ABC watchdog finds litany of failings at Four Corners
The report examined issues surrounding two broadcasts led by sacked reporter Mahmood Fazal that the ABC pulled earlier this year
The ABC's investigative program Four Corners was found by its independent ombudsman to have breached four editorial standards in episodes involving sacked reporter Mahmood Fazal. The ombudsman's report, released today, detailed seven recommendations for the ABC to improve its standards, particularly in areas of verification, fact-checking and handling of anonymous sources.
Two specific episodes, Cocaine Nation and Meth Highway, were withdrawn by the ABC following their own investigations into the anonymous interviewees. The ombudsman's findings highlighted a pattern of insufficient verification and fact-checking in Fazal's work, as well as a culture of limited knowledge about these sources. Fazal, a former member of the Mongols bikie club, was dismissed by the ABC in May after an earlier investigation into his appearance on a podcast with a former underworld figure.
The ABC maintains its commitment to high journalistic standards and accepts the ombudsman's recommendations.
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