ABC, SBS board appointments set for overhaul
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Senator Conroy: reforms are needed to ensure the independence as media technology evolves. (ABC News)
The appointment of members to the ABC and SBS boards will now be made by a new independent process, under new laws to be introduced by the Federal Government.
The previously abolished ABC staff elected director will also be reinstated.
Announcing the changes today, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy also released a discussion paper for public comment on the future direction of public broadcasters in the changing media environment.
Board members will now be decided by an independent selection panel and Senator Conroy said the reforms are needed to ensure the future independence of both boards as media technology evolves.
"For too long the process of appointing directors to the ABC and SBS boards has been open to political interference," he said.
"It's time to restore the independence.
"The new appointment process will ensure that all future appointments to the ABC and SBS boards are conducted in a manner that fosters independence, transparency, accountability and public confidence."
Advertisements in newspapers tomorrow will call for applications for two positions from each board and Senator Conroy says the applications will be assessed by publicly available selection criteria.
Former politicians and political staffers will not be eligible to apply and the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition will have a hand in deciding the appointment of the ABC chair.
Senator Conroy said the reinstatement of the staff-elected director would improve the ABC's independence.
"The staff-elected director may often be in the best position to critically examine the advice coming to the board from the ABC's executive, given his or her knowledge of the daily operations of the broadcaster," he said.
The discussion paper, ABC and SBS: Towards a Digital Future, is open for public comments and Senator Conroy says they be used in consideration of the next round of funding for the broadcasters.
The paper will examine the implications of new technologies on both broadcasters and their role in informing and entertaining the public.
ABC managing director Mark Scott welcomed the release of the discussion paper.
"We think if there are opportunities for efficiencies to be made whilst reassuring the independence and integrity of two great public broadcasters then of course they should be investigated properly," he said.
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Comments (34)
Comments for this story are closed. No new comments can be added. If you would like to have your say on this issue, you can do so via the Emails section of our Opinion pages.
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magoo:
16 Oct 2008 1:25:42pm
The sting in this plan is who is going to be the independent panel that appoints directors of ABC & SBS. Another layer of swill for the pig-pen brigade?
Actually I had thought that the ABC had maintained its pro-Labour bias very well under the Howard government. Almost every sound bite from the current opposition is curtailed before the meat of the story was reached and always followed by a news-presenter's rebuttal.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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twobob:
16 Oct 2008 2:14:39pm
Mr Magoo you might be right but when post after post that I place on this website are constantly rebuffed by the moderators you get to realise that the argument is being controlled and directed towards right winged outcomes. If you want evidence of this just read between the lines because obviously the pro right howard board appointed ABC moderators will never let this through. Your opinion of this probably stems from your pre conceived political ideals.
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Remark:
16 Oct 2008 2:33:04pm
A good move. The ABC's independence was severely compromised by Howard and his partisan appointments.
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Mark:
16 Oct 2008 2:35:31pm
If you think the moderators of this site are ABC board appointed, you're kidding yourself. They'll be "kids" with an IT background in an entry level job who have been told no swearing or abuse is to get through. I'm a righty and I've run foul of the moderators here more than a few times. They're more strict here than news.com but if you keep it civil and stay on topic you shouldn't have any problems. Maybe you should stop and read what you write before posting.
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PaulB:
16 Oct 2008 2:48:22pm
twobob,
The ABC has always been unashamedly left of centre and remains that way, today. I don't see this as a bad thing, it adds balance to news and debate.
As for the moderators being right-wing; well, they trash a fair few of my comments as well, not undeservedly, when I think back. Afternoons appear to be a particularly savage time of the day, maybe after a bowl of hot rice & 3 cheers for the great leader, the moderators tap into their dorment Stalin genes.
I hope the ABC continues poncing around, proudly wearing a beret & zapata, the alternative is what, an ignorant pig, like O'Reiley & Fox News?Agree (1) Alert moderator
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Bin:
16 Oct 2008 1:33:47pm
Job losers could think about looking for chances in Asia, especially in China. There are huge demands for English news reporters and teachers.
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Izvestia:
16 Oct 2008 1:35:29pm
This has been overdue. And the way the last government apointed to the ABC board has been not very independent, particularly some of the apointees who openly endorsed Howard before elctions from memory.
