Our ABC

No surprises for shareholders of MEL, but....

A new report out today has found that the ABC has a persistent and systemic left wing bias in its reporting on energy issues in Australia.  This report marks the first time that a comprehensive, independent and scientific assessment of ABC bias has been undertaken. The IPA commissioned Australia’s premier media analysis firm, iSentia, to conduct a third party assessment of ABC bias by examining the ABC’s coverage of Australia’s energy choices. iSentia used internationally recognised methods to analyse bias over 2,359 separate reports and stories on energy issues broadcast by the ABC between 15 September 2013 and 15 March 2014. The iSentia data reveals that the ABC treated the renewable energy industry highly favourably, the coal industry unfavourably, and the coal seam gas (CSG) industry highly unfavourably.

The report found that the ABC had so many stories on coal seam gas that they couldn't review them all and had to take a sample.  The ABC ran twice as many stories on CSG as it did on coal.  When it did run stories on CSG it treated the industry with extreme disfavour with only 12% of stories providing positive information.  (ie the CSG industry is treated more negatively than the coal industry). The most prominent commentator on the CSG industry on the ABC was Jeremy Buckingham from the Greens.

http://ipa.org.au/news/3155/environment-of-fear-as-abc-fails-bias-test

We can only hope that casting some light on the reporting practices of the ABC will prompt them to provide more balance.