Senior ABC figures bristle at ACMA’s ruling that January 6 rioters were not a ‘mob’

It was not just the national broadcaster that called rioters at the Capitol a mob, senior staff say. Major media outlets all over the world did too.

Louise Milligan (Image: ABC/YouTube)

Senior figures at the ABC have come out in staunch opposition to a “subjective” ruling from the media regulator, which found it had misled its audience in a two-part Four Corners program probing Fox News’ coverage of former US president Donald Trump. 

ABC news analysis and investigations director Justin Stevens took to the broadcaster’s PM radio show on Wednesday to defend what he called an “outstanding piece of journalism”, and query the “subjective” nature of the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s (ACMA) findings. 

“We think it sets a precedent which could place undue pressure on content makers when selecting an editorial focus for fear of potential breach,” he said. 

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