War on 'The Chaser'

However, Amanda Duthie has been removed from her position as head of television comedy for her error of judgment, even though it is her judgments that have brought such glory - and audiences - to ABC viewing. To move her aside is to caste a chill over her, or whoever succeeds her in creative decision-making. The risks in taking an inventive decision will become too high to take.

Why not do what the ABC did in a situation at least as controversial in Summer Heights High?

It was not until three weeks into the popular 2007 series that the ABC realised "the extremely unfortunate co-incidence" that one of its characters had the same name, and some similar qualities, as a young woman, Annabel Catt, who had died of a drug overdose in February of that year.

The ABC admitted that it became aware of the horrible co-incidence 11 days after completion of the production, but that had been two years in the making and could not be changed.

As an illustration of the ABC's handling of a distressing situation, it is telling that, in its apology, the ABC acknowledged that "in hindsight, we feel that we should have alerted the Catt family to the situation in advance of the broadcast".

All of which seems perfectly understandable: an admission that distress had been caused, an apology, an explanation for the show going ahead, and an acknowledgement that, in hindsight, the people who the ABC knew would be distressed should have been informed about the show before it went to air.

It is less understandable to move an executive sideways, unless blandness is what you understand as comedy.

The ABC should take to heart the comments made by a former ABC creative chief, Maurice Murphy (Sydney Morning Herald, June 30 - July 1 2007), on the occasion of the ABC's 75th birthday celebrations in July 2007.

He was writing about the development from a very English-oriented ABC television diet in the 60s to a new Australian sense of humour including Aunty Jack and Norman Gunston which he produced. Lamenting that after 51 years the ABC remains "BBC South" he went on to ask:

"What will historians write about the ABC of 2007? It won't be the quiz clones, news or current affairs clones, the lack of drama, or the appallingly inept jtv. It will be The Chaser's War on Everything, the only original show on Australian TV."