“Insiders does need to do better”
ABC host David Speers addresses criticism his program has failed to include diverse voices.
- Published by David Knox
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Insiders host David Speers yesterday addressed criticism that the ABC program has failed to include diverse voices, including on its panel discussion last week about the Black Lives Matter protests.
The program has traditionally turned to journalists associated with the Canberra Press Gallery.
Junkee Media recently reported no person of non-European background had appeared on a panel as far back as 2005 -and possibly ever.
“We received plenty of valid criticism for failing to include an Indigenous journalist on last week’s show as we discussed the Black Lives Matter movement,” Speers said yesterday.
“Our panellists made some excellent points, but as a program, we lacked an important perspective.
“Insiders does need to do better at bringing more diverse insights into the political debate and it’s something we’re committed to doing.”
"Insiders does need to do better at bringing more diverse insights into the political debate – and it's something we're committed to doing," says @David_Speers. #insiders #auspol pic.twitter.com/c9YPfcdsba
— Insiders ABC (@InsidersABC) June 13, 2020
Yesterday the program included ABC’s Indigenous affairs reporter Bridget Brennan, a Yorta Yorta and Dja Dja Wurrung woman.
"It is not good enough anymore particularly at this moment, but I would say any week, to have a panel of white people speaking about issues when there is very little lived experience of discrimination and racism on that panel," says @bridgeyb. #insiders #auspol pic.twitter.com/l98s5kRO0f
— Insiders ABC (@InsidersABC) June 13, 2020
An ABC spokesperson said, “Throughout this season the program has been adding new voices to its roster, and that will continue, with a particular focus on broadening the range of voices and perspectives to better reflect the diversity of the Australian community.
“We believe we can do a better job on that, which will make the program even better.”
Source: news.com.au
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10 Responses
I just want to know who allowed the Commonwealth Bank to sponsor Insiders via that awful colour scheme…
So does that mean The Drum is going to include more right of centre views? Are anti immigration groups going to be included going forward? I agree that with BLM it would have been good for Aboriginal input, but Q and A more than made up for that. Insiders is about the people in power or close to power and their policies and decisions. Other programs allow for broader input.
I must say I hadn’t noticed the lack of diversity, until now, and it’s true, there rely should be more diversity on Insiders, and other shows. I do like that they have broadened the panel inclusions a lot since the revamp, not just using the same revolving handful of panelists.
I was a little surprised when David Speers made the disclaimer at the front of the program. Yes the revolving door of panelists is mostly left leaning or centrist but considering The Drum has diversity in spades, it hadn’t really occurred to me that Insiders needed to be introspective on it. In fact knee jerking and then having Bridget on for the first time was somewhat tokenistic rather than acknowledging then mixing it up more from here. I get that they are damned if they do, or if they don’t . Them’s the times we’re living in.
Diversity of left, hard left, green left and soft left….. anything looking “right” is not seen on the Drum!
Then you’re not paying attention. Kerry Chickaroski is a regular. Last week they had the Menzies Centre people on the panel.
Adrian Piccoli is on every week. There’s more. …
Kerry C is more like John Hewson, the ABC love them because they are happy to criticise the LNP at the drop of a hat
“program has been adding new voices”
Yep. A diverse group of News Corp op-ed writers.
Agree they could have easily got someone like Stan Grant in for that episode to talk about it from an Aboriginal perspective.
Talking about limiting voices, a similar criticism could be levelled against the SMH in the way it handles below the line comments on articles. They don’t do a good job in this space, with comments taking 4 to 5 hours to be posted and excessive moderation on what are to me very minor points. But try and complain or get some reasoning from that organisation – it is a blank wall. Funny that, coming from a News organisation that is all about speaking truth to power.