Labor asks for donations to make ABC 'fighting fund', page-45

You do realise that the ABC is taxpayer funded and they are not in competition with the commercial networks? They do not need ratings, or advertising or 'talent'. They need to provide a "public service".
The whole thing needs to be split up into regional radio and tv networks. Local news from local newsrooms with bulletins from a national feed. You could get 10 local broadcasters for the cost of Jonathan '15 minutes a week' Holmes, not to mention the 'researchers' involved.
Spread the work, increase the coverage, slash the budget and get back to its original focus.