Q+A has been under fire for many months amid rumors that the show will be axed.
However, ABC has denied those rumors, and ABC CEO David Anderson told the Senate Estimates Committee that the network is considering the future of the show. TV tonight reports.
‘It’s important for the ABC to do that and really bring people together and have conversations. “We’re looking at what we could do in the future… if there’s anything we can do for that program,” Anderson said.
When asked if the series could be axed, he responded: “No, I wouldn’t say it’s on the chopping block, senator.” Certainly, with my background in television, you’re always watching shows, you’re always thinking, “Is there a better way to do something?” You should never get defensive about the need to improve.”
Anderson went on to admit that ABC is considering different ways to produce the show in the future.
Q+A has been under fire for many months amid rumors that the show will be axed. ABC breakfast radio presenter Patricia Karvelas currently presents the Q&A (pictured)
‘If I watch Q+A, is there another way to do that format… still having a show like Q+A, but is there a different way to do it?
‘If anyone has any innovative ideas that could help update a program they’ve had for a long time, I think they should implement it. That’s all I say. It’s not on the chopping board right now.
Last year, calls grew for low-rated show Q&A to be scrapped for good, as the show was criticized as “one-sided, uninteresting and rarely funny”.
Political commentator Peter Van Onselen said in November that he would not miss the show if it did not return to ABC programming in 2024.
However, ABC has denied those rumors, and ABC CEO David Anderson told the Senate Estimates Committee that the network is considering the future of the show but does not plan to cancel it.
In an opinion piece for The AustralianVan Onselen said Q&A, currently hosted by Patricia Karvelas, had received 203,000 views nationally at the time of writing her article that month.
The show had received 59,000 viewers in Sydney, 81,000 in Melbourne, 25,000 in Brisbane, 25,000 in Adelaide and only 19,000 in Perth at that time.
Van Onselen said it was time for questions and answers to be “eliminated entirely.”
“With such dismal numbers and how disconnected the show has become from mainstream Australia, it really needs to be put out of its misery,” he wrote.
“There have been enough failed reboots to warrant its final removal.”
Political commentator Peter Van Onselen (pictured) said in November that the show would not be missing from Australian screens if it did not return to the ABC schedule in 2024.
The commentator said cracks began to appear after Tony Jones (pictured) stopped presenting after a decade in the role from 2008 to 2019.
Hamish MacDonald (pictured) replaced Tony Jones as presenter in 2020, but resigned in July 2021 after overwhelming personal abuse and trolling on social media.
The commentator said cracks began to appear after Tony Jones stopped hosting after a decade in the role from 2008 to 2019.
“It wasn’t long ago that the show was vibrant and interesting, with well-led debates by former host Tony Jones,” Van Onselen wrote.
‘I remember turning up in it at the time. Ratings regularly reach one million, which precipitated discussion about changing time slots.’
Van Onselen criticized the program for not being informative enough and for hosting debates that were “one-sided, uninteresting and rarely funny.”
David Speers hosted from 2021 to 2023 alongside Virginia Trioli (pictured) and Stan Grant
It was later announced that Stan Grant (pictured) would be the show’s permanent host starting in August. However, less than a year later, the driver resigned in May 2023.
He claimed that it was ABC’s “stubbornness” that was saving the show from being axed forever, but that a replacement would be welcome.
Hamish MacDonald replaced Jones as presenter in 2020, but resigned in July 2021 after overwhelming personal abuse and trolling on social media.
After Macdonald resigned in 2021, three rotating hosts presented the Q&A: Stan Grant, David Speers and Virginia Trioli until July 2022.
It was later announced that Stan Grant would be the show’s permanent host starting August 1.
However, less than a year later the presenter resigned in May 2023 after receiving ‘grotesque racist abuse’ and threats to his safety.
ABC breakfast radio presenter Patricia Karvelas currently presents the Q&A section.