Latest Corrections
ABC News is committed to correcting significant errors when they occur. Individual program sites and news stories carry their own corrections and clarifications, but this site aggregates these in one place. Errors are sometimes brought to our attention by audience members. If you wish to draw our attention to errors, go to our contact page.
Thursday, November 20 2008
Pension bungle
PM
On Septebmer 22, 2008, a story incorrectly referred to the Opposition being embarrassed by the lack of a seconder on a Senate motion. Senate motions do not need a seconder. There was an on-air correction on the program the next night and an editor's note has been attached to the story.Pension bungle
PM
On Septebmer 22, 2008, a story incorrectly referred to the Opposition being embarrassed by the lack of a seconder on a Senate motion. Senate motions do not need a seconder. There was an on-air correction on the program the next night and an editor's note has been attached to the story.Pension bungle
PM
On September 22, 2008, a story incorrectly referred to the Opposition being embarrassed by the lack of a seconder on a Senate motion. Senate motions do not need a seconder. There was an on-air correction on the program the next night and an editor's note has been attached to the story.Pension bill
PM
On September 22, 2008, a story incorrectly referred to the Opposition being embarrassed by the lack of a seconder on a Senate motion. Senate motions do not need a seconder. An on-air correction was run on the next day’s program and an editor’s note has been attached to the transcript.Tuesday, November 18 2008
Murder conviction
Correspondents Report
On November 9, 2008, a reporter incorrectly stated that the murderers of British tourist Peter Rushton were never found. In fact, two men were charged and convicted of the crime. The transcript has been amended and an editor’s note added.Howard years
Saturday AM
On November 15, 2008, a story incorrectly identified Chris Barrie as head of the defence force at the time of the Iraq war when in fact he retired some months earlier. The transcript has been amended and an editor's note added.Friday, November 14 2008
Abortion Law Reform Bill
ABC TV News
On October 11, 2008 ABC TV News broadcast a report on a Victorian Abortion Law Reform Bill. The report was found to be inaccurate in that it should have included further information regarding the Bill. Specifically, the report should have acknowledged that the Bill allows for women to have an abortion after 24 weeks with the agreement of two doctors.Tuesday, November 11 2008
Homosexuality in Bosnia
ABC News Online
On September 25, 2008 ABC News Online published a newsagency report covering an attack on a gay festival in Bosnia. The report carried a line stating that there was “zero tolerance” for homosexuals in Bosnia. A internal review found that that this statement was imprecise and did not acknowledge, for example, the decriminalisation in Bosnia of same-sex sexual contact between consenting adults. To that extent, it was agreed that this line of the report did not meet the ABC’s requirements for accuracy. It was subseqnetly removed from the report.Identification of a minor
ABC TV News
On September 17, 2008 ABC TV News carried a report which examined the actions of the Queensland Department of Child Safety in the case of a boy whose father took him to Western Australia. The report revealed the identity of the boy at the centre of the case. A review has found that the identity of the boy should not have been revealed. While it was the case that the boy’s mother gave the news team photos of him to use in the report, the ABC believed that their use, and the identification of the boy by name, was contrary to the ABC's commitment to "exercise reasonable respect for privacy". This principle is spelt out in the ABC's Editorial Policies.Monday, November 10 2008
Crackdown on cartels
AM program
On October 28, 2008, the AM program broadcast a story on proposed legislation to criminalise cartel behaviour. The reporter quoted a figure of $700 million made by Visy and Amcor from a price fixing cartel. However the reporter did not attribute the figure to the lawyers bringing a class action against the company, Visy. We acknowledge that figure is an estimate only and is not a proven fact. A clarification was broadcast on AM the following day and an editor’s note added to the transcript.Euthanasia debate
The World Today
On September 15, 2008, The World Today radio current affairs program broadcast a story on the push for voluntary euthanasia laws in Australia. As a result of a review of this story it was found that the story breached the ABC's requirements for balance by not presenting a counter anti-euthanasia view. The review found the story portrayed just one side of this particular aspect of the debate. An editor's note has been added to the story.Inappropriate description
On September 30, 2008, The World Today broadcast a story which used the term “illegal immigrants” to describe a group of boat people picked up by the Australian Navy near Ashmore Reef, off Australia's north-west coast. In fact their status had not then been ascertained at the time of the report. The script of this story has been amended and the term replaced with “asylum seekers”. An editor’s note has been added to the script.Incorrect name
The World Today
On August 13, 2008 during a story on the US presidential elections broadcast on The World Today, the presenter accidentally mis-named the 1960s segregationist, George Wallace in a first reference in the story. Subsequent references were correct. The transcript of the story has since been amended an editor's note attached to the story.Coorong report
PM
On October 10, 2008 in a story broadcast on the PM program dealing with the findings of a Senate inquiry into the Coorong, the reporter mistakenly referred to "gigabytes" instead of "gigalitres." The reporter also referred to Greg Hunt as the Opposition Minister , not Shadow Minister. The transcript has been amended and Editor’s notes added.Newman inquiry
The World Today
On October 8 and 9, 2008 The World Today carried reports on the inquiry into the murder of NSW MP John Newman in 1994. The introductions to these stories incorrectly referred to the man jailed for plotting Australia's first political assassination Phuong Ngo as being found guilty of murder. In fact he was convicted of conspiracy to murder. An editor's note has been added to the transcript.Locust report
TV News, Victoria
On October 29, 2008 during the Victorian edition of the 7pm ABC television news the ABC carried a story on locust numbers in northern Victoria. The reporter incorrectly advised that females can lay up to 1 million eggs each. The figure is closer to 200-300 per female.Tuesday, October 28 2008
Rape story details
ABC Radio News and News Online
On October 14, 2008 ABC radio news bulletins and ABC News Online reported that two men had appeared in Wollongong District Court accused of a rape outside a Wollongong tavern last year. The ABC acknowledges that some information contained in the reports was graphic and may have shocked and offended some members of the audience. The reporter was seeking to convey the horrific nature of the attack but the ABC agrees that greater caution should have been applied to the reporting of the case.Senator John McCain
ABC News Online
On October 27, 2008 under the headline “I guarantee you, I’ll win: McCain” ABC News Online quoted US presidential candidate Senator John McCain as saying: "I guarantee you that two weeks from now you'll see that this has been a very close race and I guarantee you I'm going to win it." In fact, Senator McCain said: "I guarantee you that two weeks from now you'll see that this has been a very close race and I believe I'm going to win it." Senator McCain did not say that he “guaranteed” a victory but simply stated his belief that he would win the presidential campaign. The error occurred during the transcription process. The story and headline have since been corrected.US electoral college votes
ABC News Online
In a story published on October 18, 2008, ABC News Online quoted Dr Robert Watson, the director of American studies at Lynn University in Boca Raton in Florida, as saying that he can calculate several different ways for US presidential candidate Barack Obama to reach the required 210 electoral college votes for victory. The story should have referred to the need for candidates to reach 270 votes.
