Outrage over Race Around the World masks the massive change about to hit the ABC

August 14, 2026 — 11:41am

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A familiar sound is again echoing through the media ecosystem – the sound of the ABC kicking an own goal.

Content crimes and misdemeanours creating uproar and taking skin off the national broadcaster are nothing new, but the latest screeching carry-on over failings at both the flagship Four Corners and reality-TV-contest-but-make-it-artistic Race Around the World mask something much more significant – an executive plan to fundamentally remake the national broadcaster.

The big strategy reveal – spearheaded by ABC managing director Hugh Marks – is provisionally set down for October 20, previously best known as the International Day of the Air Traffic Controller. The timing is tricky, given new ABC director of news Simon Robinson, hired from Reuters and starting mid-September, will want his say.

Nevertheless, expect big things. Because there is one thing about the ABC upon which its fervent supporters, ageing grandees, beleaguered staff, political paymasters, Chris Kenny and I can all agree on – things can’t carry on as they are.

And after October 20 they won’t. What we do know is that the ABC has grown like topsy since the 1980s, when it consisted solely of one ABC TV channel, a local radio network, ABC Classic, Triple J and Radio National. While the platforms and services and content have all expanded, the budget hasn’t, down 12.1 per cent from 2013/14, $147 million in real terms.

Marks has said the budget is spread too thin and needs to refocus on core services. The buzzwords that will shape what gets made in the future are: distinctive, live and local. Does that mean platforms such as the ABC News Channel survive? If it is deemed a core service, then yes.

But before all that, it is worth unpacking the significance – and non-significance – of the current controversies.

Firstly, a little primer on how modern media works. Content that clips into bite-sized content chunks and flows across social media platforms to grab everyone’s attention is the new hot thing. The more incendiary the better. Doesn’t matter about the context.

Secondly, random happenstance – two buses arriving at the same time – is never an explanation for anything. It’s always a trend. Thus, one instance of anything anywhere is a concern, two instances is a column, three a feature. Four is a podcast........

© Brisbane Times