When 32 of the nation's best-known male TV presenters gathered for a photo shoot two weeks ago, they didn't expect to be used as the mouthpiece for a News Limited campaign against Conroy's media reforms, writes ABC's Michael Rowland.

As an idea, the Sunday Telegraph's 'Men of TV' story was born of gender equality.

The paper had earlier this year run a well-received piece on Australia's top female TV news presenters and reporters. The women, including the ABC's Juanita Phillips, spoke about their career highlights and the role models who inspired them.

It went down so well the paper reckoned it would be a shame if the blokes in news didn't get a look in too. So the invitations went out and, after a bit of juggling, a photo shoot was arranged in Sydney on February 27.

Thirty-two of us gathered in an airy News Limited studio for what turned out to be a really enjoyable couple of hours. Network rivalries were put to one side as the jokes and laughter flowed.

The competitive spirit really only reared its head when a football was tossed into the line up for a couple of really good action shots.

Before and after the shoot we were all taken aside and asked individually about how we got into journalism, our most challenging assignments and where we all thought the industry was heading. They were all perfectly reasonable and relevant questions.

The Sunday Telegraph reporters and photographers were all extremely professional and a pleasure to work with.

Fast forward to last Friday, two weeks after the photo shoot...

The paper, planning to run the story on Sunday, approached the ABC and the other networks wanting some extra quotes from the presenters involved. Specifically it wanted to know our views on the Federal Government's contentious media reforms.

Fair enough. It had been one of the biggest stories of the week and the Telegraph was within its rights to seek the views of some of the country's most prominent TV news figures.

Our comments were sent off and we all thought nothing more of it.

Then the bomb dropped on Sunday morning.

There we were on page 9 laughing and joking in one of Justin Lloyd's great photos but the headline above screamed:

The Men Of TV Vent Free Speech Outrage

Readers could easily be forgiven for thinking we had, as the paper put it, 'united to share their… concerns about the Government's controversial media reforms.'

Except, well, no we hadn't.

We had united for a photo shoot and to share our views on the ups and downs of our jobs. The media reforms at that stage were but a twinkle in Stephen Conroy's eyes.

By all means quote us on the reforms but don't misrepresent this gathering of the country's 'most trusted TV faces' as a council of war on what the Government is up to.

Only eight of the 32 present were quoted on the reforms and while I understand that could have very well been a space issue it's not exactly a united industry front against the Government.

I know for a fact that three of my colleagues involved in the shoot didn't express any view about the planned changes. And, although it didn't make the cut, my contribution to the debate was to welcome the proposed updating of the ABC charter to reflect the strength and popularity of online platforms.

Other journalists involved have also moved to distance themselves from the manufactured story.

Ten's Hamish Macdonald says:

For the record: I have no comment to make on press regulation. Sunday Telegraph never asked for a quote and I never gave one.

His network colleague, Hugh Riminton, did make a comment but finds it strange it didn't get a run. He has posted on Twitter his full reply to the Telegraph's question.

My quotes on media reforms offered to "Men In News" article: "Minister Conroy's moves are interesting. They deserve a proper debate." (More)

(Cont'd) "..but the media's own reaction has made that difficult. Some of the media reporting has been so over the top it becomes..." (More)

(Cont'd) ...ridiculous and self-defeating." — hughriminton (@hughriminton) March 17, 2013

Yes, strange indeed the Telegraph of all papers overlooked that particular insight.

So not only was the story misleading but the slant of the piece also buried, until page 112, some really good insights and experiences of men, like Hugh, that I personally hold up as industry role models.

In a Twitter exchange with me yesterday the Sunday Tele's editor, Mick Carroll, said Senator Conroy didn't need to defend his media laws as he had the ABC to do that.

No, Mick. Just like you, I believe in media freedom and free speech. I also, like my colleague Joe O'Brien (who was quoted), believe the media has a responsibility to report fairly and accurately.

In this case, Mick, you haven't.

Michael Rowland has presented ABC News Breakfast since the launch of ABC News 24 in July 2010. View his full profile here.