The ABC has dismissed a complaint from Fairfax columnist Mike Carlton over a recent Australian Story profile of 2GB radio host Ray Hadley.

Carlton, a former colleague of Hadley at Sydney station 2UE, alleged the program misrepresented him by selectively editing his interview. He also claimed the overall program was biased and presented an overly favourable portrait of the divisive radio star. The ABC Audience and Consumer Affairs division did not uphold any aspect of Carlton’s complaint.

The Audience and Consumer Affairs division states in its decision:

“It was clear from the final broadcast that Mr Carlton was critical of Mr Hadley’s workplace behaviour and his broadcasting style. The program makers employed a reasoned and considered approach and the final program was not unfair in its presentation of Mr Carlton’s views …

“The program makers did not include every point Mr Carlton made in his interview in each of the different ways that he expressed himself, and there was no obligation for them to do so.  However, the program was under an obligation not to misrepresent Mr Carlton’s views, not to unduly favour one perspective over another and to present news and information with due impartiality. Based on a review of the program and the raw footage of the interview, Audience and Consumer Affairs was satisfied that these obligations were met.”

The day after the Australian Story profile went to air, Carlton told Crikey the program was “chocolate-box television – all soft in the centre.”

“I said a lot of strong things about Hadley’s behaviour on and off the air – about his treatment of junior staff and his obsessive attacks on people like [Rob] Oakeshott and [Tony] Windsor,” Carlton said. “I described his program as a temple of hatred … By selectively and deceptively editing me, they recruited me into his fan club.”