ABC chair Ita Buttrose ‘sorry’ for controversial King’s coronation coverage

The ABC chair has apologised for the controversial King’s coronation coverage, saying it must do better when broadcasting future live events.

The ABC's panel during King Charles III's coronation including, from left, co-chair of the Australian Republic Movement Craig Foster, Liberal MP Julian Leeser, presenters Jeremy Fernandez and Julia Baird and Q+A host Stan Grant.

ABC chair Ita Buttrose is sorry viewers of the public broadcaster’s controversial coverage of King Charles III’s coronation were left disappointed and admits lessons must be learned for covering future live events.

Ms Buttrose’s apology was in a letter to the Australian Monarchist League obtained by The Australian. She was responding to the League’s June 19 demand for an apology for “outstandingly bad” coverage of the May 6 coronation, which was supported by 10,000 signatures from within Australia and abroad.

The TV panel, led by presenters Julia Baird and Jeremy Fernandez, was dominated by pro-republican voices — former Q+A host Stan Grant, Indigenous activist Teela Reid and Australian Republic Movement chair Craig Foster — with Liberal MP Julian Leeser the only monarchist.

As dignitaries flowed into Westminster Abbey, the coverage, overseen by executive producer Tim Ayliffe, was heavily focused on colonisation and the damage the monarchy had inflicted on Indigenous Australians.

In the days that followed the ABC received 1800 complaints.

Ms Buttrose’s letter of July 10 to the League’s national chair Philip Benwell and campaign chair Eric Abetz said the ABC Ombudsman had determined the 45-minute segment that aired prior to the crowning of the King, part of eight hours of coverage, did not breach editorial standards.

ABC chair Ita Buttrose.

However, she conceded: “There are always lessons to be learned from covering significant live events and this event is no exception. Audience feedback indicates audience expectations as to what this segment of the coverage would deliver were varied.

“I do acknowledge that there are members of our audience who sought to watch the ABC to view and focus on the live feed of the arrivals and were subsequently disappointed.

“I am sorry they were disappointed with our coverage.”

The League’s complaint had requested the ABC’s board and management apologise to Australian taxpayers for the broadcast and the manner which in the coverage was presented, acknowledge it was in “clear breach of the ABC’s own editorial standards which require independence and integrity together with impartiality” and that it “was not fair and honest in its dealings on the occasion of the coronation”.

It also called for an acknowledgment that its conduct relating to the coronation coverage “substantially undermined the trust the viewing public may have had in their taxpayer-funded national broadcaster” and that “staff members responsible for the outstandingly bad decision to hi-jack such a momentous and historical occasion” be disciplined and counselled.

It called for an independent inquiry into the matter.

Mr Abetz told The Australian Ms Buttrose’s apology was “exceptionally hollow”. “It is in effect saying ‘sorry but we are not going to do anything about it’ and that is unacceptable,” he said.

“The coronation was a once in a lifetime event and if you stuff it up you cannot retrieve it by doing another program a week later to balance the ledger because there ain’t going to be another coronation in a month’s time.”

In a senate estimates hearing in late May, ABC managing director David Anderson said despite the many complaints about the coronation coverage the telecast was “justified, relevant and appropriate”.

“We will need to keep holding difficult and uncomfortable conversations on behalf of the Australian people; that’s what we do,” Mr Anderson said.

There was extensive criticism at the time that the panel was dominated by pro-republican voices, three to one. Former prime minister Tony Abbott, a monarchy supporter, was among those invited, but did not take part in the coverage.

In her letter to the Monarchist League, Ms Buttrose said a range of conservative voices had been invited to appear on the coronation coverage panel but they declined.

The League responded to Ms Buttrose last week, calling her response “clearly unsatisfactory and indicative of the malaise which appears to have beset your organisation”.

“It is noted that the concerns of the 10,000 petitioners have been ignored with their specific requests contained in the petition simply not answered,” the letter said.

“The patronising manner in which those supporting our constitutional monarchy … are dismissively described by you unfortunately puts up in lights the bias of the ABC emanating from the very top.

“Any casual glance of opinion polls regarding the monarchy/republic issue indicates a body of voters supporting the left of Australian politics being supportive of the retention of our constitutional monarchy.”

Mr Abetz said that although Ms Buttrose claimed the ABC had reached out to certain “conservative” people, “it is noted that the pre-eminent Australian organisation in support of our constitutional monarchy, namely the Australian Monarchist League was not approached”.