Latest news with #YourSay
Sydney Morning Herald
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
It was once agenda-setting, appointment viewing. What went wrong for Q+A?
At its best, it helped set the national agenda. 'When management moved Q+A to Thursdays [in 2021], before shifting it back to Mondays, it disrupted what's meant to be a habit-based show,' says one high-profile ABC presenter. 'Cutting the number of episodes and putting the show on hiatus in the middle of the year only made things worse. It's hard enough to attract viewers as it is, without expecting them to chase you across different time slots or come back to you after a mid-year break that makes no sense.' One producer notes that Q+A led the way in terms of social media innovation, running a live feed of Twitter comments from viewers before archiving its account on the platform, now called X. 'Before Twitter became a sewer, it was a huge asset to the show,' the producer says. 'But by 2020, when Hamish [Macdonald] took over as host, it became so bad that he had to leave the platform. Stan Grant [who was appointed Q+A host in 2022] copped the most horrible, racist abuse, and you can imagine all the vile comments directed at the female presenters.' Peter Meakin – who spent five decades leading news and current affairs coverage at the Seven, Nine and Ten networks – suspects social media made some politicians more cautious (and therefore, more likely to bore viewers). Loading 'It used to be a sport for them to go on air and spar with each other,' Meakin says. 'You might get a few letters saying, 'That was disgraceful', but not the instant groundswell of hatred you get now. They're more scared of putting a foot wrong.' In a statement, ABC news director Justin Stevens said, 'Discontinuing the program at this point is no reflection on anyone on the show. We always need to keep innovating and renewing.' Stevens said the ABC would produce more news documentaries, and would make its Your Say election initiative – which allows audiences to suggest questions for politicians – a permanent feature. ABC managing director Hugh Marks later announced around 40 redundancies and 10 contract positions that would end early. He also flagged changes to the audio division, separating the sport and capital city network teams into a simpler structure. The ABC's content division will be renamed ABC Screen, led by content director Jennifer Collins. But McEvoy insists the national broadcaster must do more to fill the void created by Q+A's cancellation. 'The ABC always needs to be trying new things, but I don't think an online survey can really give Australian citizens the chance to question decision-makers and politicians – or hold them to account,' he says. 'Engaging Australian citizens in a moderated but open discussion on national issues is a core part of the ABC's obligations as a public service broadcaster … the toxicity of platforms like X that encourage outrage makes the role of a moderated forum like Q+A even more important.' Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, who was once a frequent guest on the program, believes Q+A was at its most compelling when it resembled a dinner party. 'It was all about having the right mixture of guests,' he says. 'In its heyday, if you were interested in Australian politics and you didn't watch it, you were concerned you might miss out on something.' Loading Since Jones left Q+A in 2019, the program has had several hosts including Macdonald, David Speers, Virginia Trioli, Stan Grant and Karvelas. 'All formats, after a time, start to feel a little tired,' says Trioli, who now hosts the ABC's Creative Types arts program. 'But I'm a huge fan of the Q+A format. It was a mighty program and one of the most important in terms of news, current affairs and public discussion in this country. 'People say they want accountability and they like to feel that issues are being put directly to politicians, but I think sometimes the audience can struggle with the reality of that,' she adds. 'You will get arguments, or politicians spinning their wheels and avoiding the question, while the host is trying to get them to answer – and that can make things awkward, uncomfortable or combative. It's a crapshoot every time, but the producers worked their guts out to do an amazing job.'
The Age
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
It was once agenda-setting, appointment viewing. What went wrong for Q+A?
