GrodsCorp

Pippos says no

Thursday 16 August 2007, 8:08 am

The Editor

Categories: Media, Politics

Tags: ABC, AngelaPippos, Labor, RadioNational, WarwickHadfield

There has been the usual chorus of righty indignation about another ABC on-air staff member (in this case ABC TV’s Melbourne sports reporter, Angela Pippos) being approached by the ALP to run for state or federal Parliament. And as usual it proves nothing more than the ALP is heading further and further into the world of celebrity politics at the expense of politics about, um, you know, policy.

Pippos has reportedly turned down the offer to run for Williamstown, but in line with ABC policy was forced to take leave as soon as she received the ALP’s offer. This is sensible since the ABC can’t dare show any hint of bias or else Andrew Bolt, Timmeh Blair, Piers Ackerman and Gerard Henderson would gorge themselves on righteousness. But it begs the question: how can a sports reporter show left-wing bias? If anything, the ABC shows a right-wing bias in its sports reporting if this morning’s Radio National piece is anything to go by. Entertaining sports presenter Warwick Hadfield called the AFL corporation the Soviet Communist Football association (or something similar) in a derogatory manner.

Ack! Right-wing bias at the ABC!

11 Comments

joe2 (Thursday 16 August 2007, 1:01 pm) #

I vaguely remember Dan Lonergan, ABC football reporter, bragging about his tacky close to voting booth behaviour. Along the lines of making the point of ripping up the greenie ‘how to vote card’ , within their view, rather than bring it back to be used again.

Ms Pippos has an honours degree in politics and is a bright, interesting, person. No place for her in parliament. Lonergan, on the other hand, is the type of belligerent dunce that Peter Ryan should be scouting. Just to maintain standards.
The Happy Revolutionary (Thursday 16 August 2007, 4:00 pm) #

There’s actually a list going around somewhere on the intertubes of all the right-wing ABC types who’ve gone into politics for parties that aren’t Labor. It’s ludicrous for Bolt and co to complain, given the extremist characters with which te ABC board has been stacked.
Kevin from Bathurst (Thursday 16 August 2007, 5:22 pm) #

She is also aesthetically pleasing.

I approve.
Strider (Thursday 16 August 2007, 5:30 pm) #

Yeah, I agree with Kevin. She is a bit of a babe.

When is she posing for Ralph or FHM?

A shame about her politics.
fred (Thursday 16 August 2007, 7:14 pm) #

http://friendsoftheabc.org/why-cant-liberal-party-sympathisers-get-jobs-in-the-abc

From the above,a list of Coalition/ABC linked persons:

“Gary Hardgrave, a former minister in the Howard government, is a former journalist with the Brisbane bureau of the ABC’s 7.30 Report.
Peter Collins, Leader of the Liberal Party in NSW for several years, was also a former ABC TV journalist.
Peter McArthur, a former current affairs reporter and TV newsreader for the ABC served several years in the Victorian parliament as a Liberal member.
Bruce Webster was a sports broadcaster for the ABC and later the Liberal member for Pittwater in the NSW parliament.

Jim Bonner, after leaving the staff of Malcolm Fraser, held senior editorial positions with ABC radio and television in Canberra and Adelaide. He later resumed his connection with the Liberal Party when he assumed the position of Director of the Liberal Party in South Australia.
Pru Goward, a Canberra based high profile ABC journalist reported on federal politics for a number of years. She recently won Liberal Party pre-selection for a seat in NSW.
Cathy Job, a current affairs presenter for ABC radio in Brisbane became a media adviser to David Kemp after resigning from the ABC.
Vicki Thompson, a senior political reporter for ABC radio in Adelaide became Chief of Staff for John Olsen, Liberal Premier of South Australia.
Ian Cover, a member of the ABC’s Coodabeen Champions crew, served as a Liberal member of the Victorian Parliament between 1996 and 2002. (Note: the Coodabeens focus was on sport rather than politics).
Rob Messenger was ABC radio broadcaster in Bundaberg. He is now the National Party member for Burnett in the Queensland parliament.
Grant Woodhams, National Party member for Greenough in WA worked with ABC radio in Tasmania, South Australia, NSW and Victoria.
Ken Cooke, State Director of the National Party for 13 years, and a close associate of Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen, was an ABC journalist before taking up his position with the National Party.
Chris Nicholls, an Adelaide ABC journalist, broke a story revealing that Barbare Wiese, a minister in the Bannon Labor government in South Australia, was involved in a conflict of interest. He was accused of improperly obtaining details of Weise’s financial affairs, but was acquitted. Nicholls, and his story, were defended by the ABC’s News Editor, and the ABC State Manager. Some time later he left the ABC to work for Liberal Senator, Grant Chapman.
Eoin Cameron,the former Liberal member for the federal seat of Stirling, presents the breakfast program on ABC local radio in Perth. He is a popular and respected broadcaster.
Cameron Thompson worked for the ABC in Longreath and Darwin before winning the seat of Blair for the Liberal Party.
The current State Director of the ABC in Queensland, Chris Wordsworth, is a former press officer for one time Liberal Defence Minister John Moore.”

Darce Cassidy February 2007

Sorry about the length.
But maybe that is relevant.
Bridgit Gread (Thursday 16 August 2007, 9:27 pm) #

Strider, do you think all the girls you ogle in Ralph or FHM vote for Howard or Bailleau? And given what you are probably doing at the time, do you think it really matters?
Jangari (Friday 17 August 2007, 6:12 pm) #

A small selection from The Age’s letters section:

LABOR’S attempt to sign up Angela Pippos is proof again that it is its ABC — not ours, the common taxpayers.
-Peter D. Surkitt, Hawthorn

WHAT is the ABC but the Labor Party’s training school (The Age, 16/8)? How can anybody take its comment as anything but Labor spin? Or is it that the ALP is so short of suitable members that it must look to the ABC? It is time Labor picked candidates who are branch members, those people who do all the hard work. Or are there none left?
-Scott Waterfall, Berwick

Honest to Gaia, how can sport journalism be subject to bias either way?!
brokenleftleg (Friday 17 August 2007, 7:54 pm) #

The ABC isn’t the real ALP training school. That’s the AIS’s job.
strider (Saturday 18 August 2007, 12:21 pm) #

I promise, I only read Ralph and FHM for their articles. A shame that good looks do not equate to political common sense.

Incidentally, all you grods, I read ‘Freedomnomics’ by John Lott last night. An interesting book, and a healthy antidote to all that anti-capitalist rhetoric bandied around lately. Hopefully, some of you read it and see the light.
joe2 (Saturday 18 August 2007, 8:11 pm) #

“A shame that good looks do not equate to political common sense” says strider.

Angela Pippos has shown ‘common sense’ not to enter politics, at this stage, though, well suited. You obviously lack a very basic understanding of individual choice for males AND females, equality included.

Does not matter what book you claim to have read to build up your cred.
Grow up, wanker!
John Surname (Monday 20 August 2007, 12:30 pm) #

“I promise, I only read Ralph and FHM for their articles.”

And Rudd also went to the strip club for the witty conversation.