Change is in the air at the ABC. In the space of five hours on Tuesday, Communications Minister Michelle Rowland announced that ABC chair Ita Buttrose had decided against seeking a second term, before word got out that Stan Grant had resigned.
Grant told Media Briefs on Wednesday that the move to a dual role of professor of journalism at Monash University and Asia Pacific director of the Constructive Institute — which caught much of the media off-guard — came “completely out of the blue” for him too, but he took the opportunity to use his 40 years’ experience to make “public discourse better”.
“That’s the real motivation,” he said from the airport before boarding a flight to Denmark. “So it’s not really a judgment on the ABC — the ABC does brilliant things and I’ve had a great time there. And I’ll continue to look to collaborate with them in some ways, but this was just, I thought, a better fit for me, a better place for me right now.
“After I stepped away from Q+A, that whole experience that emerged after the king’s coronation was really a chance for me to reflect as well, to reflect on the quality of our public discourse, the toxicity of social media and the media, how we fail, and how as a member of the media I fail to look at my own complicity in this, to how I might do things better.
“And I think stepping away gave me some space to look at those things honestly, and ask myself where I should be, what I should do with that experience.”
Andrew Clennell broke news of Grant’s departure on Sky News late on Tuesday, reading out a text message from Grant live on air, saying the move was “no big deal”, that there’s “no bad blood” between him and his former employer, that he loves the ABC and hopes to collaborate in future. The ABC remained largely silent until Tuesday evening, by which time Monash University had announced its newest staff member.
Until then, the general read on Grant’s return from leave was that he was still employed by the ABC, only not as host of Q+A. That understanding was shared by a number of ABC staff too, who told Media Briefs Grant’s departure was news to many. Later that afternoon, ABC News boss Justin Stevens released a statement to say Grant’s decision “clearly aligns” with his ambitions to help Australia’s next generation of journalists “foster a more constructive and kinder” public discussion.
“We respect Stan’s decision and we hope he will still be a contributor for the ABC in the future from this new role,” Stevens said, just weeks after announcing Grant’s decision to step away from Q+A to work on “new projects” and “a number of different” programs. “The ethos behind it aligns with our endeavour to make our journalism more constructive at a time where the media sector is seeing increasing levels of news avoidance and news fatigue.”
It was the second press release put out by the communications team that day, after Rowland announced that Buttrose, former prime minister Scott Morrison’s 2019 captain’s pick for ABC chair, would not go again when her term expires in March. Buttrose, 81, said in a statement she has “relished” the opportunity, and pointed to the ABC’s 90th birthday celebrations as a “high point” under her watch.
Buttrose’s departure offers the Albanese government a significant opportunity to leave a marked imprint on the ABC as it gets the selection process under way for a new chair — the rumour mill, as you would expect, is in full swing — and continues to field applications for two board directors after the departures of Joseph Gersh and Fiona Balfour.
One role that can offer the government certainty over the next five years, however, is that filled by David Anderson, whose term as managing director was extended in July until mid-2028, according to an ABC spokesperson.
The news
Lachlan Murdoch pays Private Media $1.3m costs, ending high-profile defamation saga (Crikey)
Chinese-language news sites targeted by analysts conceal ownership structures (Crikey)
ABC managing director David Anderson wins another term (The Age)
Stan Grant quits ABC, confirms new role (SMH)
‘Right chair for the right time’: Ita Buttrose’s ABC term to end (Crikey)
Paul ‘Boris’ Whittaker, News Corp’s last newspaperman (AFR)
Southern Cross boss banks on podcast power to steady the ship (SMH)
Matildas loss ends ratings bonanza for Seven and Optus (The Australian)
After Vice‘s downfall, top journalists start their own tech publication (NYT)
In his new book The Fall, author Michael Wolff foresees the demise of Fox News (AP)
CNN considers former New York Times CEO for top job (Semafor)
Tucker Carlson and Donald Trump reunite to try to upstage Fox News (WaPo)
Bloomberg overhauls its executive ranks (The Information)
Axel Springer settles lawsuit against former Bild editor (FT)
The moves
- Del Fordham, who spent the last four years building out News Corp Australia’s on-demand and podcast segment as head of audio, has left the company.
I had little knowledge of David Anderson until he sacked Andrew Probyn. I now wonder how many of the other decisions he was responsible for in removing so many well liked programs. I had thought it was the Morrison Government. I would have much preferred to have seen a new face.
I curbed my potential concern about Ita being appointed by Morrison. Now I am really concerned who might replace her. Phillip Adams’s quote above has scared me. The devil you know or the devil coming?
A valued member of the ASPI no doubt ?
I nominate Mr Squiggle over Kim Williams.
Or Jane…
Kim Williams? …. What’s one more shot of ‘Mudroch Snake-oil Inoculum’ for the ABC?
