The Government Wants To Overrule Triple J’s Decision To Change The Hottest 100 Date
Does anyone in the government even listen to triple j?
Yesterday, following an extensive consultation process with its listeners, triple j announced that the Hottest 100 would no longer be held on Australia Day. The reaction from the public was pretty positive, but there was one group of people extremely mad about the change: Coalition MPs.
The minister for communications, Mitch Fifield, was particularly fired up about the changes and said that “the ABC shouldn’t be buying into this debate. Australia Day is our national day.”
This morning Fifield went even further, accusing triple j of “making a political statement” that would “help to delegitimise Australia Day”. He announced that he would be writing to the ABC board to ask them to overrule triple j and keep the Hottest 100 on Australia day.
A poll of listeners conducted by triple j found that 60 percent wanted the Hottest 100 moved to another date, but that was irrelevant according to Fifield.
“We’ve all come to know and accept that that’s when it will be and we all enjoy it,” he said. “Australia Day isn’t going anywhere. It will be January 26 and should be a day that unites us and the ABC, through its actions, is actually helping to delegitimise Australia Day, which is the objective of those who don’t want to have Australia Day celebrated as we currently do.”
Despite the commentary from Fifield, the Hottest 100 hasn’t always been held on Australia Day. The first countdown was held in 1989 but it wasn’t until 1998 that Australia Day became synonymous with the Hottest 100.
In a statement released today the ABC said triple j had made the decision “based on extensive audience feedback” but reaffirmed the broadcaster’s “commitment to Australia Day and associated events”. They added that triple j would now play exclusively Australian music on Australia Day.
While the ABC board has the ultimate authority over programming and editorial decisions, today’s statement indicates that it seems pretty unlikely they would listen to Fifield and overrule triple j.
But you can expect the government to keep banging on about it. It’s way easier for Fifield to jump up and down about the Hottest 100 rather than do actual work, like fixing the NBN.