Tuesday, December 9, 2008

ABC of Australia

Mockery of Justice

Arab and Muslim bashing is the most spectacular sport in town. Maybe that’s why the ABC had a problem to use my name and they referred me as “a New South Wales listener”. Maybe they did not use a name to possibly de-humanise me and in line with the Baxter Detention Centre and Guantanamo Bay Hilton policy. Remember, Adolph Hitler used to use numbers instead of names too.

Iraq Was Invaded to Secure Israel and Iraq pullout would hurt Israel. Would you believe The Strip Search of New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clerk and father and daughter episode was covered up nicely by the Zionised media of Australia including Lord Downer of Baghdad! They did so to satisfy the lord of the lords, Israel. But, the Australian ABC! What are they hiding? Rahm Emanuel, a Son of a Terrorist got the key post in the White House under President elect Barak Obama! Jewish and conservative, New Zealand's elected PM promises change and may be he will punish Helen for so called anti-Semitism!

Therefore, do I have a chance to win?

Faruque Ahmed

Moderator

Free Australia Now

Sunday, November 16, 2008

ABC

COMPLAINTS REVIEW EXECUTIVE

Background

This request for review was received on 20 October 2008 from a New South Wales listener dissatisfied with a response from ABC Audience and Consumer Affairs (A&CA). The request was acknowledged on 21 October with advice that the review would be undertaken by 17 November.

Content

On 28 July 2008 Radio National's Late Night Live program included, a discussion with Martin Indyk, Ambassador to Israel and Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs during the Clinton Administration, and Director of the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution.

Correspondence

The complainant wrote by email to the ABC Board, and the presenter of Late Night Live on 29 July, that 'Phillip Adams allowed Martin Indyk to broadcast false and inaccurate statements...' which he felt 'propagate(d) many blatant lies about (the) Israeli/Palestinian conflict...'. He referred to the 'genuine offer of Israel' in 2000 and that he was 'still waiting to find out the new genuine offer of Israel before calling Palestinian kids terrorists'.

The letter was forwarded to A&CA who advised the complainant that a response would be forwarded 'in due course'. A&CA forwarded a substantive response on 6 August advising the complainant that 'ABC Radio National broadcasts a diverse range of perspectives on events in the Middle East. Late Night Live spoke to Mr. Indyk because of his unique insight, gained from close involvement in the politics of the Middle East over the past decade' and `the ABC believes his perspective to be relevant and of interest to its audience.' He was advised that 'The ABC understands the depth of disagreement that exists in regard to the 2000 talks, and, over time, Late Night Live has presented, and will continue to present, a range of perspectives on the situation in the Middle East.

The complainant wrote again on 30 September expressing his dissatisfaction with the response from A&CA. He paraphrased comments made by Martin Indyk which he considered to be 'false and inaccurate' -

1. Ehud Barak offered "everything" to Yasser Arafat during the Camp David talks.

2. 98% of Palestine was "offered" to Yasser Arafat during the Camp David talks.

3. Palestinians lost it (referring to the opportunity for peace at the Camp David talks).

4. Israel does not have a partner for peace (implying that Palestinians do not want peace).

He suggested that it appears the ABC is 'only interested in presenting a single point of view'.

A&CA responded to the complainant's second letter explaining that Late Night Live is categorized as opinion content for the purposes of the ABC's Code of Practice. This requires that 'Reasonable steps will be taken to ensure factual content is accurate and that content does not misrepresent other viewpoints'. The complainant was also advised that 'statements by interviewees and guests such as Mr. Indyk do not constitute factual content and are not subject to this accuracy requirement' and 'listeners are expected to judge the claims made by interviewees and guests for themselves.' A&CA offered to refer the complaint to the Complaints Review Executive. The offer was accepted on 17 October.

Basis of Assessment

Late Night Live is categorized as opinion content for the purposes of the ABC's Code of Practice. Opinion content is address in the ABC's Editorial Policies Section 6 in the following terms:

In the presentation of this content, staff should

(a) take reasonable steps to ensure factual content is accurate.

(b) not misrepresent other viewpoints.

Assessment

I have listened to the 28 July 2008 edition of Radio National's Late Night Live program which included Phillip Adams' discussion with Martin Indyk. I have also read the email correspondence between the ABC and the complainant.

