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Litigation
Investigations into climate-related coverage on the Outsiders program on Sky News Regional
Date
2022
Geography
About this case
Documents
Filing Date
Type
Document
Summary
12/19/2022
Other
Investigations Report - Foxtel Cable Television Ltd [Sky News Australia]
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) conducted an investigation into four episodes of the Sky News Australia program Outsiders, broadcast in October and December 2021, following complaints alleging inaccurate or misrepresented factual information. The investigation focused on segments including ‘Outsiders Weather and the Sceptics Ice-Age Watch’ and ‘Outsiders News’. The ACMA found that Foxtel Cable Television Pty Limited, the licensee, breached the Subscription Broadcast Television Codes of Practice 2013 by failing to present news accurately and fairly and by not clearly distinguishing factual material from commentary and analysis. These breaches related to discussions on Vostok ice cores and the relationship between temperature and carbon dioxide, the promotion of a weather forecast website, claims about a UK policy on heat pumps, the presentation of Japanese temperature data, and reporting on the health of the Great Barrier Reef. Foxtel argued that Outsiders is a commentary program and attempted to rely on a clause in the Codes regarding failures due to the actions of another person (the content provider), but the ACMA did not accept these submissions, asserting that the responsibility for compliance rests with the licensee. The ACMA determined that in several instances, factual material was presented inaccurately or unfairly, and commentary was not clearly distinguished from factual reporting.
12/19/2022
Other
Investigation Report - Network Investment Pty Ltd [Sky News Regional]
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) investigated four broadcasts of the program Outsiders on Sky News Regional in October and December 2021 following complaints of inaccurate factual material and misrepresentation of viewpoints. The ACMA's investigation found that the licensee, Network Investments Pty Ltd (Sky News Regional), breached clause 3.3.1 of the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice 2015 (revised in 2018). The breaches pertained to segments on Vostok ice cores suggesting temperature drives carbon dioxide, the promotion of a weather forecast website based on sunspot activity, claims that the UK government was mandating heat pump installation, the presentation ofJapanese temperature data to suggest no warming, and a report claiming record coral levels on the Great Barrier Reef. The ACMA determined that in these instances, factual material was presented inaccurately and viewpoints were misrepresented. The program Outsiders, a current affairs discussion program, includes segments like ‘Outsiders Weather and the Sceptics Ice-Age Watch’ that often critique the consensus on climate science.
12/19/2022
Other
Investigation Report - Southern Cross Communications Pty Limited [Sky News Regional]
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) investigated four episodes of the program Outsiders, broadcast on Sky News Regional in October and December 2021, due to complaints about inaccurate factual material and misrepresentation of viewpoints in segments like ‘Outsiders Weather and the Sceptics Ice-Age Watch’ and ‘Outsiders News’. The ACMA's investigation found that the licensee, Southern Cross Communications Pty Limited (Sky News Regional), breached clause 3.3.1 of the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice 2015 (revised in 2018), which requires the accurate presentation of factual material and ensuring viewpoints are not misrepresented in current affairs programs. The breaches related to several segments, including one that inaccurately claimed Vostok ice core data showed temperature drives carbon dioxide levels, and another that misrepresented the UK government's policy on mandating heat pump installations. The ACMA also found a breach concerning a segment that presented Japanese temperature data in a misleading way to suggest no global warming, and a further breach for inaccurately reporting that the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) had found record coral levels on the Great Barrier Reef, while also misrepresenting AIMS's viewpoint on the reef's health. The program Outsiders is considered a current affairs discussion program that includes segments which often critique the consensus on climate science.
Summary
The Australian Media and Communications Authority (ACMA) commenced an investigation pursuant to the Broadcasting Services Act 1992 into episodes of Outsiders broadcast on Sky News Regional by Network Investments Pty Ltd over October to December 2021. The ACMA received complaints with 80 allegations. The ACMA found that the episodes breached the requirements in the subscription TV code of practice around accuracy and clearly distinguishing factual material from commentary and analysis in relation to climate-related coverage.