ABC rejects Q&A bias

Liberal Senator Eric Abetz has criticised the ABC’s Q&A, saying the show’s panel and audience consisted mostly of Labor supporters.

According to an Age article, figures show that over the course of the program’s 2008 season, 32 per cent of the audience was made up of Labor supporters, while just 24 per cent supported the coalition and 17% were Greens supporters.

That leaves 27% either ‘other’, ‘swinging’ or who didn’t say.

Frankly, who would expects any television show (aside from one for a Debate audience) to bother polling its audience on their political persuasions? Here’s exactly the sort of trouble it gets us into…

“I would have thought that the ABC would acknowledge that it has an obligation to get a fair and balanced audience,” Senator Abetz said.

The ABC’s Mark Scott said, “The critical question is not so much who is in the audience, but have we had a good balance of questions that comes from that audience, and have we had a good panel that has been able to engage in those issues,” Mr Scott said.

“I think Q&A has absolutely passed the test.”

Next up: the religious beliefs of the audience from Australia’s Funniest Home Video Show.

Source: The Age