Winding Down

Short post to let readers know, if you hadn't guessed already that posting is on hold for the time being as more important things take precedence.

If you have any interesting ABC stories suggest passing them on to Media Watch Dog - follow the link on the right.

WEB

That time of the year again when ABC's "flagships" start their "well earned break". A joke as the rest of us battle on to Christmas and beyond.

Episode 3: The well-earned break. (From Quadrant)

The ABC is thrown into chaos yet again, this time by a clerical error that sees all but a handful of radio and TV hosts and journalists ordered to take their holidays at the same time. The most senior ABC staffer still on the job turns to her Twitter and Facebook friends to fill the reportorial void created by a depopulated newsroom.

That evening’s news broadcasts lead with the scoop that Tony Abbott cannot tell the difference between a burqa and a niqab and is therefore irredeemably opposed to every woman’s right to be oppressed in a liberated, post-modern sort of way.

A running gag in this episode features supremo Mark Scott, who learnt his journalism at Fairfax and bills himself as the ABC’s editor-in-chief. Eager to help out during the staffing crisis, he sets out to report a story on how the Navy is waylaying ships loaded with live cattle in order to torture their crews with hot engine parts. Sadly, just as he is about to start calling  favourite refugee advocates, the plumbers arrive to install a 14-carat executive toilet, obliging him to file countless Twitter updates on their progress.

The odd thing is that no viewer notices the slightest difference between normal ABC news coverage and the stream of undiluted social-media ranters that replaces it.

WEB

Blog taking a break while more important things take precedence. Back when we are back. Thanks for your patience!

In the meantime ABC news being regularly scrutinised by BOLT, BLAIR, HENDERSON, QUADRANT AND CATALLAXY.

Cheers
Marc

WEB

Other things to do at present, than worry about ABC's poor news standards. Will post any replies from ABC to on going investigations. Back in a little while.

Update October 2...WEB extended!

Update 1 September...WEB extended! Gerard Henderson's Media Watch Dog continues to do a magnificent job in keeping an eye on our ABC. See also ACM for reports on ABC's one sided coverage on climate change.

Update...a link worth a look....via DJ (cheers Mate)
"we think Bruce Hill and Radio Australia appear to have some explaining to do."
http://www.grubsheet.com.au/?p=2965

We're all going on a summer holiday

ABC's annual summer break seems to be starting earlier and earlier:

 John, Tony and Kerry start their summer holidays,

No more working for the next three months.

Fun and laughter on their summer holidays,

provides a break in the Groupthink in so many ways,

but only for the next ninety days. 

They're going where the sun shines brightly

Perhaps attending a climate conference or two.

Watching repeats of Al Gores' Movie,

can't believe they think that crap is all true?!

Everybody wants an ABC summer holiday,

It's three months off thanks to their old Aunty. 

They get three months break for their summer holidays, 

it's same as long service leave for you and me.

But just another well earned break for John, Tony and Kerry.

Out of the taxes paid by you and me, 

I'm sure they'll have a drink or three.

(Sorry Cliff)

4 Corners 7/11/2011: This is the final Four Corners for 2011. We will return in on Monday 6 February, 2012. 


Media Watch 7/11/2011.  Gerard Henderson finds the oh so high productivity perhaps behind the early on set of summer.

"Last Monday, Jonathan Holmes announced that next week’s edition of the ABC1 Media Watch program would be the last for 2011.  Just how much the Media Watch staff deserve a well-earned break is evident from Andrew Murfett’s sympathetic piece titled “Watchdog has his day” which was published in The Age’s “Greenguide” on 27 October 2011.  Holmes told Murfett:

We have six well-paid journalists working on 2000 words a week. We have three full-time researchers, a producer, a story editor and executive producer.

And then there is Jonathan Holmes himself – who is the seventh left-wing presenter (out of seven) to present Media Watch since it first went to air in May 1989.  His predecessors are the lefties Stuart Littlemore, Richard Ackland, Paul Barry, David Marr, Liz Jackson and Monica Attard.

So Media Watch has seven full-time staff producing 2000 words a week to occupy 13 minutes on-air time for the nine months or so in which the program is shown each year. ABC management and staff are invariably whinging about not receiving enough taxpayer funds. Yet, according to Jonathan Holmes, seven well-paid full-time staff are flat out at Media Watch producing 2000 words between them each week – which works out to less than 60 words per working day."

Q and A 7/11/2011: For the final show of 2011, host Tony Jones is joined by Liberal MP, Malcolm Turnbull; Jessica Rudd; Ray Martin; Labor MP, Kate Ellis; and Former Howard Government Minister, Peter Reith.

WEB

In ABC parlance the blog is on a well earned break. Back in  few weeks time.

Silly Season Begins

We wish all readers a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Given ABC has commenced its sillier season for 2010 we will be taking our "well earned break" see you next year.

Marc

WEB

ABC's Q and A and Media Watch are finished for the year. Rest assured presenters are not on holidays but merely enjoying a well earned break. Meanwhile in early November the rest of us, outside of that land over the rainbow that is the ABC, get on with it. As part of our productivity survey we may look at January to see how ABC's productivity fares while the organisation takes its WEB. Perhaps we can outsource summer programming to the private sector?