ACMA finds ABC 7.30 in breach over MyBudget broadcast
Media watchdog the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has found the ABC’s 7.30 program was in breach of the ABC Code of Practice, ruling it did not give a personal budgeting business right of reply to allegations of mismanagement and neglect.
The program, broadcast on 9 December 2013, focused on the rise of commercial debt management firms and highlighted MyBudget, a website providing services to people in financial difficulty.,
The ACMA found a breach of standard 5.3 of the Code as MyBudget was not given the opportunity to provide a response to specific allegations by two former clients that its actions were improper or negligent. It also found these allegations were in the category captured by standard 5.3, which requires reasonable efforts to be made in the circumstances to provide a fair opportunity to respond.
The watchdog found no breach of ABC Code obligations relating to accuracy, impartiality and informing participants of the general nature of their participation in its story.
“The ABC vigorously defended its reporting on this story to the ACMA but we accept today’s finding,” said an ABC spokeswoman.
“It is always a matter of judgement on how much information is provided to people who are being asked to respond to allegations. The judgement from the ACMA was that, while we did provide information and an opportunity to respond, it was not enough and we should have given them more specific information.
“We take these matters seriously and the 7.30 team will go through the judgement and look at the lessons learned.”
The ABC has undertaken to place an Editor’s Note on the segment transcript, acknowledging the ACMA’s breach finding, as well as on the ABC Corrections and Clarifications webpage.
Nic Christensen
