Michael Danby

The moral relativism of the ABC has sunk to new lows – but with one or two journalists there is some hope.  MICHAEL DANBY – MP There is no chance of expecting the ABC Board or, in particular, its insolent retiring Managing Director and ‘editor-in-chief’ Mark Scott, will take any action on the serious matter of biased Middle East reporting. This is my sad experience with the ABC over many years. Now the situation is made more egregious by the fact that some of this reporting may encourage extremists. It certainly confuses the wider Australian public. My cynicism about Mark Scott exercising his responsibilities—or, indeed, seeing that the ABC Charter is fulfilled—was brought into focus by his arrogant and gratuitous attack on Peter Costello, the former Treasurer and now chair of the Future Fund, who had questioned the ABC’s mandate to expand into the digital area. There is, however, hope for the ABC. Late last year, I led a small group to Sydney who met some senior ABC executives, including their International Editor (and former Washington correspondent) Craig McMurtrie) and Jo Puccini, Executive Producer of 7.30. We calmly discussed my constituents’ agitation with Sophie McNeill’s broadcasts from Israel, where she […]