Ita Buttrose offers semi-apology for ABC’s ‘disrespectful’ coverage of King Charles’ Coronation after network took aim at Royal Family and colonialism
- ABC chair apologises to those who were ‘disappointed’
- Monarchist League said apology ‘exceptionally hollow’
Ita Buttrose has offered a conditional apology for the ABC’s divisive coverage of King Charles’ Coronation, saying she was not sorry for the cracks at the Royal Family but for the fact that some people were offended by it.
The two-hour special on May 6 featured four guests, three of whom – Stan Grant, Indigenous activist Teela Reid and Australian Republic Movement chair Craig Foster – are republicans, with Liberal MP Julian Leeser the lone monarchist.
Many viewers took issue with the panel criticising the Royal Family and focusing on the impact colonisation, instead of reporting on the event itself.
Leading the wave of complaints was the Australian Monarchist League who demanded an apology from the taxpayer-funded broadcaster in a letter signed by 10,000 people on June 19.
The ABC chair finally responded to the backlash, saying ‘I do acknowledge that there are members of our audience who sought to watch the ABC to view and focus on the live feed of the arrivals and were subsequently disappointed.’
‘I am sorry they were disappointed with our coverage,’ she said, in a letter obtained by Daily Mail Australia.
Ita Buttrose has said sorry for the ABC’s divisive coverage of King Charles’ Coronation, but for monarchists her apology has fallen flat
The AML’s campaign chair Eric Abetz said the apology was ‘exceptionally hollow’ considering the ‘outstandingly bad’ and ‘patronising’ coverage.
‘It is in effect saying ‘sorry but we are not going to do anything about it’, and that is unacceptable,’ the former Liberal senator told The Australian.
‘The coronation was a once in a lifetime event.
‘And if you stuff it up you cannot retrieve it by doing another program a week later to balance the ledger because there ain’t going to be another coronation in a month’s time.’
The AML had asked the ABC’s board and management apologise to taxpayers for the how the coronation was covered in the panel hosted by Julia Baird and Jeremy Fernandez.
It called on the broadcaster to admit it was in ‘clear breach of the ABC’s own editorial standards which require independence and integrity together with impartiality’ and that it ‘was not fair and honest in its dealings on the occasion of the coronation’.
Many viewers took issue with the panel criticising the Royal Family and focusing on the impact colonisation, instead of reporting on the event itself. (pictured is King Charles III with Queen Camilla)
The League demanded the ABC acknowledge its coronation coverage ‘substantially undermined the trust the viewing public may have had in their taxpayer-funded national broadcaster’.
The AML also called for an independent inquiry into the coronation coverage for ‘staff members responsible for the outstandingly bad decision to hi-jack such a momentous and historical occasion’ to be disciplined.
But Ms Buttrose’s response did not concede any of these demands and pointed out the ABC Ombudsman found the program did not breach editorial standards.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted the ABC for further comment.
