the source, hire high quality professionals, and have a system of check and balances. All that costs money. A subsidy from the taxpayer ensures that the interests of ALL taxpayers are protected in the ABC. The ABC is by the People for the People, not by media Moguls for themselves and their shareholders... big difference. OUB : 14 Jun 2012 1:53:31pm Without the ABC operating uncommercially in it's markets others would be able to raise their prices. More money to invest in news gathering. If they only used the price improvements to boost profits they'd just attract more competition. Trust in markets young Alpo! Alpo: 14 Jun 2012 6:31:24pm Thanks for that "young Alpo" OUB, it did cheer me up. As for "trusting the markets", that's okay (more or less) if you want to make a profit, it is not if you want to find and transmit the truth. I am sure you will see the difference. Harquebus: OUB : 14 Jun 2012 1:48:34pm My prejudice is that the government shouldn't be encroaching in markets that could be adequately covered by commercial enterprise Wining. It makes no sense to me for government to enter markets with an unfair advantage in terms of funding and the lack of a need to make profits. It makes the industry less viable for commercial entities. We are the poorer for it. I believe (you may disagree) that if the ABC didn't tower over various markets other organisations would make use of that open sky