 A decision handed down by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission on Tuesday has dismissed allegations made by ABC management that newsreader John Greaves undermined the credibility and independence of the broadcaster by doing voice overs for Media Watch.
Greaves, a full time radio newsreader for the News and Current Affairs Division of the ABC, has performed voice over work for ABC’s Media Watch for the past 10 years when requested by the show’s producer. The work is always performed in his own time.
In July 2005 Greaves was notified by email of “Allegations of Misconduct” for failing to adhere to management’s directives to cease work for Media Watch, to seek permission to undertake the work, or to advise management of a ‘potential or actual conflict of interest.
Director of News and Current Affairs John Cameron wrote in a previous email: “As an employee of News, there is an obvious conflict of interest, when a staff member clearly as identifiable[sic] with the News product is then also clearly identifiable with a program which is critical of the product.” The notice of misconduct was sent on 13 July 2005. Two days before Greaves had voiced a statement attributed to Cameron, in a segment critical of the ABC.
Senior Deputy President Drake of the AIRC found there was no conflict of interest in Greaves’ performances for Media Watch; there was no misconduct in Greaves’ failure to seek permission to perform voiceovers in Media Watch; and there was no failure to advise of a potential or actual conflict of interest pursuant to clause 9.2 of the ABC Code of Conduct.
“The ABC apparently considers the conflict of interest to be self evident. I do not agree. I have been puzzled by the basis of the conflict of interest identified by Mr Cameron since commencement of this matter and I continue to be puzzled,” said Drake.
“Media Watch is a programme funded and broadcast by the ABC. It is staffed by ABC employees. Voiceover work on the programme is not work which is external to the ABC although it is external to the News Division. No prima facie conflict emerges in this regard.
“Further, I accept that the nature of Mr Greaves’ work on Media Watch consists of ‘-- reading newspaper headlines, quotes from various people and responses to those quotes’,” he said.
Drake concluded by saying that Greaves should not be inhibited from performing work on Media Watch as and when requested to do so by the Television Division of the ABC without first acquiring permission to do so.
Read the full AIRC decision here. |
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