The ABC has admitted that it was warned almost two years ago that it was spreading a “doctored” image of an Australian soldier shooting unarmed civilians in Afghanistan, but “regrettably” it did not act on the information.
The public broadcaster’s outgoing director general, David Anderson, has now announced a full, independent investigation into the scandal.
The taxpayer-funded organisation has been under siege since an audio expert claimed the sound of at least five gunshots was added to footage to make it appear as though Australian soldiers were repeatedly shooting at villagers rather than firing a single warning shot.
The clip had accompanied an online report on alleged war crimes prepared by the ABC’s elite investigative unit, but was removed. last week after Seven’s Spotlight programme raised questions about manipulated audio.
Mr Anderson acknowledged the “editing error” on Friday night when announcing the external investigation.
“Based on a preliminary inspection, an editing error was identified in the audio and we have removed the video,” Anderson said in a statement.
‘This mistake should not have happened.
‘There have subsequently been further allegations made about ABC’s reporting and use of helmet cam footage, including how it was edited into the 7.30am broadcast.’
ABC chief executive David Anderson admits the public broadcaster was warned about the “doctored” images almost two years ago but they were allowed to remain online.
The ABC investigation centres on the apparent addition of five additional shots fired by an Australian soldier who shot an Afghan man during an operation in 2012.
While he said concerns about the audio were first raised with ABC News last week, he admitted warnings had been sent to the broadcaster’s legal team nearly two years ago.
“I have now learned that in November 2022, ABC Legal received a letter raising concerns about the editing of the audio,” he said.
‘Unfortunately, at no time was this letter, or the information contained in it, disseminated to ABC News.’
James Raper, an independent digital audio forensics expert, told Spotlight he believed audio of up to six gunshots had been “copied and pasted” underneath the footage to make it sound more sinister.
The doctored audio has sparked a furious backlash, with some critics accusing the ABC of deliberately denigrating the nation’s war heroes.
Mr Anderson said it was crucial to identify the source of the error to maintain public confidence in his journalism.
‘The ABC is subject to the highest scrutiny, as it should be, given the trust the public places in it.
‘Trust in the ABC has been built over time by delivering exceptional journalism, maintaining the highest editorial standards and being transparent with the public about how we do it.
“ABC is committed to maintaining that trust.”
He said that An independent review would attempt to…fully understand what happened and make necessary recommendations for the future.
Mr Anderson defended the “public interest issues raised by the stories” which “remain valid” but clarified that the ABC had yet to remove the article.until further notice’.
More information about the review, including who will lead the investigation, will be announced in the coming days, and its findings will be disclosed “at an appropriate time.”
The material was used in an online article and accompanying 7.30 report in September 2022, but has since been removed from the web.
Former ABC chairman Maurice Newman, 86, said the ABC had become a “self-serving collective” since he left in 2012.
Newman said the “latest revelation” of doctored audio in an ABC report confirms what he has been saying about the broadcaster for “a long time.”
“The ABC is a selfish collective that doesn’t let the truth get in the way of a good story,” the former chairman told the Herald Sun.
‘It has become the shameless megaphone of the left and operates in defiance of its law, its statutes, its editorial policies and the interests of a cohesive society.’
ABC News chief Justin Stevens says the clip appears to have been “edited incorrectly”
He defended ABC investigations editor Jo Puccini, saying she was not aware of the footage.
Mr Stevens says investigative journalist Mark Willacy was also unaware of the clip.
ABC News boss Justin Stevens has fiercely defended the award-winning star journalists behind the investigative series – Jo Puccini, Mark Willacy and Josh Robertson – saying they had “no role in the production and editing” of the clip.
“A preliminary inspection suggests that a section of the audio was incorrectly edited,” he said while delivering a speech on media trust and transparency at the Melbourne Press Club on Tuesday.
‘We have removed the video and are still investigating how this happened. Once we have all the facts, we will determine the appropriate response.
“Until we have clarity on how it happened, I will not comment further on this matter, so as not to get ahead of myself.”
