http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0,23663,20681474-10388,00.html
I didn't axe Glass House: PM
November 01, 2006 01:06pm
PRIME Minister John Howard says he didn't pressure the ABC to shelve popular comedy show The Glass House.
The ABC yesterday axed the weekly panel show hosted by comedian Wil Anderson, which has been accused of anti-government bias.
"I have not axed the program," Mr Howard said on Adelaide radio 5AA today.
"If it has been axed, then it has been axed by a decision of the ABC, I haven't asked that it be axed."
Mr Howard said he occasionally watched the program, which also features comedians Dave Hughes and Corrine Grant, who is involved in the ACTU's workplace rights campaign.
"I don't watch it – occasionally will flick it on but not very often," Mr Howard said.
"I do not tell the ABC what programs it should run. I respect the independence of the ABC.
"From time to time, if the ABC treats a news item in an unbalanced fashion I will say so, and I will say that in relation to other programs as well."
The ABC gave no explanation for their decision not to continue the satirical program apart from telling the cast and crew yesterday that not all shows could be renewed.
Anderson posted a blog last night promising to "go out with all guns a'blazing". "It's been a really fun five years," he said.
Co-compere Hughes said axing the show made little sense.
"We have had our best ratings ever," he said.
The show was at the centre of a storm of allegations of anti-Howard Government bias and there has been speculation it is the latest casualty in the "culture wars".
It was axed just one day after Liberal NSW senator Connie Fierravanti-Wells said during a grilling of ABC executives that co-host Corrine Grant had been guilty of a serious conflict of interest because she was the public face of the ACTU's workplace relations campaign.
And it follows revelations the ABC will pay a new chief censor $280,000 a year to investigate and monitor instances of bias on ABC programs.
The show had been achieving its highest ratings since it first went to air in 2001 – with average audiences of 728,000.
The program regularly outrated commercial programs in the same time slot and this year won a peak audience of almost 860,000 viewers.
Anderson, Hughes and Grant regularly make jokes about John Howard and US President George W. Bush, provoking critics to accuse them of bias.
But during a recent show Anderson responded to criticism by saying if Mark Latham had been in power they would be having a great time.
The last episode of The Glass House will go to air on November 29.
This is so wrong, one of the best shows on TV.
Complain to the ABC here
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/contact/abctv_form.htm
64 Beetle. Like a beaten up 70's speedboat.
"I do not tell the ABC what programs it should run. I respect the independence of the ABC.
So much that he stacked the Board with friends, former staffers, supporters and sychophants.
NOOOO! they threatened to do this a couple of seasons ago, looks like the old joke holds true, yet another program that has become too popular for the ABC :cussing
Reimagined/Recycled/Upcycled Cool
Good grief the truth hurts the government. Thank goodness Media Watch is still going.
squizy wrote:Good grief the truth hurts the government. Thank goodness Media Watch is still going.
dont say that too loud, maybe they havent woken up to mediawatch yet!
Reimagined/Recycled/Upcycled Cool
How can you axe a show that is in the prime of its ratings over the 5 years of its existance!!!! I dont actually like Will Anderson, i'm indifferent to Dave Hughes, but put them together with Corinne Grant and the guests and the show is quite funny.
If the show wasnt rating then I wouldnt care too much, but this is so obvious a political move its just not funny. And what is equally disturbing is that the Libs think it is biased. Beazley gets his head chopped off every time he speaks at a press conference. The only reason there is more Liberal jokes on there is because those are the stupid ***s running the country so they give out more ammunition to the comics.
Dave Hughes for PM!
'How are you prime minister?'
'Im ANGRY, very ANGRY today'
lolololol
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and now for something completely different...
I watched twice. turned it off half way into the second time. bored, bored, bored. same old crass gutter jokes. not clever, not funny. i just cringed. Dave Hughes was the low point of the show from my perspective. 👎
more chaser, more wedge, less glass house I say...and obviously I'm not alone. stand up is only funny if the comedian is very funny or the audience is drunk. Will Anderson can do much better and this will force him to do so.
BTW, PMs whining about shows don't get them axed, they give the show better ratings. look at big brother if you want to see that in action.
strong opinion for watching 1 and 1/2 shows in 5 years.
the wedge? like come on! are we trying to promote all aussies as bogans and sh1theads?
al the wedge does is advance the already known thoughts about places where moccosans, vb and 'wife-beaters' rules the streets.
long live the glass house!!
MOB: 0423890217
It really doesnt matter whether one person likes any show or not. The facts are that ratings kept big brother on air. Shitloads of people hated it, but shitloads of people loved it. (Strangely enough I dont know if there was anyone in the middle ground) The Government has no say over Channel 10 content and couldnt get it taken off no matter how hard they squealed because people watched it and ratings were high.
Ratings should keep The Glasshouse on air. Hundreds of thousands of people are watching it but Johnnie and his cronies dont like being ridiculed. They have pressured ABC execs to take it off air. Trouble is, unlike 10, these execs are employed by Johnnie, and so the snivelling spineless bastards have submitted. To me this isnt about the glasshouse but about political censorship. If they want to stop the ridicule they should stop providing material.
amazeer wrote:It really doesnt matter whether one person likes any show or not. The facts are that ratings kept big brother on air. Shitloads of people hated it, but shitloads of people loved it. (Strangely enough I dont know if there was anyone in the middle ground) The Government has no say over Channel 10 content and couldnt get it taken off no matter how hard they squealed because people watched it and ratings were high.
Ratings should keep The Glasshouse on air. Hundreds of thousands of people are watching it but Johnnie and his cronies dont like being ridiculed. They have pressured ABC execs to take it off air. Trouble is, unlike 10, these execs are employed by Johnnie, and so the snivelling spineless bastards have submitted. To me this isnt about the glasshouse but about political censorship. If they want to stop the ridicule they should stop providing material.
well said!! :beer:beer
MOB: 0423890217
So does this mean if we all petition it can be returned?
koolkarmakombi wrote:Dave Hughes for PM!
'How are you prime minister?'
'Im ANGRY, very ANGRY today'
lolololol
LOL
that sux glass house was the only show me and my other half watched together , :cry
🙁 vote that prick out pls.. look at this act of terrorism upon decent aussie TV he has committed.. now he got the war on TV on.. bastard! 👎
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I want my 9 cents back! It's the only thing I watch on the ABC.:cussing
I hope they fill the void with repeats of Mother and Son.
Thank god for Foxtel.
- Adam
If you can't fix it with a hammer,
you have an electrical problem....
