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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/31/a-patriotic-state-owned-media-would-not-serve-australias-best-interests
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| A 'patriotic' state-owned ABC would not serve Australia's best interests | A 'patriotic' state-owned ABC would not serve Australia's best interests |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Prime minister Tony Abbott's view | |
| that the role of state-owned media is to be patriotic, cheering on the home | that the role of state-owned media is to be patriotic, cheering on the home |
| team, is not particularly unusual or radical. It's just that one would normally | team, is not particularly unusual or radical. It's just that one would normally |
| expect to hear it from government leaders in countries without a tradition of a | expect to hear it from government leaders in countries without a tradition of a |
| free media. | free media. |
| In Chinese media policy, for example, | In Chinese media policy, for example, |
| the media is not outside government, but rather an instrument of governance. Recent | the media is not outside government, but rather an instrument of governance. Recent |
| policy announcements as the Chinese Communist party struggles with the impact | policy announcements as the Chinese Communist party struggles with the impact |
| of social media talk about the role of journalists as being to "guide | of social media talk about the role of journalists as being to "guide |
| public opinion" and maintain the cohesiveness of the nation. | public opinion" and maintain the cohesiveness of the nation. |
| It's | It's |
| a tempting view of journalism for those faced with the challenge of governing | a tempting view of journalism for those faced with the challenge of governing |
| at a time of rapid change. It is also completely wrong-headed and dangerous. | at a time of rapid change. It is also completely wrong-headed and dangerous. |
| This | This |
| is not only because of the ideals of a free media. After | is not only because of the ideals of a free media. After |
| all, as we saw in last year's controversies over the Labor government's | all, as we saw in last year's controversies over the Labor government's |
| attempts to increase regulation of the media, "media freedom" (like | attempts to increase regulation of the media, "media freedom" (like |
| "the public interest") can be a hollow catch phrase meaning little | "the public interest") can be a hollow catch phrase meaning little |
| more in some mouths than more power for the dominant media corporations, no | more in some mouths than more power for the dominant media corporations, no |
| matter how badly they do their jobs. | matter how badly they do their jobs. |
| Freedom | Freedom |
| of speech is a right held by individuals, not organisations. Media organisations | of speech is a right held by individuals, not organisations. Media organisations |
| have freedoms not because the organisations are good things in themselves, but | have freedoms not because the organisations are good things in themselves, but |
| to the extent that they serve individuals’ right to freedom of expression. While | to the extent that they serve individuals’ right to freedom of expression. While |
| this has always been the case, it is newly important to remember it in our own | this has always been the case, it is newly important to remember it in our own |
| time when, for the first time in human history, the means of publication are in | time when, for the first time in human history, the means of publication are in |
| the hands of most citizens. | the hands of most citizens. |
| The | The |
| wording of every important statement of the right to freedom of speech, from | wording of every important statement of the right to freedom of speech, from |
| Milton's famous 1644 speech to the English parliament to the Australian high | Milton's famous 1644 speech to the English parliament to the Australian high |
| court decision in the Lange case, makes clear that freedom of speech is an | court decision in the Lange case, makes clear that freedom of speech is an |
| individual right, and is held by "the press" only consequentially. | individual right, and is held by "the press" only consequentially. |
| Every individual has a right to publish. | Every individual has a right to publish. |
| The | The |
| right to freedom of speech can be claimed by media organisations only because | right to freedom of speech can be claimed by media organisations only because |
| they are composed of individuals, and because they disseminate news, views and | they are composed of individuals, and because they disseminate news, views and |
| information to citizens. They hold it to the extent that they put the rights of | information to citizens. They hold it to the extent that they put the rights of |
| citizens to freedom of speech and access to information into practical effect. | citizens to freedom of speech and access to information into practical effect. |
| It | It |
| is worth remembering, too, that the focus of last year's attempts to introduce | is worth remembering, too, that the focus of last year's attempts to introduce |
| more media regulation was the power to enforce the publication of corrections. | more media regulation was the power to enforce the publication of corrections. |
