To put it simply, doubt is the essence of knowledge. You have to have doubt in order to understand and discover. But the default position of conservatism is to accept and preserve rather than question, challenge or seek change. This means conservatives often misread the critical, questioning approach taken by good journalism and research-based education, seeing it in simplistic terms as ''left-wing'' bias.

There are important connections between the two spheres of journalism and scholarship. Both share the same broad mandate - to discover, to know - and both take much the same approach to achieving that through critical questioning, research and contrasting and checking sources.

Many people in conservative-held electorates, including in rural and regional Australia, rely upon and prefer the ABC. Research conducted by Newspoll last year found that about 80 per cent of Australians believe the ABC does a ''good job'' covering country and regional issues, compared with only 45 per cent for commercial media.

Although numerous internal and external studies of ABC content have found there is no systematic bias, conservative critics won't be convinced because they perceive bias in a more intangible way - as something that underlies the whole approach used at the ABC, rather than what is measurable (such as equal time or a right of reply).

Good journalism and good scholarship require a sceptical approach - to never take anything at face value or give anyone the benefit of the doubt. Always question, critique and look for problems because therein lies the potential for improvement and solutions.

Conservatives don't seem to understand the paradox: that the things they dislike about the ABC (and universities) are also the same things that make them value those institutions. That make them want to go to Oxford or Yale or to watch Four Corners instead of The Biggest Loser. If conservative critics got the changes they wanted, they wouldn't frequent those institutions as much as they do now because if those institutions were uncritical, deferential, celebratory of society as it is, they would no longer be prestigious universities or highly trusted public broadcasters. Their reputations and quality are based upon doing the intellectual hard work of doubting.

Politicians say they defer to popular will - ''the Australian people always get it right'' - except for when popular will doesn't suit their political agenda. In this case, the Australian public's support for both institutions is strong and clear. More Australians are attending university, while the ABC is the most trusted news organisation in the country.

Forty years ago, less than 5 per cent of Australians had a degree. If enrolments stay on trend, soon 40 per cent of the working-age population will have a bachelor's degree. Research by Universities Australia last year found that 88 per cent of people want their children to obtain a university education.