Comments on: What are they doing to Radio National? God help us!

By: Julius

Julius — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

I’m an atheist and former Liberal politician FWIW and FYI. The Religion Report I often find v. interesting, even stimulating and informative. Less often the Media Report and can’t be bothered with the Sports Factor (sport is for playing). In sum I think Crittenden’s and Paul Collins’s points against the ABC’s dumbing down by not valuing the specialists are well made. How best to convey one’s dissatisfaction to the management? Any thoughts?

By: Lawrie

Lawrie — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

PS: The ABC has censored the Religion Report web page, so there is no reference to Stephen’s outburst. Pathetic ABC …

By: Wendy

Wendy — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

I’ll admit that I emit a little groan when I realise it’s Wednesday and the Religion Report will be my commuter companion but more often than not I’ll end up intrigued by the discussion and reluctant to leave the car at journey’s end. I gave up religion in my early teens but this program, like most on Radio National, gives you food for thought and conversation starters for the whole week! I am a recent convert to RN and listen at every opportunity. When and where’s the protest march?

By: Diane Binstead

Diane Binstead — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

This program, with Stephen Crittenden, is one of the best programs on RN. I am appalled that this program would be cut. I always appreciate the intelligent discussion of religious issues, and I am by no means a god botherer. All I can say is that the ABC Board and ABC management are intellectual lightweights and want to pander to their ilk. Do they really know their audience? If the timeslot must be changed, so be it, have the fluffy stuff on at 8.30 a m Wednesday weekly, but do not kill off this great program.

By: Robert

Robert — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

I heard this doing the dishes this morning and thought crikes, someone speaking out publicly and clearly. How very 1070s. Public discourse has become so timid in this country that this sort of thing - which should be fairly standard - stands out. Congratulations Stephen on your courage!

And how typical of the Howard/Rudd-ite philosphy of censorship of dissent that the podcast has omitted Stephen's comment (how dare he not get the permission of management to criticise them!)

This is a disaster!
I'm not a huge fan of the Religion Report, but I strongly support it's continued existence.
ABC Local is shit and News Radio is a mind-numbing babble - Radio National is the only place in regional NT that I can hear decent ideas, analysis and discussion. There's a myth that RN is the preserve of the 'elite', but I've worked with fruit-pickers, labourers and other blue-collar workers who love it, as well as lots of other supposedly atypical demographics. Radio National is, particularly for people like myself in remote areas, a blessing (although I find the lah-di-dah fluff-stuff grating, i.e. Amanda Smith, Geraldine Doogue) and a rare example of my tax payments being used well.

I'm livid at this attack by the parasite class!

By: Benny

Benny — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Well you just ruined my day hearing this. RN has been an oasis in a radio world filled with innocuous rubbish.Why oh why can’t they just leave some things as they are.

By: Peter Trott

Peter Trott — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Cutting out the Religion Report would be an unwise, yet unfortunately predictable development at the ABC.

Admittedly it's mainly intellectual lite-religion, but at least it provides some pespective on the many expressions of humanity's spiritual nature in history and time.

If there was everr a need for our astoundingly Biblically-illiterate generation to be exposed to some solid Christian doctrine, surely now's the time.

For example, consider Jesus' challenging claim in John 14:6 'I am the way, the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Me'.

By: bill

bill — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

RN personilities have been urging us to complete the survey to help ABC mandarins let then know what we think. AS soon as I got to the stuff about whether or not I thought images were important on websites it confirmed for me that they could really care much about RADIO content - the audible stuff. Time to resurrect Friends of the ABC and tell them. It ain’t broke, it doesn’t need fixing. And the religion report? Not my cup of tea but I very glad its there.

By: Robyn FitzRoy

Robyn FitzRoy — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

In a grim week which has induced despair in many of us, the idea of dumbing down the only broadcaster with intellectual pretentions is enough to have me consider self-harm. I agree with Paul Collins that the PoMo idea of generalisation rather than specialisation is a perverse affectation which also insults the “general populace” to whom the ABC thinks its targetting with its “broader appeal” re-programming. We must fight against this idea of anti-elitist, anti-intellectual, “we’re all in this together, no tall poppies” syndrome which will render us all morosely incoherent with early dementia.

By: Janice

Janice — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Horrors!! I NEED Radio National as it is! I listen most of the day when i’m home - or in the car, or when i’m walking, or when i wake up during the night. I like the sober, reliable programs on a very wide range of topics: today a fascinating program on Radio Eye about the Milgram studies to learn to what extent people would obey ‘authority’, carried out at Yale in t961/62. I also like programs like the Garrison Keilor Show, as well as the ‘comedy’ programs at 5:30 a.m. if i happen to be awake then.

