Q+A cleared over impartiality complaint

A Q+A episode discussing the conflict between Israel and Palestinians in Gaza has been cleared by the media watchdog after complaints around impartiality.

The segment screened in May last year and comprised around 12 minutes of debate.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority investigated 3 complaints alleged inaccuracies in comments made by author and academic Randa Abdel-Fattah.

Two complainants also alleged that the ABC breached its fair and honest dealing because it had only invited the Israeli ambassador and subsequently, a representative of a Jewish community organisation, to participate as audience members rather than as panellists. One complainant also alleged a breach of harm and offence relating to exacerbating ‘serious threats.’ Those these complaints fell outside ACMA’s remit and were not investigated.

ACMA agreed with the complainant that the subject matter was contentious, with polarised views on who was primarily responsible and that the audience would expect polarised views in some form. In its findings it stated there could be no exact ‘balance’ in the Program’s panel, particularly as multiple issues with a range of perspectives were being discussed.

While complaints alleged the panel was biased and unbalanced and Hamish MacDonald made no attempt to
query misinformation, ACMA found he played an active role in broadening the discussion and allowing a diversity of perspectives to be expressed.

ABC also submitted it had approached the Israeli Embassy to invite Ambassador Jonathan Peled to participate but he was unable to travel to Sydney. The Embassy recommended another contact who also declined an invitation to participate as an expert audience member.

ACMA ruled no breach on the question of impartiality. Under the ABC Code, impartiality does not require that every perspective receives equal time, nor that every facet of every argument is presented within a single program. A program that presents a perspective that is opposed by a particular person or group is not inherently partial.

“The ACMA notes that perspectives reflecting both Israeli and Palestinian positions on the subject matter were presented during the segment, with panellists able to express their views in some detail and broaden the scope of discussion to include the wider historical and political context,” it stated.

Meanwhile the ABC Board commissioned an independent review of the broadcaster’s editorial self-regulatory system and complaints handling in October -those findings are yet to be released.