Play School under fire for gambling venue concerts
Lobby group The Friends of the ABC says the broadcaster's commercial activities have gone too far with plans to stage kids concerts in gambling venues.
- Published by David Knox
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The ABC is under fire for plans to stage live Play School concerts in NSW clubs where gambling and alcohol are available.
The criticism follows ABC Managing Director Mark Scott revealing the plans this week in Senate Estimates of the Communications Committee.
Friends of the ABC (Victoria) spokesperson Glenys Stradijot says ABC’s commercial activities have gone too far, putting commercial interests ahead of its responsibility to its children.
“As if Australia does not have enough problems with alcohol and gambling abuse, the ABC is assisting the clubs to promote themselves as family-friendly,” she said.
“It is outrageous that the public broadcaster is exploiting its iconic children’s program to entice people into gambling venues.
“Even worse, is the ABC’s disregard for the interests of children.
“Businesses that sell alcohol and gambling are not suitable places for children’s entertainment. It is totally irresponsible of the ABC to encourage children into such environs.
But a statement released by ABC Events said the ABC has been touring its children’s shows since 2001 in a wide range of venues from the outback to the Sydney Opera House.
“In a number of locations within NSW, the only suitable venues are located within clubs. In these locations, the entertainment venue is clearly separated from the gaming activities of the club. If the ABC did not book these venues, then the children in these areas would not have access to some of the ABC’s best-loved children’s identities.”
ABC Events said in the eight years it has been touring its shows, it has received no complaints about the suitability of a venue.
The lobby group has called on the ABC to halt activities for children in licensed premises and even suggested a boycott of Play School concerts and products until it does.
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3 Responses
I saw the list of venues advertised in Playgroup Magazine over a week before this became a story, I didn’t care then, I still don’t really care now. I think from the lack of comment on parenting websites or in any of the meets ups during the weeks that followed show that this isn’t a main concern of parents.
This seem to be something that only concerns friends of the ABC, and I wonder if they are concerned about the actual issue, or whether they are just arguing their anti-commercial agenda. Does it strike anyone else as odd that it wasn’t brought up by one of our countries parenting or family groups?
The closest venue to us that would hold enough people for an ABC show is an entertainment venue where yes, they do serve alcohol and have gambling machines in other parts of the building. But the kids go there to see a show. They could care less about beer and pokies. And it’s not like you walk the kids through the bar to get to the show either. I’d be suprised if they even saw a pokie machine, and you can bet that the venue is only licensed to have alcohol in certain areas. Certainly not the area where the ABC show is being staged.
Has this concerned group offered any alternatives?
“the ABC is assisting the clubs to promote themselves as family-friendly” – What a load of cosswollup! Are the ABC actually selling alcohol to minors instead of milk? I do not see the big problem. Most venues are utilized for a variety of purposes, so as long as they are not exchanging the milk for beer, what’s the problem?