ABC denies Q+A is set to be axed amid dwindling ratings and revolving door of hosts quitting the ailing current affairs show
Q+A has been under fire for months, amid rumors that the show will be canceled.
However, ABC has denied these rumors, with ABC executive David Anderson telling a Senate estimates committee that the network is considering the future of the program. Television tonight reports.
‘It is important that the ABC does that and actually brings people together and has conversations. We’re looking at what we can do for the future…if we can do anything for that program,” Anderson said.
When asked if the series could be canceled, he replied, “No, I wouldn’t say that’s on the chopping block, Senator. Especially with my television background, you’re always watching shows, you’re always looking at, “Is there a better way to do something?” You should never be defensive about the need to improve.”
Anderson further admitted that ABC is considering different ways to produce the show in the future.
Q+A has been under fire for months, amid rumors that the show will be canceled. Q&A is currently hosted by ABC breakfast radio host Patricia Karvelas (pictured)
“When I look at Q+A, is there another way to use that format? There is still a program like Q+A, but is there another way to do it?
“If someone has innovative ideas that can help freshen up a long-standing program that you have, then I think you’ll continue with that. That’s all I’m saying. It’s not on the chopping block right now.
Last year, more and more calls were made for the low-rated program Q&A to be scrapped for good, because the show was labeled as ‘one-sided, uninteresting and rarely funny’.
Political commentator Peter Van Onselen said in November that the program would not be missed if it does not return to ABC’s roster in 2024.
However, ABC has denied these rumors, with ABC executive David Anderson telling a Senate estimates committee that the network is considering the future of the program but has no intention of canceling it.
In an op-ed for The AustralianVan Onselen said Q&A – currently hosted by Patricia Karvelas – had been viewed 203,000 times nationwide at the time he wrote his article that month.
The program at the time had 59,000 viewers in Sydney, 81,000 in Melbourne, 25,000 in Brisbane, 25,000 in Adelaide and just 19,000 in Perth.
Van Onselen said it was time to ‘completely scrap Q&A’.
“With such dismal figures coupled with how out of touch the program is with mainstream Australia, it really needs to be put out of its misery,” he wrote.
“There have been enough failed reboots to justify abolishing it permanently.”
Political commentator Peter Van Onselen (pictured) said in November that the program would not be missed on Australian screens if it did not return to the ABC roster in 2024.
The commentator said cracks started to appear after Tony Jones (pictured) stopped hosting after a decade in the role from 2008 to 2019
Hamish MacDonald (pictured) replaced Tony Jones as host in 2020, but resigned in July 2021 after overwhelming personal abuse and social media trolling
The commentator said cracks started to appear after Tony Jones stopped hosting after a decade in the role from 2008 to 2019.
“It wasn’t that long ago that the program was lively and interesting, with discussions led by former presenter Tony Jones,” Van Onselen wrote.
‘I remember appearing on it at the time. The viewing figures regularly reached the one million mark, which sparked the discussion about changing the time slot.’
Van Onselen criticized the show for not being informative enough and organizing discussions that were “one-sided, uninteresting and rarely funny.”
David Speers hosted from 2021 to 2023 alongside Virginia Trioli (pictured) and Stan Grant
It was later announced that Stan Grant (pictured) would host the show permanently from August. However, less than a year later, the host resigned in May 2023
He claimed it was the ABC’s “stubbornness” that saw the show axed for good, but that a replacement would be welcome.
Hamish MacDonald replaced Jones as host in 2020, but resigned in July 2021 after overwhelming personal abuse and social media trolling.
After Macdonald stepped down in 2021, Q&A was presented by three rotating presenters until July 2022: Stan Grant, David Speers and Virginia Trioli.
It was later announced that Stan Grant would host the show permanently from August 1.
However, less than a year later, the host resigned in May 2023 after receiving “grotesque racist abuse” and threats to his safety.
Q&A is currently hosted by ABC breakfast radio host Patricia Karvelas.