Media Watch blocked from 7:30 tapes

Media Watch last night weighed in, of sorts, on the Craig McLachlan interview given to Seven’s Spotlight.

It followed fiery tweets between producer Mark Llewellyn and ABC reporter Lorna Knowles on whether 7:30 interview subjects had been ‘coached’ by ABC.

Despite being independent of ABC News (Media Watch falls under Entertainment & Specialist), the show was unable to access original 7:30 interviews to draw conclusion.

Host Paul Barry told viewers, “….without having the full tapes it is impossible to say.

“And with the ABC and McLachlan locked in a defamation battle, we cannot get hold of them. Indeed, the ABC has told us that we can’t even show or quote the excerpts broadcast by Seven because it will damage their case.

“We’ve also been told we can’t watch the full tapes, which are now under lock and key, or get a transcript.

“Do we like being in that position? No, we do not. Nor do the ABC journalists who believe the full tapes will clear their names.”

Media Watch did quote an excerpt from Magistrate Belinda Wallington’s judgment on witnesses, in the case won by McLachlan in December.

Defamation proceedings against ABC and Nine newspapers (formerly Fairfax) continue.