I am concerned that the ABC is not being fair and unbiased on the issue of Israel.

Last week I hear John Howard intervied at length on "AM" twice and once on Lateline. John Howard's main reason for a war with Iraq was that Iraq is not abiding by United Nations Security Council Resultions. At no time did the interviewer challenge Howard with the fact that Israel is also not abiding by UN resolutions (by its occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip).

In fact, news reports and commentary on the ABC (with the sometime exception of the Breakfast Show on Radio National) usually fail to mention the word OCCUPATION. No to mention illegal occupation.

Is this apparent bias the result of the influence of Mr Goldstein of the Australia-Israel Review, or possibly of Greg Sheridan of "The Australian", who appears to be working as a propogandist for George Bush?

-- Anonymous, September 19, 2002

Answers

Hi

It is disappointing to note that you have not have a response to your valid point. I have written to the ABC - Lateline and 7:30 report executive producers raising this very issue with explicit examples and all I have had back was the usual automated answer telling me how much they value my feedback. They have never bothered to address any of the issues I have raised no matter how much effort was put into referencing the programs etc. These messages were also forwarded to Media Watch who also do nothing.

I escalated my complaint to Darce Cassidy who although was sympathetic was not prepared to take this issue up.

It appears from my experience of more than 6 years now that the Friends of the ABC are more concerned about protecting the jobs and conditions of its employees, rather than campaigning about the integrity of the news and current affairs content. ABC TV contracts sharply with Radio national that provide a much wider perspective but no one at FoABC will do anything about this.

It is sad as the FoABC is not supposed to be a trade union and they do use the label of integrity of new as a promotion label but will not do anything to ensure that this is not compromised.

Basically ABC regurgitates US propaganda and SBS are far better.

-- Anonymous, January 14, 2003

I agree. All of the ABC has entrenched pro-Israel bias. It seems that ABC news doesn't want to rock the boat on the issue. I feel the reason stems from an underlying sympathy by the middle class ABC staff towards the "western", largely European and North-Amercian- based Israeli society, with the Arabic society of the Palestinians.

As far as I can see, Israel is basically a European colony in the Middle East, and it is practicing what is not much different from the Apartheit system that existed in South Africa ten years ago.

ABC: you need to lift your game when it comes to reporting and anylizing the situation in Israel/Palestine, and to recognise the injustice which is being perpetuated against the Palestinian people as a consequence of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip (an occupation which is illegal under international law).

-- Anonymous, January 17, 2003

Correct Tom

Particularly considering the sheer scale of the action that is proposed against Iraq when it at least partially complied with UN resolutions compared to Israel who is a "serial violator" of UN resolutions.

Do you notice that with each Palestinian death they always show footage of fanatics at the funeral parade whereas with Israeli deaths they are more prepared to show the human side. Sometimes they ever rerun old footage over and over again. They in effect dehumanise the Palestinian casualities which run at nearly 4 to one.

Regards

Anthony

-- Anonymous, January 30, 2003

Mike, the point is that Israel is in continual and serious violation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions, as well as international law, in relation to Israel's occupation of the Palestinian Territories.

Also, Israel has nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.

John Howard has criticised Iraq for violating UN Security Council Resolutions and for trying to develope nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.

There is quite obviously a double standard at play here, and the ABC has not questioned this double standard NEARLY enough!

-- Anonymous, April 05, 2003