This post is also off-track, but it is very<\/b> important. The National Australian Broadcaster – the ABC – must be allowed to retain its uniqueness and its integrity and not be swallowed up by those commercial entities that are already gathering on the sidelines, waiting to swoop. The following is taken in full from GetUp: <\/i><\/p>\n
The attack is on again. <\/i> This post is also off-track, but it is very important. The National Australian Broadcaster – the ABC – must be allowed to retain its uniqueness and its integrity and not be swallowed up by those commercial entities that are already gathering on the sidelines, waiting to swoop. The following is taken in full from GetUp: … <\/p>\n
Today, members of the Government – including Cory Bernardi, Bronwyn Bishop and Ian Macdonald – agitated to defund Australia’s favourite public broadcaster. <\/i>
Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi called our ABC a “taxpayer-funded behemoth”, and suggested that “we could perhaps cut the ABC budget and allow the commercial media operators to compete.” <\/i>
<\/i>Let’s sign and share this petition, and create a huge, instant response to stand up for our ABC: http:\/\/www.getup.org.au\/ourABC<\/a><\/b><\/i>
Here’s why we need to oppose this now: they’ve pulled this move before. This is the Coalition throwing out a test balloon, so they can see how the public responds to their long-held desire to slash the ABC.<\/b><\/i>
Pulled straight from the Christmas wishlist of Rupert Murdoch and right-wing think-tank the IPA, defunding or commercialising the ABC would ruin a rare, educational and uniquely Australian public resource. <\/i>
We like our ABC free of ads, free for all, free to remain fair and balanced. <\/i>
Will you make sure Tony Abbott knows to keep it that way? <\/i>
<\/i>http:\/\/www.getup.org.au\/ourABC<\/a><\/b><\/i>
the GetUp team. <\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"