ABC to axe state footy? (VFL, WAFL, SANFL, TSL)

[MagpieBat]

Barely two days after my rantings about keeping the VFL on the ABC, I find this report:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/looming-abc-cuts-could-undermine-arts-charter/story-e6frg996-1226105645704

[Dave The Man]

They Lose Footy I would never watch the ABC Again.

Thought it probably got to the New 24/7 Foxtel AFL Channel

[Presti35]

Wow this sucks the big one.

Whats happening to the VFL?

If anything I want more games on TV. At worst it should be one game on Sat and one on Sun.

Hope Foxtel pick up some VFL games, but still want ABC to host a game.

[MagpieBat]

ABC have rocks in their heads, to be sure.

But the ultimate fault lies with successive federal governments for cutting the ABC's funding and not restoring it and appointing these donkeys who want to axe programs to save a few bucks.

Might motivate me to write to the relevant Minister. We need more footy on the ABC, not less!

Keep state footy on the ABC, damn it!

[MagpieBat]

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/anger-as-aunty-swings-the-axe/story-e6frg996-1226107028689

The initial cuts appear to be primarily sourced from Tasmania, SA and WA.

Note the bit about the WAFL possibly being next.

Shame, Aunty, shame...

[MagpieBat]

Rumblings getting louder:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/abc-mum-on-local-football/story-e6frg6nf-1226109515113?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheAustralianMediaNews+%28The+Australian+%7C+Media%29

[Dave The Man]

ABC is a Boring Channel anyway

[MagpieBat]

I'm not filled with confidence after the ABC finished today's broadcast of the game between Port and Willy with the match still going and a goal the difference.

Apparently, it was becase the central programming unit for the ABC was locked in to screening the program after the VFL, and there was nothing that could be done about it...

Interesting how Channel 9, for example, can delay the start of the news during the cricket but the ABC can't push back a pre-recorded program by ten minutes...

[Presti35]

VFL games will be on TV in 2012.

ABC? SBS? Foxtel?.... Channel 31?

Someone will show atleast one game a week. And ofcourse the Grand Final.

I guess its up to ABC if they want to keep showing VFL games on a saturday. Foxtel are having a dedicated football channel next year, so at worst you'd think they'd atleast have a time slot somewhere for a state leage wrap up each week.

[MagpieBat]

He he... the Port v Williamstown debacle just got a mention on Footy Classified. I hear it's also been mentioned in the Herald Sun.

And for the record, Port won by 5 points...

[MagpieBat]

And the Port v Willy debacle just got shown on The Footy Show.

Sigh... the once proud and respectable ABC, now a laughing stock of the broadcasting scene in this country.

[MagpieBat]

Is the end nigh?

[The Prototype]

The SANFL has been one league that has been mentioned about facing the axe, there is a facebook campaign to try and save that. ABC Tasmania has been uploading many great games from their achieves so I am not sure the deal there there's been no mention there just yet.

[MagpieBat]

I always look forward to the half-time wrap from the previous weeks games during the VFL televised match. I also go onto iView to take a squiz at WAFL and SANFL matches from time to time.

A pity that the ABC don't put TSL games onto iView though...

Axing the arts programs, ditching the TV sports, turnng off older viewers with shows like Crownies and Laid... is there any demographic that the ABC does want to hold on to?

[MagpieBat]

Good news... of sorts:

http://yourabcworthfightingfor.blogspot.com/2011/09/abc-recommits-to-local-sports-but-at.html

Let's hope this continues. We're not out of the woods yet...