Tom Switzer: Yet another ABC star abruptly quits after almost a decade at the public broadcaster as insider reveals what may have really triggered his departure
One of ABC Radio National’s cornerstones has announced his departure from the national broadcaster after a nine-year term in office, with an insider revealing he ‘ruffled feathers’ by daring to give conservatives the ‘time of day’.
Tom Switzer, the host of the popular Saturday afternoon radio show and podcast Between the Lines, stated that he would be leaving ABC at the end of this year.
In a statement released Thursday, Switzer revealed he would be leaving to focus on his role as executive director of the Center for Independent Studies, a classical liberal think tank.
The academic and respected news editor joined the broadcaster in 2015 to host the program and sometimes present Counterpoint, Saturday Extra and Sunday Extra.
A ‘best of’ series of the show will be broadcast on Radio National this summer, with its final program airing on January 20.
The host of Radio National’s weekly show and podcast Between the Lines, Tom Switzer (pictured), has announced he will be leaving the ABC at the end of this year
“I have been very fortunate to work on various programs on ABC’s Radio National for the better part of a decade, most notably Between The Lines,” Switzer said in a statement.
‘I have learned a lot about the craft of serious interviewing on public broadcasting, and I am very grateful for all the support I have received from many producers, sound engineers and management.’
Radio National manager Cath Dwyer said Switzer “brought a deep understanding of foreign affairs and a diversity of voices and perspectives to Radio National”.
“His devoted listeners will miss his inquisitive mind, curiosity and desire to challenge ideas,” Ms. Dwyer said in a statement.
Switzer’s departure is also believed to have been influenced by ABC staff being “angry” about his choice of conservative guests on his show.
An ABC source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Switzer had been “ruffling feathers” on “Auntie” since his arrival because “he dared to give guests who wouldn’t normally appear on the ABC the time of day ‘.
The former academic and news editor joined Aunt in 2015 and had become one of the few conservative voices at the national broadcaster
“There is always another side to the story, sometimes even three sides, that is what the organization needs to understand,” the source said. The Australian.
“What other Conservative voices do they have there, besides (former Liberal minister Amanda) Vanstone? It’s moving dangerously into the territory of groupthink.”
The source noted that Switzer invited Nigel Lawson, a former Conservative politician in Britain who served in Margaret Thatcher’s cabinet, to his show in 2015 to explain his concerns about climate change alarmism.
Switzer himself had been a senior adviser to Brendan Nelson in 2008 and a year later would stand as a candidate for his northern Sydney electoral seat of Bradfield to replace Nelson.
He is now the latest in a long line of stars to leave the ABC.
Former Q+A presenter Stan Grant officially walked away in August, sports broadcaster Tracey Holmes announced her departure last month and ABC Sydney’s Afternoon presenter Josh Szeps announced his departure live on air last week.
During a lengthy monologue, Szeps said he was “too feisty” for the job and wanted “awkward conversations” that did not fit the broadcaster’s constraints.
He continued by saying that he could “come up with a lot of PR talk” but “if you know me you would know I don’t do bulls***, I’m a straight shooter.”