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Big Yin:
16 Oct 2008 2:14:16pm
As opposed to numerous presenters who openly display their ALP bias? O'Brien, Faine, Jones ring any bells?
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Unbiased:
16 Oct 2008 2:30:53pm
Well, someone once joked you'd have to be of the left to want to work for the ABC on the wages they pay.
In fact I LIKE the fact Phillip Adams openly discusses his left bias, it makes the show more open and transparent, and I've heard him attack Blair and communism etc. And I've heard him interviewing neo-cons on the show, and apologises to them when he asks a ideologically opposite question. It makes the conversation more respectful rather then watching the interviewee being cagey and expecting to be trapped.
In fact Adams usually saves his real left agenda for the Australian. A few snide jokes aside each episode, he usually lets the interviewee gets on with it.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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Izvestia:
16 Oct 2008 2:31:40pm
There also are Ulhmans, Tirvollies, etc. Depends on the point of viwe of the viewer, listner.
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Unbiased:
16 Oct 2008 2:18:23pm
Funny, I seem to remember a certain Opposition Leader getting some airtime last night after the Cook and the Chef to attack the Government. And I also remember a certain Opposition Leader also getting a full hour to himself on the ABC on Q&A a few weeks ago. Plus there's been a lot of publicity for one P Costello's book...
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shayne:
16 Oct 2008 1:37:02pm
how can the PM and Opp. leader "have a hand in deciding the appointment of the ABC chair" and it not be "open to political interference"?
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Elizabeth:
16 Oct 2008 1:37:53pm
ABC is heavily stacked with Howards friends and sadly it has been showing.
Good on Labor for moving to independance rather than following the Liberals example of stacking it with mates.
Our ABC!Agree (0) Alert moderator
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Oldtimer:
16 Oct 2008 2:29:44pm
We depend on independence in the broadcasting of news, without political bias or advertisers' influence
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Si:
16 Oct 2008 1:40:43pm
Good stuff. It'll take a while before John Howard's cynical stuffing of the ABC board can be overcome, but at least there won't be too much further meddling.
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Wake up Australia:
16 Oct 2008 1:43:33pm
Does this mean that the ABC will now comply with its code of conduct and start reporting in an unbiased and balanced manner? Look forward to a middle of the road approach on political issues as opposed to the ABC being simply a PR arm of the Labour party. In addition how about reporting on the vast amount of material etc supporting a counter view to the AGW/CC theory/alarmism mantra.
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Brad:
16 Oct 2008 1:44:44pm
Good move! If only the current economic climate would allow more funding for the ABC to make more local drama and comedy.
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ben:
16 Oct 2008 1:46:46pm
I'm sure nothing will change. The ABC and SBS will still push their pro multicultural politically correct, pro aboriginal agenda. It's quiet sickening at times.
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which wing is which:
16 Oct 2008 1:50:32pm
I cannot belive it took a labor Government to make this decision. After all the Liberal whineing througout their rule about ABC being left orientated. Amazing.
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Jamie Bloomfield:
16 Oct 2008 1:51:51pm
This is great news. The Howard Government was so intent on gutting the ABC from the inside, hence their appointments to the board/chairmanship and the abolition of the staff appointed director. Howard and Co just couldn't take ANY criticism at all and falsely accused the ABC of bias.
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wmc:
16 Oct 2008 1:59:15pm
It's certainly a victory for the left and political correctness, in particular.
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Dr Peter West:
16 Oct 2008 1:52:13pm
Senator Conroy has acted at last to open up discussion of who is on the board at ABC and SBS. For too long we have had SBS-TV in particular dragged down and dumbed down. It's often hard to distinguish SBS from other commercial channels. This is because a board made up of Coca Cola Amatil and similar have pushed big business interests at the expense of educational and community interests. ABC is virtually the only educational broadcaster we have.
Congratulations Senator Conroy. I hope we have a much more broadly based board for ABC and SBS as well.
Peter WestAgree (0) Alert moderator
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Peter:
16 Oct 2008 1:53:20pm
Good to see the Labor Party supporting the ABC after a decade of destruction under the 'Howard years'.
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Photon:
16 Oct 2008 1:53:50pm
Thank you Senator Conroy.
