2GB’s Ray Hadley broke radio rules on accuracy and corrections over budget cuts story, rules ACMA
2GB has fallen foul of the media watchdog over Ray Hadley’s airing of an inaccurate story from The Daily Telegraph.
According to a finding published by the Australian Communications and Media Authority, the Sydney talk station breached the codes of practice for commercial radio with its failure to correct the story, as well as the original broadcast.
Hadley, who presents the high rating mid-morning show on the station, gave airtime to a story by The Tele’s Steve Lewis claiming that school children visiting Parliament would no longer be given snacks because of budget cuts.
About an hour before Hadley went on air, a statement was put out on behalf of then treasurer Wayne Swan saying that The tele’s story was “completely wrong”. Three days prior to the story being published, the Clerk to the House of representatives had ruled out such cuts.
Hadley put Lewis on the air, who at that stage stood by his story.
Later that day, The Tele later reported online that the proposals had been dropped and published a correction the next day.
But when Hadley referred to the matter again, he told listeners: “Finally yesterday, after the story was published, another document appeared apart from the email saying there would not be a stop to the children getting their water and snacks. So, it’s a victory for common sense.”
The complaint to the ACMA said that Hadley had not made reasonable efforts to verify the accuracy of the claim, and had then failed to broadcast a proper correction.
The ACMA said “reference to and reliance on current mainstream media reports in many (if not most) situations will be evidence of a licensee’s reasonable efforts to ensure that factual material is reasonably supported as accurate”. But it added: “The existence prior to the broadcast of a public statement… directly contradicting The Daily Telegraph article made problematic reliance predominantly on that article. In such circumstances, more effort was required.”
On the lack of a proper correction, the ACMA said: “A ‘correction’ need not be detailed or drawn out and it need not (necessarily) show contrition or include an apology, but it does need to be unequivocal, and must include a clear reference to the original statement, an acknowledgement that it was incorrect and an indication of the current position.”
The ACMA said it was in discussion with the radio station abut “remedial measures”.
Tim Burrowes
You would think after years of wrist slapping ACMA might one day stand up and punch someone in the face.
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And chances of ACMA doing anything about it are?
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Ray Hadley, in trying to follow the formula of his shrieking stablemate Jones, implied that the might of his radio shout out and influence had stopped the budget cuts. Hadley did this by saying “it’s a victory for common sense” as if the department had taken advice from him, so unlikely. Angry windbags are not a point of reference for most intelligent people.
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It would be hard to think anyone at 2GB is bothered about anything ACMA says. Then again maybe the office boy who has to write the official response just might be upset about going to lunch a few seconds late.
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If ACMA had no teeth under Labour they will have no gums with the the Libs with this radio station.
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This is what happens when you use the Daily Telegraph as a script.
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I think at time 2GB commentators like living up to their names as Shock Jocks but it is also unfair how the system works from both sides. On the one hand people can be crucified and being allowed to defend themselves on air is not an option since they know this is just another opportunity for someone to show how smart they are. On the other hand the fine of $100,000 against Hinch personally seems totally out of proportion with the offence, not taking down a web page quickly enough after a suppression order was released. With these disparities it would seem that a better system should be applied.
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