Latest Corrections
ABC News is committed to correcting significant errors when they occur. Individual program sites and news stories carry their own corrections and clarifications, but this site aggregates these in one place. Errors are sometimes brought to our attention by audience members. If you wish to draw our attention to errors, go to our contact page.
Wednesday, January 7 2009
Gaza protest
Radio National
In a bulletin broadcast at 6pm on January 5, 2009, covering rallies in Australian capital cities against the violence in Gaza, ABC News incorrectly reported that “protesters burned Jewish flags”. This was corrected to “Israeli flags” in subsequent bulletins.Monday, January 5 2009
Weather report
ABC TV News, Western Australia
On December 19, 2008, the WA weather report incorrectly listed the temperature in Kununurra as 23 degrees minimum, and 26 maximum. It should have been 23 minimum and 36 maximum.Finance report
ABC TV News
On December 18 and 19, 2008, the finance report incorrectly listed as the exchange rate of the Australian dollar to New Zealand dollar as 1.877 and 1.826 respectively. The values should have been listed as $1.17672 on December 18, and $1.1820 on December 19.Tuesday, December 23 2008
Southern Star
ABC TV News
On Saturday December 20, 2008, ABC TV News incorrectly reported that the 120-metre tall wheel, the Southern Star, is the third tallest wheel in the world. It is the fourth tallest after the Singapore Flyer, Star of Nanchang and the London Eye.Monday, December 22 2008
Weir bursts
AM
On November 24, 2008, an AM story regarding the search for a girl in Blackwater, Queensland, after a wier burst quoted a Police spokesman, saying that the volume of water lost was the equivalent of 6000 swimming pools. As the volume of an Olympic swimming pool is generally put at 2.5 megalitres, the volume of water lost was closer to 2400 swimming pools rather than the 6000 quoted in the story.Crime report
PM
On December 7, 2007, in a PM story titled "Corby drug links revealed: crime report", the last line of the script refers to “drug run”. This should have been written as “alleged drug run”.Caesarean rates surge
AM
In a PM story broadcast on December 9, 2008, the last line of the link to the story was accidentally changed. On air, the story said "Obstetricians say the big increase has a lot to do with vanity". The ABC should have said "Obstetricians say the big increase does not have a lot to do with vanity".Tuesday, December 16 2008
UK Christmas discounting
AM
On November 21, 2008, in a report about Christmas retail sales in London, the ABC correspondent incorrectly reported that London was a city of 20 million people. The population of greater London is closer to 8-9 million people.Monday, December 15 2008
Finance report
ABC TV News
On November 5, 2008, during the finance report on the 7pm television news, the ABC incorrectly advised that the price of Westpac shares had fallen 76c due to their exposure to Allco Finance Group, which was in the hands of receivers. The reason was because the shares had been ex dividend at 72c.Dingo protection
ABC TV News, Melbourne
On October 25, 2008, the ABC covered the announcement of the Victorian government’s decision to preserve the remaining population of pure dingoes in the state. During the report, the Dingo was incorrectly described as a wolf. Recent research has shown the dingo is a descendant from domestic dogs from southern Thailand and China, arriving in Australia by boat.Home Nations
ABC TV News
On November 30, 2008, in reporting the New Zealand Rugby team’s defeat of England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland, the ABC report incorrectly referred to the defeat of the 'British Home Nations'. The correct term is 'Home Nations'.Friday, December 12 2008
Finance report
ABC TV News
On December 3, 2008, during the finance report on the 7pm television news the Qantas share price was incorrectly listed as $4.44, when the share price finished at $2.35.Thursday, December 11 2008
Bermagui forests
PM and ABC TV News, News South Wales
On November 6, 2008, the ABC reported on conservationists’ calls for the State Government to stop cutting down native forests near Bermagui in NSW. The ABC acknowledges that although a balancing comment was gathered from the NSW Environment Minister, Carmel Tebbutt, a representative of the logging industry should have been included to cover all aspects of the story.Land fill
ABC TV News, Queensland
On December 8, 2008, when reporting on the land fill contamination at Boyne Island Smelter, incorrect vision was used. Pictures of the Queensland Alumina refinery were used instead of the Boyne Island Smelter.Finance reports
ABC TV News
Two errors were recently made during the finance reports in the 7pm television news. On October 31, 2008, the BHP share price was incorrectly listed as $41.88, when the share price finished at $27.61. On November 7, 2008, the Bank of Queensland was reported as having a 10 percent loss for the day, however the loss was only 7.8 percent, and the reporter should have mentioned that a third of this was due to going ex-dividend.
