Editorial checks overhauled as Michelle Guthrie faces Senate Estimates
ABC concedes mistakes were made in its editorial process, and orders news restructure.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News
ABC managing director Michelle Guthrie appeared at a Senate Estimates meeting last night to confirm a reorganisation of its news structure.
It follows ABC pulling an online article by chief economics correspondent Emma Alberici, which it subsequently amended. ABC said the analysis stepped over the mark regarding journalist opinion stories for the public broadcaster.
“We have a vital role in providing local coverage, entertaining and specialist content, as well as investigative journalism and analysis,” Guthrie said.
“But as our teams were moving into the new structure, we made mistakes. Stories were published which hadn’t received the editorial scrutiny they needed, and weren’t up to our standards.
“While both pieces went through the online sub-editing process, they were not upwardly referred to more senior editors prior to publication. This was a lapse and one ABC News and Editorial Policies have taken steps to avoid in the future.”
However, Guthrie failed to express confidence in Alberici when asked, instead replying: “Ms Alberici is our chief economics correspondent and will continue to be our chief economics correspondent.”
In a letter to ABC staff on Tuesday, news boss Gaven Morris announced a restructure of senior editorial positions in response to the controversies, acknowledging there had been “a number of editorial issues” and saying it was clear additional resources needed to be put into “editorial oversight”.
Alberici now faces an ongoing internal probe by the ABC’s Audience and Consumer Affairs Unit.
One Response
The managing director of the ABC is its editor-in-chief. In future, prior journalistic experience should be made one of the mandatory skills required.