The cross-sectional list below illustrates the scale and magnitude of this, and exposes what has been presented to the Australian public as news. Often, the cultural prejudice of the ABC’s staff is barely hidden from the surface, with vilification and ridicule also permeating across entertainment and other divisions.
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DIRECT TELEPHONE ABUSE OF SCHAPELLE CORBY’S FAMILY When Mercedes Corby pleaded with a senior Lateline reporter to fully research the ABC’s stories, and not to produce speculation whilst her sister was still in legal process in Indonesia, she was subjected to this shocking tirade of verbal abuse and vitriol. CENSORSHIP OF SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENTS / INDONESIAN When Schapelle Corby's clemency application was referred to a Supreme Court judge for a recommendation, by the President of Indonesia, he stated that the case was flawed, that she should never have been convicted, and that the AFP appeared to be involved. This was yet another extremely significant development which was simply pre-erased from Australian history. It wasn't reported by the ABC at all. THE LANGUAGE OF OPINION MANAGEMENT The term used consistently to undermine Schapelle Corby, ”convicted drug smuggler, Schapelle Corby”, appears 3,450 times on the ABC website alone. This leading introduction, which also endorses the abusive trial, appears to be exclusively reserved for Schapelle Corby, and is spared from Peter Greste and all others deemed to be worthy of ABC sympathy. INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATION OF FABRICATION This example of manufactured ABC fabrication was revealed by the AAP news agency. When confronted by a member of the public, the ABC compounded the situation by offering an excuse which was clearly implausible. Despite the fact that it was published whilst Schapelle Corby’s parole application was under consideration, and that its impact could therefore have been catastrophic, no apology was ever made to her, or her family. PRESENTATION OF FICTION AS FACTUAL NEWS When caught presenting fabrication as factual news in a high profile television broadcast, the ABC produced a short and clearly inadequate apology. The offending broadcast had centred around Schapelle Corby’s father, who had died just months earlier, and was thus protected from litigation under Australian law (‘dead men can’t sue’). MAINTENANCE OF PROMOTED FABRICATIONS (FB) Over a period of years, the ABC heavily reported and promoted an extremely damaging but fictitious book, written by Fairfax Media journalist Eamonn Duff. When it was exposed as such, via a Supreme Court defamation judgement, with substantial damages being paid for the multitude of lies within, the ABC refused to report the outcome. The legal case was completely censored from the news, with public perception, as created by previous reporting, left undisturbed. RIDICULE OF FAMILY MEMBERS As Mercedes Corby struggled to sustain her sister in Kerobokan Prison, and attempted to confront the barrage of abuse and misinformation which was being published from Australia, the ABC openly ridiculed her, with the prejudicial overtones barely concealed. HOSTILE INTERVENTION IN INDONESIA On a number of occasions, the ABC has engaged in activities which cross well beyond the line of reporting news and into the realm of driving actual events. Here, the ABC was caught re-packaging and re-publishing hostile material, and then amending it immediately after international syndication. OPEN ABUSE AND INSULT Via the use of columns, in which direct hostility is couched as opinion, the ABC has regularly presented insulting and abusive content. Within these, Schapelle Corby has often been reviled via the use of derogatory and malevolent terminology. For example, in 2014, the ABC used this method to publish and broadcast the offensive commentary of an ‘expert’ called Lauren Rosewarne, who branded not only Schapelle Corby herself, but her entire family (“her bogan fish-and-chip shop family”). Frequently, this sort of derision has been followed up by feverish self-promotion and further abuse via social media. AIRBRUSHED NEWS REPORTS When the AFP raided the offices of Seven Network and Mercedes Corby's lawyer, and legal action was jointly taken by both parties, the ABC completely removed Mercedes Corby from the picture, reporting only Seven’s pursuit of remedy. Public presentation of a Corby family member as a victim AFP misconduct was therefore avoided. THE UNDERMINING OF SUPPORTERS Schapelle Corby's supporters are also misrepresented and ridiculed under cover of comedy. In this example, the underlying message to the public is unmistakable. ABUSES PERPETRATED IN PRISON (HUMAN RIGHTS) ABC staff and reporters were responsible for a number of the direct intrusions and breaches of privacy, inflicted upon Schapelle Corby herself, in Kerobokan Prison. These abuses occurred even after her mental illness had been diagnosed. REFUSAL TO REFERENCE SOURCE From 2011, the ABC produced a number of articles relating to efforts to secure a pardon for Allan Kessing, and frequently reported the multiple arrests pertaining to corruption at Sydney Airport. Despite the Expendable Project actually sourcing the new evidence in the Kessing case, and hosting dozens of core documents relating to the reported corruption, it wasn’t referred to at all. Allan Kessing’s own comments on the Schapelle Corby case were similarly omitted. CRUDE AND ABUSIVE PRODUCTION ENGINEERING How obvious does it have to be that the ABC wanted the recently deceased Mr Corby to be perceived as a 'bad guy'? MEDIA WATCH CENSORSHIP AND HOSTILIE CONTENT The ABC’s Media Watch production presents itself as a “forum for media analysis and comment”. However, despite having been notified of all the above abuses, and many others, it has failed to report or cover any of them. Indeed, it was itself at the heart of a serious incident, which resulted in a pay-off to a man who had been the subject of a hostile Media Watch onslaught. PRIVACY BREACH, AND ABUSE IN INDONESIA ABC staff were involved in a number of the abuses exposed by long term media PI, Col Chapman. Further details on these are pending. SERIAL MANUFACTURE OF FABRICATION Despite the often clear evidentiary contradictions within its content, the ABC broadcasts its hostile material regardless. Here, Lateline engaged in the most unethical of pursuits and misrepresentations, and continued even after its sources had been completely discredited and dismissed in a court of law. EVASION AND DISREGARD OF PUBLIC COMPLAINTS Complaints from the public regarding the general hostility of the ABC, including those which have identified direct instances of abuse, have invariably been ignored. Those sent directly to the Managing Director and his board have similarly been dismissed. HIDDEN APOLOGISIES (A TRICK OF THE TRADE) When caught out, and forced into a corner, having broadcast prime-time fabrications, when did ABC Radio apologise? 4am in the morning. BACKGROUND ABUSE (BUSINESS AS USUAL) Over the years, ABC staff have been prominent in producing copy which has been instrumental in diminishing public sympathy and support for Schapelle Corby and her family. Here, an extract from a third-party report discusses a number of aspects. SELF-EXEMPTION FROM THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT When a submission was made to obtain data relating to a number of the above abuses, on behalf of Schapelle Corby, the ABC simply categorised all its activities as ‘program-related material’, and refused to supply a single item. It exempted itself from the legislation. SYSTEMIC AND POLITICAL CENSORSHIP How can a huge cache of ministerial correspondence, which includes direct examples of the wilful withholding of vital primary evidence, and repeated perjury, not be reported, despite frequent notification? Astonishing items of official material are the subject of ongoing censorship, despite their central role in the overall story and their enormous newsworthy status as individual standalone scandals. |
These examples constitute just a sample from the huge catalogue of abuses perpetrated against Schapelle Corby and her family. In addition, there have been countless incidental references, almost invariably of a disparaging nature.
Unfortunately, it is apparent that the culture that breeds this sort of contempt for integrity and ethical journalism, extends throughout the corporation. Given the failure of the ABC Board to respond or to address these matters, it is clear that this extends to the top.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Further examples of the hostile and propagandistic output of the ABC are presented in the short documentary film: The Australian Broadcasting Corporation
.