Governments, special interest groups and concerned citizens are all keen to influence the ABC in a way they’d never try with the commercial outlets. So concerned is the long established lobby group, Friends of the ABC, about where their ideological mate is heading, that they’ve launched a petition to hand to the ABC board hoping that the intervention will have a positive affect.

We the signatories of this petition” says the preamble, ”are alarmed at the growing trend towards commercialisation of the ABC. We object to the interminable on air promotions, the increasing focus on programme ratings and commercial activities that compromise the ABC’s integrity.”

Further, the petition, entitled ‘Keep our ABC Creative & Commercial-free’ (which can be downloaded from Friends of the ABC’s website) urges supporters to, Please sign and distribute a petition to stop the commercialisation of the ABC, its ‘dumbing down’ & privatisation through the backdoor.

Where would the ABC be without friends like these? Better off or worse? Are they right? Do they speak for the majority? Or are they just well meaning meddlers who should leave the management of the ABC to the management of the ABC?

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