ABC pledges improvements to 24-hour news
Tuesday, 27 July 2010
THE ABC has vowed to improve its new 24-hour news station after it was severely criticised for failing to cover Tony Abbott's press conference live.
On July 23 the Opposition leader unveiled his border protection policy in Perth, the same day ABC News 24 first went to air.
Instead of covering the key election issue, News 24 ran a Lateline segment on cane farming. But when Julia Gillard unveiled Labor's climate change policy, the new channel was there.
Rival Sky News covered both events live. As previously reported in The Australian ABC managing director Mark Scott has asked for an explanation of how this could happen on News 24's first day.
Mr Scott today told The Australian that the ABC would improve News 24 based on "audience feedback".
"What we've said is we'd get better over time (with News 24). We are pleased with the launch of the channel and we're delighted with the audience feedback.
"We think we've got an important contribution to make," he said.
Mr Scott refused to provide examples of the feedback. When asked to rank News 24's performance to date, he declined.
"Look we've worked hard and we continue to work hard (on News 24) and that's all I'm going to say," Mr Scott said.
He was speaking at the sidelines of a conference organised by the Committee for Economic Development of Australia in Sydney.
Many commentators and critics have also taken the ABC to task for News 24's performance.
The ABC's MediaWatch program last night had a scathing assessment of the 24-hour news station's first day, also highlighting the disparity in coverage between Mr Abbott and Ms Gillard.
Mr Scott didn't directly address whether the MediaWatch report was fair but said: "Unlike others the ABC is open to criticism … we never said we'd be perfect from day one".
--
* Fran Foo
* From: Australian IT
* July 27, 2010 1:10PM
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/abc-pledges-improvements-to-24-hour-news/story-e6frg996-1225897472671
On July 23 the Opposition leader unveiled his border protection policy in Perth, the same day ABC News 24 first went to air.
Instead of covering the key election issue, News 24 ran a Lateline segment on cane farming. But when Julia Gillard unveiled Labor's climate change policy, the new channel was there.
Rival Sky News covered both events live. As previously reported in The Australian ABC managing director Mark Scott has asked for an explanation of how this could happen on News 24's first day.
Mr Scott today told The Australian that the ABC would improve News 24 based on "audience feedback".
"What we've said is we'd get better over time (with News 24). We are pleased with the launch of the channel and we're delighted with the audience feedback.
"We think we've got an important contribution to make," he said.
Mr Scott refused to provide examples of the feedback. When asked to rank News 24's performance to date, he declined.
"Look we've worked hard and we continue to work hard (on News 24) and that's all I'm going to say," Mr Scott said.
He was speaking at the sidelines of a conference organised by the Committee for Economic Development of Australia in Sydney.
Many commentators and critics have also taken the ABC to task for News 24's performance.
The ABC's MediaWatch program last night had a scathing assessment of the 24-hour news station's first day, also highlighting the disparity in coverage between Mr Abbott and Ms Gillard.
Mr Scott didn't directly address whether the MediaWatch report was fair but said: "Unlike others the ABC is open to criticism … we never said we'd be perfect from day one".
--
* Fran Foo
* From: Australian IT
* July 27, 2010 1:10PM
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/abc-pledges-improvements-to-24-hour-news/story-e6frg996-1225897472671