I think it was only delayed on this one occasion because of the nature of the debate
Hack Live was always pre-recorded. Stupid to call it a live show.
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ABC drought appeal raises more than $1.2 million for NSW farmers
The ABC’s drought appeal, in partnership with Red Cross and other charities, has raised more than $1.24 million for NSW farmers.
The charities began receiving donations from ABC audiences when the appeal kicked off early on Friday morning, 10 August. ABC Radio Sydney, ABC Radio Canberra, regional ABC stations together with ABC NEWS ran special drought-related programming across the day crossing to ABC journalists in every part of the state.
Director of ABC Regional & Local, Michael Mason, said the tally showed how generous Australians were in times of need. “We launched the appeal in direct response to listeners’ requests to help the farmers,” Mr Mason said. “We were hoping to raise at least half a million dollars on the day of the appeal, but the level of support shown by our listeners has been overwhelming and I’d like to thank them for the enormous generosity.”
Judy Slatyer, CEO, Australian Red Cross, said: “I’d like to extend an enormous thank you to everyone at the ABC, for the hugely successful ABC Red Cross Appeal over the past three days, promoted across all channels, raising more than $1.2 million to support Australian farmers as they cope with this terrible drought. Many donors have told us moving stories, reinforcing the strong connection between Australians living in urban areas and farmers working on the land.”
The appeal will remain open until the end of August. Donations can be made by calling 1800 RED CROSS or through abc.net.au/drought.
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Fantastic ident before tonight’s news.
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I saw that. Is that the first time they’ve shown that “Yours” ident with the “I Am Australian” song?
Video uploaded
It was also shown last night
And Sunday night, think that’s when it kicked off. I think there’s a couple of versions.
ABC Commercial announcement on retail activity
ABC Commercial has announced a proposal to exit the ABC Shop Online business by the end of this year. The proposal would also involve the closure of the in-store ABC Centres.
ABC DVDs, music, books, toys and other merchandise would remain just as widely available through approved retailers both online and in stores around Australia.
Andrew Lambert, General Manager ABC Commercial, said:
“Consultation with employees and union representatives on this proposal begins today and we look forward to their input over the coming weeks.
“ABC Shop Online and the ABC Centres are an important part of the ABC’s commercial operations, and these decisions are never taken lightly.
“This proposal directly responds to the changing market, in particular consumers’ shift to digital delivery of audio and visual content. Coupled with the intensifying global competition affecting the entire retail sector, the resulting decline in physical sales means the retail business is becoming increasingly unviable.”
It is anticipated there would be up to 16 redundancies as a result of the proposal.
Once consultation concludes the ABC will keep our valued customers fully informed on how their favourite products can continue to be purchased.
ABC Retail is part of ABC Commercial, the revenue-generating division of the ABC. ABC Commercial contributes all its profits to content producers at the ABC and receives no taxpayer funding.
Full ABC responses to recent stories in The Australian
The Australian has published two stories in the past two days that have not fully reflected the responses provided by the ABC to the writers.
It is worth putting the complete responses on the public record, so readers can be better informed on the issues and allegations raised.
A story by Aviation Writer Robyn Ironside (“Jetstar hits back at ABC claims of underpayment, long hours”) concerning the 7.30 and online story “The reality of cheap airfares: Jetstar under fire over foreign crews’ pay and work on domestic sectors” prominently quotes a Jetstar spokesperson, while the ABC’s detailed response is reduced to a paraphrase in the final paragraph.
This is the full response that was provided to Ironside ahead of publication:
At the time of sending this email, no complaint from Jetstar has been received.
7.30 first contacted Jetstar more than three weeks before the story was broadcast. Before broadcast, 7.30 exchanged 21 emails and had at least nine phone conversations with members of Jetstar’s media team.
After Jetstar declined 7.30’s request for an on-air interview, 7.30 put detailed allegations and questions to the airline. Its responses to these questions were featured prominently in the digital and broadcast versions published by the ABC and the airline’s statement was also published in full online.
7.30 has reiterated its request for an interview on the program – as soon as tonight – to give Jetstar an opportunity to give a detailed on-air response to the allegations.
In both the 7.30 and online stories it was made clear the pay amounts referred to were “base pay”. Jetstar’s response to those figures was included in both publications.
The stories include an interview with a cabin crew employee who resigned recently, as well as quoting two Jetstar pilots, the Transport Workers’ Union’s Michael Kaine, Aviation consultant Neil Hansford and a Jetstar spokesperson.
Further, it was made clear to Ironside that the “headline” her story claims has “enraged Jetstar and prompted accusation (sic) of misleading reporting” was not the headline on the online story; it was part of a 7.30 site title and was immediately followed by the subtitle: “Budget airline Jetstar is paying its Thai cabin crew a base salary of as little as $100 a week.” This information is not in the story.
A story by Andrew Burrell (“ Cannabis mogul Ross Smith in homophobic, violent tirade ”) highlights an interview with Ross Smith, founder of medical cannabis company PhytoTech, in Four Corners’ April investigation “Green Rush”.
