The ABC is an unbiased and “independent source of truth” and must not be undermined by political or commercial forces, the ABC managing director, David Anderson, has declared in a passionate defence of the public broadcaster.
In a book published on Thursday, Now More Than Ever: Australia’s ABC, Anderson outlined the breadth and depth of the ABC’s output and its “overwhelming” influence on Australian life, saying “the critics don’t deter us”.
“We know that for democracy to flourish, a nation’s citizens must have an independent source of truth they can turn to – one that is unwavering, unbiased, and committed to providing the accurate, relevant information they need,” Anderson wrote.
“This is the core role played by the ABC. And any attempts to interfere with, or undermine, the independence of the ABC, by either political or commercial players, must and will be resisted at all costs.”
Any attacks on the ABC’s legitimacy, or interference in its operations, will always be resisted by the vast majority of Australians who love the institution, he said.
Anderson’s heartfelt defence of the ABC’s value and its independence comes a week after the Morrison government demanded that the ABC and SBS add a new layer of accountability, so-called statements of expectations, on top of the broadcasters’ already rigorous reporting requirements to parliament.
Anderson told Senate estimates on Wednesday that some of the information the Coalition has demanded will not be handed over because of commercial in confidence and privacy concerns.
In the book, the ABC veteran said support comes from a wide range of people who use the services: Australians who rely on the broadcaster’s Covid-19 information; those in regional and rural areas who rely on news reports for their safety during extreme weather events; and those who value the public-interest journalism that leads to royal commissions and changes in legislation.
“The ABC matters to Indigenous Australians, who for so long did not see their own stories in our national narrative, but who now proudly declare and stand by their contributions and drive the conversations on reconciliation and better lives for their communities,” he said.
Although the government has restored the ABC’s indexation – which reduced the budget by $84m over three years – in real terms ABC funding is 30% lower than it was in the mid-1980s.
“This year, the ABC’s operational funding is more than 10% lower in real terms compared [with] 2013–14,” he said. “Meanwhile, our regular critics in the Australian media continue their campaign to try to discredit the ABC as an institution.”
There is a dangerous rightwing agenda internationally to “defund” public broadcasters, including in Canada and the United Kingdom, which is fuelled by social media, Anderson said.
While it is often under attack, the ABC has a lot to be positive about, including being the country’s leading digital news source, No 1 national radio network and No 1 daytime channel for Australian children as well as being the country’s most trusted source of news and analysis.
Now More Than Ever: Australia’s ABC is out 17 February through Monash University Press
