Senators slam ABC, SBS

LIBERAL senators Michael Ronaldson (pictured, left) and Santo Santoro (pictured,right)

are once again chiding broadcasters ABC and SBS for 'bias" in the reporting of the Middle East crisis.

Speaking to a Melbourne community forum organised by the B'nai B'rith Anti-Defamation Commission this week, Santoro said ABC and SBS bias was evident in reporters' language.'How often have you heard the terms 'indiscriminate', 'illegal', 'contrary to international law' and 'disproportionate' applied by the ABC and SBS not to Israel, but to Hezbollah and Hamas' practice of shelling civilian towns in Israel? The answer: not once!

'It should not be the role of the national broadcasters to misrepresent that threat, to downplay it, or to somehow represent Israel and the United States as the cause, simply because of the left-wing prejudices of a large number of strategically-placed journalists and producers," he said. Ronaldson, for his part, has called on members of the public to submit examples of bias in ABC and SBS reporting. "If the ABC and SBS won't demonstrate their commitment to objective reporting, I will be forced to again bring the community concerns to the next Senate Estimates hearing, "Ronaldson said.

The current lamentable situation in the Middle East requires objective and unbiased reporting. On this count, the ABC and SBS have failed again, putting them in breach of their charters,Ronaldson said.

"A public review must be instigated with the greatest urgency", he added.