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ABC rejects Freedom of Information request

The ABC has rejected a Freedom of Information request into the cost of running ABC News 24.

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The ABC has rejected a Freedom of Information request into the cost of running ABC News 24.

The enquiry was made by journalist Margaret Simons’ youcommnews.com project, which funds investigations via donations from the public. Simons also writes media for Crikey.

The ABC has ruled some of Simons requests fall outside the scope of the FoI, in a reply you can read in full at Crikey.

She notes, “Today I telephoned the ABC FoI officer, Judith Maude, to negotiate over her refusal to release information about the true cost of ABC News 24 on the grounds that it was a voluminous request. I expect to hear back after Easter, and will keep you posted.”

But the broadcaster has released information to show the cost of providing 24-hour news to all ABC channels and online platforms totals $25.37 million.

ABC News 24 is contentious because some ABC staff believe other news output has been squeezed to fund it and the channel was set up at a time when ABC denied it would impact on other resources.

Source: The Australian

15 Responses

  3. So, Graeme, would you like News24 to air more original content like your beloved Sky News (which will cost more), or not? Maybe you should work out what you want first before getting on TV Tonight pretending like you speak for every taxpayer.

  4. The ABC are doing just fine. Their international network of journalists is unrivalled by any Australian network. If you want a shoestring budget look to Sky. There the presenters do their own hair and makeup unlike the extravagence seen at the ABC where the makeup artists offer artificial eyelashes to female guests.

  5. @ Dave

    In Australian English both Spelt and Spelled are fine. Have been for nearly a century. Thanks for playing.

    As for this kerfuffle, yes, it’s quite obviously a thinly disguised attempt to discredit, more than likely spawned via some pay tv operater or related party.

  6. I think you will find the point if the FOI request is to ascertain the amount of money that is being sucked in to run what is a very, very ordinary output and as to where the money is being diverted from to pay for it. This is notwithstanding very obvious comparisons with the likes of Sky News and its abilty to run on a much smaller budget, with more live coverage and very minimal use of repeat programs across many platforms with three fulltime chanels as opposed to the ABC’s one news channel. And if the money being used by the ABC is being diverted from other ‘core’ areas of the ABC.

    So far, many ABC studio and transmission people have lost their jobs in recent years (Ignite, MediaHub) so as to help fund ABC24. Arguably, this drop in production and transmission costs has cost the ABC any form of on-air reputation it once had with resultant and continuing on-air mistakes, not that it mattes to the ABC bean counters. The screaming success of MediaHub in attracting new clients (none so far) is meaning the ABC is continuing to fund transmission as there are still no external clients to cross subsidise from yet, despite assurances no doubt to the ABC Board that it would be self funding and making money for them by now. But the rush to switch on MediaHub by the ABC before it was ready and the resultant on-air carnage has no doubt cost the ABC co-owned MediaHub valuable business reputation in attracting new clients.

    Thus the squeeze by the ABC to continue to continue to fund ABC24. The internal business workings of the ABC need a thorough independent review initiated from the outside, and not from within. Until that occurs, no doubt the ABC will continue to self canibalise itself to pay for a service it receives no core funding for, but is taking away funds from core services it is paid for. Thses are the questions I think you will find Margaret Simmons is trying to ask.

  8. Margaret Simons really needs to get over her outrage and personal quest and demand to find out what ABC News 24 costs.

    I’m sure most Australians are thrilled to have a 24 hour news channel on FTA, and in times of bushfires, earthquakes, floods and tsunamis – it really is needed.

    If the whole ABC News operation costs $25 million a year, then that just shows you what a shoestring budget it is run on – and Margaret Simons should be happy.

    Taxpayers are basically paying $2 a year to be informed by ABC TV, News 24, online and radio. $2. The cost of a can of cake a year Margaret Simons.

    I did some research – BBC News runs on a budget of $545 million a year. Yes $545. The UK has 3 times our population, but their pubcaster news budget is 20 times ABC’s

    Get over it.

  9. @ Rick: FOI is only an acronym if pronounced ‘foi’. Does anyone say it as foi? Not that I’ve heard. If not, FOI are simply initials. Examples of an acronym are SCUBA & RADAR where each letter stands for a word and these letters make a new word. Here endeth the lesson.

  10. Right on to the story at hand. Iam sure that the public broadcaster runs as reasonably tight financial ship. However if the costs do exceed initial projections then i am pretty sure it is because of the need for quality news content which does cost money. My guess as to why the ABC rejected the Freedom of Information request from Margaret Simons is because they did not want to be harassed by people outside the public broadcaster if the costs were higher then projected.

  11. This request has the rancid smell of a pay tv network all over it, they succesfully killed off One HD with their churlish petulance and now seemingly are trying to set the population against ABC 24 through a jackanape of journalists. Good onya Aunty, tell ’em nothing

  14. @ Rick

    Dare you to say that to FaHCSIA, DoF or other government departments. How about a comment on the story and no how acronyms should be used (which by the way you failed)

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