Thank you for bringing this to my attention.

By: Grant Archibald

Grant Archibald — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

I am an avid fan of Radio National which generally has an excellent presentation. The quality is enhanced by the ability of the presenters to avoid being judgemental which is the weakness of the commercial media
However there are exceptions.
The particular religion and media segments you mention are probably the worst examples. I take it you have listened and endured the inclination to control of subjects and promotion of personal bent. They are probably being scapped due to poor quality of presentation rather than the subject discussed.
In contrast I can cope with Philip Adams as he is quite open about his views. He does not pretend to be balanced.

It will be interesting to see the results of the survey currently available on line.

By: Revd E. McAndrew

Revd E. McAndrew — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Well said, Stephen Crittenden and Paul Collins! We now need to hold a funeral for informed comment - because it just died when RN heads in the direction of popular consumption in its reporting of religion (if it will have any realistic comment at all). It is just another form of anti-intellectualism. Shame on the ABC - or more particularly shame on its leadership and its government masters.

By: David H

David H — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

The ABC spokeswoman's response is pure managementspeak. Typically they refuse to engage in the subject of the article (the manner and direction of content changes) because they do not wish to have a debate or discussion on those terms. Obviously management believes it is entitled not only to make such decisions but also to determine the nature of any debate. What we seem to be witnessing (across the ABC) is a general move from dedicated specialist programs which cater to selective audiences, such as those who might appreciate more subtle or nuanced reporting for example, to a general mass media product that lacks any substantial definition.

Whilst in some ways this is understandable as the ABC attempts to integrate its traditional media content into the new digital domain, the broader implication is that this trend will lead to a dumbing down of content, something that further undermines any so-called 4th estate legitimacy that the current media players like to claim.

Not that such debate is likely to be seriously investigated by the ABC! All of the rhetoric surrounding this subject is carefully filtered for any unbalanced or emotional content, in much the same way as the ABC now filters its news. Bland homogenised words for bland homogenised consumers.

By: Paul Arnott

Paul Arnott — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

I couldn’t agree more with Paul Collin’s assessment of the planned scrapping of the Religion and Media reports. It’s not an anti religion or anti media decision but and anti intelligence and anti critique decision. Having worked in the general and church media for a number of years I shudder to think what the ABC coverage of religion and media will become without the expertise of the current informed commentators in these areas. If the ABC is trying to attract more listeners this is definitely not the way to go about it. Re some of the “anti religion” comments below, how totally predictable that this decision would bring the religion bashers out of the woodwork. Tough luck fellas. Religion and spirituality are more central to the life of our community and our world than ever before and as our world continues to disintegrate will become even more so. The God who made everything that exists is still very much alive and at work in our world, even if you can’t see it.

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

To the ABC Board and Management:

Thou shalt not kill - the Religion Report

By: Mark Siford

Mark Siford — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

A short sighted decision. Is not specialisation and depth of content the key to the new media world? Specialisation = knowledge = credibility. Witness the incredible development of blogging or the sudden mushrooming of online journalism sites devoted to their own special areas. I have long since replaced my mainstream media sites such as AFR, SMH, Age for crikey, business spectator, naked capitalism and calculated risk. The coverage is deeper, richer, more immediate and comes with analysis that a generalist is simply be incapable of producing. I do not often listen to Radio National’s religious coverage but it is exactly the sort of content that needs to be provided not only in a ‘new’ media world but also by our public broadcaster.

By: Patrick Kirkwood

Patrick Kirkwood — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

I haven’t read all the comments already posted, so I might duplicate some and run counter to others. The “dumbing down” of the ABC, especially through the spurning of structural subject-specialists, has been slowly going on since the mid 1980s. It has crept through TV and “local” radio and now RN is about to be globally warmed. The absence of structure means that there is no process to recruit and train people who really know what they are talking or writing about. Instead we have the generalists who generally know very little. There used to be a model which likened the ABC to a university - with departments of arts, science, music, etc. Now the model might be the Daily Mirror, god rest it and god forbid it. If you don’t have structure who is to be apprenticed to people like Robyn Williams (god bless him) and John Cleary (ditto)? I can’t believe that the current MD would be so dumb as to lead the dumb and the dumbed.
Patrick Kirkwood (Former Head of Religious Programs Radio & TV)

By: Judith

Judith — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

I have always been grateful RN had been spared…I describe RN as an oasis the ABC hasn’t got around to bxggering up yet (they completely wrecked Classic FM several years ago). Crittendon’s announcement this morning struck fear in the heart. RN is the ONLY way to stay sane, connected, and informed. And frankly — if I am made to choose — I want the stimulation over the airwaves NOT online.

