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Yet Another Govt. Attack on the ABC

"In the huge shake-up of media policy that the Federal Government has launched, the battle over who should be chairman of the ABC might seem pretty small beer. That would be a misreading. For hardline Liberals obsessed with the organisation, it's akin to a holy war. For those committed to a real diversity of opinion, it has to be seen as one of the most important appointments that the Government will make this term.

His Liberal enemies and critics have launched an extraordinary battle against chairman Donald McDonald, occupant of the post for a decade, whose second term ends in July. McDonald isn't looking for a full five years again but a maximum of two years more. But his opponents are determined to blast him out mid year."

So writes Michelle Grattan today in The Age. Read the full article here.

It is deeply troubling that the Federal Government, allegedly driven by Peter Costello driven by his mate Kroger, are keen to clip the ABC's wings. So much for Costello trying to paint a veneer of being a small "l" Liberal.

Coincidentally, Mike Carlton in his column in the SMH yesterday [read it here] deals with what he describes as the Queen's rather condescending speech to us Australians, the present attack underway on the Chairman of the ABC and Helen Coonan's proposed so-called new media rules. Worth reading - as always!

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