At its best, it helped set the national agenda. 'When management moved Q+A to Thursdays [in 2021], before shifting it back to Mondays, it disrupted what's meant to be a habit-based show,' says one high-profile ABC presenter. 'Cutting the number of episodes and putting the show on hiatus in the middle of the year only made things worse. It's hard enough to attract viewers as it is, without expecting them to chase you across different time slots or come back to you after a mid-year break that makes no sense.' One producer notes that Q+A led the way in terms of social media innovation, running a live feed of Twitter comments from viewers before archiving its account on the platform, now called X. 'Before Twitter became a sewer, it was a huge asset to the show,' the producer says. 'But by 2020, when Hamish [Macdonald] took over as host, it became so bad that he had to leave the platform. Stan Grant [who was appointed Q+A host in 2022] copped the most horrible, racist abuse, and you can imagine all the vile comments directed at the female presenters.' Peter Meakin – who spent five decades leading news and current affairs coverage at the Seven, Nine and Ten networks – suspects social media made some politicians more cautious (and therefore, more likely to bore viewers). Loading 'It used to be a sport for them to go on air and spar with each other,' Meakin says. 'You might get a few letters saying, 'That was disgraceful', but not the instant groundswell of hatred you get now. They're more scared of putting a foot wrong.' In a statement, ABC news director Justin Stevens said, 'Discontinuing the program at this point is no reflection on anyone on the show. We always need to keep innovating and renewing.' Stevens said the ABC would produce more news documentaries, and would make its Your Say election initiative – which allows audiences to suggest questions for politicians – a permanent feature. ABC managing director Hugh Marks later announced around 40 redundancies and 10 contract positions that would end early. He also flagged changes to the audio division, separating the sport and capital city network teams into a simpler structure. The ABC's content division will be renamed ABC Screen, led by content director Jennifer Collins. But McEvoy insists the national broadcaster must do more to fill the void created by Q+A's cancellation. 'The ABC always needs to be trying new things, but I don't think an online survey can really give Australian citizens the chance to question decision-makers and politicians – or hold them to account,' he says. 'Engaging Australian citizens in a moderated but open discussion on national issues is a core part of the ABC's obligations as a public service broadcaster … the toxicity of platforms like X that encourage outrage makes the role of a moderated forum like Q+A even more important.' Former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, who was once a frequent guest on the program, believes Q+A was at its most compelling when it resembled a dinner party. 'It was all about having the right mixture of guests,' he says. 'In its heyday, if you were interested in Australian politics and you didn't watch it, you were concerned you might miss out on something.' Loading Since Jones left Q+A in 2019, the program has had several hosts including Macdonald, David Speers, Virginia Trioli, Stan Grant and Karvelas. 'All formats, after a time, start to feel a little tired,' says Trioli, who now hosts the ABC's Creative Types arts program. 'But I'm a huge fan of the Q+A format. It was a mighty program and one of the most important in terms of news, current affairs and public discussion in this country. 'People say they want accountability and they like to feel that issues are being put directly to politicians, but I think sometimes the audience can struggle with the reality of that,' she adds. 'You will get arguments, or politicians spinning their wheels and avoiding the question, while the host is trying to get them to answer – and that can make things awkward, uncomfortable or combative. It's a crapshoot every time, but the producers worked their guts out to do an amazing job.'
9 News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- 9 News
ABC confirms plan to axe current affairs talk show Q+A
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here The ABC will discontinue its current affairs talk show Q+A after 18 years to fund other shows and documentaries. The weekly panel, which was first launched in 2008 and most recently hosted by Patricia Karvelas, will not return after going on hiatus last month. ABC news director Justin Stevens said the axing would allow the public broadcaster to invest in other projects that reflect modern audiences. The ABC will discontinue its current affairs talk show Q+A after 18 years. (Paul Jeffers) "Discontinuing the program at this point is no reflection on anyone on the show," he said. "We always need to keep innovating and renewing, and in the two decades since Q+A began the world has changed. "It's time to rethink how audiences want to interact and to evolve how we can engage with the public to include as many Australians as possible in national conversations." Karvelas will continue hosting Afternoon Briefing and the Politics Now podcast. She will also do more work for Four Corners , which she recently became involved in. An ABC spokesperson said consultation with the remaining Q+A staff is underway, but would not comment on whether there will be any redundancies. "Many extremely talented and dedicated people have worked on Q+A , as presenters and behind the scenes," Stevens said. "I sincerely thank them all, and everyone who has contributed as audience members and panellists." Former host Tony Jones and executive producer Peter McEvoy. (Renee Nowytarger / SMH) The ABC will instead invest in making Your Say permanent, after the federal election forum series resulted in almost 30,000 online submissions and thousands of talkback calls on local and regional radio, and producing more news documentaries. Q+A first hit television in May 2008 as Q&A under host Tony Jones. He hosted the show for more than a decade before resigning in 2019. He was replaced by three rotating hosts, including Stan Grant, before Grant took over solely in 2022. Grant stepped down from the role a year later after being subjected to racist abuse during his coverage of King Charles' coronation. The show was renamed Q+A from Q&A in 2020. Karvelas had been hosting the flagship talk show until it took a break after the federal election last month. Q+A had previously been scheduled to return in August. Earlier this week, Channel 10 also announced it will shut its nightly show The Project after almost 16 years later this month. ABC media national Australia business CONTACT US