I note that the ABC's editorial policies require that program makers engaged in producing opinion content must present a diversity of perspectives. This requires a diversity of perspectives to be demonstrated across the network or platform. I note this because it is the guiding principle for opinion makers such as Phillip Adams.

On evidence I find that this principle is being followed at the ABC. I base this on my own investigation of recent radio programming, and more specifically I accept A&CA's statement contained in correspondence on 10 September 2008 - 'that Late Night Live has presented, and will continue to present, a range of perspectives on the matter from Israeli, Palestinian and other experts.' Examples of recent, differing viewpoints were supplied.

At the core of this grievance are four examples of what the complainant describes as "false and inaccurate reporting/broadcasting" during the Late Night Live program. It should be stated that Late Night Live is classified as opinion content - therefore testing for accuracy as requested by the complainant lies outside the bounds of the ABC's Editorial policies (refer to Editorial Policies Section 6).

It is important to note that under the terms of the ABC's Editorial policies program makers engaged in making opinion content - such as Late Night Live are not required to treat the opinions expressed by guests in the same way as ABC presenters and journalists participating in news and current affairs programs. For example, programs designated as news and current affairs, or factual content must be guided by section 4.4 of the Code of Practice which states: 'Reasonable steps will be taken to ensure factual content is accurate and that content does not misrepresent other viewpoints.'

It is important to understand that statements made by interviewees and guests such as Mr. Indyk do not constitute factual content (according to the terms of the ABC's Editorial Policies) and are not subject to this accuracy requirement. Rather, listeners to opinion content such as Late Night Live are expected to judge the claims made by interviewees and guests for themselves.

Finding

I consider that ABC editorial requirements were met. Therefore the complaint is not upheld.

Mark Bowling

ALTERNATE COMPLAINTS REVIEW EXECUTIVE

3 November 2008

CRE0335

ABC

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Tasmania – Hobart

ABC Center

1-7 Liverpool Street

Hobart – TAS 7000

GPO – 9994

Hobart – TAS 7001

Tel: 61 3 6235 3333

Abc.net.au

21 October 2008

Mr. Faruque Ahmed

P O Box – 349

Alexandria – 2015

Dear Mr. Ahmed

I am writing to advise that I have received your request for a review of your complaint about Radio National's Late Night Live.

I will consider the matter against ABC editorial requirements and aim to send my determination to you no later than 17 November 2008.

Yours sincerely

Robert J Batten

COMPLAINTS REVIEW EXECUTIVE

Faruque Ahmed

P O Box – 349

Alexandria – 2015

Mobile: 041 091 4118

Kirstin McLiesh

Head, Audience and Consumer Affairs

ABC Ultimo Centre

700 Harris Street

Ultimo – 2007

Email: Corporate_Affairs7.ABC@abc.net.au

Re: Late Night Live With Phillip Adams

Dear Ms. McLiesh

Further to your letter of 16 October, 2008, I would like to remind you that many non-Arab and non-Muslim intellectuals including Dr Sara Roy confirmed to Phillip Adams in his program that what I have been saying all along is correct. You may check it out again by examining the following:

Title: Failing Peace: Gaza and the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict

Author: Sara Roy

Publisher: Pluto Press.

My original complaint of “false and inaccurate reporting/broadcastingis now converted into serious case of bias, lack of balance, factual inaccuracy and/or unfair treatment as you are trying to ignore the original issues including the definition and distinction of terrorists in your organisation.

I therefore request you to forward this matter to the Complaints Review Executive (CRE)

With thanks

Faruque Ahmed

Friday, October 17, 2008

--- On Thu, 16/10/08, ABC CORPORATE_AFFAIRS7

wrote:

From: ABC CORPORATE_AFFAIRS7
Subject: Re: Late Night Live With Phillip Adams
To: union_faruque@yahoo.com.au
Received: Thursday, 16 October, 2008, 3:28 PM

Dear Mr. Ahmed

Thank you for your email of 30 September 2008.

I note your continued view that statements made by Martin Indyk on the 28 July edition of Late Night Live were false and inaccurate.



