Ending the Affair : The Decline of Television Current Affairs in Australia

Examines the state of current affairs television in Australia, by pondering its future, while drawing lessons from the past. This book questions the social and political value of current affairs journalism. Underpinning this approach is the conviction that TV current affairs serves functions that are essential to a civilised democracy.

Ending the Affair examines the state of current affairs television in Australia today by pondering its future, while drawing lessons from the past. The book questions the social and political value of what we now think of as current affairs journalism. Underpinning this approach is the conviction that TV current affairs serves functions which are important to a civilised democracy. If the contemporary version of television current affairs is not serving that function - and if there is nothing else which is - then ""Ending the Affair"" suggests this is cause for concern. Along the way, the book provides fresh insight into key components of the history of Australian television current affairs. It deals with the earliest programs (""This Day Tonight"", for example), as well as with the most contemporary versions (""A Current Affair""); with commercial free-to-air programs, as well as the ABC, SBS and pay TV. Finally, the analysis is placed within the industrial and regulatory conditions in which Australian TV current affairs are produced and consumed.