If ever there was an argument to be made for ironclad independence for publically funded broadcasters, the BBC have proved it in their recent battles with the British government and now the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is doing the same with its own government. The country's Communications Minister made 68 allegations of bias against the network's flagship current affairs radio program AM (sounds very much like the BBC's Radio 4) with regard to its coverage of the Iraq war. Fortunately, ABC's own complaints review body has comprehensively rejected the allegations saying, "The AM program could neither be an advocate nor adversary for the American, Australian, British or Iraqi position in the war." Precisely. Incumbent political parties only seem to appreciate this kind of viewpoint when they are out of power and politicians the world over are as fickle as the party-line they tow.
Posted by Joe at July 22, 2003 08:22 AM