| If those reforms had gone through, and if the ABC's reporting of abuse of | If those reforms had gone through, and if the ABC's reporting of abuse of |
| refugees was inaccurate, then a correction could have been more powerfully | refugees was inaccurate, then a correction could have been more powerfully |
| demanded. But Abbott, then in opposition, was vehemently opposed to any | demanded. But Abbott, then in opposition, was vehemently opposed to any |
| such increase in government control of the media. | such increase in government control of the media. |
| There | There |
| is a more pragmatic reason, though, why calling on journalists to bat for the | is a more pragmatic reason, though, why calling on journalists to bat for the |
| home team is bad media policy. It doesn't work. | home team is bad media policy. It doesn't work. |
| As | As |
| the media historian Mitchell Stephens has observed, the lesson of history is | the media historian Mitchell Stephens has observed, the lesson of history is |
| that the sharing of news and information, over time, exercises a subtle | that the sharing of news and information, over time, exercises a subtle |
| cohesive force on society. It keeps us all thinking about the same things, and | cohesive force on society. It keeps us all thinking about the same things, and |
| facing in the same direction, even when we disagree. This is the case even when | facing in the same direction, even when we disagree. This is the case even when |
| individual news items and pieces of journalism might appear to have a corrosive | individual news items and pieces of journalism might appear to have a corrosive |
| effect on social cohesiveness. There is a larger force at work. | effect on social cohesiveness. There is a larger force at work. |
| But | But |
| as China is discovering, in the new media world if people begin to distrust the | as China is discovering, in the new media world if people begin to distrust the |
| content and pitch of mainstream media, if they suspect it of being propaganda, | content and pitch of mainstream media, if they suspect it of being propaganda, |
| then mainstream media loses its agenda-setting power. | then mainstream media loses its agenda-setting power. |
| In the Chinese context, party owned outlets | In the Chinese context, party owned outlets |
| are no longer as effective as an instrument of governance as they used to be, | are no longer as effective as an instrument of governance as they used to be, |
| because people are turning to social media, to privately owned newspapers and | because people are turning to social media, to privately owned newspapers and |
| the internet to get their news. By batting for the home team, party-owned | the internet to get their news. By batting for the home team, party-owned |
| papers have lost the trust of their audiences. | papers have lost the trust of their audiences. |
| Consider, | Consider, |
| in this context, the Snowden stories, the ABC's involvement in which has so | in this context, the Snowden stories, the ABC's involvement in which has so |
| displeased Abbott and the government. | displeased Abbott and the government. |
| Imagine | Imagine |
| if the ABC had decided not to get involved, not seeing breaking such news as | if the ABC had decided not to get involved, not seeing breaking such news as |
| part of its charter. Would | part of its charter. Would |
| its credibility have risen? Of course not. People would simply have obtained the | its credibility have risen? Of course not. People would simply have obtained the |
| news from elsewhere and, to a degree, the nation-building capacity that was the | news from elsewhere and, to a degree, the nation-building capacity that was the |
| justification for founding a national broadcaster in the first place would have | justification for founding a national broadcaster in the first place would have |
| been diminished. | been diminished. |
| The | The |
| capacity of the ABC to contribute to a healthy Australia depends on it being a | capacity of the ABC to contribute to a healthy Australia depends on it being a |
| trusted source of news - and all the surveys tell us that by and large, it is | trusted source of news - and all the surveys tell us that by and large, it is |
| exactly that. If it becomes bland and non-controversial, then it loses the | exactly that. If it becomes bland and non-controversial, then it loses the |
| power to fulfil its charter. | power to fulfil its charter. |
| Meanwhile the planned efficiency review | Meanwhile the planned efficiency review |
| of the ABC is not necessarily a bad thing for Auntie. Long term ABC watchers | of the ABC is not necessarily a bad thing for Auntie. Long term ABC watchers |
| will be feeling déjà vu: it was 2005, and the ABC was in the sites of | will be feeling déjà vu: it was 2005, and the ABC was in the sites of |
| the Howard government. The ABC board - stacked by the government with cultural | the Howard government. The ABC board - stacked by the government with cultural |
| warriors of the first water - requested an external review. The Government | warriors of the first water - requested an external review. The Government |
| commissioned KPMG. | commissioned KPMG. |
| The result, leaked in 2006, was a report that found the ABC | The result, leaked in 2006, was a report that found the ABC |
| was very efficient, and needed an extra $125.8m in core | was very efficient, and needed an extra $125.8m in core |