Again, the ABC’s response, though brief, was still truncated. For the record, the complete response was:
As the founder of the first listed Australian medical cannabis company, who is now embarking on another venture, Ross Smith was a relevant and appropriate interview to include as part of an in-depth report on the medical cannabis industry. The program put the death threat allegation to Ross Smith during the interview and reported his claim that he was hacked. It also broadcast his admission to having been caught with large amounts of cannabis.
ABC responses to today’s items in Guardian Australia
To ensure readers are fully informed, these are the ABC’s responses to the issues and claims published in Amanda Meade’s The Media Beast column in Guardian Australia today. All this information was provided to the journalist before publication.
Contrary to the report, the ABC has not “decided to replace its switchboard operators with a voice-activated computer and a team of three human ‘audience triage agents’”.
The ABC will still have people working on the switchboard and answering calls. A new Audience Support Team is being created which will bring together in one team all the functions in this area, and employees working on the switchboard will be part of that team.
As a result of this process, it’s anticipated some positions will become redundant. A redeployment process is currently underway; the impact on specific roles will be known when that concludes.
There is no “robot”. The design is not replacing employees with an automated system, but integrating a system that includes a voice menu. New audience support positions are being created; they are not called “audience triage agents”.
A short-term rostering issue in the NSW newsroom has been caused by a combination of factors, including new roles being recruited and training demands for the new technology systems currently being rolled out.
No one has been or will be brought in from interstate. Colleagues in other NSW offices are filling in as needed. The ABC is currently hiring for new editorial roles, and at the end of this process the NSW newsroom is expected to have the same number of editorial roles as before. This will all be completed in a few weeks.
The panel for the special episode of Q&A in Mackay on 27 August has been in place since June. It comprises One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, Coalition MP George Christensen, Independent MP Bob Katter, Labor MP Cathy O’Toole and Greens politician Larissa Waters.
Meade says that “the timing of the announcement of the Queensland panel – right after the racist “final solution” speech by senator Fraser Anning – made the casting choice look tone deaf”. However, the panellists were publicly announced on 10 August, four days before Senator Anning’s speech.
Also, while Waters could technically be described as “a former Greens senator”, she is more pertinently also expected to return to the Senate in September.
The panel was brought together to give citizens the opportunity to question representatives from the five significant political parties competing for votes in Central and Northern Queensland. No panel of five people can do justice to the wide range of views in Queensland, or any other region, but all of the panellists are representatives elected by Queenslanders to sit in the Australian Parliament.
Has the ABC always released these formal statements when media have commented negatively on its operations? Can’t remember them in the past.
Only rarely in the past and for more contentious issues.
they often do on Mondays when The Australian’s media section writes something misleading / false about them 
ABC and NGV collaboration celebrates the stories behind art
A new creative collaboration between Australia’s oldest and most-visited public art gallery, the National Gallery of Victoria, and the ABC will illuminate the diverse stories behind, and inspired by, artworks from the NGV’s rich collection.
The three-year collaboration will deliver a range of projects jointly developed by the ABC and NGV for broad audiences across different platforms, including television, online and education resources.
Highlighting the collaboration is the documentary Finding the Field, to be aired on ABC TV in November, which traces the journey of the NGV’s inaugural 1968 exhibition The Field. The documentary, from Melbourne production company Ghost Pictures, features rare interviews and footage from the exhibition and follows its restaging at the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia in 2018, to commemorate its 50-year anniversary.
For young learners, ABC Education and the NGV’s Audience Engagement and Learning Department have developed Discovering Ancient Mediterranean Worlds, a series of behind-the-scenes videos in which NGV curators and conservators explore what the gallery’s antiquities collection reveals about life in Ancient Egypt, Greece and Italy. The digital project, available from late 2018 at abc.net.au/education, will provide students and teachers with an invaluable ongoing educational resource about art and history.
David Anderson, ABC Director Entertainment & Specialist, said: “The ABC’s commitment to the arts is built on connecting artists and their works with audiences, to educate, entertain and inspire all Australians. Our new collaboration with the NGV builds on the ABC’s role as a key partner with Australia’s art sector, supporting creative talent across the industry and enabling audiences to enjoy and engage with art and stories.”
Tony Ellwood, Director, NGV said: “As cultural leaders, the ABC and the NGV share aspirations and visions, including the responsibility and ambition to engage with the full diversity of the communities we serve as public institutions. In partnership, we aim to strengthen meaningful participation in the arts by enabling access to art and culture on a large scale through the many initiatives under development.”
Finding the Field is one of three upcoming ABC documentaries about painting and painters, along with programs exploring the life and legacy of artist Sidney Nolan and the extraordinary achievement and influence of John Peter Russell, the “lost” Australian Impressionist. All three documentaries will also be available on ABC iview.
