Australia’s envoy to combat antisemitism has accused the ABC of being its own “judge, counsel and jury”, recommending the establishment of an independent oversight committee to review the public broadcaster’s compliance with its charter obligations.
The ABC and SBS have been called to give evidence at the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, with the inquiry hearing that a number of complaints had been received about the public broadcasters’ coverage of the conflict in the Middle East.
Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism, Jillian Segal, was called to discuss those concerns, telling the inquiry the Jewish community had told her the nature and volume of the coverage of the Israel-Gaza war had contributed to “an impression of great negativity about Israel”.
“Among the Australian Jewish community there is a common and pervasive perception that has been expressed to me repeatedly, that public broadcasters’ coverage of the State of Israel’s response to the October 7, 2023 attacks, and the ensuing conflict in [the] Gaza region lacked balance, was over-emphasised relative to other global conflicts, disproportionately gave voice to anti-Israel perspectives,” she told the commission.
Ms Segal says many from the Jewish community have concerns about the way public broadcasters report about the Israel-Gaza war. (ABC News)
The inquiry heard the ABC repeatedly reported an incorrect statement first made on the BBC that 14,000 babies would die in 48 hours in Gaza on May 21, 2025.
The statement was made at 6am on its News Breakfast program that morning, with an on-air correction not made until 4pm during the Afternoon Briefing broadcast.
An online correction was published online a week later.
Responding to four complaints about the incident, the ABC ombudsman found the broadcaster had breached its accuracy standards in its reporting and failure to issue a timely correction.
The ABC’s editorial director Gavin Fang said it was a “bad mistake” the on-air correction was not made on the same program the error first occurred.
“The correction came on the news channel, the same channel that hosts News Breakfast, later in the afternoon. Ordinarily we would try to … get a correction as soon as possible, but also do a correction to the same or similar audience,” he said.
‘Judge, counsel and jury’
Counsel assisting Richard Lancaster SC put to Ms Segal that it was difficult to verify those community perceptions given the concerns were broad in nature.
Ms Segal said mechanisms like the ABC’s complaints management process, overseen by the ABC ombudsman, could be used to test the accuracy of concerns within the Jewish community.
The ABC’s complaints management process is overseen by the ABC ombudsman. (AAP: Danny Casey)
But she said those processes were currently ineffective, recommending an independent oversight board be appointed for the public broadcaster.
“They are, with respect, judge, counsel, and jury.
“I suggest re-establishing … an external ombudsman like other industries have. It is the gold standard, they don’t mark their own homework.“
Mr Lancaster put to Ms Segal that the ABC ombudsman had a “track record” of causing editorial policy changes to be made in response to complaints about coverage on matters in the Middle East.
“Does that suggest that the ombudsman is functioning independently of the ABC editorial management because there is a track record of causing editorial changes to be made to at least that Middle East guidance policy?” he put to Ms Segal.
Mr Lancaster says ACMA has not found any instances of the ABC or SBS breaching relevant code provisions in coverage since October, 2023. (ABC News)
Ms Segal said the ombudsman, appointed by the ABC board, was a voice independent of the ABC’s reporting, but maintained external oversight was important.
“Most important structures in our society … have external complaints management. It is the gold standard,” she said.
“I think that the media … is incredibly important and we should make them be beyond reproach.”
Mr Fang said he did not know how an external oversight body like the one Ms Segal suggested would operate effectively.
“I think the current structures, which involve an ombudsman that is separate to the content teams that reports to the board is functioning effectively, and there is additional oversight from the ACMA (Australian Communications and Media Authority),” he said.
“I’m not sure how another oversight body might function in addition to that existing oversight body which already has the power to review and to examine the ABC’s content.”
ABC policies ‘effective’, says editorial director
Mr Lancaster pressed Ms Segal on her claim the public broadcasters had over-represented the Middle East conflict in their reporting in comparison to other international news events
“Do you accept the ABC could not be criticised … considering it has an obligation given its statutory responsibilities to give a substantial measure of attention to a conflict of that significance?” he put to Ms Segal.
“I’m not in any way suggesting that they shouldn’t cover the matters that they consider important, but there are also lots of important issues around the world,” Ms Segal said in response.
“There are major famines, there are other wars we don’t hear about at all in Africa.
“It’s the perception of the Jewish community feeling constantly that they are being faced with reporting about the Middle East, about Gaza and about Israel in a way that paints Israel constantly in a negative light.”
Ms Segal also expressed concern that the ABC and SBS had not adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism.
The IHRA definition, stating that “antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred towards Jews”, has been adopted by both the commission and the Australian government.
It is a subject of controversy, with some arguing it could be used to stifle free speech and legitimate criticism of Israel.
The ABC’s Gavin Fang fronted the royal commission on Thursday. (ABC News: Floss Adams)
Mr Fang said the broadcaster relied on its existing editorial guidelines on hate speech.
“It is important for us to maintain, not just our independence, but the perception of independence,” he said.
“Adopting a definition that is contested would not help us with both the perception of independence and our independence more broadly.
“Our current framework, as it relates to our editorial policies, is effective in doing that.”
Media authority’s role
Ms Segal said the Jewish community had also expressed frustration with the ACMA which she described as a “well-meaning regulator” that was “without teeth”.
She said the Jewish community was concerned coverage of the Israel-Gaza war by the ABC and SBS had “exacerbated the prevalence of antisemitism in Australia due to the conflation of Jewish identity with the State of Israel and its actions”.
ACMA is an independent Commonwealth authority responsible for regulating media in Australia. (ABC News: Clarissa Thorpe)
Mr Lancaster told the commission ACMA had not found any instances of the ABC or SBS breaching relevant code provisions in coverage of the Israel-Gaza conflict or otherwise since October 2023.
“Does that suggest also that the current structure of the ombudsman in each broadcaster is working effectively, that ACMA have not in any instance identified a difficulty?” he put to Ms Segal.
The special envoy rejected the suggestion.
“I just don’t accept that,” she said.
“I do concede [ACMA] haven’t found a great deal of inaccuracy, but it’s the more complex, nuanced issues of prioritisation, impartiality, objectivity and balance that I’m concerned to achieve.”
ABC ombudsman Fiona Cameron will also front the commission on Thursday, followed by SBS’s director of audio and language content David Thanh Man Tue Hua, director of news and current affairs Amanda Wicks, and ombudsman Amy Stockwell.
Public broadcasters release statements
The ABC on Wednesday released a statement in which it rejected “claims that its journalism has contributed to antisemitism or social division”.
Mr Fang says the ABC has provided content makers with a Middle East guidance document to aid coverage. (ABC News)
In its statement ahead of the hearing, SBS said it represented “Jewish Australian stories and perspectives in a way that is respectful, accurate and inclusive”.
The SBS also released a 39-page written submission it had made to the commission.
Mr Lancaster last week said the inquiry had received submissions from people and groups who were “dissatisfied and highly critical of the public broadcasters’ coverage of the conflict in the Middle East”.
At the start of the hearing block, Royal Commissioner Virginia Bell AC SC said the inquiry was not required to generally investigate claims of biased reporting in particular instances.
A group of about 50 people gathered outside the commission building in Sydney on Thursday morning to protest, calling on the inquiry to hear from more witnesses who were “anti-Zionist Jews, Palestinian activists and anti-genocide campaigners”.
They carried signs with slogans such as “no pride in genocide” and “anti-Zionism is not antisemitism”.
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.abc.net.au ’
