I just learnt that one of my favourite Australian television shows, The ABC's 'The Glass House' is to be put in mothballs at the end of this season.

The Glass House is an Australian television show hosted by a panel of comedians that talk about events, politics, happenings and other social issues in Australia and around the world. Their snarkiness against the Governments of Australia (Federal conservative, state-based mainly centralist/left) is actually one of the attractions of the show. The long-cherished Australian pastime of 'taking the piss' and 'cutting down the tall poppies politicians' are usual components of the comedy act. What is really amazing about this show is that they've managed to gain a massive viewership on what is considered a dead-time slot (Friday nights past 10pm).

And then there's the online following for the show. One of the few joys I have week to week is searching my favourite torrent site each Sunday morning looking for the latest capped episode of The Glass House. Unfortunately the ABC Asia-Pacific/Australia Network channel doesn't beam The Glass House out into the wild yonders of Asia - and now it seems very unlikely to do so. Until our recent acquisition of Satellite TV, Lin & I didn't have a lot of cultural influence flowing from Australia in the form of entertainment, political discussion, or just plain 'taking the piss' television. Like many Australian expats, I watch this show. But I know that there's a whole lot more Aussies who miss out on the show because of the timeslot and watch it later. This is a very popular show.

So why was it axed? There have been a number of rumblings regarding The Glass House in the last few months, and has been accused of anti-Howard government bias. From my viewpoint, the panellists on The Glass House all exhibit anti-idiocy bias and great one-liners. Given the massive amounts of news and current affairs that the Government of the Day produces, I guess commenting on this and making light of the day's events could be construed as anti-Howard government bias. But, it doesn't explain how often they get stuck into the NSW and QLD Labour State Governments as well? I don't see them being accused of anti-Carr/Iemma, anti-Beattie bias in the media?

This is why this decision pisses me off. It reeks of 'Wedge Politics/Debate' and SPIN SPIN SPIN!

This contentious decision appears to have been made following a recent series of policy redirections at the ABC to counter the long-held viewpoint of anti-Howard/anti-conservative viewpoint at the ABC .

This latest round of changes saw the creation of a Director Of Editorial Policies by the reputedly conservative-stacked, Government appointed ABC Board. This has raised a series of concerns regarding the objectivity of any content at the ABC following concerns that this position could produce a chief sensor of content at the ABC.

Regarding this appointment, Stephen Conroy, Communications Spokesman for the Federal Opposition said....

"This is just an attempt by a board stacked with ideological zealots to remake the ABC in its own extreme conservative image. The new guidelines are an attempt to bully and intimidate ABC staff into reflecting the Government's biases. The national broadcaster shouldn't be used to settle scores in the culture wars, the ABC belongs to all Australians."

A few weeks earlier to this, The Melbourne Herald Sun's opinion writer Paul Gray examined the flow of changes at the ABC from a conservative viewpoint and highlighted an argument for further editorial control at Australia's ABC in the area of info-tainment.

... But the ABC's main problem goes beyond news and current affairs. It's also about lifestyle and entertainment shows, where there is no charter requirement for impartiality, such as theoretically holds sway (very theoretically, you might say) in news and current affairs. Unfunny jokes about setting fire to the Pope on The Glasshouse, gay kisses on Spicks and Specks and extended Andrew Denton interviews with eccentric Christian "peace campaigners" who attack military bases are all standard in ABC entertainment.

In another part of his opinion article, Gray revealed a common conservative viewpoint regarding ABC's content.

Interestingly, it's the Australian-made and ABC-made programs that are the problem, while quality international imports like British satirical series Absolute Power, starring Stephen Fry, are not only funny, but succeed in making you think.

But, like Steyn (Mark Steyn - OMG!), that must also be brought in from overseas. When ABC entertainment starts breeding its own local quality, I'll give three cheers.

What a load of bollocks! (As an aside; I think OMG! I think holding a right-wing hawk like Steyn as a shining example of intellectual is a bit far-fetched) Australia has loads upon loads of such people and ideas but they struggle for support and a platform to produce such work. Weak argument mate!

What we have here another great example of The Culture Wars but in an Australian context. Conservatives versus the rest. This has been going on for donkey's years, but now it is really starting to take a turn into total war.

There is a distinction between anti-Leftist and anti-liberal views. People like Mark Steyn work at challenging/blurring the boundaries between centralist and conservative viewpoints, obscurificating clear humanist issues with political rhetoric. A similar agenda appears to have been implemented at the ABC. But where is the centreline between left and right? I suspect that with people like Mark Steyn, Janet Albrechtsen, and other notable conservatives on the ABC board that it is to the right-of-center that many Australians would flag as the centralist viewpoint. This is why I cringe whenever I hear the term objectivity used to describe content of the ABC. The ABC should be able to present MANY ALTERNATIVE VIEWPOINTS that present contradictory viewpoints from set-facts. Ridding the ABC of The Glass House robs Australians of a (small 'l') liberal standpoint on many of the world's and Australia's topics of the day. Given the huge markets for conservative talk-back radio and print media in Australia, the ABC supplies a series of shows that provide alternative viewpoints. I do believe this is one of the charters of the ABC to provide content to Australians that is not readily supplied by mainstream media sources.

Perhaps the most worrying aspect of this move in my mind is the blurring between criticism of government practice and the culture wars. I really believe that criticism of government should not be a criticism of political beliefs. The current Howard-led government has a long and documented track record of poor governmentship. I proffer SievX, deportation of Australian citizens, the politicising of Middle-East refugees, Gulf War II, the Australian Wheat Board fiasco as evidence. This is poor leadership and should be criticised and criticised it has been. One of the most vocal shows on the ABC has been The Glass House. Is this political revenge? The Glasshouse thinks so. And so do I.

This decision stinks. I'm very very angry! The last episode will air on November 29th.

And, just to end this little rant. Here's just a snippet of Dave Hughes mentioning his favourite Web2.0 site, YouTube. (After watching this little snippet, I would like to point out that yes, I am aware of the irony of linking to this clip).