Media watchdog’s report into Christchurch shootings goes soft on showing violent footage
In this crossposting from The Conversation, Denis Muller explains the Australian Communication and Media Authority’s report on how Australian media outlets reported on the Christchurch terror attack.
Coverage of the Christchurch terrorism by Australia’s television channels raised “serious questions” about whether they had breached the television codes of practice, according to the broadcasting regulator, the Australian Communication and Media Authority (ACMA).
However, it has declined to make specific findings that the codes were in fact breached.
The ACMA and media outlets will now have discussions about how to cover violence attacks like that in Christchurch, in future.
AAP/Mick Tsikas
Instead, it proposes to discuss with the television industry whether the codes are adequately framed to deal with the kind of material generated by the atrocity, especially the footage from the terrorist’s bodycam.
