The ABC received almost 25,000 written complaints last financial year, according to its recently released 2023-2024 annual report. While most were general complaints relating to matters of taste or preference, 7,041 concerned specific ABC content in which 8,394 complaint issues were identified (such as bias, offence and inaccuracy). This is more than double the number of content complaints from the year prior, and the highest in five years.
So, what’s going on? Did Bluey drop an F-bomb?
No, of course not. She would never.
In fact, the most complained about show of the year was a single episode of Q+A from November 2023 about the Israel/Gaza conflict. The episode raised 1,974 complaint issues of the 5,014 that were eventually reviewed by the ABC Ombudsman. Nearly all alleged the episode lacked impartiality because it was pro-Israel and contained unchallenged Islamophobia and racist comments. The Ombudsman investigated claims of impartiality as well as harm and offence against its Editorial Standards and found that the programme was not in breach. In total, 56% of those 5,014 complaint issues related to the war in Israel/Gaza and were not only directed at Q+A but 7.30, Four Corners and triple J’s Hip Hop Show.
According to the annual report, Israel/Gaza – which included the October 7 Hamas attack and ensuing war – has been a big news event driving high audiences to the ABC. It notes that ‘while complaint numbers are a useful reflection of audience engagement, often content that is uncomfortable attracts more criticism.’ No kidding.
It’s understandable that members of the audience are concerned about how the war is depicted. But it’s also not the first time ABC has experienced ‘complaint spikes’ that might be suggestive of certain viewpoints or controversy around a topic. In 2021, the ABC received over 400 complaints when a breaking news report of Prince Philip’s death interrupted an episode of TV drama, Vera. Those who loved Vera decried the interference, while others felt the coverage was too long or unnecessary. Then, in 2023, the organisation received almost 2,000 responses about its coronation coverage of King Charles III. However, the ABC clarified that only 169 were in ‘good faith’, as the rest didn’t require a reply or they contained racist and abusive content, some of which was directed at Stan Grant who ultimately quit the ABC following racist abuse, including for his comments about the coronation.
Complaints are to be expected, especially when a significant event occurs. This is perhaps why ABC dutifully included the following in the report: ‘The ABC needs to be mindful of this tension to avoid being fearful of delivering on charter obligations to provide innovative and comprehensive programming while being thick skinned enough to clarify and explain decisions, acknowledge misjudgements and, where appropriate, apologise.’
Tamara Markus, CMT Researcher