ABC chair Kim Williams denies interfering with editorial decisions over comedian’s radio appearances
ABC President Kim Williams refused to intervene in the editorial decision after the organization’s media clock program has pushed teams to present a broadcasting time to Australian comedies.
The Media Monitoring Report said that Mr. Williams intervened at least five times and intervened with the comedian Sandy Gutman, known for Austen Tayshus, to encourage interviews.
ABC’s editorial teams are subject to a number of editorial policies designed to provide independence in editorial decision -making processes.
Mr. Williams rejected the attempt to “bring action or results to any editorial manager”.
Williams, “I emphasize that this is not the case.” He said.
“If there are misunderstandings or incorrect assumptions in the process, I really regret what they have emerged.”
Austen Tayshus is looking for support
According to Media Watch, Gutman, known for its best 1983 Hit Australiana, has received more than 90 minutes of broadcasting on ABC local radio since last year, and often shows the details of the upcoming shows.
The program said local personnel initially refused to interview the Gutman.
In an incident described by Media Watch, after rejecting an interview with ABC Port Pirie, the artist phoned Mr. Williams to complain by claiming antisemitism.
On the other hand, Mr. Williams called the Latimer President Ben Latimer, who claims that Media Watch gave a message to the editorial personnel on behalf of Mr. Gutman.
Days later, Mr. Gutman interviewed ABC North and West SA local radio.
According to Media Watch, Mr. Gutman contacted the manager Williams after lobbing Mr. Latimer over and over again.
In another incident, Media Watch claimed that Mr. Gutman gave up the interview with ABC New England to Mr. Williams.
Mr. Williams has now conveyed the complaint to ABC’s voice director Bay Latimer and another senior news manager with expanded leave.
Mr. Williams refused to intervene in editorial issues. (AAP: Lukas Coch)
Media Monitoring, a E -Post sent from Mr. Williams to Mr. Latimer ” [Gutman’s] side”.
“Our people are usually arrogant to talents,” E -Posta said.
“How often happens in New England like Austen Tayshus? A strange attitude. I know, I know you can request it, but that talent.”
The editorial decision later reversed and Mr Gutman interviewed ABC New England Breakfast a week later.
With regard to E -Posta, Williams told the Media Watch: “I have never intervened and I will never try to invalidate the editorial judiciary from local teams.”
“My comment was about answering the ability.”
‘Inappropriate’ printing
Media Watch reported that actions encourage some personnel to express their concerns about editorial independence.
Earlier this year, the General Manager Hugh Marks, who joined the publisher, described the issues brought up by Media Watch as “important”.
“I was in ABC for a short time, but I am awake to ensure that the responsibility between the board and the administration is appropriate to define the responsibility between the administration and I will act properly to provide the best interests of ABC, people and viewers,” he said.
Hugh Marx said that the issues brought to the agenda by Media Watch are “important”. (ABC News: John Gunn)
Former ABC Editor -in -Chief Alan Sunderland, Media Watch Board Members should not be seen as “lobby or print for a specific editorial result” should not be seen.
In the specified examples, he said he intervened on behalf of someone he knew.
“This type of pressure on the program teams from any board member, aside from the president, in my opinion inappropriate,” he said.
“Not only not transferred, but not to change their editorial judgments to take action by the program teams, both the president and the top management for an important process and the judiciary has failed.”
Mr. Gutman, Mr. Williams described Mr. Williams as a “friend”, Mr. Williams said he was a acquaintance that he had a short participation 27 years ago.
In a later statement, Mr. Gutman said he wasn’t sure if he met Mr. Williams.
“I contacted him because I thought you could help me that I perceived as impartiality in some magazines.” He said.
“He was a little help in the only interviews I expected, and that’s what I bought from him and I Latimer.”
ABC News approached Mr. Latimer for a comment.
In response to the media clock segment, ABC said: “In recent months, ABC Management spoke to interviews with Mr. Gutman and discussing how ABC’s editorial decisions were taking the expert expectations of his behavior.
“ABC regularly interact with the members of the performance community for the views of our networks and it is important to continue to do so for art and entertainment sectors.
“The President of the ABC always stated that he expects the ABC administration to follow his own independent decision on content. Editorial policies, as stated, the confidence and respect of the community depends on ABC’s editorial independence and integrity.”
