If ever there was more evidence needed to take to the ABC with a financial blow torch, then they themselves stoked the fumes of discontent with their woeful and appalling coverage of the 2024 New Year’s Eve broadcast live from the foreshores of Sydney Harbour.
Their woke political agenda was on show for the whole World to see. And what a disgrace it turned out to be. Our telecommunications Minister the Hon Michelle Rowland MP. should this morning have the managing director of the ABC David Anderson in her office and demand an explanation as to who was responsible for this shambolic, marginalised sectarian rubbish.
The parties concerned should be asked for a ‘please explain’ how this fiasco was ever thought to be a good idea.
It would, on the surface appear to be the brainchild of the hapless 2JJJ
It is hardly surprising that their rating figures are so abysmally poor.
Triple J (stylised in all lowercase) is a government-funded, national Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners of alternative music, it began broadcasting in January 1975. The station also places a greater emphasis on broadcasting Australian content compared to commercial stations. Triple J is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Last Survey Numbers 2023 Say.
In Sydney, a slight rise in the target 18-24 demographic to 4.4 is a pitiful result. It is indicative of the annus horribilis for the station, clawing back from historical lows in 2023 year.
In Melbourne the station has had a rise to 8.1, Perth was up to 9.2, Brisbane was down to 7.9 and Adelaide saw a big drop to 8.2.
The station has always been the lightning rod for criticism due to its over-indexing with listeners 25+, but 2023 has seen twenty-year historic lows in its 18-24 demographic as pressure mounts.
Looking back at shares over the last twenty years, this week’s survey eight results is unprecedented in Sydney, showing a share drop of nearly threefold in just two years as the station struggles to regain its audience or relevance.
But alas back to the show.
Across the board the ABC has been slammed for its New Year’s Eve coverage, with many mocking the performances as “amateur”.
An estimated one million viewers tuned into the ABC’s annual broadcast on Sunday night.
Notwithstanding the abominable technical broadcast support with a mixing desk that just couldn’t get the balance right, of cameras wandering in and out of frame. If it happened in a high school situation in New South Wales, the whole class would be given an F for failure.
Charlie Pickering, Zan Rowe and Concetta Caristo (who looked and behaved like Regan MacNeil from the 1973 film the Exorcist), hosted the fiasco, which featured a number of third-rate acts, including Mark Seymour, Grent Perez and Angie McMahon.
However, it was the performance by indie electro pop band Confidence Man that sparked confusion.
“It’s like a year six talent quest performance,” one person wrote.
“This techno, synth, prancing, fake, lip syncing, narcissistic, vacuous crap is fkn dreadful!!! Throw them in the harbour!” wrote another.
Others were confused about the line-up.
What ensued was a social media storm over the ABC’s decision to feature a rap performance just before the 9pm Sydney Harbour fireworks, traditionally a family-friendly event leading up to the midnight celebration. Billed under the banner ‘We Are Worriers’. Indigenous rap group 3% performed their song ‘Our People’ during the ABC coverage, accompanied by rap lyrics, a chorus, and a company of Indigenous dancer’s.
Triple J’s Corey Webster, known as Nooky, speaking with the ABC before the performance, celebrated the song as a representation of “black excellence”.
“3% that’s a reflection of you know … black fellas making up roughly three per cent of the population,” he told the ABC.
“There was a time when we were 100 per cent of the population.”
“Going from Confidence Man to Harry Connick Jnr is like when my Spotify switches from my K-pop ballad playlist to my death metal playlist,” one viewer remarked.
“Well, that’s another ABC NYE done and dusted, and once again, incredibly disappointing,” another wrote.
“The ABC managed to make their coverage even worse this year. What on earth was that?” a different watcher asked.
“The illegal fireworks in my suburb are more entertaining,” one said.
Headlining the performance was US crooner Harry Connick Jnr, perhaps one of the most high-profile musicians to ever grace the stage at the ABC’s event.
Alongside the house band, Connick Jnr performed his hit song ‘Come By Me’ as well as a rendition of the Ella Fitzgerald standard ‘What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?
