Australian newsrooms make different calls on journalists taking Middle East trips

Amid the “information war” on Gaza (as MEAA media president Karen Percy recently put it), Australian mastheads and their internal and external treatment of the conflict have come under scrutiny for being either too pro-Palestinian or too pro-Israeli.

Crikey has reported recently on the phenomenon of journalists and politicians taking part in annual organised tours of the region at the expense of lobbying organisations and governments. The trips are a relatively opaque element of the media landscape, but remain seen in many circles as a rite of passage, with a number of the most powerful and influential people in Australian media having been on one. 

Despite this, disclosure obligations vary from outlet to outlet, with little to no consistency on whether journalists, when reporting on the conflict, make clear to audiences their experiences of a trip.

Crikey asked the editors of more than a dozen Australian news outlets for their policies on whether reporters and journalists are allowed to go on such trips — and if such policies existed, if disclosures in their work are required. Crikey also asked if in light of the conflict’s re-escalation had they reconsidered their internal policies. 

The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Seven Network, Nine Network, The West Australian, News Corp executive editors, Sky News, The Australian and news.com.au did not respond, in some cases despite multiple requests. The ABC said it “does not give approval to ABC employees to accept offers of travel of this kind”, but did not respond to questions about a trip to the region by then-political editor Chris Uhlmann in 2010.

Meanwhile, at SBS, Australia’s other publicly funded broadcaster, Crikey understands it takes into account considerations of impartiality and objectivity similarly to the ABC when it comes to staff travel. SBS has a policy of disclosing external funding used in the process of news gathering — a 2019 report by Omar Dabbagh on the South Sudanese civil war notes he and cameraman Ben Patrick had travelled to the region courtesy of the UN high commissioner for refugees. 

Recently resurfaced 2020 documents released under freedom of information legislation show that current news director Mandi Wicks was set to take a trip to Israel with the Jewish Board of Deputies before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In light of a recent open letter from journalists on coverage of the conflict, Crikey understands Wicks was asked by staff at an all-broadcaster meeting last week about the documents and she stressed the importance of impartiality, both substantially and in appearances.

Schwartz Media editor-in-chief Erik Jensen told Crikey none of Schwartz’s staff reporters have taken paid trips to the Middle East, “either while working for Schwartz Media or before”.

“We do not accept paid travel for news reporters, except in very rare circumstances, such as exchange programs. In these instances, the travel is clearly disclosed in the piece or as part of an editorial note at the end of the piece,” he said.

Fiona Buffini, editor of Nine’s The Australian Financial Review, told Crikey: “We have allowed AFR staff members to take these trips in the past and any story resulting from such a trip would carry a disclosure about who paid for it.” She pointed to then-deputy editor Aaron Patrick’s 2015 story after returning from Israel, “A ride on the Israeli lobbying machine”. Patrick’s story carried a footnote that he “was a guest of the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council” on the trip. 

Australian Associated Press editor Andrew Drummond told Crikey it “takes seriously its role as an independent, factual and objective news organisation. Over the past week we have held a series of meetings with editorial team members to discuss our coverage of the conflict. The meetings generated strong interest and initial feedback suggests the conversations were valuable. We will continue to consult with journalists and photographers to ensure we always work within the framework of our charter of editorial independence.”

AAP CEO Lisa Davies took a trip to Israel in 2017 with the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies when she was editor of The Sydney Morning Herald. When asked about the organisation’s policy on funded travel, Drummond said: “AAP considers editorial travel on a case-by-case basis. In instances of funded travel, this is always declared on articles.” 

Crikey understands AAP editorial staff feel positive about the consultation process, which is continuing.

AAP’s newswire service is used by the bulk of Australian media, including Crikey, but notably excluding News Corp, which has its own service, NCA NewsWire.

Crikey understands Guardian Australia editorial management’s response to the open letter, endorsed by its house committee, was perceived by some staff as disappointing. The publication did not initially respond to Crikey’s inquiries, but after publication of this article a Guardian Australia spokesperson responded.

“We do not allow any reporters to take government funded trips, unless they are offered as part of a competition where the reporter chooses their own topic of study,” the spokesperson said.

“The nature of the funding would be noted on the resulting story. This applies to all governments, including Israel, and also to the trips offered in the past by APAN.”

The spokesperson also clarified that this policy extended to include lobby groups as well as governments, and that Guardian Australia “(has) accepted no such trips.”

According to a story first reported in The Australian Financial Review, its parent company issued an internal edict to editorial staff from across its international outlets on December 4, warning journalists against signing open letters or taking to social media in a manner that risks “compromising … editorial integrity”.

“We know that a number of staff globally have signed open letters and petitions relating to the conflict. Although this may be well-intentioned, unfortunately this could be perceived as a potential conflict of interest that could hamper our ability to report the news in a fair and fact-based way,” the note read.

The Guardian’s global editorial code of conduct would be subsequently updated to reflect the new policy, and where it considers “that petitions/open letters or social media posts risk compromising … editorial integrity, senior editors will decide on any appropriate action on a case-by-case basis”.

Guardian Australia editor-in-chief Lenore Taylor recently foreshadowed the changes when she spoke to The Australian about the open letter: “We are conscious of anything that could be viewed as a potential conflict of interest, and we are reviewing The Guardian’s global editorial guidelines to ensure that this point is clear.” Taylor travelled to Israel as a guest of the Australia Israel Leadership Forum in 2010.