ABC Chief Executive David Anderson apologized to Stan Grant after the D+R the host said he did not feel supported by ABC management following ABC’s coronation coverage.
Grant retires from the show following an online abuse tirade.
In a note to staff Anderson said: “ABC presenter and commentator Stan Grant’s experiences following our coverage of the coronation of King Charles III have been distressing and confrontational for ABC, as they should be for the entire industry.” of the media and the wider community.
“Racism must never be tolerated and I am appalled that Stan has been exposed to such disgusting behaviour.
“Stan has our full support. And he has always had our full support. Stan makes a huge contribution to conversations of national importance.
“ABC’s role includes providing content and programming that contributes to a sense of national identity, informs and entertains, reflects Australia’s cultural diversity and represents the diversity of community perspectives.
“Sometimes that means facilitating conversations that can be uncomfortable, challenging, and even confrontational. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t be doing our job. This can sometimes lead to strong reactions. Unfortunately, it is increasingly attracting unacceptable abuse, particularly online and through social media.
“ABC is never above scrutiny or criticism. However, the nature of some commercial media’s anti-ABC reporting is sustained and vitriolic. This has real-world consequences for ABC presenters and reporters who are personally attacked and vilified.”
Anderson did not name those media.
In a column last Grant said on Friday that after he was invited as a guest to coverage of the coronation, no one at ABC had uttered a word of public support.
“No ABC executive has publicly refuted the lies written or told about me. I do not hold any individual accountable; this is an institutional failure,” she wrote.
Anderson acknowledged that supporting people through these times is important.
“Stan Grant has stated that he does not feel publicly supported. For that, I apologize to Stan. ABC strives to support its staff at unfortunate times when there is external abuse directed against them,” he said.
“ABC Committee Chair and Vice Chair Bonner asked me to conduct a review to investigate and make recommendations about ABC’s responses to racism affecting ABC staff and what we can do better to support staff who face it. I have accepted this recommendation and will provide more details later this week when we have them.
“This review will build on our work as the first media organization to have an Elevate Reconciliation Action Plan. The next version of this will be released in the coming months, as will our new Plan for Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging.”
ABC offers support to First Nations personnel across a variety of managerial roles and resources, with zero tolerance for racism, bullying, harassment, discrimination or any anti-social behaviour.
Grant leaves D+R after hosting Monday night.
