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[hidys]

Speaking of climate change one of my former lecturers wrote an editorial about climate change.

The impact was seen in late 2009 with the coup inside the Liberal party which replaced Malcolm Turnbull, a rational believer in climate science, by a complacent opportunist, Tony Abbott, who regarded and still regards climate science as "crap". The anti-Turnbull coup represents the most critical moment in the recent history of Australia. Abbott was elected by the right-wing of his party for a single purpose: to destroy any meaningful action in Australia against the threat of climate change. When the carbon tax is repealed, the leaders of the coup and the fossil fuel interests they represent will receive from a dutiful prime minister their anticipated reward.

The right-wing denialists, now dominant within the Coalition, often call themselves conservatives. They are not. At the heart of true conservatism is the belief that each new generation forms the vital bridge between past and future, and is charged with the responsibility of passing the earth and its cultural treasures to their children and grandchildren in sound order. History will condemn the climate change denialists, here and elsewhere, for their contribution to the coming catastrophe that their cupidity, their arrogance, their myopia and their selfishness have bequeathed to the young and the generations still unborn.

 

[Arksy]

the carbon standard

Yesssss!!!!

 

[Quasar]

And another anti-abc crazy joins the chrous.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-07-16/mcgrath-accuses-abc-of-left-wing-bias-in-maiden-speech/5602092

 

[hidys]

the carbon standard

If Ron Paul believed in climate change, he'd be down for it.

 

[jgminto]

Just sell the network to Murdoch, that'll eliminate all bias.

 

[hidys]

I've just had a thought.

Since Guardian Australia has still yet to become profitable in its own right, what will be the long term prospects of such an organization. Will they eventually rum a premium subscription service and if they do this would you pay up?

I already have a subscription to Crikey so I'm not above giving money to quality journalism, but I wonder if they would be successful under such a model.

This is assuming that such a step is necessary, which I believe it will if it wants to be a successful commercial entity.

 

[Arksy]

I've just had a thought.

Since Guardian Australia has still yet to become profitable in its own right, what will be the long term prospects of such an organization. Will they eventually rum a premium subscription service and if they do this would you pay up?

I already have a subscription to Crikey so I'm not above giving money to quality journalism, but I wonder if they would be successful under such a model.

This is assuming that such a step is necessary, which I believe it will if it wants to be a successful commercial entity.

The ABC is actually undermining the Guardian Australia because every Australian has to subscribe to the ABC by force. Given the choice I'm sure a lot of people would prefer to read the Guardian.

 

[hidys]

The ABC is actually undermining the Guardian Australia because every Australian has to subscribe to the ABC by force. Given the choice I'm sure a lot of people would prefer to read the Guardian.

Actually given the choice I and almost certainly most Australians would prefer the ABC, given that the ABC is the most trusted news source in the country by far.

But fortunately I don't have to make that choice because the ABC is government owned and not beholden to commercial pressures (hence the appeal).

The problems that news sites like the guardian face aren't the ABC but the fact that it is very difficult to make money off purely off ad revenue and would require a premium subscription service (like crikey) to make money.

That or become the Daily Mail or news.com.au and run click bait and bullshit articles all day, that would also work but I think the Guardian's readership would object to that.

 

[roosters93]

Speaking of climate change one of my former lecturers wrote an editorial about climate change.

Robert Manne? ooh lucky you

The ABC is actually undermining the Guardian Australia because every Australian has to subscribe to the ABC by force. Given the choice I'm sure a lot of people would prefer to read the Guardian.

you're killing me Arsky
and yeah 9 out of 10 people would pick the ABC, no contest.

 

[wonzo]

p. sure the guardian is doing far better than expected which is why they're rolling out the melbourne office much earlier than they thought they would.

 

[hidys]

p. sure the guardian is doing far better than expected which is why they're rolling out the melbourne office much earlier than they thought they would.

I am aware of this fact, but that isn't a given that it will be free AND profitable in the long term.

Hell it's possible that their plan relies on them creating a premium subscription service at some point.

Or maybe I'm wrong.

 

[Dryk]

The ABC is actually undermining the Guardian Australia because every Australian has to subscribe to the ABC by force. Given the choice I'm sure a lot of people would prefer to read the Guardian.

IMO it's worth having a media outlet free from market forces.

 

[hidys]

Arksy becomes Old Man Yelling At Clouds.

 

[wonzo]

I am aware of this fact, but that isn't a given that it will be free AND profitable in the long term.

Hell it's possible that their plan relies on them creating a premium subscription service at some point.

Or maybe I'm wrong.

Nah they've been pretty vocal over having no paywall for their content so I doubt they'd erect one up. Though I can see some kind of personalised subscription for a small fee and I don't doubt people would throw some money their way in support of it (and hell i kinda want to!)

would sub for monthly first dog tshirts

 

[hidys]

Nah they've been pretty vocal over having no paywall for their content so I doubt they'd erect one up though I can see some kind of personalised subscription for a small fee and I don't doubt people would throw some money their way in support of it (hell i kinda want to!)

A small subscription fee for interesting premium content would be interesting and I would also be down for that. Though if Crikey is the model for that then more and more content would be increasingly covered by it...

