The ABC has been cleared of systemic "anti-business" bias in a major review of its coverage, with former ANZ boss Mike Smith confessing he has rethought his negative perceptions of the broadcaster.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The independent editorial review, for which Mr Smith was a key adviser, has been one of the broadcaster's most comprehensive yet. As well as analysing a week's worth of ABC programming, the review included interviews with ABC business staff and submissions from business groups, think-tanks and unions.
Fairfax Media understands the review, which has not been released publicly, is overwhelmingly positive about the ABC's coverage overall while making some criticisms.
Sources familiar with the review, led by longtime BBC adviser Kerry Blackburn, said they were relieved and surprised by its positive tone.
In his submission, Mr Smith writes that when he began the review, he shared the widespread view in corporate Australia that the ABC was hostile to business and that its coverage of business issues was poor.
But after examining the broadcaster's output in detail, he came to be impressed by the rigour and balance of most of the ABC's business reporting.
There had been some consternation within the ABC about the decision to seek Mr Smith's views on the broadcaster given he only stepped down as ANZ chief executive last December.
"Imagine the outrage if we got Tony Abbott to review our political coverage," one source said. "It's bizarre."
ANZ was in the headlines at the time of the review in February, with two sacked traders claiming the bank's senior staff condoned a rampant culture of sex, drugs and alcohol. It was also revealed that the Australian Securities and Investments Commission was on the verge of launching legal action against the bank for alleged interest rate-rigging.
Fairfax Media understands the review, expected to be released within weeks, calls for a more comprehensive approach to the way the ABC covers business across its various programs. It is also understood to have found fault with some interviewing techniques used by presenters.
But it does not call for major change to ABC reporting structures or its journalistic approach.
In its submission to the review, the free-market Institute for Public Affairs think-tank accused the broadcaster's of bias, saying: "ABC news and current affairs coverage is hostile to business, too often running stories through a political and environmental prism."
The IPA said the ABC was particularly biased against the coal industry and gave environmental activists too much coverage.
A past review of the ABC's budget coverage found the ABC focussed too much on politics rather than policy and did not give its specialist economics and finance reporters enough prominence.
That review controversially criticised ABC host Sarah Ferguson for being too hostile in an interview with Joe Hockey while a separate review found ABC presenters allowed their apparently personal views to shine through in their journalism in their coverage of higher education.
