I realise you are baiting but I will take a bite anyway because I have a love/hate relationship with the ABC!
Grey area with no definitive line but you would generally differentiate the Greens on the far left, Labor left to centre left and the Coalition centre right to right winged. Their policies dictate left or right as progressive or conservative! I believe the terms actually arose from parliamentary seating arrangements in France at one time. Therefore those journalists that lean in presentation to afford certain policies and/or subsequent issues either more air or justification would by the above definition be determined left or right.
The ABC once focused more time to issues highlighted by the right side of politics but has progressively (no pun) moved to a centre left position. This may be due to various reasons but the growing number of traditionally left leaning journalists, production and editorial staff would stand out as the main concern. The ABC is very careful not to exceed the charter in most cases which is why they pass their handpicked audits but as I have detailed in previous posts sometimes these boundaries are heavily crossed.
I think the ABC needs to remove opinion pieces and reduce their current affairs dramatically to just straight news reporting. People are not restricted in access to expressed views with the advent of the internet and number of free to air channels so there is absolutely no need for the ABC to drive this sector. Fairfax which would be considered a left leaning private entity is in part becoming obsolete because their readership has moved to the ABC.
The ABC charter clearly states the aims and purpose of the public broadcaster and I think it is time for it to dissolve its current trajectory and reinstate a more rural focus where Australians have less choice.
