ABC executives admit the editorial process had ‘clearly failed’ over the economics correspondent’s stories

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

ABC executives failed repeatedly to identify any factual errors in Emma Alberici’s coverage of tax policy at a heated Senate estimates hearing on Tuesday night.



Its managing director, Michelle Guthrie, said the editorial process had “clearly failed” in relation to the articles by the economics correspondent because the articles had to be amended.

But Guthrie and her editorial policy adviser, Alan Sunderland, refused to pinpoint a single error or identify a manager who was responsible for allowing them to be published.

When asked if she had complete confidence in Alberici, Guthrie said: “Emma Alberici will remain our chief economics correspondent.”

Guthrie said the news division had changed its policies after the incident and had boosted management ranks to ensure it didn’t happen again.



“I don’t think at all that we have hung Ms Alberici out to dry,” she said.

ABC tightens quality control in wake of Cabinet Files and Alberici controversies Read more

The executives were criticised by senators from both parties for their lack of preparation for the committee hearing, which was widely expected to focus on the Alberici case.

The Western Australian Liberal senator Linda Reynolds was appalled they could not give more details about the “catastrophic failure”.

In a feisty second appearance at estimates, Labor’s new senator, Kristina Keneally, said she believed she had a better grasp of the facts behind the Alberici debacle than Sunderland did.

“I must say, Mr Sunderland, that is incredibly disappointing,” Keneally said when he couldn’t answer her questions. “And I do find it hard to believe that the ABC hasn’t done a side-by-side analysis of the original article and the revised article.”

Keneally said she understood that the ABC’s news director, Gaven Morris – who had ruled the analysis article sounded too much like opinion – did not contact Alberici until 8pm, some 13 hours after the articles were published at about 6am. Morris received written complaints from the Coalition on the same day.

Sunderland said he didn’t know whether Alberici had chosen the photograph of the Qantas boss, Alan Joyce, to accompany her article or if she had written the captions, the headline or the social media posts promoting the work.

“Again, I don’t know,” he said. “I would have to check that level of detail.”

Keneally: “Have you reviewed this editorial process at all?”

Sunderland and Guthrie were protective of Morris and said they took “collective responsibility” and it wasn’t the fault of a single executive.

Keneally: “Did Gaven Morris have any involvement in any editorial process [before publication]?”

Sunderland: “Not to my knowledge.”

Guthrie said: “It’s not part of that process to determine who was responsible for every word in that article. It’s also not part of that process to determine who contacted who or when complaints came in.”

Turnbull, Fifield and Morrison wrote to ABC boss before tax cut analysis was removed Read more

Sunderland said the complaints from the Coalition were irrelevant to the decision to amend one article and pull the other one down.

“This is the process that occurred and this is the timeline that is relevant,” he said.

“The article was published early in the morning. The director of news immediately – within 90 minutes – raised [questions] with his line managers and editorial advisers. The complaints that were flowing externally to that were not part of that process.”

Keneally said the Alberici news piece had only two inconsequential errors of fact which were easily corrected and queried why the ABC had taken eight days to repost the analysis piece.

Craig Emerson (@DrCraigEmerson) After the coordinated Government & media bash up of @albericie including by the ABC, its incumbent upon the ABC to list the alleged inaccuracies in her report. This is appalling. Good on you @KKeneally https://t.co/h0iataN1to

The Australian has published several articles criticising Alberici, including three in Monday’s paper.

The ABC formally responded to another article in the Australian on Tuesday, but pulled up the columnist Nick Cater on his analysis of the ABC’s ratings figures and not on what he said about Alberici, which was that she had damaged the ABC’s brand.

In her opening statement to the committee Guthrie blamed the recent editorial restructure of the content division on the mistakes.

“But as our teams were moving into the new structure, we made mistakes,” she said. “Stories were published which hadn’t received the editorial scrutiny they needed, and weren’t up to our standards.

“This naturally prompted News’ leadership to review the internal handling of stories. Today News employees were briefed on changes to some roles, with a greater focus on editorial standards. I am confident the changes will strengthen processes, improve accountability and boost the quality of our digital and broadcasting coverage. We are also creating a new digital unit within our existing business reporting team to enhance quality control and increase oversight of daily news coverage.”