12 Dec 2013

ABC to undergo external audits on impartiality

6:25 am on 12 December 2013

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation is to publish external audits examining its impartiality.

In a speech at the National Press Club, chairman James Spigelman said the ABC will produce four independent audits a year looking at the impartiality of reporting on the general election and topics such as boat people.

Mr Spigelman said the first external audit, which is being headed by the BBC's former chief editorial policy adviser, Andrea Wills, is nearly completed.

"Her report will assess the impartiality of all of the interviews on ABC radio of the then Prime Minister and the then Leader of the Opposition during the recent election campaign," he said.

"The second audit, we haven't appointed anyone yet, will concern the treatment of the debate about asylum seekers.

"Since my appointment I have naturally been concerned with the frequency of allegations of a lack of impartiality.

I do not accept that it is systematic, but I do accept that it sometimes occurs. Every news and current affairs programme endeavours to ensure balance, whilst avoiding the pitfall of irrelevant dullness."

The audits will be in addition to an ongoing programme of internal reviews of ABC programmes and their editorial content.