In a new election campaign advertisement, produced by a not-for-profit group ABC Friend defending public broadcasting, shows ‘Rupert Murdoch’ telling his father Keith Arthur Murdoch about his ultimate plans to destroy public broadcasting.
The first ABC Friends video showed a future where the host of 7.30 Leigh Sales as a contestant on ‘I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here’ among other horrors. The second video is a nightmarish ABC, where Bananas in Pyjamas are rife with product placement, and the Bananas wear Nike tracksuits and eat McDonald’s Happy Meals.
The third installment has American Media Baron Rupert Murdoch drinking wine – with his network re-branded “21st Century Pox” – and saying he won’t die until he’s “…smashed public broadcasting everywhere!”
‘Murdoch’ says he has Presidents and Prime Ministers in the palm of his hand, that, if anyone opposes him, he’ll “…crush them like ants with my Pox News Network,” and that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will eventually “come around” and sell the public broadcaster.
The tycoon is played in the film by Max Gillies, who is renowned for portraying various Australian Prime Ministers and other world figures.
ABC Friends National hopes the skit will help bring attention to the plight of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, which has been under attack from the News Limited press, and has suffered large cuts under the Abbott and Turnbull governments.
“It must be remembered that democracy demands diversity,” said ABC Friends national spokesman Ranald Macdonald, “and that an independent, national Australian broadcaster is vital to maintain our culture, and to provide us with independent information.”
