In an impassioned plea, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Chair Kim Williams has called on digital behemoths to contribute a “fair cut” of their substantial advertising revenues to fund journalism. Williams argues this is a “mainstream democratic imperative” in an era where the scourge of disinformation poses an existential threat to democracy itself.
Funding Local News Crucial to Combating ‘Distortion of Culture’
Delivering the Menzies Oration in Ballarat, Williams emphasized the vital importance of adequately funding local news and public interest journalism. He warned that the “misuse of information and the distortion of culture” by malicious actors imperils the very foundations of free, democratic societies.
“Without truth there can be no democracy,” Williams declared solemnly. He urged all parties to pursue the “digital titans” for a equitable share of the revenues “drained from mainstream journalism.”
70% of Digital Ad Revenue Gobbled Up by Facebook & Meta
The ABC Chair pointed out the staggering market dominance of Facebook and its parent company Meta, which together command a jaw-dropping 70% of the digital advertising pie. The siphoning of these revenues away from traditional news organizations has hit regional media especially hard, Williams noted.
While acknowledging the tech giants are likely to “complain,” Williams asserted that “chipping in to the common weal is a small price to pay” for the immense profits they reap by operating media platforms in democratic nations with modern infrastructure. He framed it as an ethical obligation.
News Media Bargaining Code Brings Temporary Relief
The ABC, like many major media companies, has received some funds from Meta and Google through the government’s news media bargaining code. This enabled the public broadcaster to hire 60 additional journalists in regional areas – positions Williams has vowed to maintain even as Facebook backs out of the scheme.
However, the ABC chair stressed this is not a long-term solution. With an allocation of $941.3 million in the 2023-24 financial year, the ABC’s resources pale in comparison to global news giants like CNN and BBC. Yet it must still strive to “set the standard” for journalistic ethics and factual reporting.
Call for Unity in Dogged Pursuit of Truth
Williams acknowledged the ABC has its critics and is “not perfect,” but emphasized the organization’s relentless commitment to the “dogged pursuit of truth.” He firmly rejected the notion that journalistic bias is acceptable, calling the idea “ultimately damaging to our liberty.”
“The ABC’s critics tend to be from the right and I take them very seriously,” Williams admitted. “I cannot ignore the reality that a significant number of those in power think something is amiss with the public broadcaster.”
In conclusion, Williams issued a rallying cry for unity in upholding the core tenets of public broadcasting: quality, creativity, and above all, truth. Only by securing stable funding – including fair contributions from the digital titans profiting off the public discourse – can media organizations effectively combat the rising tide of disinformation that threatens to submerge democracy itself.
As the battle lines are drawn, the ABC chair’s message is clear: there can be no compromise in the fight for facts. The very soul of our society depends on it.