I should explain that Late Night Live is categorised by the ABC as opinion content for the purposes of our Code of Practice, a copy of which I provided to you. The requirement for accuracy in this content category is set out in section 4.4 of the Code of Practice: "Reasonable steps will be taken to ensure factual content is accurate and that content does not misrepresent other viewpoints". It is important to understand that statements made by interviewees and guests such as Mr. Indyk do not constitute factual content and are not subject to this accuracy requirement. Rather, listeners are expected to judge the claims made by interviewees and guests for themselves.


As explained in my previous letter, Late Night Live has presented a range of perspectives on these issues over time and will continue to do so in the future, in accordance with the requirements of the Code of Practice. Nonetheless, your continued concern is noted.


If you are dissatisfied with the ABC's response to your concerns, there are a number of avenues of review available to you. These are outlined on the ABC website here: http://abc.net.au/contact/complaints_process.htm#response.


Yours sincerely


Kirstin McLiesh

Head, Audience & Consumer Affairs

Faruque Ahmed

P O Box – 349

Alexandria – 2015

Mobile: 041 091 4118

Kirstin McLiesh

Head, Audience and Consumer Affairs

ABC Ultimo Centre

700 Harris Street

Ultimo – 2007

Re: Late Night Live With Phillip Adams

Dear Ms McLiesh

I am in receipt of your sad and bad letter of the 10th of September 2008.

The issue was “false and inaccurate reporting/broadcasting” by beloved and respected Phillip Adams in his interview with Martin Indic, as mentioned in my previous letter.

Martin Indic deliberately made many false and inaccurate statements on that night, such as those paraphrased below:

1. Ehud Barak offered “everything” to Yasser Arafat during the Camp David talk.

2. “98% of Palestine was offered” to Yasser Arafat during the Camp David talk.

3. “Palestinians lost it” (referring to the opportunity for peace at the Camp David talk).

4. “Israel does not have a partner for peace” (implying that Palestinians do not want peace).

The reality is that Zionist people like Martin Indic, Madeline Albright, James Rubin all conspired to murder Oslo and thereby killing hope for peace in Palestine at the Camp David talk.

Again, these people are using their past and present positions of influence and conducting a world wide false and vindictive campaign against the poor Palestinians based on totally false, fabricated and unsubstantiated claims, such as those mentioned above. Ironically, even you yourself have fallen for it and dared to ask your audience, including myself, to accept such false notions and injustices.

I therefore demand evidence from you and/or Martin Indic (or any body else for that matter) in support of these lies, which were allowed to be aired on your program.

You see, those Palestinian children who are playing at their mothers' cradles, backyards and schoolyards have been confronting racist and fascist treatment form outsiders who allegedly claim to have received their passports directly from "God". I believe that it is these outsiders who are in fact the real terrorists.

It seems that you are only interested in presenting a single point of view. Neither Fareed Zakaria nor any of your other interviewees dealt with this issue. A similar silencing of debate and discussion was enforced by the Americans prior to the invasion of Afghanistan (which was driven by their corporate pipeline dream). The illegal and immoral invasion of Iraq was also preceded by a debate blackout. In reality, the Americans would try to stop the sunlight with their little greasy fingers, if they could.

Now if you also think that the ABC should not allow or encourage free and fair bilateral debate, on this issue, then it is the people of this country (and not just the ABC) who will be the losers.

With thanks

Faruque Ahmed

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

ABC

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

ABC Ultimo Centre

700 Harris Street

Ultimo NSW 2001

Tel: +61 2 8333 1500

Abc.net.au

Faruque Ahmed

PO Box 349

ALEXANDRIA NSW 2015

Dear Mr. Ahmed

Thank you for your letter of 29 July 2008, which has been referred to me for response.

ABC Radio National broadcasts a diverse range of perspectives on events in the Middle East and Late Night Live spoke to Mr Indyk because of his unique insight, gained from close involvement in the politics of the Middle East over the past decade. Mr Indyk was directly involved in enabling the negotiations between Ehud Barak and Yasser Arafat, and the ABC believes his perspective to be relevant and of interest to its audience.

The ABC understands the depth of disagreement that exists in regard to the 2000 talks, and over time Late Night Live has presented, and will continue to present, a range of perspectives on the matter from Israeli, Palestinian and other experts. Late Night Live has also recently interviewed Fareed Zakaria, the editor and columnist for Newsweek International on the implications of the collapse of the World Trade Organisation discussions and on US foreign policy in the Middle East. The program has also recently interviewed Ian Black, Middle East editor for The Guardian on events in Gaza.

