences.
How times have changed ! That TV license has long gone and now the ABC is funded by a billion dollars from the public purse - and standards have dropped to abysmal levels, judging by the flak directed at it's reporting bias and the type of shows it is putting to air.
Many people are bemused by the furore generated by what the ABC seems to think is it's attempt at sophisticated comedy. " The Chaser " has been an ongoing litany of sheer bad taste. It has culminated in depicting a rival News Corp journalist having sex with a dog - and many consider on screen bestiality as crossing the line.
Finally, Mark Scott offered a public apology - and immediately the Chaser team re offended by running a new cartoon - this time depicting their boss in a similar position - with a Hampster.
The ABC audience encompasses the entire spectrum of Australian society. There are certainly people who will find bestiality amusing, but there are others - particularly those with young children watching the show - who will be seriously offended. It seems that the ABC now stoops to lows that the commercial channels would not dare cross for fear of losing ratings.
The same applies to the bias in news presentation. It seems obvious that the ABC has developed a certain political outlook that colours the way stories are presented. Good journalism achieves balance. Both sides of the argument are presented - and the viewer is given all the information necessary to make a decision. It seems obvious that facts that do not suit the presenter's opinion are omitted - and this perceived slant angers many people.
It seems that this is self perpetuating. When a biased political view prevails amongst senior staff, new entrants will be carefully culled to maintain direction. There is a danger that the public broadcaster will simply morph into the mouthpiece of a side of politics that is running it's own agenda. That is not what is expected from a public broadcaster.
The problem is how to reintroduce balance into the ABC - and that will be difficult. The present outlook is deeply entrenched and strong intervention could simply turn the sway in the opposite direction. Probably the only way would be to gear the ABC funding to it's audience ratings, just as the commercial television field lives or dies by the advertising revenue that depends on drawing audience numbers.
If bad taste loses viewers - and that means a drop in operating revenue - we could expect a serious improvement in broadcast standards !
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