Epoch Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Epoch Times
Australia's Public Broadcaster Axes ‘Q+A' Show After 18 Years on Air
The ABC has confirmed it will not bring back its flagship panel program Q+ A, ending an 18-year run. The weekly show, which went on break last month, will not return to air, the national broadcaster announced on June 11. Hosted by Patricia Karvelas since 2023, Q+A earned a reputation as a high-profile forum for political and public debate. ABC News Director Justin Stevens acknowledged the program's legacy in shaping national dialogue. 'Discontinuing the program at this point is no reflection on anyone on the show. We always need to keep innovating and renewing, and in the two decades since Q+A began, the world has changed,' Stevens said. Stevens said the ABC would now focus on finding new ways to engage the public in political and national discussions. 'It's time to rethink how audiences want to interact and to evolve how we can engage with the public to include as many Australians as possible in national conversations,' he said. The announcement follows Network 10's decision to axe The Project after 16 years, with the final episode set to air on June 27. Karvelas to Expand ABC Reporting Role While Q+A ends, Karvelas will continue in her other ABC roles, including Afternoon Briefing, the Politics Now podcast, and her regular column on the ABC News site. 'Patricia (Karvelas) also recently reported for Four Corners, and we've now asked her to do more for Four Corners as time permits,' Stevens said. ABC staff were informed that the show's cancellation would involve some job losses. In place of Q+A, the ABC will expand its long-form current affairs content, including the creation of a new executive producer role for documentaries and specials. The public broadcaster will also permanently roll out Your Say, a public engagement initiative first launched during the last federal election. The project is aimed at including more community voices in ABC reporting. 'Your Say ensures we have a strong framework for putting the public's views, concerns, and questions at the heart of our journalism, complementing our daily commissioning and reporting,' Stevens said.
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
ABC confirms Q+A to be axed amid wider changes and scores of redundancies across the broadcaster
The ABC's Q+A program has been cancelled after 18 years, the broadcaster has confirmed, amid wider changes that will result in scores of redundancies across the public broadcaster. The round of changes will fund new programming at the ABC under reforms yet to be announced by the new managing director Hugh Marks. Marks, who joined the ABC in March, is set to unveil his first round of reforms at the public broadcaster, which Guardian Australia understands to include at least 80 redundancies across the ABC. 'Q+A was a groundbreaking program that had made a significant contribution to Australian society,' the ABC director of news, Justin Stevens, said. 'We're very proud of Q+A's great achievements over the years. The team has done a terrific job, including a strong performance during the federal election campaign,' he said. 'Discontinuing the program at this point is no reflection on anyone on the show. Q+A presenter Patricia Karvelas, who will remain at the ABC, said she enjoyed spending time with the audience members who came to Q+A late on a Monday night. 'They have always been the reason for this show and I'm forever grateful to them for coming on national TV and having the courage to ask questions of powerful people,' she said. Stevens said the cancellation of the program would result in redundancies 'and the loss of talented colleagues', but it is unclear how many. The ABC said savings will be invested in another audience participation project, Your Say, which was a success during the election, and news documentaries in the vein of Killing Season and Nemesis, Stevens said. 'We're excited about being able to produce additional high impact, premium news documentary programs to complement the ABC's strong factual slate,' Stevens said Stevens said as well as hosting Afternoon Briefing and the Politics Now podcast, Karvelas would do more Four Corners episodes as time permits. The weekly flagship discussion program was launched in 2007 by veteran executive producer Peter McEvoy and host Tony Jones and was highly influential in its early years, regularly making headlines and setting the news agenda. ABC staff were warned of looming cuts on Tuesday by the journalists' union, the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA), which told ABC members of colleagues being called into meetings with managers 'regarding a restructure'. One of the divisions to be folded is the Innovation Lab, which was founded in 2018 to test and experiment with new content and technology to prepare the ABC for the future. Headed up by digital content & innovation chief Angela Stengal, the team is believed to be as big as 10 and staff have been offered voluntary redundancy or the chance to go into a redundancy pool to compete for other positions. Radio National staff in Brisbane, Adelaide and Victoria have been called into meetings, according to union sources.
