‘This is a waste of taxpayers’ money’: ABC slammed for website, program overhaul
The ABC has been slammed for using taxpayers’ dollars to fund a major facelift, resulting in the return of the old ABC News theme song to its programs.
From August 19, the national broadcaster will roll out its fresh look, which abandons its black-and-white appearance for a vibrant blue background that leads “an expanded colour palette” as part of a “brighter and more varied audience experience”.
“We’re delighted to introduce an updated look and experience for the public however and whenever they use ABC NEWS across any platform,” ABC director, news Justin Stevens, said in a statement.
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But the one part of Aunty’s sprucing that Mr Stevens was “thrilled” to announce was the return of the ABC TV News Theme, 19 years after it was taken from the cassette player.
“It captures the excitement and passion everyone in ABC NEWS has for news and current affairs,” he said of the tune, which has been remixed — to house more drums, deep sub bass, even morse code — from the 1986 version.
While the ABC’s team was evidently jazzed to unveil their work to the public on Thursday, Institute of Public Affairs deputy executive director Daniel Wild was less enthused.
He said the update was akin to putting a bandaid over a bullet hole at the floundering national broadcaster.
“ABC management simply do not get it, spending a fortune on a new ‘look’ will not solve the fundamental problem of biased coverage plaguing the taxpayer-funded broadcaster,” Mr Wild told The Nightly.
“This is a waste of taxpayers’ money, and it will fail to solve the fundamental problem at the ABC, which is that its news coverage is delivered from a biased and ideological inner-city viewpoint.”
Mr Wild said the ABC was no longer the “institution of cultural importance” it once was, and its declining ratings “demonstrates the deep structural and cultural problems at the national broadcaster”, something no rebrand could fix.
“Given the declining relevance and audience of the ABC, it is time the federal government review its funding levels and ensure it is commensurate with performance and viewership.”
