This article dissects the implications for the ABC of the current Australian government media reforms. If the quality of policy development and discussion of such changes to key media laws and policy is poor in general, the level of consideration of the role of public broadcasting is worse. The author also considers other perennial dilemmas such as advertising on the ABC, governance and political interference, concluding that the new communications landscapes makes the ABC and public service broadcasting more necessary than ever — yet it is still awaiting a thorough exploration and adequate public discussion.
BornGeorgina2006, ‘Digitising Democracy’, in LloydJ.SeatonJ. (eds), What Can Be Done? Making the Media and Politics Better, Special book issue of Political Quarterly, pp. 102–23, Blackwell, Oxford.
