The ABC has restructured its news division ahead of Michelle Guthrie’s appearance at a Senate estimates committee to face questions about the broadcaster’s handling of recent stories.
The director of news Gaven Morris, who ordered the withdrawal of tax policy analysis by economics correspondent Emma Alberici a day after it was published, has drafted his deputy Craig McMurtrie into a newly created role to boost editorial standards.
McMurtrie’s new role of executive editor will put him above a raft of editors and give him responsibility for “quality standards” across the digital and broadcast news schedule. Editors will be expected to refer content to McMurtrie before publication.
Morris said: “Mainly we are making these changes because continually improving our standards and work is integral to our commitment to provide all Australians with quality, original journalism.
“However, we’ve also had a number of editorial issues emerge, and it’s become clear we need to put more investment into having the most robust editorial oversight processes, particularly across our digital output.
“As audience expectations change, and our journalism output becomes more fragmented and complex, maintaining the trust Australians have in us is critical.”
Guardian Australia revealed this month that the ABC’s senior and investigative journalists were angered by the handling of the Cabinet Files series by Morris and in particular the decision to hand the trove of documents back to the government.
An apology to Kevin Rudd for a mistake in the Cabinet Files was followed quickly by criticism from the communications minister, Mitch Fifield, about the ABC’s tax coverage, which was also targeted by the prime minister in question time.
“This coverage contains multiple factual errors and misrepresentations in breach of the ABC’s editorial standards,” Fifield said. “It is neither fair, balanced, accurate nor impartial. It fails to present a balance of views on the corporate tax policy.”
The stories “display a lack of understanding about the tax system and … failed to accurately present the facts or range of views on this issue with appropriate balance”, he said.
In the ABC memo, Morris also praised the 7.30 team for “landing the big interviews” including the “only TV interview with Barnaby Joyce in the past three weeks”.
