background briefing 3-1 .............11

Gladys

And he can't even stop the leaks

At a [FABC] rally in Melbourne an anonymous plumber accused Shier of insulting the honest plumbing trade. When Shier was first appointed, he said he was like a plumber, there to unblock the system. "And now all he is doing is sending the bloody ABC down the sewer," the plumber said.

Melba, The Australian, 6/12/00

P Adams will be a real challenge

About ten years ago, talking about 2UE, Collier [head of RN and NewsRadio] said that it was not easy to manage people who were "as intellectual and individualistic" as Alan Jones and John Laws. That will make them laugh over at RN.

DEBORAH CAMERON, SMH, 9/12/00

Piranhas in Pyjamas

If B1 and B2 do take industrial action, Jonathan Shier and Donald McDonald would make excellent stand-ins. Yes, they might bring a malevolent streak to these likeable favourites, but it's time the Bananas conformed to the new ABC ethos.

Greg Bowyer, letter in SMH, 11/1/01

Or even a heart

Inspired by the relationship between Kerry Packer and helicopter pilot Nicholas Ross, a joke memo is doing the rounds of the ABC. Addressed to Auntie's chopper pilot, it is a request for 'a brain donation' for managing director Jonathan Shier.

Peter Holder/Jo Casamento, Daily Telegraph, 1/12/00

Shier's credibility on the line

The Dossier team discovered that Mr Shier had created a false impression in his CV - a total of four years of unemployment had been left off the record. Now he has been caught out again .

"I have not practised law for some time." Senate Estimates Committee on 1 March. This was Mr Shier, in response to a question about his belief that it would be possible to charge ABC staff, under suspicion of a leaking a document, of a crime under the Crimes Act. 'Reluctantly, Shier admitted to Diary that he had never in fact practised law.'*

Makes one wonder what the purpose was of asking ABC staff reapplying for their jobs, in the infamous psychology test, whether they would be prepared to lie.

*Source: Diary, Media section, The Australian, 8/2/01

Minister for pumping up commercial broadcasting does it again

Senator Alston is reported to have been 'astonished and bemused' at the arrival by helicopter of 'a five-person crew' from the ABC's 7.30 Report to interview him at his bush retreat last January [and] he has told colleagues that the commercial channels would have sent a fraction of the crew.

[In fact] we sent a three-person crew - a reporter, cameraperson and sound recordist - to interview the minister. They were flown to his bush home in an ABC helicopter, whose pilot helped them carry their gear to the interview. No fifth person was involved.

A three-person crew is absolutely standard for current affairs programs, commercial or publicly-funded. It would be interesting to know which 'faction'of the interview the commercial channels would have done without. No picture? No sound? No interviewer? Or no transport?

Shortened version of the letter from JONATHAN HOLMES, Exec Producer 7.30 Report, The Australian 21/2/01