Not so sure of that, for Murdoch, and Williams is digitally (& musically) literate versus most of his ilk in Oz, while Adams spends too much time wheezing and praising Ita (& RW guests), claiming he does not need to retire ever (why?).
https://www.themandarin.com.au/53238-kim-williams-five-lessons-digital-transformation/ a
Meanwhile RN programs and apparently others, are losing audience share by cutting significant delivery channels i.e. no direct pod downloads & restrictions on app downloads, but not only do they seem helpless*, it seems more a strategy to make space regionally for commercial players, and their podcasting plans? Doogue* wrote recently about helplessness complaining audiences, reflecting presenters too, were in demographic decline and what are we going to do?
She focused much on audience needs &/or digital content, but missed the bit about digital delivery, ‘Looking over the ABC’s demographic cliff’:
https://insidestory.org.au/looking-over-the-demographic-cliff/
Maybe allow those younger and more in touch with society, digital and the world, to take over senior roles at the ABC vs. seniors hanging on till they drop?
And maybe those of the younger generations will learn that in Australia, when our environment is attempting to kill us, the place to go is low tech transistor radio and with spare batteries.
Why?
The phone towers go down without power, the television doesn’t work without power and so all those advanced digital minds tend to be terrified when their phone and computer ceases to work and all those useless websites that people are directed to can’t be accessed either.
The ABC, Radio National, continues to broadcast all the necessary information for people who are isolated and under threat/s from flooding/ cyclones/bush fires. The evacuations and refuges are on that “digital portable radio”.
My question could be more for the government than the ABC management, however, if we really want to have political influence in the Pacific, why not invest in a Radio National which replaces the scope of what Radio Australia actually did? Soft political influence is a difficult ask, however, I recall visiting remote parts of Vanuatu and the Solomon’s in the 80’s and saw what a drawcard kid’s programs and educational programs were.
Fund our national broadcaster and stop trying to turn it into either a Singo or Murdoch clone.
Agree, but… for past generation we have become stuck in an imported faux ‘free market’ US ‘Kochonomics’ rut via IPA and MSM, with a need to cut government spending and any moderate voices of the centre and even centre right too; their favoured solution, to avoid investment, would be to put out to tender i.e. give a commercial MSM operator a monopoly.
I have watched a version of ABC in Thailand, was pleasantly surprised, not too ‘Ozzie’ and decent content; me thinks simply packaging up existing ABC/SBS content inc news for a variety of regional distribution channels (but MSM will then kick up…yet too busy at moment trying to dominate above median age info sphere and regions)
Most emergency ABC broadcasting is done on the local stations concerned using AM, aka Medium Wave, which is a great deal more useful than FM.
As for DAB, most of Sydney can’t receive it which is no loss, it was a tekky wetdream solution to a problem that did not exist.
Not so sure of that, Williams is digitally (& musically) literate versus most of his ilk in Oz, while Adams spends too much time wheezing and praising Ita (& RW guests), claiming he does not need to retire ever (why?).
https://www.themandarin.com.au/53238-kim-williams-five-lessons-digital-transformation/ a
Meanwhile RN programs and apparently others, are losing audience share by cutting significant delivery channels i.e. no direct pod downloads & restrictions on app downloads, but not only do they seem helpless*, it seems more a strategy to make space regionally for commercial players, and their podcasting plans? Doogue* wrote recently about helplessness complaining audiences, reflecting presenters too, were in demographic decline and what are we going to do?
She focused much on audience needs &/or digital content, but missed the bit about digital delivery, ‘Looking over the ABC’s demographic cliff’:
https://insidestory.org.au/looking-over-the-demographic-cliff/
Maybe allow those younger and more in touch with society, digital and the world, to take over senior roles at the ABC vs. seniors hanging on till they drop?
And sign up for access, to the taxpayer funded national broadcaster! Which sends taxpayers’ data to Google.
I don’t care much as it’s now mostly certain fetishes and the gender war, I turn it off when it starts on them.
I had direct advice from an ABC producer &/or Audience suggesting one accesses via a commercial streaming platform (whose apps like public across the world are freely available), but same problem is that one needs to pay a subscription to download and listen offline.
Maybe part of the business strategy, that personnel are oblivious of, Australians will have to start paying subscription to listen to tax payer funded broadcaster? ‘Wrecking Crew’ ‘szalami tactics’ vs. the ABC, slice by slice…..
Kim Williams was the editor who stood up to the Murdoch menace for as long as he could.
David Anderson looks like a man who has made an incredibly stupid decision, and, having been scammed won’t or can’t explain the deal.
He, along with Ita have set in train an evisceration of the ABC.
We have the “political lead” David Speers (ex Sky news) clearly demonstrating a deliberate reduction in the ability of our national broadcaster to differentiate the irritating/ surprising “Gotcha” moments called political white noise, from the really important declarations of intent/ future policy directions, so effortlessly divulged to the urbane Barry.
And so now, the ABC’s Mark Humphries who was our only levity allowed, has been axed too.
David Anderson has been at the ABC the whole of his career, and, I sincerely believe that he has been conned and we are all going to suffer for this.
Sadly there is little in our politics now, other than “Gotcha” moments.
No ideas at all, only thought bubbles and tropes.
I can’t watch Utopia now – it is too real and far too depressing to think about.