Media Watch this week also covered an internal dispute within ABC Radio’s Bega office, where the acting manager pressured a presenter to reveal on air a confidential source who leaked a document, which is against ABC policy guidelines.

Bega Local ABC Radio, Interview with Andrew Constance, 19th May, 2006:

Presenter Rowan Barwick: Andrew, I should clarify yesterday we spoke to Neil Mumme on the program and he was outraged you could say that the document had been leaked. And in fact it was yourself that leaked it to the ABC here. Will you confirm that?

Local politician Andrew Constance: Well I’m not going to. Well I find that to be an inappropriate question for the ABC …

In the lead up to that live to air interview, the ABC had been leaked sensitive documents about a local planning issue involving a marine park, which had caused controversy. Media Watch’s tipster is quoted saying:

…the station manager was furious… he instructed the Morning Program producer and presenter to get the member for Bega, Andrew Constance, to confirm on air that he had leaked the document to the ABC. Both the producer and the presenter argued that they shouldn’t do this, that the ABC doesn’t reveal its sources…The manager tried to justify his actions by arguing it is important for the community to know who is leaking confidential information to the ABC.

To force an ABC staff member to reveal confidential sources is against Section 5.4 of the ABC Editorial Policy.

The acting manager is no longer with the station.

The full story is on the Media Watch website (click below).