In July ABC Friends conducted a mini-survey on trust in the ABC news, which was completed by 3609 individuals. More than 70 % of you said yes, you trust the ABC news; 19.04 % said no; and 10.22 % were unsure.
This wasn’t a scientific survey - as some of you told us. As one person said, “the mini survey was a bit too mini”.
Nevertheless the responses were consistent with Ipsos polling which in March this year found that 79% of Australians trusted the ABC in 2023, while 76% of people believed it did a good job of keeping them informed during emergencies. 75% said the ABC News ‘provides relevant news to me’ while 76% believe that ABC News ‘has a positive impact in the Australian community’.
Despite the positive findings, many of you expressed concerns about the content of ABC news coverage.
Some argued that the ABC was biased, with a common complaint being that the ABC is too "Murdoch-focused" or too much like the commercial networks.
But the bigger concern was about the subject matter of many news stories. In summary, you want more investigation, greater depth and intellectual rigour, more serious news, and more international stories.
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Some quotes: “There is a much greater emphasis on ‘ambulance chaser’ stories, they seem to be both more frequent and lengthier.” “I trust it but have for some time believed it lacks relevance … it spends too much time dealing with things that do not matter (accidents, crimes etc) and not enough time with news that matters (international and important events).” “The brevity and repetition can be dismaying and shallow” “There is little real research added to trending topics it would seem; otherwise ABC reports would sound quite different to other TV news on major topics, and often they don't.” "Difficult to know what is fact & what is opinion. Overblown with hype, underdone on issues." "The whole look has become more commercial. Language has become sensationalized and emotive." "I no longer find the news factual but full of opinion." "I have listened to ABC news for 60 years and have totally "trusted" it until recently. It has become more cautious and conservative with less investigation. Still better than most." "I probably trust the ABC and SBS in equal measure, but SBS gives me much more coverage of what's happening in the world, and the ABC News now covers too much police, crime and sport news." "I think cuts to the ABC have left it slow to respond to 'breaking news', so I tend to go to The Guardian online for up to date information. More concernedly though, the ABC news often appears to be Murdoch-derived, parroting that company's line rather than analysing for itself. Which probably goes back to the cuts..." |
Many said that you now watch the SBS news, either in preference to the ABC news, or at least for the first half hour and then switch to the ABC.
Again and again respondents expressed dismay about the axing of The Drum, seen as a “valuable niche” adjunct to the news. With the loss of one of the few programs that provided some independent commentary on current affairs, it’s slim pickings indeed for investigations and analysis at the ABC.
The ABC chair, Kim Williams, has signalled a more ambitious agenda for the ABC and he’s made some penetrating comments about its news and current affairs. He’s called for improvements to Radio National, which has been poorly served in recent years, and according to the Sydney Morning Herald, he recently “delivered a scathing assessment of the ABC’s failure to prioritise globally important news stories … to its online audiences”.
The board can't interfere directly in management or journalistic decisions, but in setting the ABC's strategic direction it can surely insist that the ABC give greater focus to more serious high quality news and current affairs across all platforms. Justin Stevens, the Director of News has just announced that the ABC is forming an investigative reporting team within its state-based reporting teams, a welcome decision. But we need a greater sense of the News Division's strategic direction - if only to strengthen the argument that government should invest very much more in our public broadcaster.
The ABC's Four Corners program, Retribution, which screened in July, was a reminder that, at its best the ABC produces unsurpassed investigations. But years of funding cuts have seriously diminished the resources available for such intensive work.*
In a recent article Eric Hunter suggested that "today’s ABC “top-guns” are less notable at holding politicians to account than their predecessors." He argued that “professional mentoring and supervision … is essential at every level, right up to the top, if the ABC is to be the standards leader rather than the follower.”
We acknowledge that out snapshot survey didn't provide an opportunity to explore the nuances that underpin questions of trust and confidence in the ABC. Over coming weeks we'll explore ways in which we might give our friends and supporters more opportunities to have your say and explore this important topic in greater depth.
Your responses indicated a keen awareness of the toll that years of cuts to programs and staff have taken on the ABC. Ultimately we must persuade government to invest more in the ABC. It’s up to the ABC, however, to set the highest possible standard for news and current affairs.
* This article originally referred to the program, Germany’s Enemy Within, which was produced by former ABC correspondent Evan Williams. However, that program was a FRONTLINE documentary produced for PBS. Once, it would have been produced by the ABC but with international resources seriously depleted, the number of such programs has shrunk.
Read Eric Hunter's article here.
Cassandra Parkinson
President