ABC’s coverage of King Charles Coronation was ‘jarring and distracting’ – ombudsman says
ABC coverage of King Charles III’s coronation labeled ‘shocking and distracting’ but was NOT against standards – complaints were made to broadcaster after 1800
The ABC ombudsman found the national broadcaster’s coverage of the coronation of King Charles III “shocking and distracting.”
However, it did not violate editorial standards around impartiality, the ombudsman said in a finding released Thursday.
Well before the ceremony, the ABC received 1832 complaints about its coverage of Indigenous issues, which more than a million people tuned into the network to watch.
The ABC received more than 1,800 complaints about coverage of the king’s coronation, but more than a million people tuned in
The complaints related to a segment from 5:15 to 6:00 p.m. in which a panel discussed “critical perspectives on the role of the monarchy in modern Australia” as early guests arrived at Westminster Abbey.
The ombudsman said: ‘While the ABC must be fair, accurate and open-minded in all cases, the standards of impartiality do not require that every perspective be given equal time, nor that every facet of every argument be presented’.
The panel was hosted by Jeremy Fernandez and Julia Baird, co-chair of the republican movement Craig Foster, and MP Julian Leeser, one of the Liberal Party’s proponents of a vote to parliament.
The coverage also featured Stan Grant, who very publicly resigned as Q+A presenter last week after racism against him increased after his performance.
The ombudsman’s report noted that several “conservative voices” had been invited to appear on the segment to present opposing views, but declined.
More to come