The ABC has launched an official investigation into allegations it breached editorial standards of “fair, balanced and respectful commentary” during its own coverage of the coronation.
Over 2 million Aussies watched the ABC coverage of King Charles III’s coronation, but after all was said and done the national broadcaster received over 1000 complaints.
Most of those complaints came from members of the royal family boot-licking group Australians for Constitutional Monarchy (ACM). Unsurprising given their name.
More than 2 million Australians watched the King’s Coronation.
But viewers are furious with the ABC after they spent an hour bagging the Monarchy.
This was a taste of what Stan Grant had to say.
But there was MUCH more. LISTEN:
🎧https://t.co/Tj5JtpG3se 🎧 pic.twitter.com/6rHxkDYehJ
— Ben Fordham Live (@BenFordhamLive) May 8, 2023
The ABC’s coverage featured co-chair of the Australian Republic Movement Craig Foster and Wiradjuri man and journalist Stan Grant, who critiqued the coronation and Australia’s attachment to the monarchy as something relatively unimportant to our lives.
There were a few more guests alongside these two, but for the most part, the coverage gave off huge “who gives a royal fuck” vibes. This is why the royalists are pissed.
The ABC very plainly spoke about how the royal family as an institution is one which has committed atrocities to Indigenous groups across the Commonwealth.
Despite the fact that King Charles III isn’t out here being a vocal racist, the trauma caused by past actions still impacts the lives of First Nations peoples and still benefits the royal family.
So why should we be celebrating an old man being ushered into a position of power in a carriage of diamonds? It’s a pretty good question, but one that I’m not sure the Australian public was ready to hear.
So much outrage over Grant and family on the ABC #Coronation coverage. It’s worth a watch, especially for the sentiment that we need to be mature enough to criticize tradition without that being seen as an attack https://t.co/IjdsnDsEsB
— Bufo Marinus (@MarinusBufo) May 7, 2023
“The inclusion of multiple senior republicans … on a broadcast which should be focused on the history and tradition surrounding a Coronation ceremony clearly demonstrates bias in the ABC broadcast,” said Australian Monarchist League Chairman Philip Benwell in a statement (yes there are multiple pro-royal family groups).
“The Coronation procession and ceremony are not political footballs or invitations for an anti-Crown activist to opine about the various merits of different political systems.
“It is a sacred moment of consecration to time-honoured oaths between a king, his God and the people whom he will serve.”
I know I’m just a fool in a silly-little costume telling stories, but I don’t think even the medieval peasants dick-rode this hard for their king. What has Charles ever done for us? *Jingles bells*.
ABC will be performing an informal review of the coronation coverage via Editor-In-Chief David Anderson, alongside a formal investigation through the ABC ombudsman.
Will be interesting to see if anything even happens from this, or if it’s just a move to get royalists off the ABC’s back.