 

[Arksy]

Arksy becomes Old Man Yelling At Clouds.

Becomes?!?

 

[Arksy]

For what it's worth they're basically privatising the BBC in the UK, instead of chasing people through the courts for not paying their license fees they're just going to switch off their service. It's going to become a sort of opt-out arrangement. I think we could do the same thing here, that way the legions that still want the ABC can have it and those old men yelling at clouds like me with moral objections to public funded discourse can bunker down and wrap tin foil hats around our heads!

 

[Omikron]

For what it's worth they're basically privatising the BBC in the UK, instead of chasing people through the courts for not paying their license fees they're just going to switch off their service. It's going to become a sort of opt-out arrangement. I think we could do the same thing here, that way the legions that still want the ABC can have it and those old men yelling at clouds like me with moral objections to public funded discourse can bunker down and wrap tin foil hats around our heads!

The old men that yell at cloud brigades are probably the first group that watch 'one foot in the grave' and other such British comedies 5pm Sundays.

 

[Yagharek]

For what it's worth they're basically privatising the BBC in the UK, instead of chasing people through the courts for not paying their license fees they're just going to switch off their service. It's going to become a sort of opt-out arrangement. I think we could do the same thing here, that way the legions that still want the ABC can have it and those old men yelling at clouds like me with moral objections to public funded discourse can bunker down and wrap tin foil hats around our heads!

Or just make a paper pirate hat out of the Australian.

 

[hidys]

For what it's worth they're basically privatising the BBC in the UK, instead of chasing people through the courts for not paying their license fees they're just going to switch off their service. It's going to become a sort of opt-out arrangement. I think we could do the same thing here, that way the legions that still want the ABC can have it and those old men yelling at clouds like me with moral objections to public funded discourse can bunker down and wrap tin foil hats around our heads!

It's a good thing we don't have license fees in this country and that the ABC is funded through regular forms of taxation.

The new British policy scares the hell out of me though.

EDIT: Actually it is a little weird to have a separate fee to fund any government area. Why not just raise taxes, and fund it through that?

 

[Quasar]

For what it's worth they're basically privatising the BBC in the UK, instead of chasing people through the courts for not paying their license fees they're just going to switch off their service. It's going to become a sort of opt-out arrangement. I think we could do the same thing here, that way the legions that still want the ABC can have it and those old men yelling at clouds like me with moral objections to public funded discourse can bunker down and wrap tin foil hats around our heads!

I always wished the ABC was funded the same way, rather than living and dying by how vindictive the government of the day was.

 

[Arksy]

It's a good thing we don't have license fees in this country and that the ABC is funded through regular forms of taxation.

The new British policy scares the hell out of me though.

EDIT: Actually it is a little weird to have a separate fee to fund any government area. Why not just raise taxes, and fund it through that?

It's not really that weird at all, medicare levy, road registration. All the same thing in essence. Not paying it was a criminal offence, and they use to drag people through the courts for not paying it. All that's changing is that they're stopping to do that and switching off for those that aren't paying. It's a really rather light form of privatisation.

I always wished the ABC was funded the same way, rather than living and dying by how vindictive the government of the day was.

They would have a really consistent level of funding that would give them a lot more certainty, that's for sure.

 

[A More Normal Bird]

For what it's worth they're basically privatising the BBC in the UK, instead of chasing people through the courts for not paying their license fees they're just going to switch off their service. It's going to become a sort of opt-out arrangement. I think we could do the same thing here, that way the legions that still want the ABC can have it and those old men yelling at clouds like me with moral objections to public funded discourse can bunker down and wrap tin foil hats around our heads!

Do you have a link for this? I'd heard about the decriminalisation, but not the rest and google is giving me nothing. Ignoring the implications of such a move for the raison d'être of the public broadcaster, it seems totally unenforceable. License fees evasion in the UK is currently enforced with TV detecting vans that prowl the streets (something that is a much bigger task in Australia), but that's because the fee is required for all TV services, even if the funds go to the BBC. As I understand it, if you wanted to move to a subscription system, you'd need everyone to switch to new radios and set top boxes to ensure that only paying customers could access the encrypted broadcasts.

 

[Jintor]

Private market will never save media. It can't. Good journalism isn't profitable.

 

[Arksy]

Do you have a link for this? I'd heard about the decriminalisation, but not the rest and google is giving me nothing. Ignoring the implications of such a move for the raison d'être of the public broadcaster, it seems totally unenforceable. License fees evasion in the UK is currently enforced with TV detecting vans that prowl the streets (something that is a much bigger task in Australia), but that's because the fee is required for all TV services, even if the funds go to the BBC. As I understand it, if you wanted to move to a subscription system, you'd need everyone to switch to new radios and set top boxes to ensure that only paying customers could access the encrypted broadcasts.

I've gotten every bit of information I know on this topic from this article. Which I admittedly read some months ago.

 

[A More Normal Bird]

I've gotten every bit of information I know on this topic from this article. Which I admittedly read some months ago.

Yeah, I think that writer may have glossed over some of the proposal's details.

