SKY News considers its options
SKY News is considering its options in the wake of the federal government cancelling the tender process for the Australia Network.
- Published by David Knox
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SKY News is considering its options in the wake of the federal government cancelling the tender process for the Australia Network contract.
Head of the Australia News Channel Angelos Frangopoulos said in a statement, “Australia News Channel is surprised by the Government’s extraordinary action in cancelling the second tender process for the Australia Network and is currently considering its options.”
Senator Conroy cancelled the tender, conducted twice over more than nine months, while the Australian Federal Police investigates leaks to media.
“We are concerned that both tender outcomes were rejected after each of the tenders had closed and the independent tender evaluation board had delivered its recommendations,” Frangopoulos said.
He has called on Senator Conroy to publish the terms of his referral to the AFP.
“We also call on the Government to release all tender evaluation reports, recommendations and associated documents in the interests of transparency,” he said.
Meanwhile Shadow Communications Minister told ABC Radio the government was hopelessly divided and couldn’t even run a tender. He said it was a victim of factional fighting between Stephen Conroy, Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.
“It’s well known that there is enormous dissension within the Gillard cabinet about whether SKY News, which is partly owned by News Limited, or whether the ABC, where we are now, should continue with it.
“The process has been rotten,” he said.
“The process going forward should be a thoroughly transparent one.”
Source: ABC
4 Responses
Blind Freddie can see that Conroy has something major against Foxtel as well as Telstra…. How he can remain as comms minister is unknow because there appears to be a massive conflict of interest there?
@MixedFeelings
“Seems that Sky isn’t too proud to access Gov’t funds afterall. Last time I checked commercial TV stations aren’t programmed by democratic vote so their agrument is spurious.”
“Their” argument? When has anyone, anyone from Sky News ever come out and attacked the ABC in such a manner? Sky News tendered for the AN contract in good faith – why wouldn’t they want to access such a large pool of funds? The issue is not with Sky, oh wait I mean big bad Murdoch (sarcasm), wanting to take over our diplomatic service, but with the Government putting the service out to tender in the first place.
I agree. I remember the Oz saying that taxpayers shouldn’t pay for a gov’t run TV station & that taxpayers had no say in how the channel was run. This line has been run in the UK (Sky News), the US (Fox News) & here of course. Seems that Sky isn’t too proud to access Gov’t funds afterall. Last time I checked commercial TV stations aren’t programmed by democratic vote so their agrument is spurious.
Dear Sky News,
If you so desperately want a region wide news channel, invest in your own satellite space and broadcast to the Asia-Pacific like other international news carriers do.
Why does a confident business like yours so desperately desire to ride on the back of a government contract?
If you believe in your product, put your money where your mouth is!