Pressure is mounting on ABC managing director, Michelle Guthrie, and the board as the community backlash to recent cuts to specialist programming on radio and television grows.
ABC radio broadcaster Robyn Williams called ABC management “morally and spiritually bankrupt” for axing the magazine-style science program Catalyst as many of the nation’s prominent musicians backed a campaign to reverse cuts to ABC music.
Hundreds of artists including Paul Kelly, Gurrumul, Missy Higgins, Archie Roach, Kate Ceberano, Tim Freedman, Sarah Blasko, Megan Washington and Katie Noonan have signed an open letter to Guthrie and the ABC board saying they are appalled by the decision to axe Daily Planet, Inside Sleeve, The Live Set, Rhythm Divine and Jazztrack.
“The cuts deliver a fundamental blow to diverse, vibrant and independent sectors of the Australian music industry, which receive minimal national radio coverage elsewhere,” the letter delivered on Wednesday afternoon said.
“We are deeply concerned about listeners in regional, rural and remote areas where the internet and digital radio access is problematic at best. Many of these listeners rely on linear broadcasting.”
Musicians are planning “busking protests” outside ABC offices on Friday and Saturday morning and a petition has garnered almost 13,000 signatures.
In an emotive farewell letter to Catalyst staff, Williams, the presenter of Radio National’s science report, said up to 17 science communicators would leave the ABC this week “with not a farewell, a handshake or a stale biscuit – like felons out on to the street”.
“They are all hard-working, talented and versatile, some able to direct, produce, report, shoot or edit all in one precious person,” Williams said. “What with graphics skills as well – a team like no other.”
“ABC TV: its bosses responsible for this travesty, are morally and spiritually bankrupt – so in their stead I would like to thank Catalyst staff for 15 years + of top-rating, prize-winning broadcasting of huge range and significance.”
All but one of Radio National’s live and recorded music programs have been axed as RN is re-created as a talks-only network in 2017. The axing came just weeks after Guthrie told Senate estimates there would be no redundancies at RN.
According to an internal report, “music programs cannot be podcast in the same way many other RN talk programs are shared with a wider digital audience” due to rights issues.
Williams’ statement was preceded by an emotional post by Catalyst presenter Mark Horstman, who has worked for the program for 14 years. “Today the ABC sacked its entire specialist science TV team, the only one of its kind in Australia,” Horstman said.
“Bizarre, given that the weekly Catalyst show was cost-effective, highly valued by the community, and one of the ABC’s most popular programs. Strangely, it means that the ABC has decided it doesn’t need in-house scientific expertise to make science TV.
“I’m gutted. For my 15 colleagues, that their incredible skills and dedication are not valued by the ABC. And gutted that our warehouse of unique experience in science communication is trashed in one fell swoop. As a true believer in the role of the public broadcaster, I always trusted that science was at the core of what the ABC made. The media need more, not less science.”
Author Tim Winton has joined the campaign to save RN music, saying homegrown culture is under siege and it is “bewildering to see Radio National stripping music shows from its programming”.
“RN listeners treasure eclectic musical programming; we appreciate being treated as grown-ups,” Winton said. “Because music is bigger and broader than a teen demographic. So, why reduce our chances of hearing new and interesting music? When RN is already overburdened with talk, why unbalance things even more?”
The letter to the board says the cuts “contradict the intent and spirit of the ABC charter”.
“Collectively, The Daily Planet, The Inside Sleeve, The Live Set, The Rhythm Divine and Jazztrack provide specialist, linear broadcasting of diverse music that is not broadcast nationally elsewhere with equivalent depth, breadth and expertise.
“The shows set for axing also provide promotion and national live broadcasting of numerous Australian music events, including major festivals, such as Byron Bay Bluesfest, Woodford Folk festival, the National Folk festival, Port Fairy Folk festival and Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues, as well as small festivals and community gatherings. These provide regional, rural and remote areas with opportunities for place-making, musical education, tourism and economic growth.”
An ABC spokesman confirmed that seven positions in the science unit had been made redundant.
“Those staff affected by redundancy have the option to seek redeployment and the ABC is offering training and support to affected staff.”
ABC Radio’s head of music, Chris Scaddan, conceded there would be “some artists and areas of music that are currently covered by RN that won’t be consistently covered by Double J or local radio in the same way”.
“We do need to keep talking with artists and programmers to find ways to cover a broad spectrum of the ever-evolving musical world,” Scaddan said in an internal report.
