Karnal
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Another case is the state broadcasters, the ABC and BBC, formed in a time when propaganda was seen as a good thing, before Goebels made it a dirty word.
Both, by most measures, provide the best news in their respective markets. Both are government owned. Both are corporatised, with the BBC achieving its mission by selling advertising.
Both are managed by boards, with minimal government intervention, beyond board appointments, funding and legislated charters.
Unlike the railways, these broadcasters are not monopolies. They compete for viewers and, in the BBC's case, ad revenue.
Would their services be any different if privatised?
That's a question.
The Guardian, similarly independent, is owned by a private trust. It has similar independent editorial policies to the above two broadcasters, and is committed to providing a free online service to readers. Like the ABC and BBC, content is not swayed by any owners or advertisers. It provides a totally independent news service, showing that ownership, be it state or private, does not need to play a role if a governance structure is established that places the interests of consumers at the forefront.
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