From the ABC

Ads on ABC unlikely, says PM
The Prime Minister John Howard has not ruled out advertising on the ABC, but says he does not think it is likely to happen.

The Federal Communications Minister, Helen Coonan, said last night the ABC's board and management should be able to consider the introduction of advertising on the broadcaster.

From the ABC

Govt to remove ABC's staff-elected director
The Federal Government is restructuring the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) board to remove the position of a staff-elected director.

Communications Minister Helen Coonan says the position has given rise to concerns about conflicts of interest and the effective functioning of the ABC board, including the confidentiality of board deliberations.

She says the change is in-line with modern principles of corporate governance.

Graeme Thompson from the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) says the decision is wrong.

"One of the things that I think is so sad about it, is [it is] really part of an ongoing attack by the Government on the ABC," he said.

"But what's going on really, is that the staff-elected director is one of the few people who actually understands how programs are made and built."

The term of the current staff-elected director, Ramona Koval, expires in June and legislation is to be swiftly introduced before her replacement can take up the position.

In June 2004 the chairman of the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX), Maurice Newman, resigned from the ABC board accusing Ms Koval of leaking information from boardroom discussions to Media Watch.

Ms Koval says she has never breached the ABC's code of conduct.

"I have never breached confidentiality in this role," she said.

"I have simply raised concerns about the potential for political interference.

"Now the Government's intervention in abolishing this position, while an Australian Electoral Commission election is under way, reveals the urgency of its desire to control the organisation."

The ABC's chairman, Donald McDonald, says staff issues will not be neglected in the absence of a staff-elected director.
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Gus is impressed that pigs will even fly higher

I also meant to say that the ABC is a public enterprise and secrecy of directors deliberations should not be an issue. All this proves that the government is politically interfering with the ABC.

From Al Jazeera, read more there:

At a Pentagon news conference on Thursday, Donald Rumsfeld, the secretary of defence, said he expected the department to review its policy on whether it is acceptable for the military to pay journalists to run stories provided anonymously by the US military.

"We want the United States to be seen for what it is: An open society that supports free press not only at home but overseas. To the extent that our operations bring that into question, we should review how we're doing it"

He declined to state his view of the practice.

"I said we'd take it under advisement and take a look at it. I'm not going to take a judgment off the top of my head," Rumsfeld said.

The investigation was opened after US newspapers reported that a Washington-based contractor paid Iraqi newspapers to run hundreds of stories written by US military information operations officers in Iraq.

Howard urges history curriculum revamp
Prime Minister John Howard has opened a history summit at Parliament House in Canberra by calling for a return to a more disciplined approach to Australian history teaching in schools.

Mr Howard first ignited debate on the subject during his Australia Day address.

Today eminent historians, teachers and social commentators have gathered in Canberra to discuss it.

Mr Howard wants history to be a stand-alone subject, with an emphasis on dates and facts.

"How you can just teach issues and study moods in history rather than comprehend and teach the narrative has always escaped me," Mr Howard said

read more at the ABC

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Gus: I know what mood I'm in when I see John Howard's narrative!