G'day Brad,
> "All participants"?
Well, we all have to watch what we say as much as we do how we say it, I
s'pose ...
And as for government funding making critical journalism, opinion diversity,
and in-depth coverage 'impossible', come 'round and listen to my radio (in
fact, get on the net and help yourself to ABC Radio National right now
<http://www.abc.net.au/rn/default.htm>) and watch my telly some time, Brad -
and then go home and watch that pap they serve up in the home of the brave
(upon which I may comment, because of course we get to hear and see a lot of it).
No comparison.
You are absolutely and importantly wrong here, mate.
As to your prediction that commercial and political pressures are undermining
public service broadcasters (all helped by rubbish like your erstwhile roomie
serves up, natch), here's a sadly predictable story from Italy:
Media chiefs under threat
By RICHARD OWEN of The Times
18may01
A LEADING member of Silvio
Berlusconi's future government has
called for the resignation of the entire
board of RAI, the Italian state
broadcasting company. RAI television
and radio employees fear that the
move will result in a purge of
journalists.
In an interview with Il Giornale,
Gianfranco Fini, leader of the post-fascist Alleanza
Nazionale, said: "We are looking for the resignation of the entire board in
view of what happened during the election campaign, when the coverage was scandalous."
The Centre-Right has complained of consistent bias
against it by public service broadcasters. Mr Berlusconi went further by
repeatedly accusing RAI of being infiltrated by communists.
La Repubblica said that it was worrying that Mr
Berlusconi, who already owns Italy's three main television channels, would
also have direct influence over the RAI governing board as prime minister.
His family also controls the newspaper Il Giornale, Panorama, a mass
circulation weekly newsmagazine, Mondadori, Italy's leading publishing house,
and Pubblitalia, one of the nation's top advertising agencies.
With control of RAI as well, Mr Berlusconi would
have a "monopoly on information outlets" in Italy, La Repubblica said.
On the other hand, Italians had known this when they
voted, and a majority was evidently prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt.
RAI head Roberto Zaccaria insisted that it had been
impartial during the campaign. RAI officials said that an analysis of election
airtime allocated to various political parties showed that Mr Berlusconi had,
if anything, had more television exposure on RAI than Francesco Rutelli, his
Centre-Left rival and the former mayor of Rome.
Mr Berlusconi has promised to resolve the "conflict of
interest" between his media empire and his political role within his first 100
days of office. He has yet to reveal how he intends to do this, however.
