ABC’s ‘Four Corners’ Program Faces Scrutiny Over Accuracy and Impartiality
A recent investigation by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has found that a prominent episode of the ABC’s flagship investigative program, Four Corners, failed to meet the broadcaster’s own stringent standards for accuracy and impartiality. The episode, titled “Water Grab,” which first aired in August 2024, focused on water usage in the Northern Territory, particularly in relation to cotton production and irrigation.
The ACMA’s probe, initiated following a complaint, specifically examined allegations made within the program concerning a Northern Territory pastoral station. “Water Grab” suggested that the station had engaged in illegal land clearing practices using fire to prepare land for cotton cultivation.
However, the ACMA’s findings indicate that the ABC did not possess sufficient evidence to substantiate this specific allegation. Furthermore, the authority concluded that the national broadcaster had not taken adequate steps to verify these claims before broadcasting them.
Nerida O’Loughlin, the Chair of ACMA, emphasised the importance of due diligence in such reporting. “The ABC should have stopped to consider whether it had sufficient supporting evidence to include the statement about the fire,” Ms O’Loughlin stated. “This type of assertion can have a significant adverse effect on the reputations of those involved, so reasonable efforts must be made to ensure any claims are accurate and presented in context.”
The regulator’s report highlighted a broader expectation from the Australian public for reporting that is not only rigorous and fair but also factually sound, especially when dealing with complex and often contested public issues. “Our view is that parts of the program did not meet the ABC’s own standards for accuracy and impartiality,” the ACMA’s statement read.
Beyond the specific allegations of illegal land clearing, the investigation also identified a deficiency in the program’s presentation of diverse perspectives. The ACMA found that the episode “failed to present sufficient range of relevant viewpoints” on the complex subject matter it explored. This particular episode had previously been the subject of three complaints lodged with the Ombudsman’s Office, indicating prior concerns about its content.
ABC’s Response to ACMA Findings
In the wake of the ACMA’s published findings, the ABC has taken steps to address the concerns raised. The broadcaster has since updated the program’s webpage with a revised editor’s note and also published a clarification on its dedicated corrections and clarifications page.
A spokesperson for the ABC provided further context on the “Water Grab” report. “The Four Corners report Water Grab investigated the use of water in the Northern Territory, in particular for irrigation, including for cotton growing,” the spokesperson explained. “The story went to air in August 2024. The program examined important questions around whether unsustainable volumes of water were being extracted from aquifers by the agricultural industry, affecting groundwater levels.”
The ABC acknowledged the ACMA’s findings, which identified two breaches: one concerning impartiality and another regarding accuracy.
The impartiality breach, as determined by the ACMA, related to the Northern Territory government regulator’s response concerning water quality in Elsey Creek. The ABC confirmed that this issue had been acknowledged at the time, and the ABC Ombudsman had also found a breach, leading to the addition of an editor’s note in October 2024. The spokesperson elaborated on the circumstances surrounding this: “The Four Corners team received the regulator’s response just prior to broadcast and, with scientific advice, assessed it did not materially affect the story, but it should nevertheless have been included.”
Regarding the accuracy finding, the ACMA focused on the broadcast line, “the burning off has already begun.” The authority concluded that this statement implied illegal land clearing at Claravale Station. While the ACMA noted that the Four Corners team had attempted to seek comment from the landholders, who did not respond, the regulator maintained that “the ABC should have done more to establish that the fire constituted illegal land clearing if it was going to include the relevant statement in the program.”
The ABC has accepted this criticism, stating, “The ABC accepts the line in the program relating to the Claravale fire should have been qualified.” This admission underscores the broadcaster’s commitment to upholding journalistic integrity and addressing any shortcomings identified in its reporting. The incident serves as a reminder of the critical importance of thorough verification and balanced reporting when tackling sensitive and impactful public interest stories.
