Cotton Australia’s Chair Liz Stott and CEO Adam Kay met with Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Managing Director Hugh Marks and Editorial Director Gavin Fang this week to discuss the recent findings by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) against the ABC’s Four Corners program.

The meeting followed ACMA’s determination that the “Water Grab” episode failed to meet standards of accuracy and impartiality. This finding builds on a previous ruling against the Four Corners episode “Cash Splash”, which was also found to lack impartiality after complaints lodged by Cotton Australia.

Given ACMA has limited power to compel action from the ABC compared to commercial broadcasters, Cotton Australia requested that the public broadcaster demonstrate how it would respond voluntarily to these findings.

Mr Marks acknowledged the breach and advised that the ABC is taking steps to address the issue, including implementing staff training and appointing a new Executive Producer for Four Corners. He reaffirmed the ABC’s commitment to reporting factual content and assured Cotton Australia that future engagement would be handled with respect and transparency. Mr Marks also provided reassurance that Cotton Australia has a pathway to escalate concerns within the organisation if needed.

During discussions, Ms Stott and Mr Kay emphasised the value of the ABC’s great regional staff, noting that investigative teams from programs like Four Corners often bypass local staff when reporting on these types of stories, leaving them feeling disenfranchised. Mr Marks acknowledged this feedback and indicated it would be considered moving forward.

Cotton Australia is encouraged by the discussion and looks forward to building a more productive relationship with the ABC moving forward.