In a letter to the Editor, Friends of the ABC spokesperson Terry Laidler said:.

Dear Editor

Re: ABC Winners will become Losers

The ABC Board is unsuccessfully juggling $26.1 million of cuts to ABC programs and services. But it is the Federal Government, and not the ABC, to which public protest should be directed.

The Government has failed to adequately fund the ABC. By seriously undermining its capacity to be a comprehensive broadcaster catering for a diversity of interests in the community, the Government is pushing the ABC along a path that will ultimately lead to its demise.

If there continues to be insufficient funds, the ABC’s maintenance of some program areas will be at the expense of others. And in the end, the winners will become losers too.

Each time the government imposes further cuts, groups whose interests are not met will see little benefit in the ABC. The existing strong and broad community support for the national broadcaster will drop away as the quality, depth and the breadth of ABC programming is lost.

Even politicians who misrepresent the scrutiny of government as bias should consider carefully what is happening. Australia is in danger of losing a great cultural institution that enriches our lives with quality information and entertainment, and enhances our democracy.

Imagine life without it.

Yours sincerely

Terry Laidler

Friends of the ABC (Vic) President