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ABC and Kidney Health Australia announce recipient of inaugural Mark Colvin Scholarship
The ABC, in partnership with Kidney Health Australia, is proud to announce Alex Tighe as the recipient of the inaugural Mark Colvin journalism scholarship.
The 12-month paid cadetship commemorates the life and work of the esteemed ABC journalist, who died in 2017 due to complications related to kidney disease.
His Excellency Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove congratulated Alex during a ceremony at Admiralty House in Sydney on Monday 3 September, as part of Kidney Health Australia’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
ABC Managing Director Michelle Guthrie said: “The Mark Colvin Scholarship is a fitting tribute for such a giant of Australian journalism, ensuring that his commitment to accuracy, honesty and integrity will be passed on to future generations.”“Alex Tighe is a worthy recipient of this honour. Alex’s work in law and journalism demonstrates the qualities of critical analysis, creativity and curiosity that Mark held so dear. I am confident that Alex will continue Mark’s great legacy at the ABC.”
Alex said: “Mark Colvin was an incredible journalist and a great man, and it’s humbling to hold a scholarship in his name. His legacy is an embodiment of all that’s best about the ABC: intellectual rigour, empathy and perpetual curiosity. I hope to do my part towards continuing that tradition at the ABC.”
Alex, 23, has worked in community media as a writer, editor and radio producer. His journalism career started aged 13 when he hosted a program on community radio. His work includes a story on his mother’s kidney disease and the challenges of accessing medical treatment in regional NSW. He has held internships at ABC RN, triple j and Four Corners and worked as a paralegal and media adviser for a Sydney law firm.
As part of the cadetship, he will be mentored by leading ABC journalists in the editorial and technical skills required for reporting across media platforms.
Kidney Health Australia is the national organisation dedicated to saving and improving the lives of people living with kidney disease.
ABC proud to support Michael Gordon Fellowships
The ABC is proud to be a foundation supporter of the Michael Gordon Fellowships, a national fellowship program for social justice journalism launched by the Melbourne Press Club.
The program honours the memory of Michael Gordon by encouraging and enabling the kind of journalism exemplified by the highly respected and much loved former political editor of The Age, who died suddenly in February.
Applications will open in October for an annual program of grants totalling as much as $30,000, which will fund reporting projects in the field of social justice journalism in Australia and internationally – covering areas such as Indigenous affairs, migration policy, human rights and Third World development.
The Fellowships will be open to salaried and recognised freelance journalists working in all media across Australia, and to accomplished university journalism students – covering costs such as labour, travel, accommodation and associated expenses.
They will by administered and promoted by the MPC and awarded by an independent panel appointed by the club and the Gordon family.
For further information please go to the Melbourne Press Club website.
ABC calls for new Advisory Council members
The ABC is inviting applications for new members of the ABC Advisory Council. There are three positions to be filled, commencing in February 2019.
The role of the Advisory Council is to provide feedback to the ABC Board and Management about ABC content and programming.
Members are chosen for their ability to represent a wide range of community attitudes. The ABC seeks to ensure that the Council is a balanced representation of Australian society.
In 2019, taking into account existing membership, the ABC is seeking applications from individuals who live in WA, the NT and the ACT.
We encourage applications from Indigenous Australians and people with strong connections to any of the following communities: young Australians, families, lived experience of mental health or disability, and Australians from immigrant backgrounds.
To learn more or to apply, click here.
Applications close at midnight on Sunday 30 September.
What does the future of podcasting sound like to you?
Take the national podcast survey
The ABC is calling on podcast listeners to take the 2018 Australian Podcast Survey to help shape the future (and sound) of podcasting in Australia.
Tell us when and how you listen to podcasts and what you love abut them. The survey findings will also reveal how much time Australians spend listening to podcasts, where we like to listen to them and whether our appetite for podcasts is growing.
As Australia’s leading podcast producer, the ABC is committed to supporting the local audio industry to tell better stories for listeners here and overseas.
Play a part in the future of Australian podcasting by taking the short survey at: https://www.abcyourspace.net.au/c/a/5ieHHIpws45JlcGt4JNure
The survey results will be revealed at Ozpod 2018, Australia’s premier podcast industry conference for audio storytellers, producers and innovators. The annual event, on 17 October in Melbourne, will bring together leading podcasters from across the world.
OzPod 2018 is presented by ABC listen, the ABC’s podcast platform. Headline speakers announced so far include international award-winning podcast producers and storytellers Julia Lowrie Henderson (producer and host of ESPN podcast Bikram ) and Veronica Simmonds ( Sleepover, Alone: A Love Story ), who will share their secrets for creating successful and distinctive series with social impact. For more information: abc.net.au/events/ozpod. #OzPod2018
The 2018 Australian Podcast Survey closes on 7 October.
Just in: Guthrie sacked by ABC board. via The Australian:
The managing director of the ABC, Michelle Guthrie, has been sacked almost halfway through her five-year term.
The Australian understands the chairman of the ABC, Justin Milne, and the board made the decision to dismiss Ms Guthrie.