It seems poor 'Aunty' ABC was caught out for telling a basic truth about former sacked Australian Prime Minister and current Liberal MP for Warringah Anthony John "Tony" Abbott.
She should have known better - that judgement is not due to be handed down by historians until the day after his earthly demise.
Until then Australian voters must politiely pretend in public they have no idea this is so.
Australian Communications and Media
Authority, media release, 1 May 2018:
A statement contained in
an ABC News report breached the impartiality provisions of
the ABC Code
of Practice (the code), the Australian Communications and Media
Authority (ACMA) has found.
The ACMA investigated a
complaint about an ABC News report, broadcast nationally on 10
October 2017, covering a climate change speech by former prime minister the
Hon. Tony Abbott, MP to the Global Warming Policy Foundation think tank.
The investigation found
the report generally demonstrated fair treatment and open-mindedness in the way
it presented Mr Abbott’s views on climate change over time.
However, a statement
made to camera by the ABC’s political editor that Mr Abbott was ‘the most
destructive politician of his generation’ was declarative and not in keeping
with the scope of the factual matters presented earlier in the report.
The ACMA considered the
statement judgemental, not in language considered as analysis and one that the
ordinary reasonable viewer would have understood as a pejorative descriptor. As
a result, the ACMA found a breach of Standard 4.1 of the code, in that the
report was not presented with due impartiality.
‘The impartiality
provisions in the ABC’s own code require it to demonstrate balance and fair
treatment when presenting news, and avoid conveying a prejudgement’ said ACMA
Chair Nerida O’Loughlin.
‘This is only the second
breach by the ABC of its impartiality rules since 2011. While this demonstrates
strong compliance with these important provisions of the code, the ABC did not
get it right on this occasion,’ Ms O’Loughlin said.
The ABC has advised the
ACMA that ABC News will incorporate the ACMA finding into its
editorial compliance training programs. The ACMA accepts this as an appropriate
action by the ABC in the circumstances.
For more information,
please contact: Emma Rossi, Media and Communications Manager (02) 9334
7719, 0434 652 063 or media@acma.gov.au
Media release 11/2018 -
1 May
Wear the reprimand with pride, Andrew
Probyn and Aunty!
UPDATE
Time for the Streisand Effect to kick in......
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