ABC watchdog finds failings with Mahmood Fazal and Four Corners

The ABC's investigative program Four Corners has been found by the broadcaster's internal ombudsman to have breached standards in numerous ways.

The ombudsman’s report into Cocaine Nation and Meth Highway, two episodes lead by now-sacked reporter Mahmood Fazal, was released on Tuesday.

“The breaches were the result of a combination of factors,” the report reads. 

“These include management’s failure to properly interrogate, inadequate upward referral, a culture that favoured limiting knowledge about sources given perceived risks, insufficient verification and fact-checking, and a failure to provide the audience with the context necessary to assess the reliability of the information presented.”

The episodes in question featured Benjamin Aitken, who was initially shown as a former drug dealer in recovery, and subsequently as an anonymous/disguised methamphetamine cook.

The ombudsman found that there was no proper approval for the disguise, resulting in a breach of the ABC’s standards for fair and honest dealing.

It was further found that Fazal failed to disclose his personal relationship with Aitken, resulting in the audience being misled.

 

 

 

 

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Mahmood Fazal denies wrongdoing

Fazal has insisted the stories went through the program’s standard editorial checks. 

The former bikie turned reporter was sacked by the ABC in May, over a separate incident. His personal podcast featured online gambling advertising without receiving the proper approvals from the ABC.

In an Instagram post to his personal account after his sacking in May, Fazal responded to news of his termination by the ABC.

He reassured his followers that he's "good", but added:

"I'm disappointed by the outcome of the ABC investigation...I'm copping it on the chin and moving on.

“I'm very proud of the different stories and communities I was able to platform on the ABC.”

The ombudsman's reports on the two Four Corners episodes continues: 

“Failures in editorial decision-making, upward referral, source management, verification, fact-checking and oversight resulted in audiences being significantly misled.

“The cumulative effect of these failures undermined trust in the programs and caused the ABC to fail to maintain its independence and integrity in the production of Cocaine Nation and Meth Highway.”

ABC accepts ombudsman's recommedations

The ABC has accepted the ombudsman’s recommendations, which include stricter standards on the use of anonymous sources, improved approval and fact-checking processes, and editorial oversight of high-risk stories.

Further, Four Corners staff should receive training on the tension between legal and editorial risk, the ombudsman recommended.

An ABC statement this week says:

“Both programs have now been removed from ABC platforms and the ABC has published a correction, acknowledging that aspects of the programs were materially misleading.

“The ombudsman’s recommendations will strengthen the ABC’s editorial processes.”