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From Sydney Morning Herald - Wed 17/3/04
Peter Wilkins is contemplating the predicament he's found himself in. Would he have refused that offer from his Fat colleagues and Channel Seven and stayed at the ABC if he had known he would become the lightning rod for national outrage over its coverage of sport?
"Let me think about that for a minute," he says, laughing. And then, within a second or two, replies: "Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Did I think this would happen? No. Would it have changed my mind? Not really, because I'm still here, aren't I?"
The introduction of a national sports report in the 7pm news has outraged ABC staff, viewers and politicians around the country - except in Sydney, where it is produced.
It has now escalated into a major crisis for ABC management, which finds itself friendless on either side of politics, at odds with major sporting organisations and off-side with its non-Sydney staff.
In introducing a centrally-produced sport bulletin, the ABC appears to have vastly underestimated two potent Australian values - parochialism, and tribal allegiance to sport. The issue prompted a 24-hour strike by ABC staff in Melbourne. It has been condemned by three state premiers.
The acting Victorian Premier, John Thwaites, says the ABC has "lost the plot'. The state's Opposition leader, Robert Doyle, calls it dumb and "un-Victorian".
And yesterday afternoon, the federal Minister for Sport, Rod Kemp, and the Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer - wearing his other hat as the member for Mayo in South Australia - called on the ABC to drop the idea.
South Australians, Mr Downer said, deserved to have their own ABC sports report. "I would like to complain about them taking off their sports reader from the Adelaide (ABC) news," Mr Downer said.
"In South Australia we have our own sports, we have Australian Rules, they don't have that in Sydney. I hope the ABC will reconsider their decision."
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Don't HAVE Australian Rules in Sydney?????
Heellllllllooooooooooooooooooo Alexander!!
Just stay at the helm of our foreign policy, mate.
Clearly, that area of "spin" is all you are capable of.
Where did the Crows finish last year, and who belted Port out of the finals race?
Nuff said.
Peter Wilkins is contemplating the predicament he's found himself in. Would he have refused that offer from his Fat colleagues and Channel Seven and stayed at the ABC if he had known he would become the lightning rod for national outrage over its coverage of sport?
"Let me think about that for a minute," he says, laughing. And then, within a second or two, replies: "Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Did I think this would happen? No. Would it have changed my mind? Not really, because I'm still here, aren't I?"
The introduction of a national sports report in the 7pm news has outraged ABC staff, viewers and politicians around the country - except in Sydney, where it is produced.
It has now escalated into a major crisis for ABC management, which finds itself friendless on either side of politics, at odds with major sporting organisations and off-side with its non-Sydney staff.
In introducing a centrally-produced sport bulletin, the ABC appears to have vastly underestimated two potent Australian values - parochialism, and tribal allegiance to sport. The issue prompted a 24-hour strike by ABC staff in Melbourne. It has been condemned by three state premiers.
The acting Victorian Premier, John Thwaites, says the ABC has "lost the plot'. The state's Opposition leader, Robert Doyle, calls it dumb and "un-Victorian".
And yesterday afternoon, the federal Minister for Sport, Rod Kemp, and the Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer - wearing his other hat as the member for Mayo in South Australia - called on the ABC to drop the idea.
South Australians, Mr Downer said, deserved to have their own ABC sports report. "I would like to complain about them taking off their sports reader from the Adelaide (ABC) news," Mr Downer said.
"In South Australia we have our own sports, we have Australian Rules, they don't have that in Sydney. I hope the ABC will reconsider their decision."
==================================
Don't HAVE Australian Rules in Sydney?????
Heellllllllooooooooooooooooooo Alexander!!
Just stay at the helm of our foreign policy, mate.
Clearly, that area of "spin" is all you are capable of.
Where did the Crows finish last year, and who belted Port out of the finals race?
Nuff said.