ABC urged to retain local current affairs

There are two article in the media, one from a current ABC identity, and another former ABC news boss, in which both call on the broadcaster to retain local current affairs.

It follows recent speculative articles suggesting the Friday night edition of 7:30, formerly known as Stateline, is to be cut in its current form.

Suggestions that ABC will draw upon digital platforms to address local audiences are being questioned. Similarly, Community TV broadcasters have warned of a loss of local stories when they are forced to moved online at the end of 2015 too.

Both articles are lengthy opinion pieces, with excerpts republished here.

Writing in Guardian Australia 7:30 NSW host Quentin Dempster says states are here to stay, even under a Republic model, and the broadcaster should reflect state-based current affairs:

So editorially, and in recognition of its charter, one would have thought the ABC had an obligation to contribute to state affairs through its TV current affairs coverage of politics, education, health, law and order, the environment, planning and multi-party corruption. A national program does not get to the nitty gritty of these state issues, commissioning state items only when they are judged to carry for the national audience.

The issue is particularly important in the one-newspaper towns of Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart, Canberra and Darwin. By walking away from this contribution to state accountability through interviews with state premiers and ministers, through analysis, reportage and investigative pieces, the ABC will be making a big strategic mistake.

The ABC may say it has already enhanced localism with its city and region-specific local websites. But the removal of a television forum for state politics and contentious issue is a destructive qualitative difference. While Scott may be right that to survive to 2032 (the ABC’s 100th anniversary) we need to build younger audiences who will only access our content through phones and tablets, during the five, 10 or 20 years this digital transition will take, the ABC should be funded to do both.

Meanwhile in Fairfax, ABC’s former head of News and Current Affairs in Victoria Marco Bass weighed in:

In my view, merely being present on digital platforms with homogenous rolling news coverage will not be enough.
It seems too many at the ABC have forgotten the media truism that “content is king” but “local is gold”. Not only is local coverage incredibly important to build and keep audiences, it’s a key part of the ABC’s Charter responsibilities.
The ABC can be rightly proud of its international and national coverage but it should not be financed into the future at the expense of local coverage.

The same professional excellence and resources that underpin 7.30, 4 Corners and Foreign Correspondent also need be made available to tell state-based stories and provide a forum for debate that will truly resonate with local communities.

Attempts by the ABC to mollify state audiences by saying localism will be integrated into national programs should not fool anyone.