Welcome to the ABC's corrections and clarifications page. The ABC is committed to delivering content that engages, informs and entertains. We are also committed to upholding our editorial standards, including accuracy, impartiality and independence. That means if mistakes are made, we aim to correct or clarify them quickly and transparently. This page brings together in one place the corrections and clarifications made to ABC content across our radio, television and digital platforms, whether as a result of complaints or for any other reason. Wherever possible, we will also provide links to the content itself, so you can see the original material and the changes that have been made.
A story entitled ‘Carpet Baggers “Exploiting” indigenous artists’, placed on the ABC’s website in July 2008, quoted Mr Stephen Nibbs on describing his work as an art dealer.
The ABC wishes to clarify that any criticisms made in that story were not directed to Mr Nibbs and apologises if the story was understood to imply any criticism of him.
The Art of Australia, ABC1: In the final episode of The Art of Australia, broadcast on 5 November 2013, the narrator erroneously referred to Aboriginal Australians having been granted citizenship in 1967. In fact, the 1967 referendum enabled the Commonwealth to make laws with respect to Aboriginal Australians, and for Aboriginal Australians to be counted when determining population figures.
Media Watch, ABC1: On 17 February 2014, Media Watch reported “Insiders tell Media Watch that The Australian is losing $40 million to $50 million a year”. The Australian subsequently informed Media Watch that the cited figure was incorrect. Media Watch broadcast a follow-up story on 24 February to acknowledge and clarify this, and then an online correction on 26 February setting out the facts as they had been established. The correction explained that the $40 to $50 million figure was indeed too high, but the newspaper has not made a profit since the GFC in 2008, it is likely to lose around $15 million in 2013-14, and it appears to have lost around $30 million in 2012-13. The original story is available online.
RN Background Briefing: An incorrect reference to “B-Double” on Sunday 16 February was removed from the transcript of the program and the audio for streaming, download and repeat broadcast was changed to reflect the edit. The change was acknowledged in an Editor’s note on the BB web page:
The article originally said the truck in the Princes Highway accident was a B-Double. That was incorrect, it was a tanker with a single trailer.
PM, Australian Network, News Online: January 23, 2014 when covering the official visit of Papua New Guinea Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill, to the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, the ABC reported that he was the first PNG prime minister to visit since the civil war ended in 1997. Rather, he is the first Prime Minister to visit the North, Central and South regions of the island since the conflict ended. View related story on PM and Australia Network News.
7pm TV News: On February 21, in a story about the Australian Defence Force purchasing P-8A Poseidon aircraft, the ABC reported that the acquisition process commenced under the former Labor Government. In fact, the process has spanned no fewer than five Governments, commencing under Prime Minister John Howard.
