Walkleys probe award to Nine after Andrew Laming MP defamation win
The prestigious Walkley foundation is investigating an award given to Nine journalists for their report on a Queensland MP — which the broadcaster now admits was wrong.
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Australia’s most prestigious journalism body, The Walkleys Foundation, has launched an investigation after Nine news admitted its award-winning story about an MP taking a “lewd” photograph of a woman was wrong.
Former Queensland MP Andrew Laming this week won an apology from Nine as part of a confidential settlement over a 2021 news broadcast.
Dr Laming claimed the broadcast falsely suggested he had taken a “lewd” photograph of a woman as she stacked a drink fridge — but Nine conceded it was wrong.
The broadcast said the MP had taken a “lewd” picture of the woman, but Nine this week conceded it was wrong.
The broadcaster apologised to the former MP over the broadcast which netted journalists Peter Fegan and Rebeka Powell Walkley Awards this year for television reporting.
“Nine News has now seen material which indicates that the photograph Dr Laming took was not lewd in nature,” Nine said this week.
“Nine News unreservedly withdraws those allegations about Dr Laming and apologises to him and his family for the hurt and harm caused by the report.”
The report was one of three stories about Dr Lamings’ conduct which won Nine the award — the others are not the subject of the lawsuit.
The Walkey Foundation, on Friday, said it was now investigating the award for the segment.
“The Walkley Foundation Directors have resolved to commission an independent review of the awarding of the 2022 Walkley Award for Television/Video News Reporting to Peter Fegan and Rebeka Powell,” the foundation said in a statement.
“The Walkley Foundation has given awards to recognise Australian journalism since 1956, and regularly reviews its processes.
“The review of this particular award will be conducted by individuals with no connection to the work under examination.”
Nine, in a statement, stood by the awarding of the Walkley to its journalists.
“It’s a matter for the Walkley committee, but we believe the reasons for the award being presented stands,” the statement said.
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