Extract from The Guardian
Not-for-profit group is encouraging voters to back candidates who are on the record as supporting the national broadcaster
ABC Friends is encouraging voters to support candidates who are on
the record as supporting the national broadcaster following cuts under
Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull’s governments.
ABC Friends’ first national campaign will target 27 marginal electorates, most held by the Coalition, across Australia: eight in New South Wales, three in Victoria, three in Tasmania, four in Queensland, and one each in Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory.
Fairfax, being vacated by Clive Palmer; Indi, held by independent Cathy McGowan; and five ALP marginal seats are also in the campaign’s sights.
Volunteers will ask voters to sign cards to pledge their support for the ABC as well as to select candidates who will restore funding to the broadcaster.
It will be supplemented by targeted campaigns on social media and local media. Its first social video in a series of about 10 paints a picture of “the possible future of the ABC”, in which Leigh Sales and Kerry O’Brien are reality television stars and Four Corners “hasn’t been on for years”.
Ranald Macdonald, former editor-in-chief and managing director of the Age and spokesman for ABC Friends, said cuts to the ABC under the Coalition had cost jobs and compromised quality.
The coming election was “crucial” for the national broadcaster, he said.
More than $300m in funding was thought to have been cut under Abbott and Turnbull, but Macdonald said that was a conservative estimate, not taking into account inflation.
“The fact is, it’s more than that.”
In last month’s budget, the federal government trimmed funding to the ABC from $60m over three years to approximately $41.4m.
ABC News director, Gaven Morris, said a total of 30 positions across the organisation would likely be impacted as a result of the cuts, and the Fact Check unit would close after the election.
Macdonald said the government’s attempts to minimise the impact of the funding cuts was “total spin”.
“Why have they lost 500 people? Why can’t they do any drama at all? ... Why has it become Sydney-centric?”
Macdonald said the campaign was serious and committed, funded by an increase in membership and donations.
“We’re wanting to fire a shot across the bows of the government and say ‘don’t take us for granted’.”
Labor last week announced it would deliver an extra 500 hours of women’s sport via the ABC if elected, and says it has more policy announcements pertaining to the broadcaster to come.
Macdonald said ABC Friends was not aligned with any political party and would be determining individual candidates’ commitment to restoring funding to the ABC at public forums.
“Everyone stands up there and says they love the ABC – then of course the question is what are they going to do about the funding.
“We already see it’s becoming a battleground.”
ABC Friends’ first national campaign will target 27 marginal electorates, most held by the Coalition, across Australia: eight in New South Wales, three in Victoria, three in Tasmania, four in Queensland, and one each in Western Australia, South Australia and the Northern Territory.
Fairfax, being vacated by Clive Palmer; Indi, held by independent Cathy McGowan; and five ALP marginal seats are also in the campaign’s sights.
Volunteers will ask voters to sign cards to pledge their support for the ABC as well as to select candidates who will restore funding to the broadcaster.
It will be supplemented by targeted campaigns on social media and local media. Its first social video in a series of about 10 paints a picture of “the possible future of the ABC”, in which Leigh Sales and Kerry O’Brien are reality television stars and Four Corners “hasn’t been on for years”.
Ranald Macdonald, former editor-in-chief and managing director of the Age and spokesman for ABC Friends, said cuts to the ABC under the Coalition had cost jobs and compromised quality.
The coming election was “crucial” for the national broadcaster, he said.
More than $300m in funding was thought to have been cut under Abbott and Turnbull, but Macdonald said that was a conservative estimate, not taking into account inflation.
“The fact is, it’s more than that.”
In last month’s budget, the federal government trimmed funding to the ABC from $60m over three years to approximately $41.4m.
ABC News director, Gaven Morris, said a total of 30 positions across the organisation would likely be impacted as a result of the cuts, and the Fact Check unit would close after the election.
Macdonald said the government’s attempts to minimise the impact of the funding cuts was “total spin”.
“Why have they lost 500 people? Why can’t they do any drama at all? ... Why has it become Sydney-centric?”
Macdonald said the campaign was serious and committed, funded by an increase in membership and donations.
“We’re wanting to fire a shot across the bows of the government and say ‘don’t take us for granted’.”
Labor last week announced it would deliver an extra 500 hours of women’s sport via the ABC if elected, and says it has more policy announcements pertaining to the broadcaster to come.
Macdonald said ABC Friends was not aligned with any political party and would be determining individual candidates’ commitment to restoring funding to the ABC at public forums.
“Everyone stands up there and says they love the ABC – then of course the question is what are they going to do about the funding.
“We already see it’s becoming a battleground.”
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