Russell Skelton named editor of ABC fact checking unit
The ABC has announced Fairfax journalist Russell Skelton as the editor of its new fact check unit.
Skelton is currently a contributing editor with The Age where he is responsible for special investigations and reporting assignments and coverage of indigenous and other national issues.
The public broadcaster moved to set up the fact checking unit after it received an extra $10 million in funding from the Government.
Head of ABC Current Affairs Bruce Belsham announced the appointment in an email to staff this afternoon describing Skelton as a journalist with “a reputation for accuracy and integrity.”
The announcement to staff:
“I’m pleased to announce the appointment of a new and foundation Editor for the ABC Fact Check unit.
“Russell Skelton has vast experience as both a media executive and writer. He is a highly regarded reporter and Contributing Editor to The Age newspaper and Fairfax Media. A former deputy editor, business editor, foreign editor and North Asia correspondent for The Age, Russell has worked in top positions at Fairfax and News Limited. He has been business editor of the Melbourne Herald.
“Russell also worked for the ABC as Executive Producer for 7.30 Victoria.
“He is the winner of numerous awards including a Walkley and the George Munster award for independent journalism.
“The ABC News Division is delighted to attract to this position a journalist with Russell’s reputation for accuracy and integrity.”
Nic Christensen
Mr Skelton is without doubt very experienced…..but the ABC choosing someone from The Age?? Of all places?
The Age, where they still get misty-eyed about Marx (Karl, not Groucho); where they sing the Internationale and Solidarity Forever every morning before pictures of two failed PMs, Whitlam and Keating. The Age, where it’s dogma-eat-dogma.
“Fact checking”? Good luck with that.
There’s already a Skelton in the closet.
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C’mon guys lets attack the message not the messenger , no wait ,or may be the messanger because we don’t really want some one with a brief to check the facts of a politicians statement, hell no, transparency is un-Australian.
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