The former ABC boss has sparked controversy by criticising the national broadcaster’s journalists for being “too sensitive” and biased.
Ita Buttrose made the explosive claims about Patricia Karvelas National Radio Breakfast show on Monday morning.
He also claimed that some journalists at the corporation were biased, adding that anyone who is biased or sensitive… ‘They should just give up’ if they can’t handle criticism.
“There’s nothing wrong with presenting both sides of an argument, and I don’t understand the reluctance of some of our interviewers not to do so,” he said.
‘Have both sides of the story, it’s much better for the viewer or listener.’
During the interview, Ms. Karvelas also spoke about News Corp, which owns several news organisations, has accused its journalists of targeting people like her.
Ms Karvelas claimed that News Corp journalists “We’ve been very hard on the ABC’s frontline journalists and presenters,” Buttrose was asked if that worried him.
The answer surprised Ms. Karvelas.
Former ABC boss Ita Buttrose told Patricia Karvelas on the ABC’s RN Breakfast show that journalists were becoming “too soft” and should resign if they cannot handle criticism.
Ms Buttrose, who left the job in March, also questioned why some journalists had bothered to present both sides of the story and said she “didn’t understand” why they couldn’t
“No, look, I frankly think you guys are being too sensitive about News Corp; let them do what they want,” Buttrose said.
He added that “it doesn’t really matter” what critics say as long as journalists continue to do their jobs.
‘DDon’t worry about what they say… just keep doing your own job, which is what you have to do.’
The former boss also criticised staff at Nine Entertainment, which owns several newspapers and networks, for their recent… Five-day strike.
Ms Buttrose said it was “unwise” to choose the start of the Olympics for a strike as her exclusive coverage on Nine’s platforms was “a significant investment”.
She believes that Nine employees should…“Toe the line, frankly” instead of criticizing the CEO Mike Sneesby, who is in Paris working with advertisers.
Ms Karvelas asked her former boss what he thought about News Corp, which she said had targeted her in smear campaigns, but Ms Buttrose said the presenter was being “too sensitive”.
Mrs Buttrose revealed he used to have ‘vehement’ debates with former Nine boss Kerry Packer About ABC.
He said the two would argue about the taxpayer-funded organisation because Packer did not like it, while Buttrose considered the ABC to be “important”.
Buttrose was also asked what the biggest challenge facing the ABC going forward was, and she said it was giving audiences “what they want”.
Ms Buttrose ended her five-year tenure at the helm of the ABC in March and was replaced by Kim Williams.
Mr Williams then said impartiality was the most important factor for the ABC.
“If you don’t want to reflect a vision that aspires to impartiality, don’t work at the ABC,” he said.
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