What’s the scam with the appalling bias of the Australian mainstream media covering Israel’s war on Palestinians, and now Lebanese? We put questions to the regulator ACMA (Australian Communications & Media Authority).
The scam is ACMA ducked for cover and advised us to contact the Australian Press Council. Yes, ACMA has run up the yellow flag (definitely not the Hezbollah one) on the most vital issue for global media.
While Australia’s media still refuses to resile from Israel’s discredited claims of ‘babies beheaded’ – which lent Netanyahu’s extremist regime a media licence for atrocities in Gaza, now they are running the Israel line on the invasion of Lebanon.
Israel invades Lebanon – but our media duopoly Rupert Murdoch’s The Israelian & Nein Entertainment’s SMH and Age, say ‘targeted ground raids against Hezbollah’ etc#auspol pic.twitter.com/kVYqoxEUIj
— 💧Michael West (@MichaelWestBiz) September 30, 2024
ACMA Chair Nerida O’Loughlin was unavailable for comment, which was disappointing since the agency – now with the e-Safety Commissioner wrapped in – spent $133m last year and should be able to cope.
A spokesperson however suggested (text below) that we should pose the question to the Press Council, which is funded by its large corporate media stakeholders, so unlikely to bite the hand that feeds.
The questions to ACMA:
In December 2022, ACMA announced the results of its inquiry into the ABC’s Four Corners claiming breaches of impartiality standards for broadcasting its “Fox and the Big Lie” investigation into Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News.
Has ACMA investigated the false claims and breaches of impartiality regarding the Australian media’s coverage of events in Gaza since October 7 last year? In particular, the claims of the News Corp and Nine Entertainment press which have mimicked the discredited claims of the government of Israel.
Major media outlets have failed to correct claims of babies beheaded, babies in ovens, mass rapes and other claimed atrocities which lent licence for Israel’s war crimes in Gaza and the mass killing of civilians.
As you would be aware, these claims have been discredited both by the UN and other independent authorities and by subsequent foreign media investigations.
Questions for the Chair Nerida O’Loughlin and the Authority of ACMA. What has ACMA done to investigate Australia’s mainstream media for broadcasting these false claims which have given licence to allegations of genocide?
If ACMA has taken no action, why not?
Is ACMA in breach of its own duties as a media regulator?
ACMA response:
The ACMA’s statutory remit concerns the compliance of TV and radio broadcasters with licence conditions of the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 (BSA) and rules in broadcasting industry codes of practice.
Concerns about press coverage should be raised with the Australian Press Council, which has responsibility for responding to complaints about published material other than advertisements in Australian newspapers, magazines and digital sites.
Under the broadcasting co-regulatory system, complainants are directed to the broadcaster in the first instance. If a complainant does not receive a response from the broadcaster within 60 days or is not satisfied with the response they do receive, they may refer their complaint to the ACMA for consideration.
The ACMA has received complaints relating to broadcasts about the Israel/Gaza conflict where the complainant was not satisfied with the broadcaster’s response. The complaints were assessed against the relevant rules in the industry codes of practice, and in relation to complaints considered to date no further action has been taken.
MWM will revert when the Press Council responds.
Propagandist: Rupert Murdoch, News Corporation and the Israel war machine
Michael West established Michael West Media in 2016 to focus on journalism of high public interest, particularly the rising power of corporations over democracy. West was formerly a journalist and editor with Fairfax newspapers, a columnist for News Corp and even, once, a stockbroker.