ABC staff members have praised the cancellation of one of its channels watched by “tens of people” in a now deleted video posted to TikTok.
Broadcaster Chris Ilsley says we are seeing more and more “activism” from the ABC following journalist Laura Tingle labelling Australia a “racist” country.
“Essentially, what we have is a Commonwealth public service with transmitters as far as I can see,” Mr Ilsley told Sky News host Danica De Giorgio.
“We are funding something that allows people to push their own agenda.”
Joyous ABC workers took to TikTok to literally pop some champagne in celebration of ABC TV Plus’ recent cancellation.
“RIP ABC TV Plus. We hardly watched ye,” one producer captioned a now deleted video which showed ABC workers cheering on their colleague doing the channel’s final announcement.
The producer wrote on the video: “POV: recording the last voice over ever for a deceased TV channel that tens of people watched”.
The video shows a voice-over artist jokingly announcing from the booth: “Goodbye ABC … what was it called?”
ABC staffers rejoice at the ending of the broadcasters little-watched channel ABC TV Plus. Picture: TIkTok
One ABC worker joked, “Goodbye, ABC what was it called” in the deleted video. Picture: TikTok
ABC TV Plus’ axing was announced last month when the national broadcaster revealed plans to launch two new channels: ABC Family – which replaces the outgoing channel – and ABC Entertains.
The broadcaster’s shake-up comes after a string of heavily publicised dramas for the media outlet.
On Monday, the Fair Work Commission found the ABC sacked fill-in presenter Antoinette Lattouf after she was taken off air following social media posts relating to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Ms Lattouf claims she was unlawfully terminated after sharing a post from Human Rights Watch that read: “HRW reporting starvation as a tool of war.”
“The Israeli government is using starvation of civilians as a weapon of war in Gaza”.
Ms Lattouf had a win against the ABC after the Fair Work Commission ruled the presenter was fired. Picture: Instagram
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The Aussie journalist filed proceedings with the Commission after she was sent home for the final two days of a five-day stint on ABC Radio’s Sydney Mornings program in December last year.
In a judgement published Monday, the Fair Work Commission found the broadcaster had terminated Ms Lattouf’s employment, opening the door for her to pursue the national broadcaster in Federal Court.
Alongside Ms Lattouf’s sacking, the ABC recently faced turmoil when its chief political correspondent Laura Tingle called Australia a “racist country” while speaking at the Sydney Writers’ Festival last week.
Ms Tingle controversially called Australia a “racist country” when speaking at the Sydney Writers’ Festival. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman
“We are a racist country, let’s face it. We always have been and it’s very depressing,” she said.
Ms Tingle also criticised Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s budget reply speech where he promised a crackdown on migration to ease soaring house prices.
“(I) had this sudden flash of people turning up to try and rent a property or at an auction and they look a bit different – whatever you define different as – (and) that basically (Mr Dutton) has given them licence to be abused, and in any circumstance where people feel like they’re missing out,” she said in reference to the speech.
Her comments led to a Senate Estimates hearing where ABC Managing Director David Anderson echoed ABC News Director Justin Stevens’ admonishment of Ms Tingles’ comments when asked by Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson if they failed to meet editorial standards.
“I agree with Mr Stevens’ statement yesterday, and I agree, if they were on an ABC platform, they would not meet our editorial standards,” Mr Anderson said.