ABC Journos Told To Keep Their Views On Marriage Equality Off Social Media

Here we go: ABC staffers, particularly high profile presenters, have been warned not to express views either for or against same-sex marriage on social media.

An email sent round earlier today reminded employees that the broadcaster has no official position on the issue – and that staff should publicly do the same.

“Now that the government has announced the postal plebiscite, the focus has returned well and truly to the rights and wrongs of same sex marriage and the changing of the Marriage Act,” said the email, which came from ABC’s editorial policy manager Mark Maley.

“Please remember that approximately 40% of the population opposes the change and more importantly that the ABC does not have a position on the issue.”

He went on to say that it’s super important that all perspectives are given a fair hearing and treated with respect, despite the fact that he literally just referred to the “wrongs” of same-sex marriage.

He then told employees to keep their views off social media.

“In this charged environment I would also urge everyone to be circumspect on social media – advocating for one side or the other will make it difficult for the ABC to be seen as impartial,” he said. “The more high-profile you are the more important the discretion is.”

He advised people to use the term “same-sex marriage”, as opposed to “marriage equality”, and ended by saying that while some people “will inevitably be offended by arguments and statements made by both sides”, it cannot be avoided and debate should not be censored.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that one senior ABC staffer anonymously told them loads of the staff thought the email was “heavy handed”. It ran the story with the headline ‘ABC staff gagged over marriage equality’, which in turn offended some ABC employees.

https://twitter.com/janeenorman/status/895480129681473537

The email comes on the same day that a total rando mailed a postcard to ABC journo Michael Rowland, blithering on about sodomy and AIDS.

Anyway, its cool that the state-funded broadcaster will be covering the “wrongs” of same-sex marriage in a way that’s not offensive. Heaps cool.

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