The ABC has responded to Senator Alston’s complaint letter about Iraq War bias, dismissing most of the complaints. Senator Alston’s main focus was on the ABC current affairs radio program AM about which he made 68 complaints.
Senator Alston’s letter complained particularly about `biased’ and `anti-American’ coverage by the ABC. He intends to review the ABC’s response before deciding whether to take the complaint the next step further through the complaints process, to the ABA.
Describing the process of reviewing the complaint, The ABC says the complaints “were referred on the same day to the ABC’s Complaints Review Executive, an independent office established recently under enhanced complaints handling procedures.”
Complaints Review Executive Murray Green has upheld two of Senator Alston’s complaints and rejected 66. He also rejected the inference contained in the Minister’s complaint that the ABC’s coverage was biased.
When contacted by radioinfo Murray Green declined to be interviewed, saying that the issues canvassed in the report are more important than any individual comments he might make about it. The 130 page report can be read in full at the link below.
In its most recent report the Complaints Review Office detailed “4057 contacts finalised during this period. Of these, the clear majority were appreciative and only 1457 (or 36%) were complaints. Of these complaints, 49 were upheld either fully or partially. This represents 3.4% of all complaints, or 1.2% of all contacts to the ABC, which were finalised during this period.”
In a formal statement,ABC Managing Director Russell Balding said: “I am satisfied with both the process and outcome of this investigation. It vindicates the AM program and its staff in relation to the Minister’s complaint. The ABC’s war coverage was second to none and I stand firmly behind the ABC’s programs.”
“While noting that these allegations are most serious and are fundamental to the ABC’s integrity, I also acknowledge that the ABC is accountable to the Australian community through the Parliament of Australia and that individuals have a right to complain and have that complaint properly considered and responded to.
“Overall, I believe our coverage of the conflict was balanced and delivered in a professional manner upholding the standards of objective journalism.”
In coming to its conclusions the Complaints Review Executive “employed rigorous standards of research and investigation of the complaints and the coverage. All editions of AM were analysed over the period of the war from 20 March 2003 until 14 April 2003, including full transcripts and audio recordings of the programs and against transcripts of official press briefings undertaken by the White House, the Pentagon and Centcom in Qatar.
The ABC’s News and Current Affairs division was required to provide
responses to the Complaints Review Executive on the coverage. Reportage of the Iraq War was also tracked against other media.
As with any other complainant, if the Minister is dissatisfied with the
outcome of this appraisal then he may have the matter further considered by the Independent Complaints Review Panel and/or the Australian Broadcasting Authority.
The report is being made publicly available (click link below).