ARIA Award winning rapper Genesis Owusu, donning a white suit and bug eye sunglasses, performed a three-song set which included a cover of Devo’s 1980 hit Whip It.
Also of note, was musician Angie McMahon’s rendition of the late Sinead O’Connor’s hit Nothing Compares 2 U, before then performing two original works.
Between the songs, McMahon spoke out against the Israel-Hamas war.
“I hope you’ll all have a great night. Thanks again. Palestinians should be free,” she said, before performing her final song.
The Israel-Hamas war has continued to rage in the lead up to New Year’s Eve.
However, the choice of the rap performance for the early fireworks show triggered much criticism across all social media platforms.
X was inundated with accusations that the song was inappropriate for children and that it introduced political activism into a traditionally apolitical event.
“Who at ABC Australia thought it was a good idea to put an awful rap group on before the early kid’s fireworks and then spend a large chunk of the fireworks just showing projections on the bridge?” wrote Tyrone Dlisle on X.
“Daughter was so disappointed. Should have kept with the Bluey,” he added.
‘Turned on the ABC for the first time this year (big mistake) to watch the early fireworks which had irrelevant music playing over – and drowning out – the footage,’ another said.
The 9pm Calling Country fireworks was presented by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists through music, dance, and art.
Projections and lighting effects lit up the Sydney Harbour Bridge from 8.30pm and there was a special tribute to the 50th anniversary of the Opera House.
ABC Broadcasting Reform Act 2017
Might we respectfully remind those dunderheads in management and the collective ABC board that they are strongly in breach of the 2017 broadcasting reform act.
In August 2017 the Government secured the support of Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party (PHON) for passage of the Broadcasting Legislation Amendment (Broadcasting Reform) Act 2017. In exchange for this support, the Government agreed to put forward a Bill amending the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Act 1983 (the Act) altering the duties of the ABC Board in section 8.
The Bill amends the Act to insert the words ‘fair’ and ‘balanced’ into paragraph 8(1)(c). The amended Act would require the Board ‘to ensure that the gathering and presentation by the Corporation of news and information and entertainment is fair, balanced, accurate and impartial according to the recognised standards of objective journalism.’
Existing requirements for fairness and balance
The existing Act requires the ABC Board to ensure that news and information and entertainment is impartial. The requirement for impartiality does not appear in the ABC Charter (section 6), but in the duties of the Board (section 8).
The ABC Board’s Directors (other than the staff-elected Director) are appointed by the Governor-General on the recommendation of the Government. The Board appoints the Managing Director. Paragraph 8(1)(e) of the Act requires the Board to develop a code of practice relating to its television and radio programming. According to this Code of Practice, two hallmarks of impartiality are ‘fair treatment’ and ‘a balance that follows the weight of evidence’.
One truly must wonder about the balance of weighting the entire first half of the broadcast toward 3% of our population (that being first nation supporters and indigenous community activists) of our Multicultural nation, was a fair and reasonable decision given their obligations under their charter.
City Of Sydney Council & Their Role.
And what role did The City of Sydney Council and their all too woke Lord Mayor Clover Moore play in its format and structure? They (The City of Sydney) proudly boast on their website that there is an entire department controlled by Moore whose principal responsibility is to see that the orderly and good carriage of the event goes off without a hitch.
Perhaps it is time that councils around Australia went back to their core business; that is collecting rates, collecting garbage, and filling in potholes in roads. I for one live with-in the illustrious MS Moore council boundaries. We have been waiting three weeks to have the rubbish removed from our apartment block. Yet there was Clover receiving a ceremonial boomerang from one of the elders from The Gadigal of the Eora Nation. The only thing that was missing was Clover wrapped in a Kangaroo skin pelt.
Dare I put forth this thought. Our Lord Mayor seems these days to be more interested in photo opportunities than running the magnificent city of Sydney council. Perhaps it’s time to step away Clover. Time to give somebody younger who has more fire in their belly and is interested in local council issues, as opposed to gladhanding anyone who will stop long enough to have a selfie with you in support of one of your narrow minded woke agendas. After all you had a good run, 17 years in the job, sadly however Clover the clock is ticking, and the cracks in the wall are getting bigger.
Happy 2024…
