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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/dec/11/abc-tackles-allegations-of-editorial-bias-using-external-audits
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| ABC to conduct external audit over bias claims | ABC to conduct external audit over bias claims |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The ABC is tackling allegations of editorial bias with a new system of external audits, starting with an analysis of the impartiality of all radio interviews with the then prime minister and opposition leader during the 2013 election campaign. | |
| In an address to the National Press Club on Wednesday, ABC chairman Jim Spigelman said he had been “concerned” about the frequent allegations of a lack of impartiality at the ABC. | In an address to the National Press Club on Wednesday, ABC chairman Jim Spigelman said he had been “concerned” about the frequent allegations of a lack of impartiality at the ABC. |
| “I do not accept that it is systematic, but I do accept that it sometimes occurs,” he said, noting the complaints were usually about programs that represented less than 1% of the corporation’s program hours, but which “happen … to interest the political class most”. | “I do not accept that it is systematic, but I do accept that it sometimes occurs,” he said, noting the complaints were usually about programs that represented less than 1% of the corporation’s program hours, but which “happen … to interest the political class most”. |
| He announced the ABC would “produce and publish” a series of editorial audits on particular program topics by people outside its own organisation, on top of internal reviews already undertaken and a “guidance note on impartiality” issued in June. | He announced the ABC would “produce and publish” a series of editorial audits on particular program topics by people outside its own organisation, on top of internal reviews already undertaken and a “guidance note on impartiality” issued in June. |
| The first was well advanced. BBC broadcaster Andreea Wills was reporting on “the impartiality of all of the interviews on ABC radio of the then prime minister and then leader of the opposition during the recent election campaign”. The second would consider “the treatment of the debate about asylum seekers”. | The first was well advanced. BBC broadcaster Andreea Wills was reporting on “the impartiality of all of the interviews on ABC radio of the then prime minister and then leader of the opposition during the recent election campaign”. The second would consider “the treatment of the debate about asylum seekers”. |
| Spigelman said the ABC board had discussed the ABC’s decision to partner with Guardian Australia to publish documents showing Australia had sought to spy on Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, his wife and his inner circle and believed it was “within reasonable bounds of professional journalism” – a decision that has been criticised by prime minister Tony Abbott and communications minister Malcolm Turnbull. | |
| He said the board thought it was within the realms of “legitimate editorial decision to find it was in the public interest”. He said one important factor in the ABC’s decision was the fact that Guardian Australia was going to publish the documents anyway. | |
| Spigelman appeared to foreshadow that the ABC was likely to be hit as part of an across-the-board public service efficiency dividend or funding cut in next week’s mid-year economic statement, but said if the broadcaster was “singled out” it would contravene Abbott’s pre-election commitment that the Coalition would not touch the ABC’s three-year budget. | |
| “I have no reason to believe there will be a specific reference to the ABC next week. As to general cuts I really don’t know, but it’s in the air,” he said. | |
| Spigelman rejected criticism of the ABC’s expansion into online journalism, saying it ignored the realities of modern technology, the competitive impact of the trusted services the broadcaster has always provided and the corporations’ charter which both sides of politics had supported. | Spigelman rejected criticism of the ABC’s expansion into online journalism, saying it ignored the realities of modern technology, the competitive impact of the trusted services the broadcaster has always provided and the corporations’ charter which both sides of politics had supported. |
| Liberal politicians, lead by senator Cory Bernardi, and News Corp Australia, have argued the ABC should be prevented from moving into “new media”, with Bernardi arguing the ABC’s online news site should become subscription-based or paid for through advertising because they were “cannibalising” commercial news sites. | Liberal politicians, lead by senator Cory Bernardi, and News Corp Australia, have argued the ABC should be prevented from moving into “new media”, with Bernardi arguing the ABC’s online news site should become subscription-based or paid for through advertising because they were “cannibalising” commercial news sites. |
| Spigelman said the ABC’s free content had always created friction with commercial television and radio broadcasters, and the “remorseless imperatives of technology” meant this was now also occurring with traditional print media. | Spigelman said the ABC’s free content had always created friction with commercial television and radio broadcasters, and the “remorseless imperatives of technology” meant this was now also occurring with traditional print media. |
| “Some regard this form of competition by a public broadcaster to be ‘unfair’. However, that is the commercial effect of what the ABC has always done over its entire 80-year history. There is nothing fundamentally new here. Nor are the complaints. Nor is the attempt to exercise political influence to restrict us,” he said. | “Some regard this form of competition by a public broadcaster to be ‘unfair’. However, that is the commercial effect of what the ABC has always done over its entire 80-year history. There is nothing fundamentally new here. Nor are the complaints. Nor is the attempt to exercise political influence to restrict us,” he said. |
| Spigelman said that if the broadcaster was to get out of online content it would “marginalise the ABC … in the long run we would decrease in relevance and maybe that is part of the objective. I am not sure.” | |
| And he argued it was a “corruption of language” to describe the sale of the ABC as “privatisation” because there were no privately run companies capable of providing the same services. | And he argued it was a “corruption of language” to describe the sale of the ABC as “privatisation” because there were no privately run companies capable of providing the same services. |
| “When we privatised public corporations providing banking, electricity, telephone or airline services, no one noticed any difference in the fundamental nature of the services. No one detected a change when they sent or banked a cheque or made a telephone call or flicked a switch. In the case of a ‘privatised’ ABC, the services would be unrecognisable. To use the word “privatise” is an Orwellian corruption of language. A commercial monoculture in the media will either not deliver the broad range of content that public broadcasters have traditionally delivered, or will not deliver such content to the whole community.” | “When we privatised public corporations providing banking, electricity, telephone or airline services, no one noticed any difference in the fundamental nature of the services. No one detected a change when they sent or banked a cheque or made a telephone call or flicked a switch. In the case of a ‘privatised’ ABC, the services would be unrecognisable. To use the word “privatise” is an Orwellian corruption of language. A commercial monoculture in the media will either not deliver the broad range of content that public broadcasters have traditionally delivered, or will not deliver such content to the whole community.” |
| Spigelman pointedly described as “a highlight” of the year pre-election amendments to the ABC’s charter – supported by all political parties – which added “digital media services” as a core statutory function and explicitly banned advertising on all digital services. | Spigelman pointedly described as “a highlight” of the year pre-election amendments to the ABC’s charter – supported by all political parties – which added “digital media services” as a core statutory function and explicitly banned advertising on all digital services. |
| And he pointed out that the ABC was never intended as a “market failure broadcaster” – just filling gaps in the market – but rather was required by law “to provide programming of wide appeal as well as special interest programming”. | And he pointed out that the ABC was never intended as a “market failure broadcaster” – just filling gaps in the market – but rather was required by law “to provide programming of wide appeal as well as special interest programming”. |
| “Confining our programming to market failure content would be in breach of our statutory charter,” he said, and would threatened the role of a public broadcaster in promoting social cohesion and debate across the community as a whole. | “Confining our programming to market failure content would be in breach of our statutory charter,” he said, and would threatened the role of a public broadcaster in promoting social cohesion and debate across the community as a whole. |
| He also insisted the ABC delivered its services “at reasonable cost” – about $120 per year per household, which compared favourably with the cheapest Foxtel package of $564 a year. | He also insisted the ABC delivered its services “at reasonable cost” – about $120 per year per household, which compared favourably with the cheapest Foxtel package of $564 a year. |
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