The Government believes the BBC should enforce a new civil system by switching off the signal to those who fail to pay the £145.50-a-year licence charge. “You could turn off a defaulter’s signal,” one Whitehall source suggested. “It can be done for Sky and Virgin. If you knew that was going to happen, you’d be likely to pay up. It is something we are looking at.”

Such an enforcement system would mean that millions of Freeview boxes and digital television sets would need a special card to decode BBC signals. The scheme was described by one BBC insider as being “logistically the equivalent of the entire digital switchover process” – and executives believe it could cost £500m.

There is also considerable doubt at the BBC that such a scheme could be effective, with problems envisaged in trying to persuade home owners to introduce further technology to existing television sets. An encrypted system would require the BBC to abandon its current system of broadcasting channels “in the clear” to anyone with a TV set and a Freeview, cable or satellite set-top box.

With 35 million TVs currently incapable of unscrambling any future encrypted BBC signal, the Corporation would have to equip such homes with either a new set-top box or a special card to insert into a Freeview box. The BBC already faces a serious dilemma over extracting payment from people who claim only to watch programmes on-demand via iPlayer, for which they do not require a licence.

As the BBC cannot turn off services for those who do not pay the licence fee, it needs an effective payment enforcement system.

A quick look at some figures (I should be in bed) shows that the BBC spends about 1/6 of its license fee revenue on radio. IIRC, the ABC spends roughly twice that amount.

 

[Lafiel]

Private market will never save media. It can't. Good journalism isn't profitable.

But the free market automatically ensures everyone getting what they want eventually.

 

[Fredescu]

Wonder if this made the front page like the time when The Australian said that plain packaging had no effect.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...take-a-breather/story-e6frg8y6-1226991495607#

AUSTRALIAN smokers say they are consuming fewer cigarettes than they did three years ago, as public health measures, plain packaging and tax rises prompt people to avoid or address the deadly habit.

The latest results from the National Drug Strategy Household Survey — used by the federal government to chart the progress of health initiatives — show daily smoking fell from 15.1 per cent in 2010 to 12.8 per cent last year. That puts the nation well within reach of the target of 10 per cent daily smokers by 2018, and pales in comparison with the 24.3 per cent rate recorded in 1991.

 

[Yagharek]

Wonder if this made the front page like the time when The Australian said that plain packaging had no affect.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...take-a-breather/story-e6frg8y6-1226991495607#

Of course it would. The Australian is a beacon of objective reporting and journalistic standa...

fuck it. I'll shoot myself before finishing that sentence.

 

[Dryk]

Wonder if this made the front page like the time when The Australian said that plain packaging had no effect.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...take-a-breather/story-e6frg8y6-1226991495607#

Twitter says it made page 7

 

[Yagharek]

Twitter says it made page 7

With an admission of being incorrect in their initial campaign?

 

[Dryk]

With an admission of being incorrect in their initial campaign?

Doubt it. I'll go see if the copy in the tea room is up to date

EDIT: Nope we still have yesterday's, I'll keep an eye out

 

[jim-jam bongs]

So long carbon tax. Why am I moving back to this fucking backwater redneck wonderland again?

 

[Yagharek]

So long carbon tax. Why am I moving back to this fucking backwater redneck wonderland again?

Join us in misery

 

[Jintor]

well i'm leaving this week so *shrug*

 

[lexi]

Yay the egregious and massively imposing carbon tax is gone! When will we see the renaissance of savings and prosperity? By next Tuesday, surely?

 

[Omikron]

Pretty much sums it up.

 

[Dryk]

Another world first for our belt, not one history will smile upon though

 

[Fredescu]

So long carbon tax. Why am I moving back to this fucking backwater redneck wonderland again?

Because, in the words of two of our most revered political scientists, who noted that while they have had a gutfull, and that this country's stuffed, it is nonetheless the best country in the world, mate.

 

[Jintor]

Pope's imagery is a lot strong than FirstDog, but I think "Australie" is a bit overly blunt

 

[markot]

Pope's imagery is a lot strong than FirstDog, but I think "Australie" is a bit overly blunt

Its latin you nimcompoops.

 

[ConstructMe]

well i'm leaving this week so *shrug*

where you going?

 

[wonzo]

https://vine.co/v/MQ5aZuIgQWD

 

[markot]

All this to shave $100 bucks off an electricity bill here and there >.<;

Sigh. What a dumb country.

Jintor is going to Japan to join the Army there now that theyre no longer only a self defence force.

 

[Jintor]

latin would be australis?

where you going?

that bastion of liberal freedom and rule-of-law democracy which in no way attempts to subvert referendum requirements for constitutional change, japan

 

[lexi]

https://vine.co/v/MQ5aZuIgQWD

No words.

 

[senahorse]

Shameful day in Australian history, now to put up with the smug looks on Liberal cunts, and the other dumb fucks like Ricky Muir.

 

[Yagharek]

well i'm leaving this week so *shrug*

Bye and thanks for all the fish

 

[Dryk]

I wonder how many people who were condemning that woman that spent her son's cancer treatment money on her gambling habit are now cheering in the streets

 

[WayneMorse]

This isn't a tragedy for just Australia, it's a tragedy for everyone on this planet.

Thanks guys.