The ABC … is important

Australia’s national public broadcaster is an independent body of ideas, information, education and culture. Its independence – from political and commercial influence – enables it to report without fear or favour and to produce programs of value.

The mainstream media has a huge influence on our culture and on every major social and political issue – through the information it provides, the opinions it expresses, and its scrutiny of governments and other powerful bodies.

Australia without the ABC means a media landscape driven largely by commercial interests, the scramble for ratings, and the political agendas of a small number of powerful media owners.

The ABC … is in danger

The ABC is under threat

• from governments seeking to control information and cut expenditure
• from the increasing commercial activities the ABC must engage in to supplement inadequate funding from the ABC winding back its creative in-house TV production and outsourcing it to the commercial sector
• from the expanding Murdoch empire. News Corp, whose capacity to sway voters enables it to influence elected governments, wants to be rid of public broadcasters that provide free content.

The ABC … needs Friends

ABC Friends

• defends the ABC against governments that seek to undermine the public broadcaster or interfere in its independence
• scrutinises the ABC – praising the ABC on occasions that its activities meets high standards, and criticising it when they do not.

ABC Friends needs you to join, whether you want to be actively involved or simply express your support for independent public broadcasting by becoming a member. Only with a huge membership will ABC Friends have the resources and the influence to campaign for the ABC’s healthy future.