The Australian's tit-for-tat spat with the ABC continues with its latest editorial revealing the News Corp owned paper will be reporting the public broadcaster to ACMA (Australian Communications and Media Authority).
The Australian claims that Media Watch's 'Up in Smoke' report which aired on Monday about an article in The Australian on plain packaging of cigarettes, included statistics from a tobacco company media release to support its claims. However, The Australian said Media Watch failed to include the following quote from the same document.
“With growth in industry volumes, fewer people quitting and a jump in the amount of cheap illegal cigarettes on the streets, you could draw the conclusion that people are actually smoking more now than before plain packaging came into effect.”
The editorial continued stating, “Just why a program whose stated intent is to scrutinise the ethics and performance of media would adopt such deceptive practices is bewildering.”
The Australian also claims that Media Watch failed to disclose its sources and their link to the Gillard government, which put the plain packaging laws in place.
Host of Media Watch, Paul Barry hit back on twitter saying, “IRONY ALERT! The Australian to take @ABCmediawatch to the ACMA over OUR tobacco story. No, really!”
See the Media Watch report for yourself here.
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