It is now reasonable the Government buy up Fairfax and give it to the ABC. It could insist that all the journalists be kept on and the present resigning editors re-appointed. A Board including Kerry O’Brien, Maxine McKew and Mark Scott could invigilate it. Three hundred and thirty million a year to keep it going could be provided by a fifty cents a week impost on all taxpayers. Its cost could be reduced to a dollar, or, on Kindle, fifty cents. It could available on Kindle all over Australia, at no cost for delivery. And advertising in it could cost half what it does now.
Is there anything wrong with this?
It would be wrong to talk about freedom of the press, because Gina Rinehart is currently guaranteeing there will be none.
Name:
Bob don’t be so negative.
You are reminding me of Tony Abbott.
Just think with Gina Rinehart in charge, Fairfax will have a new lease in life! Share-price plunged to 57c today. Happy days ahead!
It could be worse – imagine if ABC Radio National purged all the known Lefties off its payroll and see it’s progressive voice diminish by a massive 50%!
Surely you would cry out – “Unfair!” You’d have something to blog about then…
But that is exactly what is happening at the ABC today – to conservative commentators!
Its outrageous but true.
A gross purge of conservative opinions to make way for the herds of nancy-boy Fairfax ex-employes sees a 50% purge of Liberal supporters in Radio National.
Does Bob Ellis complain?
No! He ignores it.
Read more here: http://www.quadrant.org.au/blogs/qed/2012/06/michael-s-last-counterpoint
C’mon Bob. Raise your voice! “Solidarity forever!”
Do you admire her poetry?
And do you look forward to the editorial mind that wrote that poetry?
Do not lie.
Answer carefully.
Show yourself to be a serious person.
Not a craven fool.
Frank?
Maxine McKew, as a former Labor politician, would be a poor choice of a board member, as she would have editorial influence through the selection of editors.
Also, why is it always the taxpayer who should foot the bill? Its a private entity – If Gina wants it then as a publically listed company she can. Otherwise I look forward to the good samaritans of Australia voluntarily contributing to purchasing Fairfax. Why can’t those who want to see an outcome pay for it? Or do they just not want to put their money where their mouth is?
They would pay less for it, fifty cents a week, than the twenty-eight dollars a week they do now. The ‘taxpayers’ and the ‘customers’ are the same people, surely.
What has Rinehart or Murdoch to do with freedom of the press?
Two hundred of Murdoch’s papers all wanted the Iraq War. All were wrong, but they had no choice, under Murdoch, to be right. Being wrong, under Rupert, was compulsory.
And this is freedom of the press?
Bob, people currently CHOOSE whether they want to consume the Fairfax (or News Ltd papers for that matter) and part with their hard earned if they wish. You want that (if I read your post right) that to be compulsory for all taxpayers. Therein lies the difference.
As for your freedom of the press question – absolutely. As there was easily available avenues for competing media to state the opposite. As many did. And yet News is still a profitable company – someone likes their produce apparently.
I have heard this bizarre theory that we should have a group of people put in to buy up on Fairfax shares to take control away from people like Gina. I have only heard this because, in an act of masochistic insanity, I have started listening to talkback radio. Good samaritans? How many ‘good samaritans’ have an extra few score thousand of cash in their reserves to throw around to preserve independence in Fairfax Media? Really? Is this where the narrative has led us?!?
Begs the question though doesn’t it.
If government owned the power supply could we expect them to take direct action on climate change.
If they owned the Health System could we expect any reduction in waiting lists.
Did the trains ever run on time under any system?
The only thing they still run is the public sector of the education system and now they’re foisting religion on the unsuspecting tykes there as well.
The ABC has a news service that is effectively ahead of News and Fairfax if the agenda to have the “print” part out of the “print media” is the acknowledged way of the future. Some would say why would they buy a white elephant. Except of course to argue that it might prevent a woman who some cruel pundits might say herself resembles a white elephant might like to use its powers to further her mendacious meandering into pusillanimous prose.
An unfit person, as the House of Commons might say.
I think we tried to tie that one onto Kerry Packer & Conrad Black at one stage. Black justified concern I think.
These days it seems like we’re not even asking the question of Gina.