Open letter to Mark Scott about Jon Faine from Margo Kingston

February 4, 2013

Mr Mark Scott,
Managing Director
ABC

Dear Mark,

Re: ABC apology to anonymous complainant and reprimand to Jon Faine over his interview with former shock-jock Michael Smith 

I write to seek information on this matter and express my concerns at its process.

I first learned of it through a strongly worded protest by ABC political editor Chris Uhlmann published on Twitter at @CUhlmann:

The ABC’s finding that Jon Faine is guilty of a “lapse in standards” in 2 interviews on the AWU slush fund is absurd. http://t.co/6pOOlvtd

Jon challenged two journalists to defend claims that the Prime Minister acted improperly in her former career as a lawyer.

Jon believes that, based on the publicly available evidence, the Prime Minister did no wrong. To date, the facts support that view.

The interviews, which so shamed the ABC’s correctness commissars, were robust exchanges between a broadcaster and two journalists.

Jon pressed them to lay out the key allegations and provide evidence to support their claims of wrongdoing. In short, he did his job. Well.

Jon is one of the jewels of local radio’s crown and I am proud that I was once his producer. I await a robust defence of him from management.

While on the topic. I also think it’s high time we fell in behind our peerless political commentator Barrie Cassidy.

Naturally I was interested to find out more.

Chris’s link was to an OZ paywall story. I found a short piece at Fairfax. I found nothing at all on the ABC media platforms or on its corporate website.

Luckily, former ABC broadcaster Peter Clarke sent me the result of his in-depth search, a very buried, very brief statement of the decision with no background or reasons.

To my great surprise I got more information from Mr Smith’s website, because he published the ABC email to the anonymous complainant, who appears to be one of  his fans. See ‘Jon Faine – will you resign?’

As I write, I can find no media release by the ABC and no news story on the apology, reprimand or Mr Uhlmann’s call for ABC management to back Mr Faine and withdraw the finding.

The day after the finding, a listener who had heard Jon Faine comment on air, reported

                    FAINE NEWS: @MsMountebank reports that during ‘Wrap’ segment today Jon Faine said he                   wasn’t happy with the ABC decision against him and had asked for a review.

However, he said he had conflicting advice whether it was possible to get a review.

Faine also noted that within minutes of receiving the decision it was online at The Age, which did not ask him for comment. This was despite the fact that one of the people in the interview complained of was Age journalist Mark Baker.

Editors note: The Age needs to be asked if Faine’s allegation is true, and if so, to explain its poor form. I would also love to publish an interview with Mr. Faine in http://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com Any takers?

Mr Faine’s comments were not reported by the ABC and ABC Melbourne radio did not reply to my request for audio of his remarks. The Australian reported them behind a paywall and Crikey also reported behind a pay wall. Michael Smith reported them here. Fairfax, despite the criticism by Mr Faine of its actions, was silent. I tried in vain to obtain from Melbourne ABC radio an audio or transcript of Mr Faine’s remarks.

To be blunt, I was horrified by the process, the failure of transparency by corporate ABC, the apparent censorship by ABC news platforms, and the lack of respect shown to Mr Faine’s listeners. I also believe it is wrong not to publish the background to and reasoning behind such an important decision. It is unfair to Mr Faine, contemptuous of his listeners, and inimical to transparency in what will be an extraordinarily fraught election year.

I tweeted the following into the ABC void:

ABC LISTENERS please ask ABC to publish its order against Jon Faine and advise of his review rights. @abcmarkscott @mickmillett

— Margo Kingston (@margokingston1) February 1, 2013

Mark, I find myself in agreement with Gerard Henderson at The Sydney Institute website:

As ABC managing director and editor-in-chief, Mark Scott is paid substantially more than the Treasurer Wayne Swan.  When there is a complaint about a senior ABC figure like Jon Faine, this clearly is a matter for the public broadcaster’s editor-inchief to resolve.  However, nice Mr Scott delegates such key matters to middle level ABC bureaucrats based in Canberra.

Please explain.

Sincerely,

Margo Kingston

@margokingston1

https://australiansforhonestpolitics.wordpress.com/

Audio of the 2 Jon Faine interviews in question: Jon Faine Interview with Mike Smith and Mark Baker 23 November 2013

AFHP Archive for Jon Faine apology 

Selected tweets from working journalists concerned at the implications of the Faine decision:

The interviews, which so shamed the ABC’s correctness commissars, were robust exchanges between a broadcaster and two journalists. MTC

— Chris Uhlmann (@CUhlmann) January 31, 2013

@margokingston1 @benpobjie @cuhlmann @colvinius @wendycarlisle @bernardkeane I'm absolutely supporting Faine-all the way

— rafael epstein (@Raf_Epstein) February 1, 2013

Jon Faine ABC ruling has a chill effect on Journo's interested in reporting not what people say, but whether they have evidence @CUhlmann

— Wendy Carlisle (@Wendycarlisle) January 31, 2013

if the ABC seriously thinks Faine's aggressive challenging of a disgusting smear campaign was wrong, we're in trouble.

— Bernard Keane (@BernardKeane) February 1, 2013

Jon Faine regularly gives his views – is that to stop as not "impartial?" He was interviewing 2 tough journos – ludicrous decision ABC.

— Gay Alcorn (@Gay_Alcorn) February 1, 2013

If I read the Jon Faine ruling right @leighsales must give back her Walkley while Piers & David have to hold hands on the @InsidersABC sofa.

— George Megalogenis (@GMegalogenis) February 1, 2013

Good on Mr Smith. He couldn't destroy the PM with his AWU slush sting, but he got the ABC to humiliate a journo who called him on his crap.

— Margo Kingston (@margokingston1) February 1, 2013

Abbott has NewsLtd on side & ABC on his hit list. Public needs to support fearless journalists. #jonfaine

— jillsinger (@snooplady) January 31, 2013

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS