background briefing 3-1 ...............5

Why should we worry about the loss of Quantum?

In December Quantum was axed and the special television science unit was disbanded. What is the significance of this decision?

A group of highly qualified and respected scientists, whose work had been acclaimed in the science community and beyond, was disbanded.

We understand that only one person from the science unit has been appointed to the new Ôspecial development unitÕ; the others are sacked and may be rehired on contract, probably for only the life of the program for which they were hired.

We donÕt know how these special units will work but there is fear that programs are more likely to be outsourced than produced in-house. Those who have lost their jobs may not be available for short-term contracts - they are likely to be snapped up by other organisations.

This system of initiating and commissioning programs is the one over which senior executive Guy Dunstan was in disagreement with Mr Shier. He had misgivings about its workability. He was sacked.

Over 100 technical staff have been retrenched and Mr Shier recently referred to 40 producers standing around doing nothing who would soon go.

So will the ABC be able to produce its own science programs in the future? It is doubtful.

"When you get replies to your letters about the axing of Quantum which suggest that the Science Unit is not being axed and that Quantum is being replaced with an improved version, write back asking for specific detail. Which programs, how often, being developed by whom, with what size budget compared with previously?"

ROD QUANTOCK at the Canberra rally

Media Watch off to the panel beaters

The sacking of Media Watch presenter Paul Barry rang alarm-bells and rallied protesters throughout Australia.

When the managing director of the ABC, Jonathan Shier, was conducting his engaging little "strengths and weaknesses" exercises with the commissioning editors, he was heard to remark in the context of Media Watch: "Why should we produce a program that is going to criticise us?"

In the sea of co-productions and outsourcing, which have been among the natural targets of the program, to be without Media Watch's chiacking would be no heartbreak for someone engineering the 'new' ABC.

It has always been a program under siege. When it was attacking 2UE's Alan Jones, a darling of the Howard Government, the Liberal Party cheer squad on the ABC board was quite distressed. It has always been a headache to whoever was in charge.

Interestingly, among the items for which Shier has requested extra funding from Canberra is a 'flagship business program' for ABC TV, Radio and the Web. This would be a big-ticket item.

If Media Watch had been around in the past couple of months, it might have made a meal of this issue. For the government of the day to be involved in the direct funding of ABC programs is a development so awful that a fearless Media Watch would be duty-bound to bare its fangs.

Without Media Watch as a critic, your ABC can disappear before your very eyes, without too much of a fuss ever being made.

RICHARD ACKLAND SMH 19/1/01 Richard Ackland was presenter of Media Watch 1998-99.