So, the ABC is to blame for the lack of arts on TV in Australia... or so the guy writing this article seems to think...

Interesting article about the arts and Australian television. Although it doesn't do much about Australian television in general, just the ABC. And considering the person who wrote it used to work for the ABC and spends time bashing them, well... perhaps that explains a few things.

Maybe he should have complained about the end of Blue Heelers, too, while he was about it, seeing as Channel 7 announced its axing last Friday.

However, I would like to register my complaint about the lack of cultural programs on Australian television!

We are seriously lacking good Australian drama and culture programs. I'm sorry, but reality rubbish like Big Brother, Australian Idol, X-Factor and all of that other junk doesn't cut it. Neither does Headland, Home & Away or Neighbours. The five seconds of Headland that I saw made me want to vomit on things, Home & Away has plots that make Days of Our Lives look believable and Neighbours... well, it's just Neighbours.

I thought that there were the germs of an idea for how Aus culture could be looked at with Vulture, although I agree that it was too much of a 'take the p!ss' kind of show, which didn't do it any favours. It would be great to have a show on TV where new books, films, shows and so on could be reviewed and examined in a serious but funny and smart way.

Personally, I'd love a show that could let me know about new Australian books and authors, independent films and their makers, artists, musicians, international cultural news and that sort of thing. Something that makes me think, have a laugh, allows diversity of thought and opinion in an engaging way (not just, "Well, David, I thought the lighting in this film was enough for it to win an Oscar... I give it five stars." "No, Margaret, I found it didn't engage me. Two stars for me.") and introduces new concepts.

Is that too much to ask!?!?!?

Oh yeah... TV never manages things like that *sigh*

Although I'm sort of envisioning a sort of Spicks and Specks meets Sunday afternoon ABC arts programs meets Enough Rope meets something else... and I'm liking it!