Seven’s Lehrmann scoop disqualified from Walkley Awards

The body in charge of Australia’s top journalism awards, The Walkley Foundation, has revoked the nomination of the Seven Network for its interview with Bruce Lehrmann in the Scoop of the Year category, following revelations the company covered Lehrmann’s rent for a year in exchange for exclusive access.

In a statement on Thursday afternoon, The Walkley Foundation said following a review of additional documents uploaded to the Federal Court this week, its board had unanimously agreed to deem Seven’s entry not eligible, after Lehrmann’s benefits were not accurately declared as part of the exclusive deal.

Bruce Lehrmann interviews on the Seven Network’s Spotlight program.Credit: Seven Network

“The Walkley Foundation Board has come to the unanimous conclusion that the Seven Spotlight story “Trial and Error” was not eligible for consideration in the All Media Scoop of the Year category for the 2023 Walkley Awards as the entry did not accurately describe the extent of benefits provided to Mr Lehrmann in exchange for interviews, information and exclusive access,” a statement read.

The revelation of the rent arrangement came to light in a court hearing last week, with Lehrmann, who is suing Network Ten and former host of The Project Lisa Wilkinson for defamation, under cross-examination from Wilkinson’s lawyer, Sue Chrysanthou, SC.

Court documents released on Wednesday revealed Seven agreed to pay $4000 per fortnight to cover the costs of Lehrmann’s accommodation in return for an exclusive interview deal across a period of 12 months, between April 2023 to April 2024.

“The Walkley Foundation has revoked the story’s finalist status in the 68th Walkley Awards,” the statement further read.

Last week, Gold Walkley-winning journalist Richard Ackland said the network should have disclosed the details of its deal with Lehrmann.

“It’s just very unattractive. I don’t think media organisations should be doing this,” says Ackland, a former Media Watch host and expert in media law, whose reporting in 1999 changed Australia’s transparency codes. He says it is a clear-cut case of chequebook journalism, and as a result “should have been disclosed”.

Previously, Seven’s Spotlight program said it had made no payment to Lehrmann for the interview, only assisting with “accommodation as part of the filming of the story”, a detail which went unquestioned at the time.

“It was a little grubby,” a senior Seven insider, speaking anonymously due to the sensitive nature of the deal and the ongoing legal action, said last week.

Seven’s two Lehrmann interviews netted metro overnight audiences of 600,000 and 516,000. The network said it Lehrmann has one more outstanding commitment to appear on the network.

Seven was contacted for comment.

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