Reshuffle
reports have knocked stories about another plum job – managing director of the
ABC – out of the papers, even though Russell Balding announced he was heading
for Sydney Airport only last Friday.

Talk
from inside the broadcaster then suggested that Balding feared the upcoming
triennial funding deal from the government would be a shocker – that he was
getting out before things get even tighter.

Funding
featured prominently in Saturday’s reports on Balding’s departure – but is
there also another reason why he’s going? ABC
staff talk about a corrupted management culture that’s made bullying of staff –
and covering it up – endemic. They also claim Human Resources has done little
to tackle the problem.

They
complain about a broken and corrupted management culture incapable of self
repair that swallows up too many resources – process rich and outcomes poor. That’s
outcomes poor for both ABC staff and us, the media consumers the broadcaster is
supposed to serve.

As far
as senior staff in departments like HR and news and current affairs are
concerned, they are the ABC – and what’s good for them is good for the
corporation.