ABC sets new editorial benchmarks

ABC Managing Director Mark Scott today announced significant changes to the ABC’s Editorial Polices, in a presentation made to ABC staff across the country and detailed later in an address to the Sydney Institute.

Mr Scott said these policies were the product of lengthy discussion, involving staff, management and the Board.

“It is vital as a public broadcaster that the ABC set higher standards for itself than any other media organisation in Australia,” Mr Scott said.

“The revised editorial policies are the most significant statement of values the ABC has made in over twenty years, giving greater emphasis to the need for impartiality in the ABC’s coverage of contentious matters.”

Mr Scott highlighted three key areas of change.

1. ABC Editorial Policies now require the ABC to be able to demonstrate impartiality at the platform level (i.e. the individual television or radio network, or on ABC Online) for opinion, topical and factual content. This means the ABC must provide its audiences a range of different perspectives on the subject under consideration.
2. A new content category called Opinion is being recognised within ABC content for the first time. This is content presented from a particular point of view about a matter of public contention. This content will be signposted and the requirement for impartiality will mean a range of views must be presented over time.
3. A new position, Director of ABC Editorial Polices will be created to report to the Managing Director in his role as Editor-in-Chief to provide independent assessment of editorial performance.

“These policies are the best means through which the ABC can in years ahead live up to both the trust that is placed in it, and the requirements of the ABC Act,” Mr Scott said.

“Our journalists need to be able to undertake courageous journalism. Journalism that is fair, accurate, balanced and objective. To find the big stories and to hold those who seek to lead us: in government, in business, in trade unions, to account for the promises they have made and the truths they espouse.

“The policies will ensure that ABC audiences can see and hear a broad range of viewpoints on matters of importance. The ABC has to be the place for the contest of all ideas.”

Mr Scott said the policies will now apply to programming over four content categories: news and current affairs, topical and factual, opinion and performance.

“As a creator, broadcaster and publisher of news and current affairs content, there is a requirement for impartiality at the content or program level,” Mr Scott said.

“For opinion programs or programs of topical and factual content, the ABC must be able to demonstrate that it has provided audiences with a range of different perspectives on the subject under consideration on each platform, be it Radio, Television or Online.

“Today I have briefed ABC staff about the changes. A series of training sessions will now be rolled out through to 1 March 2007, when the policies will take effect.”

The ABC Editorial Policies were last published in 2002 and were updated incrementally in July 2004, February 2005 and June 2005.