ABC Friends say they are disturbed by a media report that the former chief financial officer of Seven West Media and Southern Cross Austereo, Peter Lewis, is a front-runner to be appointed to fill a current vacancy on the board of the ABC.
“It would be improper and highly inappropriate if Mr Lewis were appointed to the ABC Board,” said Glenys Stradijot, ABC Friends National spokesperson.
“Mr Lewis’s appointment earlier this year to conduct the Government’s efficiency review of the ABC lacked propriety, given his recent employment has been in senior roles with media companies that are competitors of the ABC. It would be totally unacceptable for someone with such a clear conflict of interest to be appointed to the public broadcaster’s governing board.
“ABC Board appointments are meant to be based on merit and made with respect for the ABC’s independence.
“The appointment to the country’s foremost cultural institution of Mr Lewis, whose expertise is in commercial media finance, would send a chilling message to the community about the ABC’s future.
“Furthermore, it would be widely viewed as a further step by the Government to impose its agenda on the ABC and as a reward to Mr Lewis for having devised how the ABC should be cut”, said Glenys Stradijot.
Poor Glenys does get confused. One the ALP's selection criteria for appointment to the ABC Board was "experience in connection with the provision of broadcasting services or in communications or management" something which applies quite well to Peter Lewis.