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by Margo Kingston<\/a><\/p>\n 21 June 2013<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u00a0Update 22 September 2013<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n This is evidently not the case.<\/p>\n You waited until two weeks after the federal election to have him back on which I feel is a sign that the producers felt his presence prior to the election would be a distraction. So clearly, you are aware of the divisive nature of his commentary on your show.<\/p>\n This morning, true to form, Mr Akerman used several opportunities to do nothing but provide the very opposite to what any reasonable person would describe as \u201cbalance\u201d. So I ask, what exactly is the purpose of having this man on your show?<\/p>\n Mr Akerman does not behave like a journalist when he is on Insiders. He behaves like a Coalition politician, and is perhaps the only person you regularly have on your panel that comes armed with an agenda. How is this journalism?<\/p>\n This morning, Mr Akerman came prepared with allegations against former Prime Minister Gillard that asked that she be charged with illegal car use. I find this behaviour defamatory. He used a (fabricated) analogy with a Victorian MP to allege criminal activity. Even if these accusations are warranted, Mr Akerman failed completely to point out and then acknowledge Barrie Cassidy\u2019s assertions that several Coalition MP\u2019s including Tony Abbott had been found to misuse public funds, proving his off-the-charts bias. He repeated this allegation multiple times including one last stab when he was asked for his final observations at the end.<\/p>\n So I ask again, what is Mr Akerman\u2019s purpose of being on this show? If his purpose is to consistently smear the previous Prime Minister of this country, then he achieves this aim with aplomb. But this does nothing positive for the reputation of your program. Why is it that a review of the many complaints against Mr Akerman by the ABC, has resulted in him being asked back on the show, only to continue the smearing of people of the opposite side of his political persuasion?<\/p>\n Insiders is supposed to cut through the political rhetoric of the week, not enforce it!<\/p>\n Yours sincerely,<\/p>\n Kiera Gorden<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Update 29 June 2013<\/span><\/p>\n —————————————————————————<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The comments made by Piers Akerman about the Prime Minister\u2019s partner on Insiders on the 16th of June were inappropriate. This was immediately made clear to Mr Akerman by Insiders host Barrie Cassidy and the other panellists. Before the program was over, Mr Akerman had issued his own apology for the remarks.\u00a0\u00a0Because Insiders is a live program,\u00a0 ABC News expects all of its guests to be capable of operating in a professional and appropriate manner.\u00a0\u00a0ABC News will be reviewing when and under what circumstances any future invitations for Mr Akerman to appear on Insiders might be issued.<\/strong><\/p>\n Thank you for writing and providing the ABC with the opportunity to respond to your concerns. Anna Uszko<\/p>\n ABC Audience and Consumer Affairs<\/p>\n —————————————————————————<\/p>\n<\/div>\n I was cyber-bullied by then journo turned indie-blogger, now News Limited columnist Tim Blair long before the term became mainstream. He targeted my work on the Sydney Morning Herald’s Webdiary in the early noughties and published comments that questioned my gender, asked whether I was human or ape, denigrated my looks and suggested I should be in a mental institution or drug rehabilitation facility.<\/p>\n It hurt, and I decided that ignoring the insults was best for my health and would not inflame my tormentors.<\/p>\n My journalism can be tough and pointed, but I argue my case on the merits, strive to comply with the Media Alliance Code of Ethics<\/a> and ground my practice in the search for truth. If I get a fact wrong, I admit and correct. That’s what gives me the right to call myself a journalist.<\/p>\n But by around 2003 I found myself being asked by the ABC and Network Nine to appear on discussion panels with Mr Blair. I refused, on the grounds his work was unethical. Back then, MSM didn’t go online much, and his blog behaviour was not known outside the blogosphere.<\/p>\n Fast forward to 2013. It almost passes without comment that Piers Akerman, a person who does not pass the ethical tests of journalism, is a regular commentator on Insiders. His mendacity was on show in spades last Sunday, when he suggested that the government had leaked the famous menu but was unable to produce any evidence under questioning from Lenore Taylor. His other journalistic sin that day is well known – proclaiming alleged press gallery rumours about the PM’s partner’s sexuality and thereby the nature of their relationship.