ABC News cited by regulator for lack of impartiality in abuse story
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has ruled ABC News breached the organisation’s Code of Practice in reporting allegations of historical sex abuse.
In a story covering historical child abuse sex allegations against the late Dr Vincent John Adams Flynn aired by ABC Canberra on November 19 last year, the ACMA found ABC News breached the code’s impartiality provisions.
It is the first time since 2011 the regulator has upheld a complaint against the ABC.
The segment raised allegations against Flynn with the ACMA finding the tone and language used conveyed the view the claims were true, the ACMA said.
It added the report made no mention of Flynn’s explicit denial of the allegations to the ABC, which created a sense of prejudgement in the report.
According to the ABC Code of Practice, the broadcaster has a duty to ensure gathering and presentation of news and information is impartial.
The ACMA found the ABC failed to handle the gathering of information and presentation of the report with due impartiality, breaching the Code of Practice.
However, the ACMA said ABC did not breach standards in relation to accuracy, nor in relation to attribution of information.
Unlike other broadcasters, the ACMA has more enforcement power in regards to the ABC and adjudications, and if specific actions are not taken in relation to a breach or complaint, the ACMA can report the failure to the Minister, and the report can appear in Parliament.
Responding to the ACMA, ABC added Flynn’s statement of denial to a similar online report on the matter, which was noted on the ABC’s Corrections and Clarifications webpage.
The ABC has also discussed the ACMA’s finding with the reporter involved and circulated the investigation report to senior news management.
Once again shows that the problem with ABC News isn’t “bias”, it’s laziness.
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… or ongoing annual budget cuts. One day the ABC may even end up as bad as the commercial media.
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