IPA says errors made in research on ABC and News Corp

The Institute of Public Affairs has admitted its research into the ABC’s multi-platform coverage of News Corporation was flawed.

An ABC press release giving its account of the IPA data ­inspired a typically feverish ­social media pile on from ABC staff, its cheerleaders at Guardian Australia and, of course, Media Watch. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Joel Carrett

The Institute of Public Affairs has admitted its research into the ABC’s multi-platform coverage of News Corporation was flawed – the national broadcaster ­referred to the media company that owns The Australian 1500 times over a month, not 1700.

The number of references by the taxpayer-funded national broadcaster to “News Corp” or “Murdoch”, according to the IPA, also counted references to content shared across its network, so that one reference in Melbourne would also be ­counted in Brisbane, for ­example.

In trying to prove it wasn’t, in fact, obsessed with News Corp, the ABC on Friday insisted the number of references was much lower by removing syndicated mentions, as well as to more generic or passing references to News Corp, such as in finance ­reports.

This didn’t stop ABC journalists counting syndicated columns from News Corp staff when attacking critical coverage of the ridiculed Four Corners two-parter on Fox News in ­August.

In an oddly personal attack on The Australian’s media writer Sophie Elsworth, who wrote the story based on the IPA research, the ABC ridiculed the report as “false, misleading and frankly ridiculous”.

An ABC press release giving its account of the IPA data ­inspired a typically feverish ­social media pile on from ABC staff, its cheerleaders at Guardian Australia and, of course, Media Watch.

The ABC release said there were “nowhere near” 1700 mentions of News Corp or Murdoch on ABC platforms during the 30 days in question, and claimed the real number was “probably” less than 10 per cent of that figure.

While the IPA acknowledges the original account of the ­research was inaccurate, it says the point was still valid.

A spokesman for the Institute of Public Affairs said: “The IPA has been clear that the methodology used was mentions of ‘News Corp’ and ‘Murdoch’ on all television, radio, and online ABC channels in any five-­minute allotment, regardless of the context of the discussion.

“The initial number of 1700 mentions incorrectly included some non-relevant listings, and the number was subsequently corrected to 1525 mentions. We stand by the research.

“None of what the ABC has said about the IPA’s research disproves the IPA’s claim that the ABC is obsessed with News Corp and Rupert Murdoch.”

The Australian accepts that the data from the IPA was wrong and over-estimated the ABC’s obsession with News Corp, and therefore agrees the original ­report was also wrong.