RN is regrettably a somewhat marginalised and niche station, catering for the concepts ignored by the market. If it were not for programs such as Poetica, there probably would be no radio or TV coverage of poetry in Australia.

RN’s costs are laughably small and its influence far exceeds its budget. In an age of ridiculously high costs for popular entertainment production, it’s a pity government doesn’t see it fit to assist the most cerebral of radio stations.

I listen to RN for the same reason I subscribe to Crikey - the search for varied and intelligent commentary that doesn’t pander to the lowest common denominator; and packs some punch.

While not being religious, I occasionally find myself listening to the Religion report, and can appreciate the quality of the program. Indeed with all the specialised reporting, its the very fact that I don’t know much about these fields that I tune in. If I wanted ideas that reflected my own opinions I would talk to the mirror.

Its great to stumble on an RN program you might not normally follow, and be given a new insight or perspective that your wouldn’t have otherwise had. What a shame this looks set to end!

Crikey, please continue covering this!

If you subscribe to Radio National email newsletters, you will have been asked (on Oct to participate in an online survey at
http://www2b.abc.net.au/audienceresearch/RNweb/content/rnweb.asp

to subscribe:
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/subscribe/

let them know!

Pick up your game ABC - axe a few useless executives, Canberra Press Gallery journos and the like and keep the 8.30 am programs.

But can someone direct me to the URL where the ABC MD announced these changes?

And like others, apart from emailing many friends and acquaintances about these undesirable cuts, I would like to locate an effective focus for lobbying for the reversal or modification of this decision.

Perhaps Getup! http://www.getup.org.au/ ??

You characterise RN as “stodgy” “old” “poor value”. You are obviously unaware it was RN ( their unsung heroes John Jacobs, Natasha Mitchell ,and several others) who introduced podcasting to Australian radio.

Before that, they were the only ABC network to take up streaming audio with gusto. Like so many good ideas at the ABC this came from the talented pool of staff, not from management.

Online content and on-air content are two sides of the same coin - you cannot diminish one without diminishing the other. I agree that some tweaking is necessary but wholesale cuts like this just waste precious energy on needless animosity. And besides, Crittenden didn’t deserve this if ratings were the only consideration, even if some of the other shows might have.

True, staff costs are high at RN but everything else is run a shoe string. You only have to look at the stained carpets and op-shop furniture to tell that. Not so long ago all RN staff were briefed on their network’s “online future” and effectively asked to produce additional online content with no extra resources. With a few reservations, they agreed. What does that say for the “lazy broadcasters”?

Radio National doesn’t need to be dumbed down in any way. The current programming schedule works well and doesn’t seem to have too many gaps in the sort of intellectual content that is provided. Most doesn’t appear anywhere else in the Australian media.

Radio National is unique in radio broadcasting in Australia, as is ABC FM.

I am seriously concerned at the apparent dumbing down of programming. I’m furious that the 8:30 morning line up is to be scratched out. I love what is there. I’m not religious but I love to hear the wider views that the presenters of the Religion Report and other Religious programmes provide. The Sports Factor has always given a view of “real” sport in real life with some sport history that isn’t well known.

I don’t think I got an offer to contribute to the survey although I get emails for some programmes like Background Briefing. I’m not on the RN mailing list.

What can I do? I will send an email to the address noted on the webpage but I’d rather know the email address of the programming director. Does anyone have these details please. Don’t the ABC have a feedback page somewhere on their Website?

Back to paper and posting a letter I suppose.

It is not entirely clear to me what RN programs are to be cut for 2009. From your media release of the 15th at http://www.abc.net.au/corp/pubs/media/s2392190.htm I can identify that planned closures include the Religion and Media Reports, Sports Factor, Radio Eye and Street Stories. Are there others? All of the planned closures I consider to represent a significant loss, and will be missed by many of your listeners. I suggest you run a survey to check attitudes.

I think the loss of the Media Report would be unfortunate, given Australia’s obscene concentration of media ownership, but perhaps that is why management has taken the axe to it. Given that it costs the ABC almost nothing, and is valued by so many readers, I can think of no other reason for the Corporation’s short-sighted decision.

And while you’re rethinking your programming, what about bringing the environment back into the mainstream. It is absurd not to have an environmental program in these days when the environment is emerging as the dominant issue of the 21st century.

We had hoped that ABC would do better under Labor - I am sorry to see that this hope appears to have been misplaced.

Email submissions and phonecalls will be acknowledged and read but will not necessarily receive anything but a form response. Emails with attached documents count as letters IF they have name, address, and telephone number. Petitions, particularly email or web based are useless.
The only way to make a worthwhile submission is IN WRITING.

To the board:
ABC Secretariat,
GPO Box 9994, Sydney NSW 2001,
telephone (02) 8333 5312, or email: boardATyour.abc.net.au

To the Managing Director:
Mr Mark Scott,
Managing Director
ABC
GPO Box 9994, Sydney NSW 2001,
telephone (02) 8333 5312, or email: boardATyour.abc.net.au