ABC radio broadcaster Robyn Williams called ABC management “morally and spiritually bankrupt” for axing the magazine-style science program Catalyst as many of the nation’s prominent musicians backed a campaign to reverse cuts to ABC music.
Hundreds of artists including Paul Kelly, Gurrumul, Missy Higgins, Archie Roach, Kate Ceberano, Tim Freedman, Sarah Blasko, Megan Washington and Katie Noonan have signed an open letter to Guthrie and the ABC board saying they are appalled by the decision to axe Daily Planet, Inside Sleeve, The Live Set, Rhythm Divine and Jazztrack.
“The cuts deliver a fundamental blow to diverse, vibrant and independent sectors of the Australian music industry, which receive minimal national radio coverage elsewhere,” the letter delivered on Wednesday afternoon said.
“We are deeply concerned about listeners in regional, rural and remote areas where the internet and digital radio access is problematic at best. Many of these listeners rely on linear broadcasting.”
Musicians are planning “busking protests” outside ABC offices on Friday and Saturday morning and a petition has garnered almost 13,000 signatures.
In an emotive farewell letter to Catalyst staff, Williams, the presenter of Radio National’s science report, said up to 17 science communicators would leave the ABC this week “with not a farewell, a handshake or a stale biscuit – like felons out on to the street”.
“They are all hard-working, talented and versatile, some able to direct, produce, report, shoot or edit all in one precious person,” Williams said. “What with graphics skills as well – a team like no other.”
“ABC TV: its bosses responsible for this travesty, are morally and spiritually bankrupt – so in their stead I would like to thank Catalyst staff for 15 years + of top-rating, prize-winning broadcasting of huge range and significance.”
All but one of Radio National’s live and recorded music programs have been axed as RN is re-created as a talks-only network in 2017. The axing came just weeks after Guthrie told Senate estimates there would be no redundancies at RN.
According to an internal report, “music programs cannot be podcast in the same way many other RN talk programs are shared with a wider digital audience” due to rights issues.
Williams’ statement was preceded by an emotional post by Catalyst presenter Mark Horstman, who has worked for the program for 14 years. “Today the ABC sacked its entire specialist science TV team, the only one of its kind in Australia,” Horstman said.
“Bizarre, given that the weekly Catalyst show was cost-effective, highly valued by the community, and one of the ABC’s most popular programs. Strangely, it means that the ABC has decided it doesn’t need in-house scientific expertise to make science TV.
“I’m gutted. For my 15 colleagues, that their incredible skills and dedication are not valued by the ABC. And gutted that our warehouse of unique experience in science communication is trashed in one fell swoop. As a true believer in the role of the public broadcaster, I always trusted that science was at the core of what the ABC made. The media need more, not less science.”
Author Tim Winton has joined the campaign to save RN music, saying homegrown culture is under siege and it is “bewildering to see Radio National stripping music shows from its programming”.
“RN listeners treasure eclectic musical programming; we appreciate being treated as grown-ups,” Winton said. “Because music is bigger and broader than a teen demographic. So, why reduce our chances of hearing new and interesting music? When RN is already overburdened with talk, why unbalance things even more?”
The letter to the board says the cuts “contradict the intent and spirit of the ABC charter”.
“Collectively, The Daily Planet, The Inside Sleeve, The Live Set, The Rhythm Divine and Jazztrack provide specialist, linear broadcasting of diverse music that is not broadcast nationally elsewhere with equivalent depth, breadth and expertise.
“The shows set for axing also provide promotion and national live broadcasting of numerous Australian music events, including major festivals, such as Byron Bay Bluesfest, Woodford Folk festival, the National Folk festival, Port Fairy Folk festival and Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues, as well as small festivals and community gatherings. These provide regional, rural and remote areas with opportunities for place-making, musical education, tourism and economic growth.”
An ABC spokesman confirmed that seven positions in the science unit had been made redundant.
“Those staff affected by redundancy have the option to seek redeployment and the ABC is offering training and support to affected staff.”
ABC Radio’s head of music, Chris Scaddan, conceded there would be “some artists and areas of music that are currently covered by RN that won’t be consistently covered by Double J or local radio in the same way”.
“We do need to keep talking with artists and programmers to find ways to cover a broad spectrum of the ever-evolving musical world,” Scaddan said in an internal report.
No comments:
Post a Comment