Conservative media set their sights on the ABC’s coronation coverage

A sustained conservative media campaign against the ABC’s coverage of the coronation of King Charles III has set the stage for Senate estimates hearings next week, after the broadcaster was forced to demure in the face of claims it breached editorial standards.

The campaign, led by monarchist criticism in the pages of The Australian, resulted in a report published on Monday alerting readers to an ombudsman investigation into the broadcaster’s coverage, after the ABC received complaints claiming it was in breach of editorial guidelines, in line with protocol.

Crikey understands the ABC is taking the complaints seriously, even if reports of an “informal review” conducted by news boss Justin Stevens and managing director David Anderson are overplayed. Internal feedback of the coverage remains largely positive, however, despite concessions made from some corners of the organisation that the timing of some themes discussed by the panel were poorly timed.

The ABC’s coverage of the coronation was led by a panel hosted by Jeremy Fernandez and Julia Baird, along with Q+A host Stan Grant. Indigenous writer and lawyer Teela Reid joined as a guest, alongside monarchist and Liberal Party backbencher Julian Leeser, as well as Craig Foster, co-chair of the Australian Republic Movement.

The panel discussed the role of the monarchy in modern Australia and the consequences of colonialism for Indigenous Australians and was broadcast for some 45 minutes before the ABC took the BBC’s live feed.

The event was a ratings killing for the ABC, which beat all commercial competitors on total audience numbers. More than half a million viewers tuned in to the preview panel alone, while the king’s procession attracted 1.2 million total viewers, according to internal audience insights seen by Crikey.

An ABC spokesperson declined to comment on internal matters.

On the day, the ABC secured the second largest primetime audience across metro markets with a take of 19.4% of viewers, coming in 36% above the broadcaster’s daily average, according to the insights. Online, ABC News produced a total of 67 stories from May 1, covering the coronation, with a page view return of 5.3 million reads.

The broadcaster’s significant reach, however, didn’t translate to a warm welcome across the board. On radio, 2GB’s Ray Hadley and 3AW’s Neil Mitchell condemned it for sending a panel discussion to air that “totally misread the mood”. Mitchell called for ABC management to be “accountable” for the program’s scheduling.

“I really wonder sometimes why we feed these ABC people,” he said. “I don’t blame the people on air, it’s whomever in management decides, ‘Ah, here’s a good idea, let’s use footage from London while we bag the living daylights out of the monarchy.’ ”

Mitchell and Hadley were joined in their criticism by the Australian Monarchist League, which launched a petition online last week calling for an apology from the ABC.

The league’s chair, former senator Eric Abetz, said the day should not have been “an opportunity” for “elements” of the ABC to “pursue their pet topics and tortured view of history”, and claimed the broadcast lacked balance.

“The taxpayer deserved better, as did the reputation of the ABC that has a strict charter by which to abide which was flagrantly disregarded,” he said.

It is expected Anderson will face questioning on the matter when he fronts Senate estimates next week, after facing questions over the ABC’s approach to covering the referendum on a Voice to Parliament with balance.

Was the ABC’s coronation coverage awfully irreverent or appropriately respectful? Let us know your thoughts by writing to letters@crikey.com.au. Please include your full name to be considered for publication. We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity.