Allegations of Bias in the ABC

Numerous allegations of bias have been leveled against the Australian Broadcasting Corporation which, according to its Charter, is meant to represent all views of the Australian community. This includes claims of bias by its very own former Chairman, Maurice Newman.
=="Conservative Free Zone"==
The ABC has been labelled a "conservative free zone" by Gerard Henderson the executive director of the Sydney Institute. . However, by late 2012, Newman wrote a scathing attack in The Australian Newspaper on the ABC's approach to reporting on issues such as climate change.
A Parliamentary publication in 2011 stated that "The ABC has regularly been accused of presenting biased reporting. Many commentators have argued consistently that there is in fact a left wing bias which dominates ABC news and programming. From a similar perspective as other noted journalists, such as Gerard Henderson and Padraic (Paddy) McGuinness, Paul Gray maintains that the ABC is influenced by the 'narrow middle-class values of the Australian secular Left'. In Gray's view therefore, while the national broadcaster has at times offended governments of all persuasions, it has always been 'from the Left' The report did also remark that "bias is often is in the eye of the beholder."
Barrie Cassidy responded to accusation of bias on the program Insiders. The topic of free speech and the Labor government's attack on this natural right was being discussed on "Insiders". This was greeted by giggles on the program with Cassidy himself asking the question if the "proprietors had it coming". The comment was in reference to media laws being proposed by the current government as a way to restrict political speech.
Defence
At a Senate Hearing in March 2012, Managing Director, Mark Scott said that he did not agree with claims of bias within the ABC and considered the suggestion to be an "insult".
The Drum
The ABC has also been criticized for allowing the same impartial journalists to provide a commentary on political and social events; particularly on The Drum website. ABC Management has maintained that this has not impacted upon journalistic integrity.

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