Australia: ABC Faces Backlash Over Treatment of Journalists of Color
Nour Haydar resigns and Antoinette Lattouf accuses network of discrimination over Gaza coverage
Location: Australia, Sydney
Date: January 10, 2024Update: February 26, 2024
Two journalists' of Lebanese background are criticizing the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) for its treatment of journalists of color since the outbreak of war in Gaza. Broadcaster Antoinette Lattouf has accused the ABC of racism against employees of Arab and Muslim backgrounds. The presenter, who filed an unfair dismissal case against the public broadcaster in December, is now amending her claim to include allegations of discrimination. A day later, Lattouf's ABC colleague, Nour Haydar, resigned in protest of the network's coverage of the conflict, highlighting the growing discontent within the organization. The Coalition For Women In Journalism and Women Press Freedom expresses deep concern over allegations that journalists of color are being targeted and mistreated by the nation's public broadcaster since the outbreak of war. We commend both Lattouf and Haydar for taking a stand and speaking publicly. The ABC must address these serious accusations and ensure that its staff of color are treated fairly and equitably in the workplace.
“Despite the ABC’s rhetoric about diversity and inclusion, it is currently an unsafe workplace for journalists who are people of color,” says presenter Antoinette Lattouf as she reveals she is suing the public broadcaster for discrimination.
Lattouf claims she was fired from her role after just three shifts as a presenter on ABC Radio Sydney’s morning show due to her social media posts related to the Israel-Gaza conflict. Lattouf, who has authored a book on systemic racism, alleges that her dismissal is indicative of a broader issue within the ABC. She asserts the organization is an "unsafe" workplace for journalists of color. The presenter argues that the strict rules on commenting about the Israel-Gaza war have led to discomfort among journalists.
“My sacking and the sacking of others has a chilling effect on journalism. People are now too scared to report without fear or favor”
“Even for non-diverse journalists, my sacking and the sacking of others has a chilling effect on journalism. People are now too scared to report without fear or favor,” says Lattouf.
“I have resigned from the ABC. This was not a decision that I made lightly, but one I made with total clarity,” she told the Sydney Morning Herald. “Commitment to diversity in the media cannot be skin deep. Culturally diverse staff should be respected and supported even when they challenge the status quo. Death and destruction on the scale we have seen over recent months has made me reassess my priorities.”
“Culturally diverse staff should be respected and supported even when they challenge the status quo”
Lattouf’s Allegations of Racial Discrimination
Lattouf claims that her termination was based on her posts about the conflict, specifically highlighting a Human Rights Watch social media post accusing the Israeli government of using starvation as a weapon of war in Gaza. Lattouf says that despite receiving positive feedback on her performance, she was summarily dismissed after sharing this post.
Her legal representation, led by prominent workplace lawyer Josh Bornstein, has expanded her Fair Work Commission complaint against the ABC to include racial discrimination based on her ethnicity. The law firm alleges that the public broadcaster systematically discriminates against people with Arab or Muslim backgrounds and other people of color.
Leaked WhatsApp messages revealing a letter-writing campaign by pro-Israel lobbyists targeting ABC managing director David Anderson and ABC chair Ita Buttrose were published by The Age on January 15, 2024. The messages reveal constant pressure on ABC management to fire Lattouf from her position at the network.
“It has become notorious in the media industry that Arab and Muslim journalists are being intimidated, censored, and sacked”
“Since October 7 and the ensuing conflict in the Middle East, it has become notorious in the media industry that Arab and Muslim journalists are being intimidated, censored, and sacked,” Bornstein said in a statement. The lawyer believes that Lattouf's treatment constitutes a clear breach of the Fair Work Act.
“In this case, we will show that the ABC has not sacked white journalists for expressing political opinion, even where those journalists worked in news and current affairs,” Bornstein argues. “Antoinette’s role at the ABC was not a news or current affairs role. She shared four posts during her employment and was told that sharing the Human Rights Watch post was somehow a breach of the ABC’s social media policy. Then she was suddenly and humiliatingly sacked.”
The legal team seeks a detailed public apology from the ABC, compensation for harm to Lattouf's reputation, distress, and humiliation. They are also pushing for an order that the ABC offer Lattouf a commensurate on-air role, highlighting her passion for a representative public broadcaster. Finally, they aim to impose penalties on the ABC to discourage the repetition of such conduct.
“(She) was told that sharing the Human Rights Watch post was somehow a breach of the ABC’s social media policy”
The legal team seeks a detailed public apology from the ABC, compensation for harm to Lattouf's reputation, distress, and humiliation. They are also pushing for an order that the ABC offer Lattouf a commensurate on-air role, highlighting her passion for a representative public broadcaster. Finally, they aim to impose penalties on the ABC to discourage the repetition of such conduct.
On February 26, 2024, Lattouf escalated her legal battle against the ABC by filing a new claim in the federal court. She alleges that the broadcaster breached its employee enterprise agreement by terminating her employment without proper basis and due process.
Growing Discontent in Australian Newsrooms Over Israel-Gaza Coverage
Protest at the ABC’s Ultimo office on January 10, 2024. CREDIT: Dion Georgopoulos
ABC staff, particularly members of the union, are demanding answers from management regarding the termination of Antoinette Lattouf. Approximately 200 ABC union members held a national meeting on January 16, 2024, endorsing a resolution from Sydney that calls for the managing director, David Anderson, to return to work and explain why Lattouf's employment was terminated.
Since the escalation of conflict in Gaza, media outlets globally have been struggling to report on the conflict with objectivity and sensitivity. Critics argue that mainstream media in Australia, including ABC and outlets owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, exhibit a pro-Israel bias in its coverage of the war. This has led to discomfort, protest, and anger in many newsrooms.
During a meeting at the ABC in November 2023, approximately 200 staff criticized the broadcaster's coverage of the Israel-Gaza conflict. Concerns were raised about the ABC's reluctance to use terms like "invasion," "occupation," "genocide," "apartheid," and "ethnic cleansing" in its reporting. Staff also expressed worries about potential damage to relations with Arab and Muslim communities. Separately, over 300 Australian journalists from various outlets, signed a public letter calling for Australian media outlets to adhere to ethical reporting standards and provide adequate coverage of allegations such as war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and apartheid.
In December 2023, CFWIJ documented harassment and discrediting attempts against multiple Australian women journalists for reporting or criticizing media outlets’ coverage of the Israel-Gaza conflict. The journalists, including Lattouf, faced smear campaigns by Murdoch-owned outlets and online trolls. As a result, many suffered professional repercussions, including job terminations, canceled contracts, and financial losses.
According to Cassie Derrick, the media director of the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance, Australia’s public broadcaster has a history of inadequately supporting journalists from diverse cultural backgrounds when faced with external criticism and attacks. “The resignation of Nour Haydar follows a pattern that has seen Stan Grant quit the ABC and Antoinette Latouff sacked at the alleged direction of the managing director. In each case, management has failed to back their staff when they have come under attack from outside the ABC,” says Derrick.
Commending both Lattouf and Hader for their courage in speaking out, the Coalition For Women In Journalism and Women Press Freedom calls for immediate action from ABC to address both allegations of racial discrimination and biased coverage of the conflict in Gaza. The public broadcaster must ensure fair and equal treatment of its staff of color in the workplace. The accountability of ABC is paramount, and it must take swift measures to rectify any discriminatory practices and foster an inclusive and unbiased working environment.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help women career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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