ABC Australia and foreign current affairs

Does Australia's ABC Radio National need a new, global current affairs program? Or perhaps make its current programs more international in scope? I think it might be time to ask these questions, because the two flagship current affairs programs seem to be ignoring much of the world.

Are we in danger of taking the American path and being largely parochial in our news and current affairs?

AM ("Australia's most informative morning current affairs program") has the following most recently transcribed current affairs stories:

Costings emerge from Coalition launch
Gillard outlines ALP differences to Coalition
Terrorist leader takes aim at Australian troops
Indonesian police prepare case against Garuda pilot
Six dead during Arafat memorial
Antarctic Division feels pinch of doctor shortage
Journalist accused of political interference in Wentworth
BHP continues push for Rio takeover

The Indonesian and Arafat memorial stories are not Australian, but the rest are. The Antarctic story is really an Australian story about Australia's Antarctic Division. What about the rest of the world?

A glance at PM's most recently posted stories shows an even more parochial mix, with 100 per cent of the stories emanating from Australia:

Howard targets Kelly's school funding comments
Labor says Coalition spending will raise inflation
Education bodies divided over Coalition's school fees tax break
Coalition housing policy will inflate house prices: expert
Allison refuses to write off Democrats' chances
Murdoch urges against Iraq troop withdrawal
Horse flu hearing begins in Sydney
New case of alleged wrongful immigration detention emerges
Police drop remaining charges against Cousins
Calls for protection of grey nurse sharks
Strong Aust dollar hits zinc prices

Categories: abc, radio, radio+national, australia, media