ABC Alice Springs coverage: Ex-journalist and senator Sarah Henderson slams ABC over apology
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A former ABC journalist downplayed the public broadcaster’s apology for its ‘skewed’ coverage of the Alice Springs community meeting and reiterated her intention to file a complaint with the media watchdog.
ABC issued a humiliating apology admitting it provided ‘incomplete’ coverage of the Save Alice Springs meeting on Monday.
Some 3,000 terrified residents had come forward to discuss their concerns about the out-of-control youth crime wave sweeping through their community.
Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson, who once worked as a consumer reporter at ABC and once hosted 7.30 in Victoria, criticized her former employer for issuing an apology only after receiving backlash for her coverage.
Some 3,000 terrified Alice Springs residents turned up to speak about their concerns about the wave of juvenile crime sweeping through the community.
Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson, a former ABC journalist, intends to lodge a complaint against the public broadcaster with the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
“ABC’s belated apology for its shockingly biased reporting of Monday’s Alice Springs town meeting, after arrogantly defending its coverage, reflects very poorly on editor-in-chief MD David Anderson,” he wrote.
Senator Henderson added that her complaint against ABC to the Australian Communications and Media Authority would “go ahead”.
The senator wasn’t the only person to criticize ABC for its apology, with many taking to social media to vent.
“You can stick your ‘partial apology’ where the sun doesn’t shine,” wrote one.
“Also, defund ABC because I’m sick of it stirring up fake news and having to fund it.”
‘The @ABCaustralia has backtracked on its controversial coverage of Alice Springs, issuing an apology just hours after being threatened with an official investigation into the matter,’ said another.
How about taking a broom across the ABC board? Enough of the ABC bias.’
A third commented: ‘ABC must be held accountable. They have been reckless in trying to fabricate a narrative.
Senator Henderson criticized the public broadcaster for its “late apology” and “shockingly biased reporting”
Others also took to social media to criticize ABC for its apology and coverage.
It’s time to defund the ABC. The $1.3 billion a year can be put to much better use,” said another.
One Twitter user wrote: “Should be taken off air, national disgrace will never be seen again.”
‘I am a recent immigrant to Australia. I have never watched ABC since 2016. I realized that it is part of their DNA not to adequately report or cover the contexts or the variety of perspectives, if it goes against their narrative,” added a man.
They have much to redeem.
The ABC was accused of bias after interviewing people who criticized the meeting as “racist”.
ABC’s Indian Affairs correspondent Carly Williams’ live telecast said many people had left the gathering early and that “a non-Indigenous person” had described the gathering as “a disgusting display of white supremacy.”
The public broadcaster faced the threat of an official investigation for its coverage that aired on its flagship current affairs program AM and in another television report.
ABC Indian Affairs correspondent Carly Williams’ live television broadcast of the meeting said many people had left the meeting early and that “one non-Indigenous person” had described the meeting as “a show disgusting white supremacist”.
ABC issued a statement on Saturday apologizing to its audience for its coverage of the match.
ABC issued a statement Saturday apologizing to its audience.
“We recognize that a report on AM was incomplete and did not adequately cover the full context of the meeting or the range of perspectives expressed in it,” it said.
“ABC News apologizes to the public for providing an incomplete picture of the event in this case.”
The public broadcaster went on to say that it had “accurately reported” the views of “some people who attended the community meeting.”
“However, this report should have included a broader range of perspectives expressed at the meeting, and more information about what was discussed, to provide additional context,” the statement read.
“Following this report, ABC News published additional coverage of the issue that included a broader range of perspectives and contexts.”
ABC stood by its journalists saying that it had extensively covered the current issues of substance abuse and public violence in the area.
The AM report from the crisis meeting is still available online, but it comes with an editor’s note.
Senator Henderson previously filed a complaint about two reports ABC filed about a crime meeting with the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
Senator Henderson previously filed a complaint about two reports that ABC filed about a crime meeting with the ACMA.
He called the report “monumentally distorted” and criticized ABC management who defended the report as “complete and utter garbage.”
The senator called the station’s coverage ‘garbage reporting’
“ABC senior management and advisers have defended this report,” he said.
“There should be a retraction, an apology and a review of journalistic training standards.”
“I am asking the ACMA to investigate ABC for a violation of its code of practice.”
Thousands of fed up residents turned out for the Save Alice Springs rally after intense media focus on the town’s battle against a crime crisis, amid threats from locals to sue the Northern Territory government over a compensation of 1.5 billion dollars.
The audience at the town hall meeting included concerned families, business owners, indigenous leaders, health and emergency service workers, and police officers.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted ABC for comment.