ABC’s Michelle Guthrie Denies Being A “Murdoch Stooge”

ABC’s Michelle Guthrie Denies Being A “Murdoch Stooge”
B&T Magazine
By B&T Magazine
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ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie has fired back at critics who have labelled her a “Murdoch stooge”, and warned that all of the broadcaster’s programs and are facing a review.

Speaking to RN Drive, Guthrie denied critics suggestion that she is a “Murdoch stooge”, and that the ABC is becoming more pro-business.

“I left News Corporation in 2007, so if I was a Murdoch stooge, then I’m far removed from that. I left the organisation a long time ago,” she said.

“The important thing in terms of my role at the ABC is to really try to take all of my experience from the past, whether it’s from Google or my TV and pay TV experience from across the world, and figure out ways in which we can be more adaptable and deliver for audiences as their behaviour changes very substantially.”

Guthrie also warned that all of the ABC’s programs and formats – which include 7.30, Lateline and the 7pm news bulletin – should be up for review.

“I think we should be looking at all our programs and looking at the impact they’re having on audiences, and looking at new ways of telling those stories,” she told RN Drive.

“I do feel that people are not turning to the 7pm news to find out what happens that day, so what does that mean?

“You only have to look at what we did with Catalyst, which shows an example of the way we should look at continually refreshing programs.

“We didn’t axe Catalyst. We’ve changed Catalyst to be a one-hour documentary program over 17 hours. That’s an example of the way we should be looking at ways of delivering.”

Guthrie’s comments come after the ABC announced on Monday that it would axe as many as 200 jobs, and reinvest in its rural and regional stations.

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