Australian media: any media inquiry must involve the ABC

In 2008 Conroy announced a review of the future role of the ABC and the SBS.  The upshot was a warm pat on the back for the national broadcasters and a cheque for $185.5 million towards their 2009 triennial budgets, most of which went to the ABC.

This simply entrenched the media reach of the ABC which was already streets ahead of any of the commercial outlets that the left finds so offensive.

Any inquiry into the ABC would have to examine the can of worms, which is what Australia Network - the Government’s international television service currently managed by the national broadcaster - has become.

Conroy, who has ministerial responsibility for the ABC, is now sitting on the tender process for the network’s new 10 year contract which is being contested by SkyNews (partly owned by News Corporation). While he has brushed aside any suggestions of a conflict of interest it is, to say the least, an unsatisfactory arrangement for someone who is always at pains to talk about transparency.