| funding over the next three years to maintain its present operations. After | funding over the next three years to maintain its present operations. After |
| comparing the ABC to Australian commercial broadcasters and public broadcasters | comparing the ABC to Australian commercial broadcasters and public broadcasters |
| overseas, KPMG concluded: | overseas, KPMG concluded: |
| The ABC provides a high volume of outputs and quality | The ABC provides a high volume of outputs and quality |
| relative to the level of funding it receives … the ABC appears to be a broadly | relative to the level of funding it receives … the ABC appears to be a broadly |
| efficient organisation. | efficient organisation. |
| The result was modest increases in the | The result was modest increases in the |
| ABC funding in the following budget. It may be that in the current exercise, | ABC funding in the following budget. It may be that in the current exercise, |
| the motivations of minister for communications Malcolm Turnbull include | the motivations of minister for communications Malcolm Turnbull include |
| insulating the ABC from swinging cuts. If so, management's support for the | insulating the ABC from swinging cuts. If so, management's support for the |
| exercise is not | exercise is not |
| surprising. | surprising. |
| There is room for some cost cutting at the | There is room for some cost cutting at the |
| ABC, but the cost is heavy. Further denuding the broadcasting capacity in Hobart, | ABC, but the cost is heavy. Further denuding the broadcasting capacity in Hobart, |
| Adelaide and Brisbane, for example, and ceasing coverage of things such as local | Adelaide and Brisbane, for example, and ceasing coverage of things such as local |
| football, would free up more funds but also unleash a political storm, | football, would free up more funds but also unleash a political storm, |
| including in marginal electorates. | including in marginal electorates. |
| Could | Could |
| the ABC management be looking for excuses and external justification to bolster | the ABC management be looking for excuses and external justification to bolster |
| them in making these cuts? The appointment of commercial television veteran | them in making these cuts? The appointment of commercial television veteran |
| Peter Lewis, who could only blanch at the costs of, for example, bringing state-based football to tiny audiences, suggests so. | Peter Lewis, who could only blanch at the costs of, for example, bringing state-based football to tiny audiences, suggests so. |
| Reading between the lines of the terms | Reading between the lines of the terms |
| of reference, there is another issue which has been perennial ever since SBS | of reference, there is another issue which has been perennial ever since SBS |
| was founded in the early 1980s. Could the two public broadcasters be merged? | was founded in the early 1980s. Could the two public broadcasters be merged? |
| Or, failing that, could their "back office" functions be combined, | Or, failing that, could their "back office" functions be combined, |
| leading to efficiencies? | leading to efficiencies? |
| In a recent interview with me, | In a recent interview with me, |
| ABC managing director Mark Scott said an SBS and ABC merger was a "matter | ABC managing director Mark Scott said an SBS and ABC merger was a "matter |
| for government", and not one the ABC would pursue. However he also observed | for government", and not one the ABC would pursue. However he also observed |
| that if, in the current day, one was seeking to establish an ethnic | that if, in the current day, one was seeking to establish an ethnic |
| broadcasting presence, the natural solution would be found a new digital | broadcasting presence, the natural solution would be found a new digital |
| multichannel or two, rather than establish a whole organisation. | multichannel or two, rather than establish a whole organisation. |
| The terms of reference for the inquiry | The terms of reference for the inquiry |
| also make it clear that the government is taking separate advice on the | also make it clear that the government is taking separate advice on the |
| transmission costs for the ABC and SBS. Not before time, since that particular | transmission costs for the ABC and SBS. Not before time, since that particular |
| heavy cost centre has a nasty and expensive history. | heavy cost centre has a nasty and expensive history. |
| There is a reason the ABC has survived, | There is a reason the ABC has survived, |
| when so many other nation-building "commissions" founded in previous | when so many other nation-building "commissions" founded in previous |
| centuries have disappeared. It is because media has a fundamental role in | centuries have disappeared. It is because media has a fundamental role in |
| nation-building, and the ABC's high public trust ratings show that most people | nation-building, and the ABC's high public trust ratings show that most people |
| implicitly understand that. | implicitly understand that. |
| But it is not exercised by being bland, | But it is not exercised by being bland, |
| partisan for the home team, or skewing the news. A public broadcaster that | partisan for the home team, or skewing the news. A public broadcaster that |
| failed in breaking uncomfortable news would lose much of its reason for being. | failed in breaking uncomfortable news would lose much of its reason for being. |