An independent research group that investigated coverage by Australia’s national broadcaster, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, has compiled its findings into a 58-page report submitted to a Royal Commission.
According to the researchers, the report documents repeated cases of misleading or emotionally manipulative reporting during coverage of the Israel-Gaza war.
Among the allegations detailed in the report:
- ABC allegedly used images of children suffering from severe genetic disorders while presenting them to audiences as victims of starvation caused by Israel.
- The report claims ABC reported on a child supposedly killed by the Israeli army despite possessing evidence indicating the child had not been killed by Israeli forces.
- Researchers accuse the broadcaster of manipulating casualty statistics for emotional impact — including presenting highly questionable numbers as established facts, concealing the number of killed Hamas terrorists, and repeatedly describing the dead as “mostly women and children.”
- One chapter reportedly compares an ABC Q&A program focused on Gaza to the Russian propaganda program hosted by Vladimir Solovyov, arguing that both shows used similar emotional framing and narrative techniques.
- The report further argues that many ABC journalists demonstrated a lack of understanding regarding urban warfare and military operations against terrorist organizations embedded within civilian areas. According to the authors, this resulted in the uncritical repetition of Hamas claims and disinformation.