ABC role in new media questioned
Speaking after the ABC was criticised by senior federal ministers and News Corp's Australian for teaming up with a publisher, Guardian Australia, to publish alleged phone-tapping of the Indonesian President, Mr Clarke said the ABC was not responsible for the deep troubles of traditional media organisations.
But he said questions ought to be asked about how appropriate it was for the ABC to move further into areas the private sector could fill.
"How we grow advertising revenue has got nothing to do with whether the ABC exists or not," Mr Clarke told a Melbourne Press Club lunch.
"The question is, whatever comes in the future, should they [the ABC] continue to push into that area?
"And at that point you have to ask the question, 'Why is a government-funded business doing this?' People will have different responses to that."
Mr Clarke said that despite today's media challenges - the fragmentation of audiences and advertisements, the rise of social media and aggregators - he was upbeat about News Corp's position.
He pointed to opportunities for print and digital, funded by both advertising and subscription.
And he said News Corp was happy to compete with media challengers, the Guardian Australia and the soon-to-be-launched Mail Online, saying: "It'll be on.
"I think the competition is heating up by the day . . . The beaut part about what's happened with all this segmentation and fragmentation is that it's tough for everybody to either sustain their current business or to enter into a new market.
"So they're going to have their hands full, and I would think from Fairfax's point of view, certainly from News' point of view, we're happy to have the blue."
Fairfax publishes BusinessDay.
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
The ABC's role in new media is being questioned because some believe that new media opportunities should be reserved for private-sector organizations. News Corp's Australian chief executive, Julian Clarke, suggests that it's worth asking why a government-funded business like the ABC is moving into areas that the private sector could fill.
News Corp is concerned that the ABC's involvement in new media could encroach on opportunities that should be available to private-sector companies. Julian Clarke from News Corp questions the appropriateness of a government-funded entity expanding into these areas.
News Corp views the competition in the media landscape as heating up, with new challengers like Guardian Australia and Mail Online entering the market. Julian Clarke expressed confidence in News Corp's ability to compete, noting that the fragmentation of audiences and advertisements presents challenges for all media companies.
Julian Clarke acknowledges the challenges facing traditional media, such as audience fragmentation and the rise of social media and aggregators. However, he remains optimistic about News Corp's position and sees opportunities in both print and digital media, supported by advertising and subscriptions.
According to Julian Clarke, News Corp's growth in advertising revenue is independent of the ABC's existence. The company is focused on leveraging opportunities in both print and digital media, supported by advertising and subscription models.
Media segmentation and fragmentation have made it challenging for companies to sustain their current business models or enter new markets. Julian Clarke notes that this environment is tough for everyone, but News Corp is prepared to compete and adapt to these changes.
Julian Clarke believes that competition in the media industry is beneficial because it drives innovation and improvement. He welcomes the challenge from new entrants like Guardian Australia and Mail Online, seeing it as an opportunity for News Corp to demonstrate its strengths.
News Corp and Fairfax are both key players in the media landscape, with Fairfax publishing BusinessDay. Julian Clarke indicates that News Corp is ready to compete with Fairfax and other media companies, embracing the competitive environment as a chance to excel.
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