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"Of course in a free market, more balanced analytical programs would emerge on commercial stations, but the $600 million yearly government subsidy for the ABC effectively drives everyone else out of the market. Then the Left use the lack of commercial alternatives to justify the continuing ABC subsidies." Ridiculous. Good television journalism is just too expensive in a country this size. The problem is that most of the population draws no distinction between good journalism and shoddy journalism packaged as good journalism. To put it another way, commercial networks could care less about truth - what they care about is making a program that sells. Even big overseas networks like CNN care only about their REPUTATION for truth. If the ABC were not around we would get exactly what we get from the commercial networks now - pop current affairs (Today Tonight) and similar crap dressed up as a serious show (60 Minutes). Yes, there is demand for good news programs, but there isn't supply - making them is too expensive. Better to just spend the money fostering the reputation of the program.
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