I agree 100% that " It's time to restore the independence ".
Now can you do something about the number of ads on SBS ?Agree (0) Alert moderator
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Peter le Grand:
16 Oct 2008 1:53:54pm
re: ABC/SBS Appointment of independent Board members.
At last, a chance for reason and sanity to prevail without having to pander to political vicissitude.
But still, bstill est of luck - given the societally insidious influence of both patrician think-tanks masquerading as centres of independent studies and this compounded by a plethora of the self appointed righteous steeped in their mythological practices.
As matters stand it seems that, when put together, there is an awful lot to overcome.
As for the intent to re-introduce the ABC Staff Appointed member, that is a long overdue intent and perhaps should have been one of the first acts of the new federal government.
And while government is 'at it' vis chartering independence it might consider legislative ways of more effectively divorcing the sectarian from our lives at the same time.
Relegating the sectarian to a matter of private and very personal business would benefit us all.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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wmc:
16 Oct 2008 1:55:58pm
This demonstrates that Labor doesn't understand best practice corporate governance. Why should there by an elected staff member on the board? Remember the problems this caused last time?
It was quite justifiable for the previous government to stack the ABC and SBS boards with right-wingers because it counter-balanced the left wing bias of the staff of these two organisations.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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maeraid:
16 Oct 2008 2:11:09pm
Thankyou Senator Conroy - It is good to examine the organisations and the processes and the product. I believe the ABC and SBS provide the best programming in Australia, variety and substance.
A staff rep is a good thing I believe because that person has a view and an ear to the ground the pass on to the Board.
The arts programs on weekend on RN and Sunday are a must for me.
SBS is the most valuable product provider we have. I am 74 I watch the Greek and Spanish programs, the documentaries, the news the comedy and always sus out the late night movies - tape them and watch them when able. The arts on Sat morning are a must also. be gentle with change.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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Jamie Bloomfield:
16 Oct 2008 2:15:12pm
Enlighten us on the "problems" a staff appointed director caused/causes. As for media bias, how come the current Coalition Opposition gets so much coverage, on the ABC and SBS as well as the rest of the media. Labor in Opposition was never afforded such luxury.
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bjh:
16 Oct 2008 2:16:36pm
Now that's sounds like a winning formulae for organisational cohesion; creating a board that is fundamentally opposed to the people who actually do the work!
The ABC is always tarred with the charge of bias but when the PM acts purely from ideological grounds and in such a way that can only wreck the effectiveness of a national icon that get's a free pass.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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Clive:
16 Oct 2008 2:01:13pm
This will indeed be a pleasant change. For to long the ABC board has been stacked to produce a political end. The entire board should be disbanded and a new board independantly appointed using criteris that a commercial organisation would use such as applicable expertise.
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wolfkeeng:
16 Oct 2008 3:00:02pm
the ABC is not a commercial organization. It is a public broadcaster legislatively tasked with a range of non-profit objectives. And rightly so. I don't want 'the applicable expertise' of eddie maguire on the board of the ABC. Don't need more programming extolling the virtues of an idealized US of A or advertising encouraging crazy consumption behaviours or current affairs programs that think the hunt for 'the next zac whoeverheis' is actually current affairs.
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Steve:
16 Oct 2008 3:19:14pm
'Using criterias that a commercial organisation would use' would only be semi-relevant at best and rather disingenious. The ABC is not aiming to make money, it's purpose is to inform, challenge, educate, entertain, support local programming etc. Surely people who have expertise in these areas is as more important than a bunch of people who'd run it as a profit-driven company.
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WA Person:
16 Oct 2008 2:36:16pm
I wonder when someone will give the states and territories, equal representation on the boards of the ABC and the SBS so that we no longer have such organisations funded by all of the taxpayers in the country, headquartered in Queenslad, to serve only the eastern states people.
The lack of WA news and current affairs programs, is a simple, quick, example of the disregard for the country west of the eastern states' vertical western border line.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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Clownfish:
16 Oct 2008 2:39:16pm
Finally, the Rudd government has done something that I'm finding it hard to grumble about.
As for claims of bias - judging by the fact that both right and left commentators here are accusing them of bias, I'd say they're obviously doing something right.
Now to do something about actually funding them properly.Agree (0) Alert moderator
