Stuart Gary has given so much service to the fields of Astronomy and Cosmology and broadcasting that he ought to be in line for an Order of Australia award rather than being summarily cast off into the shadows.
If his services had been in any
sport then he would have been up for interview today on News Radio as a VIP, as Anne Fulward was doing with some ex footy player "who should stand for mayor of Melbourne" because of his services to sport and sports broadcasting.
StarStuff is a rare beast in the Australian media landscape and as such would always be in the sights of the tall poppy mowers.
It's very important that any campaign to get it back strive to get it back
as it was before axing without changes that could leave it open to be killed off later when the heat is off management.
I've seen this kind of thing too many times before. It applies in media and all areas of public life:
Favourite tactic 1 of bureaucrats out to kill (so it stays killed) a popular program: allow it back but with one of their people in charge. Let them run it on to the rocks and close it down as a failure. THEREFORE: Stuart Gary needs to be in charge of his own hard worked for creation.
I would wonder about moving it to RN as others have suggested. There is a whole well established Science culture at RN that may very well not appreciate a new fish in their pond. We
need Mr Gary's input before that move is suggested.
Why not have it stay where it is with guarantees of it's longevity? Why should the wishes of the trio who axed it be respected when they have demonstrated such contempt for the listeners and obviously prefer football?
Favourite tactic 2 of bureaucrats out to kill (so it stays killed) a popular program: allow it back, but deprive it of exposure so that it loses some support base and so can then be killed off later on those grounds.
For this reason I would oppose it just being turned into a Podcast program. This would reduce the programs profile massively for NO GOOD REASON.
StarStuff was already defying the credo that "local production is expensive production." Why shouldn't it be allowed air time?
This is the only point I'd change in the petition. But in an incredibly difficult fight like this the point is far less important than the clear message of the petition
and I urge people to sign it. A lot can be done with a clear demonstration of support like that.
As it stands there's going to have to be
a LOT more ruckus made before the people responsible for
StarStuff's axing relent and allow Stuart Gary back on the air
.
They are no doubt hoping that he will be suffocated professionally by passing time and enforced invisibility and forced to "just go away..."
Every action to get news of this travesty out is so necessary.