ABC and SBS face royal commission over antisemitism and bias allegations in Middle East coverage
Consensus Summary
The ABC and SBS are facing scrutiny at the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion over allegations of bias and antisemitism in their coverage of the Middle East. The commission was established following last December's terrorist attack during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach, which killed 15 people. The ABC reported a surge in complaints after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, with over 7,000 complaints in the 2023-24 year, nearly half related to the Israel-Gaza war. In the 2024-25 year, 4,192 content complaints were handled, with 26 per cent linked to Middle East coverage. The ABC ombudsman found breaches in five instances, including four accuracy breaches and issues of impartiality. The broadcasters have rejected adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, citing concerns about conflating criticism of Israel with antisemitism. The commission will question executives from both organizations about their editorial policies and complaint-handling mechanisms, with a focus on allegations of bias and the adequacy of their responses to concerns raised by the Jewish community.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- The ABC and SBS will appear before the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion on Thursday
- The commission focuses on antisemitism and hate speech in online and traditional media, including the ABC and SBS
- The ABC reported receiving a five-year high of more than 7,000 complaints in the 2023-24 year, with 49 per cent related to the Israel-Gaza war
- In the 2024-25 year, the ABC handled 4,192 content complaints, 26 per cent of which were related to Middle East coverage
- The ABC ombudsman recorded breaches for five instances of ABC coverage concerning the Middle East, including four accuracy breaches and breaches of impartiality and responsibility
- The royal commission was set up in the wake of last December's terrorist attack during a celebration of the Jewish holiday Hanukkah at Bondi Beach, in which 15 people were killed
- The ABC's coverage of the Middle East triggered a surge in complaints after October 7, 2023
- The ABC and SBS have not adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- The ABC issued a statement rejecting claims that its journalism has contributed to antisemitism or social division
- The ABC's editorial director Gavin Fang and ombudsman Fiona Cameron will represent the ABC at the commission on Thursday morning
- The ABC said no complaints of bias had been upheld by the ombudsman in relation to ABC News coverage of the Middle East
- The ABC's statement said its reporting has been evidence-based, fair, impartial, and consistent with its Charter obligations
- The ABC's coverage of the Middle East included breaches in an episode of triple j Hack and the Hip Hop Show on triple j
- The ABC's statement said it has devoted extensive coverage to the rise of antisemitism in Australia and included all relevant perspectives
- The ABC put questions to the royal commission on why only the ABC and SBS were being asked to appear
- The commission said it had called on the ABC and SBS to give evidence following concerns raised by members of Australia's Jewish community about reporting sentiment and bias
- Commissioner Virginia Bell said the focus was on the adequacy of the broadcasters' complaint-handling mechanisms, not resolving individual complaints
- The ABC and SBS rely on their existing editorial guidelines on hate speech instead of adopting the IHRA definition
- The ABC said the IHRA's examples are contested and risk conflating legitimate political criticism of Israel with antisemitism
- Jillian Segal, the Australian government's Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism, is a strong supporter of the IHRA definition and will testify before the broadcasters
- The ABC and SBS are expected to be questioned on why they have not adopted the IHRA definition
- The ABC's coverage of the Middle East peaked in complaints after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and subsequent Gaza war
- The ABC's ombudsman recorded breaches for five instances of ABC coverage concerning the Middle East, including four accuracy breaches in news content
- The ABC's statement said its reporting has consistently centred on the experiences of Jewish Australians while providing context regarding broader social and political issues
- The ABC's coverage of the Middle East saw a surge in complaints after October 7, 2023, with a peak in the months following the Hamas attack and Gaza war
- The ABC's ombudsman's office handled 4,192 content complaints in the 2024-25 year, with 26 per cent related to Middle East coverage
- The ABC's statement said its reporting has been evidence-based, fair, impartial, and consistent with its Charter obligations
- The ABC's coverage of the Middle East triggered a surge in complaints after October 7, 2023, with a peak in the months following the Hamas attack and Gaza war
- The ABC's ombudsman recorded breaches for five instances of ABC coverage concerning the Middle East, including four accuracy breaches in news content and breaches of impartiality and responsibility involving an episode of the Hip Hop Show on triple j
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The ABC article states the royal commission was set up in the wake of last December's terrorist attack, but does not specify the exact date of the attack beyond 'last December'
- The ABC article mentions the royal commission is focusing on the ABC and SBS, but does not provide a direct contradiction from SBS
Source Articles
ABC rejects claims of antisemitic bias ahead of fronting royal commission
The ABC and SBS will face questioning over complaints of bias and antisemitism when executives appear at the royal commission on Thursday.
ABC, SBS news staff appear at antisemitism royal commission
The public broadcasters will face questioning about news coverage relating to antisemitism and social cohesion.