<\/p>\n Barrie Cassidy slapped him down, remarking that he had behaved in exactly the same unethical way as had Howard Sattler just days before. I expected that the ABC would follow the example set by Fairfax – immediately apologise to the PM and her partner and announce that Piers would no longer appear on Insiders.<\/p>\n I was mistaken. ABC news and current affairs, including The Drum on Monday, went for silence and censorship; see Don\u2019t walk past, @abcmarkscott and @dailytelegraph<\/a> The ABCs editorial policies<\/a> are clear, and Piers was in clear breach of them, as well as News Limited’s code of ethics<\/a>.<\/p>\n I am coming to believe that ABC news is cowed by the intimidatory stance of News Limited, as so eloquently described by Press Council chief Julian Disney in recent evidence to the Senate media reform inquiry – see Absolute freedoms destroy freedom: Disney<\/a> and Journalist @MargaretSimons stands up to Oz intimidation, speaks out on media reform<\/a>.<\/p>\n Note that News Limited has not only felt no need to comment upon the matter or discipline Piers, but made his vicious diatribe against his critics<\/a> after the show its official statement through its publication outside paywalls in the Oz and its tabloids.<\/p>\n Also note that the ABC has, at least for now, the capacity for internal challenge. On Monday night Mediawatch publicised the silence and the censorship, and Q and A permitted an audience member to ask if Piers would appear again on Insiders, to which Tony Jones replied, send an email to Barrie Cassidy. On Thursday Jon Faine asked Cassidy the question, to be told that the matter was being discussed by ABC management.<\/p>\n Online audience complaints and emails to Cassidy have, as I write, remained unanswered.<\/p>\n There were near unanimous calls to lift the standards of public discourse after Sattler’s disgrace. The ABC, as the nation’s public broadcaster, is on the frontline. It must do better, and it must get clarity on the standards it expects from journalists it puts on air. They must be ethical and if they are not they should not be broadcast.<\/p>\n I contacted Insiders this morning using its online contact form:<\/p>\n Hi.<\/p>\n I am doing a column on the ABC’s response to Mr Akerman’s remarks on the PM’s partner. Sincerely,<\/p>\n Margo Kingston No reply.<\/p>\n In another sad, bad week in the MSM, my heart soared in my little corner of social media, where No Fibs had its highest hits since Tony created her six months ago. I thank Peter Parker-Smythe, who in the depths of the gender debate last week tweeted:<\/p>\n "@PPSmythe<\/a>: Someone (a woman) needs to start an online support group & recruit as many MEN as possible. I\u2019ll join." Join @JointDestroyer<\/a><\/p>\n — Margo Kingston (@margokingston1) June 14, 2013<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\nDear ABC Insiders,
\nI note that you had Piers Akerman back on the Insiders program this morning after a three month hiatus following his heinous comments about Prime Minister Gillard\u2019s sexuality on June 16th this year which resulted in many members of the public (including myself), complaining directly to the ABC. I think it\u2019s fair to say, many viewers of the show have enjoyed this hiatus, and in fact, we had been hoping it would be permanent.<\/p>\n
\nABC program: The Insiders\u00a0<\/strong>
\nResponse required: true\u00a0<\/strong>
\nDate of program: 16th June\u00a0<\/strong>
\nContact type: Complaint\u00a0<\/strong>
\nLocation: ACT\u00a0<\/strong>Subject: Piers Ackerman on The Insiders<\/strong>Comments:<\/strong>This revolting peddler of smut and false rumours needs to be removed immediately from the panel on The Insiders.\u00a0His flagrant lies on todays show needs to be substantiated.\u00a0He talks about “rumours that have been in the Canberra press gallery for years” he needs to name names. Ackerman flagrantly used the opportunity to repeat false rumours on the sexuality of the Prime Ministers partner – Ackerman was intent on embarrassing the Prime Minister by repeating and mocking her partner.Get rid of him. He does not belong on the ABC – Get him on the Bolt report where he belongs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nFrom: ABC Corporate_Affairs3<\/strong>
\nSent: Friday, 28 June 2013 2:58 PM<\/strong>
\nTo:\u00a0<\/strong>Sarah Harmer<\/strong>
\n<\/strong>Subject: C37602-13 – Sarah Harmer: Insiders – Piers Akerman<\/strong>Dear Ms HarmerThank you for your email about the Insiders program broadcast on 16 June.Please be assured that your concerns have been noted by our unit and conveyed to ABC News management who have provided us with the following advice:<\/p>\n
\nYours sincerely<\/p>\n
\nand #Mediawatch honest broker for silent, censored Piers\u2019 ABC<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n
\nCould you advise whether or not the ABC has apologised to the PM or her partner, and whether Mr Akerman will continue to be a guest on Insiders.<\/p>\n
\n@margokingston1
\nEditor http:\/\/nofibs.com.au\/
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