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ABC Exec given Chaser tapes

Amanda Duthie's senior is now reported to have received a copy of The Chaser sketch before it aired, but failed to watch it.

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abc2_logo4In a major embarrassment today for the ABC, it is reported that ABC TV’s Head of Arts, Entertainment and Comedy, Courtney Gibson, was handed tapes of The Chaser’s War on Everything episode, with the “Make a Realistic Wish” sketch, before it aired, but failed to view it.

The revelation follows comedy executive Amanda Duthie, who reports to Ms. Gibson, being stripped of her comedy duties following an editorial review by ABC management.

The Australian has learned that Ms Gibson, who assumed responsibility for comedy after Ms Duthie’s demotion, also turned up in the Chaser‘s green room at the taping of the episode at the ABC’s TV studios on June 2.

“Courtney has let Amanda fall on her sword but she insisted on getting the inserts,” a production source said. “She was handed the inserts that night.”

Under the ABC’s editorial policy of “upward referral”, Ms Duthie had to alert Ms Gibson to any controversial elements in a program.

But ABC staff union secretary Graeme Thomson says: “Any reasonable person would assume that if Gibson had demanded and received the tapes for the purpose of reviewing the material before it went to air, then there was no need to upwardly refer them again.

“If the allegations are correct, heads should roll.”

A spokesman for Ms Gibson confirmed yesterday she did go to the Chaser taping, but arrived too late to see the show being recorded.

Source: The Australian

14 Responses

  3. @billy C: she hasn’t actually lost her job, she’s just lost that part of her job, she still works for the abc.
    But, I do agree with you- She made a mistake, and yes the skit wasn’t nice, but I don’t she deserves to lose her comedy duties just for that one mistake. If she continued to make mistakes over and over again, then it would be acceptable for her to lose those duties due to incompetence.
    Kind of the same with the ute gate scandle. I don’t think Turnbull should have to resign over the issue, rather, I think it should come as a good lesson, and, a serious lesson at that.

  4. Right, so Ms Duthie gave the tapes to Ms Gibson just like she was supposed to, and then then gets sacked and replaced by the women who failed to view the tapes? Sounds like Duthie really ought to demand her job back.

  5. What is this obsession with “heads rolling”. Why does someone have to lose their job if they make a mistake. I don’t think it was much of a mistake and I don’t think anyone could have predicted that this sketch would get the reaction it did when they have done others that are potentially just as offensive to some people. Whoever is leaking this information to the press is not doing anyone any favours. Does another person need to lose their job? Five, six people? The cast of Behind the News? No one should lose their job exclusively for a single error of judgement, you don’t get a bonus everytime you do something well. What is the union playing at? What on earth are they trying to achieve? Why are they going around saying people should be sacked?

  8. good, bad, funny, insensitive, error of judgement, watched it, didnt watch it

    Its happened, they aired it, they said sorry, far worse has happened; let it go !

  10. It is generally accepted around the ABC that everyone up to Gibson saw the scripts and tapes, but that Duthie took the fall. That spokesperson statement reeks of “I smoked but didn’t inhale”. Rubbish. She saw it.

  11. @neon kitty: I’m going to have to disagree with your definition of political correctness. The skit was more insensitive, than politically incorrect. An issue of political correctness gone mad, would be, say, the banning of a cross or bible in a hospital chapel because it might offend muslims or, banning the australian flag being displayed at bondi, because it may be offensive to people of other countries.

    I just don’t think that you could claim banning a skit making fun of a charity that helps dying kids, as political correctness gone mad. I fail to see where you would find any humour in it.
    I agree that the concept of some organisation having to go a bit cheap because of the current world financial condition- that would be funny. But, choosing that organisation as one that helps out dying children… Would your view be different, if you personally had to experience that?

    Just to clarify, I wouldn’t look at you, or even the chaser, as people who want to kill dying children- however, that doesn’t change the insensitivity of the skit.

  12. Today’s Green Guide piece on this whole fiasco is well worth reading (it’s on The Age’s web site today for those not seeing the print edition).

    This whole sorry saga is political correctness gone mad. No, actually, way beyond mad, and into some la-la land where everyone is breathing bubbles of happiness at each other and spawning marshmallow kittens.

    I’ve never before had so many arguments with so many (usually reasonable) people about this sketch and the treatment the show and ABC staff received as a result, yet I’ve yet to have a single one which doesn’t end in everyone looking at me like I want to kill little children.

    The sketch was clumsy, but funny, very much in a Pythonesque way. I knew when I saw it that it would get a reaction. I never for a second expected this. This, when there’s so much going on in the world that’s actually worth getting worked up about.

    And if my point of view offends anyone… well, I don’t care. The offensive article in this whole saga is the ABC board.

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