Ronaldson demands full retraction of BtN bias

RONALDSON DEMANDS FULL RETRACTION OF BtN BIAS

Senator Michael Ronaldson today repeated his call for the ABC to screen a full retraction of earlier errors and bias shown by Behind the News. This follows the ABC’s admission that the BtN program of 25 July 2006 “failed to meet the requirements of balance and impartiality”.

“It is now three weeks since the offending material was shown to Australian students around the country under the guise of an educational program” Senator Ronaldson noted.

“It seems to me to be a disgraceful approach that while the ABC publicly acknowledges the original program was biased and misguided they have not used a single minute of BtN’s airtime to put things right. Parents rightly expect that when BtN  misleads their children they put things right as soon as they can.” Senator Ronaldson said.

“I expect that all Australian parents would want to teach their children to put things right as soon as they can when they’ve made an error. The ABC is failing parents and students alike in not doing the same.”

“By virtue of its own charter the ABC has a responsibility to the Australian people to exemplify the highest possible standards of balance and impartiality.”

“But when it comes to the education of Australian children that responsibility is all the more clear”.

Senator Ronaldson today wrote to Mark Scott the Managing Director of the ABC to raise this issue directly with him.

“I repeat my call on the ABC and Behind the News to rectify their errors and bias at the next available opportunity.” Senator Ronaldson concluded.