The Australian Broadcasting Company (ABC), the country's public service broadcaster, is facing some uncomfortable choices now that its budget has been cut by 1%.
(Unlike the BBC, funded by licence fee, the ABC is funded by its country's government). The government has also axed the ABC's 10-year contract to run the Asia Pacific TV service, Australia Network.
"My question is whether or not there is an inherent conflict in having the ABC contracted to deliver Australian government messages into the region. We've had conflict writ large when it comes to the issue of asylum seekers and the issue of the Snowden allegations.
The ABC is a news organisation and perfectly entitled to report how it wishes into the region on those two contentious issues. But under a soft-power diplomacy contract, it's meant to be delivering a positive image of Australia into the region."
Continue reading... Reported by guardian.co.uk 9 hours ago.
(Unlike the BBC, funded by licence fee, the ABC is funded by its country's government). The government has also axed the ABC's 10-year contract to run the Asia Pacific TV service, Australia Network.
"My question is whether or not there is an inherent conflict in having the ABC contracted to deliver Australian government messages into the region. We've had conflict writ large when it comes to the issue of asylum seekers and the issue of the Snowden allegations.
The ABC is a news organisation and perfectly entitled to report how it wishes into the region on those two contentious issues. But under a soft-power diplomacy contract, it's meant to be delivering a positive image of Australia into the region."
Continue reading... Reported by guardian.co.uk 9 hours ago.