ABC Radio National Religion Report presenter Stephen Crittenden this morning let the cat out of the bag on changes to the Radio National schedule that will see his specialist program, and up to nine others, dropped from the RN lineup. The critical comments set the cat amongst the pigeons today, and have “outraged” the Friends of the ABC. ABC network management is still putting the final touches on next year’s schedule, which is expected to be released later this week.
Crittenden’s “unauthorised comments” were not heard in replays of the program or in the online podcast. A network statement says: “Stephen’s comments on the program this morning were made independently without the knowledge or approval of network management. The matter is under review.”
Crittenden told his audience, “The decision to axe one of this network’s most distinctive and important programs has been approved by the director of ABC Radio, Sue Howard, and it will condemn Radio National to even greater irrelevance. The ABC’s specialist units have been under attack for years, but the decapitation of the flagship program of the Religion Department effectively spells the death of religion at the ABC.”
An ABC spokesperson has confirmed to radioinfo that a number of programs will be moved, changed or ended and The Religion Report will not be returning to air in the 2009 line-up.
The changes “are in part a response to the move in ABC Radio National’s audience growth, particularly online. This necessitates a shift in resources – in some cases from on air to online.”
Besides the Religion Report, programs to be axed include; The Media Report, The Sports Factor, the documentary show, Radio Eye, interview program, In Conversation and Street Stories will also go.
There are not expected to be any job losses as a result of the changes. ABC Radio Management says: “Stephen Crittenden is a respected broadcaster with whom discussions have taken place regarding the schedule changes, and as with any other staff affected, future opportunities with the network are being discussed.”
Friends of the ABC thinks Radio National will be “decimated” by the expected changes and is “outraged at plans to axe nine specialist programs and increase the number of repeats.”
Friends Spokesperson Glenys Stradijot has told radioinfo:
“These cuts amount to a major downgrading of Radio National [which] is the essence of what public broadcasting should be. It produces programs of depth that are informative and stimulating. It is inconceivable that the ABC would cut Radio National.
“With other parts of the ABC, having become more populist and lightweight, audience interest in RN has never been greater… the public broadcaster’s future lies in its production of quality content. Moves to increase content delivery options must not be at the expense of traditional services that are needed and are accessible to all Australians.”
Stephen Crittenden joined ABC Radio Current Affairs in 1989 as a reporter on AM, PM and The World Today programs, after a period as a policy officer in the NSW Cabvarchar(15) Office.
In 1995 he joined The 7.30 Report as national arts reporter, before becoming one of the presenters of the weekly ABC TV arts program Express. In 1998 Stephen returned to ABC Radio to become executive producer of ABC Radio Religion.