Please be assured that your comments have been noted by ABC Radio management. I enclose a copy of the ABC's Code of Practice for your reference.

Yours sincerely

Kirstin McLiesh

Head, Audience & Consumer Affairs, 6August 2008

ABC

Australian Broadcasting Corporation

ABC Ultimo Centre

700 Harris Street

Ultimo NSW 2001

Tel: +61 2 8333 1500

Abc.net.au

Faruque Ahmed

PO Box 349

ALEXANDRIA NSW 2015

Dear Mr. Ahmed

Thank you for your letter of 29 July 2008. The Chairman has asked me to respond on his behalf.

The ABC's Audience & Consumer Affairs unit will look into your concerns and we will respond more substantively in due course.

I enclose a copy of our complaint handling fact sheet for reference.

Yours sincerely

Kirstin McLiesh

Head, Audience & Consumer Affairs

ABC, We Are Watching You

Dear Phillip,

I am aware of your situation and many false accusations of the Zionists. Nonetheless, Martin Indic made many false and inaccurate remarks at that night as I mentioned earlier and you failed to correct him or stop him. However, the truth must be told and the Zionist intimidation must be stopped.

Faruque

P.S. I've added `l' and I hope you will move forward.

--- On Fri, 1/8/08, Phillip Adams wrote:

From: Phillip Adams
Subject: Re: ABC, We Are Watching You
To: union_faruque@...
Cc: "phillip adams"
Received: Friday, 1 August, 2008, 10:33 AM

What a silly email!! Though it makes a change from twenty years of being abused as ' a stooge of the Palestinians' and 'an anti-Semite"....all those sympathetic programs on the P's, including live broadcasts from refugee camps in the Lebanon under Israeli fire... not to mention the dozens of conversation with prominent members of the PLO - and my recent chat with Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim accusing Israel of war crimes.....and you cap it all by spelling my name incorrectly...




--- In freeamericanow@yahoogroups.com, "union_faruque" wrote:
Re: False and Inaccurate Broadcasting during the Late Night Live Program with Phillip

ABC, We Are Watching You

The following letter was emailed to right recipients and a hard copy was forwarded to the ABC Board Members at their Ultimo Office.

Faruque Ahmed

P O Box – 349, Alexandria – 2015

Mobile: 041 091 4118

The Chairman

ABC Radio and Television

Email: board@...

Re: False and Inaccurate Broadcasting during the Late Night Live Program with Phillip Adams at Monday, July 28, 2008

Dear Sir/Madam

Further to Israeli Holocaust, Holocaust continuum, The Iron Wall and Middle East Formula for Peace; beloved Phillip Adams allowed Martin Indic to broadcast false and inaccurate statements like, "Ehud Barak offered everything to Yasser Arafat during the Camp David talk" similar to this manufactured interview.

In reality Ehud Barak offered nothing as clearly demonstrated by this map. Beside millions of lies, this map of deceit was kept secret and unpublished. Yet, Phillip allowed Martin to propagate many blatant lies about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict last night.

Beside the "genuine offer of Israel" at 2000 still I am waiting to find out the new genuine offer of Israel before calling Palestinian kids as "terrorists". You see those children who are playing at their mothers' cradles, backyards and schoolyards have been confronting racist and fascist outsiders who allegedly got passports from "god" are in fact and reality terrorists. No sane person can address victims of Israeli terror continuum as "terrorists". Ironically, many ABC personalities are indulging these types of crimes on a daily basis as Phillip did tonight.

I hope you will take necessary action to eradicate these types of madness.

Thanks in advance.

Faruque Ahmed,

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

You may add the followings for some extra flavor!

1. America and the MDR Syndrome,

2. Zionism Is Incompatible With Any Civilised Society,

3. Ugly Judaism Is Incompatible With Any Religion,

4. Islam is Incompatible with Democracy,

5. The Truth and Reality at the Sydney APEC Rally,

6. Silencing the Truth to T-Shirt and

7. Crazy Faruque.

Source: Free Australia Now