Yeah, everyone gets that. The point that is being made is that it is pretty run-of-the-mill and not something that really needs to be called out as impressive.
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Asked about a piece published in The Australian at the weekend under the online headline âABC reporting on Gaza war failed nation, feeding into demonisation of Israel, fuelling antisemitismâ, Williams issued a scathing statement.
âReporting that is highly charged and inflammatory, or lacking in evidence is divisive, undermines community cohesion and does not contribute to an informed or reasoned public debate,â said Williams. âThis is especially important when dealing with the recent sensitivities.â
Written by Sky News host and Australian associate editor Chris Kenny, the piece was based on a report by âfour anonymous Victoriansâ who analysed ABC content. It included several examples that Kenny argued showed the ABC was biased against Israel.
The bulk of Kennyâs piece was based on a submission to the Royal Commission into Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, which he described as coming from âfour anonymous Victoriansâ. This masthead has learnt that an author of the full report referenced in The Australianâs news story has previously compiled similar analyses critical of the ABC, according to an article from the conservative journal Quadrant. He was contacted for comment.
ABCâ Director of News has resigned.
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ABC News deteriorated under his reign. A noticeable decline in the quality of the 7pm bulletin (including intentionally fewer local stories) and who could forget those plans to drop local bulletins on Sundays. Hopefully, the replacement puts a lot more back into the TV side, because it needs it.
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I agree.
7pm news is weak.
News breakfast is weak.
Sky News is more popular than ABC News Channel.
ABC News is an incredible brand and institution - that under delivers.
The fact we have almost no state news and zero regional / local news is scandalous
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Only on the metrics Sky News picks and chooses. But youâd need to be in Australia to know how absurd Skyâs claims are.
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Not quite.
In markets where both channels are on equal footing (free to air) Sky out performs ABC.
That tells us when given a choice, people choose Sky.
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In this day and age, focusing a news divisionâs output (and basing their performance) solely on a nightly TV bulletin is a grave error.
While that may^ be true for regional areas, we donât know whether that would also happen if Sky was available on FTA in metro markets.
^ Donât think thereâs enough data to say that as fact yet.
The ABC News Channelâs morning and afternoons blocks was repeatedly in the top 20 multichannel programs when that data was being published, figures which were higher than Sky News programs.
Also, during every major news event, more people turn to the ABC than Sky News.
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He didnât say that. Posters need to stop verballing each other itâs getting really tiresome.
A public broadcaster should be focusing effort on its broadcasting outlet thatâs kind of the point .
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The premise underpinning the claim that ABC News deteriorated under Stevensâ leadership was based entirely on the supposed deterioration of the 7pm bulletin.
Of course but ABC Newsâ output isnât limited to (nor should it be centered around) a nightly 30 minute bulletin.
But that doesnât mean we shouldnât expect some quality and relevancy in that bulletin?
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If anything, itâs arguable that the ABCâs operations at the moment is centred around literally anything but the 7pm bulletin and that consequently, the 7pm bulletin is becoming a shell of its former self because of the directives that have taken the eyes off it and to other elements.
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Simon Robinson has been appointed the ABCâs next director of news, becoming the first external hire to fill the position in decades.
Managing director Hugh Marks announced the appointment in an email to ABC staff today, saying, âSimon Robinson is one of the most experienced and respected newsroom leaders in global journalism.â
âHis track record leading large, complex news operations and his deep commitment to factâbased reporting make him an outstanding choice to lead the ABCâs News division,â Mr Marks said.
Currently based in London, Robinson is deputy to the editor-in-chief at news service Reuters. He has been with the organisation for 16 years, holding a number of senior roles.
ABC News Channel is available nationally to basically 100% of Australians. Sky News FTA is only available in regional aggregation markets around 30% of the population. So no, we donât have a truly equal national comparison. And yes, itâs possible Sky over-performs regionally while ABC News Channel over-performs in metro areas. But in the markets where both are available equally on FTA, the latest Regional TAM data (52 weeks to Dec 2024) was:
Sky News: 4.7%
ABC News Channel: 1.9%
That represents more than 7 million Australians, so while itâs not definitive proof nationally, itâs also not an insignificant sample either.
ABC News Channel is basically available to 100% of Australians, while Sky News on FTA is only available to around 30%. So during huge national news spikes budgets, elections, Bondi, bushfires etc itâs entirely possible (and probably likely) ABC pulls bigger total audiences. But itâs also highly likely thatâs in large part because ABC is available to roughly four times as many Australians as Sky News in the first place.
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NBC News is not about the 6.30pm evening news. Itâs about an always on, 24/7 news operation online on air on socials on digital on YouTube.
ABC News needs to be the same.
Iâm only guessing - but I would think more people are getting their news from ABC online then 7pm news daily.
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Again, nobody is saying that. Youâre making arguments against made up statements.
Never said it was purely about the 7pm news. But NBC/ABC (US) invests heavily in their Nightly News/World News Tonight (who knows what on earth CBS is up to these days anyway) in addition to their digital platform and rolling news. ABC here on the other hand seems keen on moving to digital focus and pretend 7pm doesnât exist. The fact that theyâve attempted to exit the local market on Sundays only to backtrack following backlash is an example of this.
7pm is one of their key pillars in the same way you wouldnât see NBC axing Nightly News or ABC (US) axing World News Tonight or any of their big shows/local bulletins in major cities.
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