Radio National program cuts cause anger

The ABC will axe eight specialist programs from Radio National in a move it says is necessary to boost its online presence within budgetary constraints. The move has outraged Friends of the ABC, an independent group, which claims the cuts are a "major downgrading of Radio National".

Programs to be scrapped from the 2009 schedule include The Ark, In Conversation,
Media Report, Perspective, Radio Eye, Religion Report, Sports Factor and Street
Stories.
Short Story remains on air but there will be no new production.
"Decisions to wind up programs are never easy as all of the network's shows are made
with passion and care, and each have their devoted following," Radio National
manager Dr Jane Connors said in statement.
"The move of resources and staff, and without job losses, into the development of
new content offered in new ways, including online, means ABC Radio National can
respond to its hugely successful digital growth and shift in audience trends,
especially amongst younger audiences."
Dr Connors said statistics showed Radio National's digital performance placed the
ABC as a major global online broadcaster.
Friends of the ABC campaign manager Glenys Stradijot (Stradijot) said it was
inconceivable the ABC would make the cuts.
"Radio National is the essence of what public broadcasting should be. It produces
programs of depth that are informative and stimulating," she said in a statement.
"With other parts of the ABC having become more populist and lightweight, audience
interest in Radio National has never been greater, nor has the community's need for
quality content."
The Greens also condemned the ABC's decision.
"Successive governments have bled the ABC of funding and now management is hauling
down these flagship programs that are a tribute to what makes the ABC great," NSW
Greens MP Lee Rhiannon said in a statement.
Religion Report presenter Stephen Crittenden spoke on air about his anger at the
show's scrapping.
"The decision to axe one of this network's most distinctive and important programs
has been approved by the director of ABC Radio, Sue Howard, and it will condemn
Radio National to even greater irrelevance," Fairfax reported Crittenden as saying.
"The ABC's specialist units have been under attack for years, but the decapitation
of the flagship program of the Religion Department effectively spells the death of
religion at the ABC."
The revised programming starts on January 26.
Dr Connors said the most noticeable change would be the daily 8.30am reports, with
the Health Report and the Law Report returning to Monday and Tuesday respectively.
On Wednesdays, Rear Vision will replace the Religion Report, taking a look at
historical news events.
The Future Report - a new program focused on current world trends of globalisation,
communication technologies, and cultural, social, political and economic issues - is
planned for Thursdays, replacing the Media Report.
Movietime will replace Sports Factor on Fridays.