That they should axe religion now is incomprehensible. Never has informed discussion around the world’s religions been more important — if anything RN needed to become even harder hitting and more news oriented around the subject (but that would take resources wouldn’t it).

Depth, specialisation and analysis are what make RN the station it is. Dumbing it down would be a tragedy.

It makes you very afraid about what the 09 schedule will look like. Please everyone fill in the RN survey and make it very clear that what happens on the airwaves is critical to us!!!

By: Jim Spithill

Jim Spithill — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Please, say it isn’t so. Where will I turn for challenging ‘ideas’ programs if RN is gutted? Surely the whole point of RN is not to appeal to the least common denominator. Paul Collins’ points are well made, but the issue is far broader. Do we not want a ‘thinking’ populace?

By: Dick

Dick — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Doesn’t the language by the ABC spokeswoman just totally give the game away. And Crittenden spoke without the “approval of network management”. Really, it’s unbearable. It’s the same people making these decisions as use this opaque, smug bureaucratese.

By: Steve B

Steve B — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

While I like RN a lot, I have to confess the Religion Report is my least favourite program. Of all the things I want to learn about the world while driving to work, religion would rate pretty low. And the issues they take on are so dull: islamic terrorism, the church and nazism, the church and sexism, the church and homosexuality. Bleh. If they put a more generalist daily briefing in that timeslot, then this listener for one will not be complaining.

By: Michael Wilbur-Ham

Michael Wilbur-Ham — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

It is no surprise that the ABC is dumbing down Radio National.

After all, ABC TV and local radio have been, and still are, being dumbed down.

One source of the problem is that the community and even the politicians have no real say about what used to by "our ABC".

The ABC (and SBS) are now run by people who are not good enough to get into the commercial world, but try to show they are qualified for the higher pay of the commercial world by moving the ABC (and SBS) towards this trash.

And just as bad, half the comments on this article have missed the point that the fuss is not about whether or not religion deserves a program, but the whole idea of dumbing down the ABC.

If the ABC (and SBS) become just like the commercial channels, then why have an ABC and SBS? Is making Top Gear Australia really part of the charter of SBS? Why do we need ABC radio if it sounds the same as the commercial channels?

What is needed is for the charter of ABC and SBS to be modified so that the people can insist that these organizations meet their charter. As this is not the case, there is little we can do.

It is all very sad.

By: Hugh McMahon

Hugh McMahon — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

It’s interesting to note that all the dumbing down of the Australian media has taken place since Sydney has become the de facto capital of Australia. Sydney ‘s influence on the cultural landscape of Australia has always been towards dumbing down and lowest common denominator stuff, and the sidelining of contributions from other parts of Australia has accelerated the downhill slide at Fairfax, the ABC, even the commercial TV stations. With Radio National mostly in the hands of the mediocre Sydney ABC hierarchy is it any wonder that it’s being destroyed?

By: Janet

Janet — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

I enjoy listening to Radio National , especially Fran Kelly, Rachael Kohn, Michael McKenzie - Phillip Adams less so. I enjoy the intelligent discussion and presentation of topical issues, I actually enjoy learning new information, I am disgruntled about the repetition of material 3 times in one week. If I want entertainment I will listen to PBS, JOY ,MBS or JJJ. I absolutely can’t stand 3LO or Red Symons on Murray Goulburn Radio.

By: Michael

Michael — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

I am surprised that ABC Radio National is on a "change " course yet again. While we all understand that organisations cannot stand still there are some factors relating to the National Broadcaster which they MUST get to grips with. Firstly the ABC listening public is older, argueably better educated but definitly interested in intellectually stimulating spoken word programmes that educate, stimulate and cause old farts like myself to have great days and a reason to carry on with hope in our hearts There are plenty of alternative Radio stations for those who do not share our listening requirements but none for those who do.

Finally I suppose Adams Late Night Live will be next after the Religion Report then Red Symons will get the chop. If I had not just read that the UK has ground to a financial halt I would be booking the flight back to Hove after all these 25 years in my beloved adopted home !!

Best regards

Michael Harris