http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3847232a12,00.html
Aust PM denies involvement in comedy show axing
02 November 2006
SYDNEY: Australian Prime Minister John Howard has denied pressuring the ABC to axe a popular television comedy show because of its perceived anti-government bias.
The Glass House, a weekly panel show on the Australian government-funded network, featuring comedians Wil Anderson, Dave Hughes and Corinne Grant, regularly pokes fun at Howard and US President George W Bush.
The show will screen its last episode on November 29 amid the highest ratings of its five-year history, and its stars say they haven't been given an adequate reason for its demise.
"I have not axed the program," Howard told Adelaide radio 5AA yesterday.
"If it has been axed, then it has been axed by a decision of the ABC, I haven't asked that it be axed."
Howard said he occasionally watched the program.
"I do not tell the ABC what programs it should run. I respect the independence of the ABC.
"From time to time, if the ABC treats a news item in an unbalanced fashion I will say so, and I will say that in relation to other programs as well."
The ABC head of arts and entertainment, Courtney Gibson, said it was a simple decision.
"It has everything to do with economics and nothing to do with editorial policy."
But Grant told the Sydney Morning Herald she was told of the decision five weeks ago without explanation.
"They have said we've had five great years and that's it. They haven't given us or anyone else a very good reason."
Hughes said the show was currently enjoying its best ratings.
News of the show's demise comes a day after the Liberal New South Wales senator Connie Fierravanti-Wells said Grant had been guilty of a serious conflict of interest because she was the public face of the Australian Council of Trade Union's (ACTU) workplace relations campaign.
It also follows revelations the ABC will pay a new chief censor $A280,000 ($NZ327,000) a year to investigate and monitor instances of bias on ABC programs.
