ABC admits ‘editorial error’ in cross promotion of Micallef’s Mad as Hell on ABC News
The ABC has conceded it made an “editorial error” in broadcasting a three minute satirical clip from Shaun Micallef’s Mad as Hell during its news broadcast.
The public broadcaster’s own show Media Watch last night reprimanded the ABC over the inclusion of a clip mocking the Coalition Medicare co-payment plan in ABC 24’s Morning News, ABC News Breakfast and ABC Midday news program.
“It is appropriate to cross-promote another ABC program if content from that program has been used in a news program but the Micallef clip was not appropriate,” an ABC spokeswoman said in response to questions about the program from Media Watch.
The Micallef clip played during the ABC News
Media Watch host Paul Barry last night criticised the decision to air the asking: “Cross promoting your own shows in a news bulletin is surely bad enough. But mixing satire with straight news is Mad as Hell.”
He also argued that it opened ABC News up to accusations of political bias at a time “when the ABC is being accused of bias” by critics.
“I’m a great fan of Micallef. I also like ABC News. But putting satirical attacks on the Government in a news bulletin is really not funny,” concluded Barry.
Nic Christensen
ABC news makes an “editorial error” almost every Monday when it uses the 7pm News to promote either 4 Corners or Australian Story (both NewsCaff productions) in the form of an extended “news item”. It’s blatant hypocrisy and it’s been going on for years. They’ve started doing the same with 7.30 as well.
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Meh, this is an issue? The content on commercial rivals is nothing *but* ads, bookended by ads.
And when Foxtel and Nine and Fairfax and News and all the rest have crumbled to digital dust, we’ll still have the ABC, ad free.
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Exactly EFG. This is getting confusing…do the neo-cons want the ABC to be more like a commercial station? Or do they want it to stay an independent, authoritative news source?
Oh that’s right, they actually want it gone so they can increase their profits and monopolize the sector.
I expect several follow up articles with details of how the tabloid current affairs programs are making editorial mistakes many times per episode. Oh, they don’t actually do internal reviews? And if they did they would never release the findings publicly
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Hey Jackie
Agree 100%
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It is a bit hard to follow your argument CJ. Both 4 Corners and Australian Story are news shows, so what is wrong in promoting them in the News? Especially as the promos also include news. Micallef’s Mad as Hell is a comedy show it falls into a totally different category.
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Thank goodness the commercial broadcasters don’t promote their comedy channels ensuring news independence.
Hang on, late breaking news.
What’s that? They do?!?!
Now over to the weather for more on this storm in a teacup.
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