BBC Says Sorry For Misleading Documentary On Aussie Town

BBC Says Sorry For Misleading Documentary On Aussie Town

The BBC has been forced to apologise for a documentary that misled viewers about a New South Wales town after it was accused of being unethical.

Presented by British actor Reggie Yates, Hidden Australia: Black in the Outback copped a lot of flack from residents of Wilcannia after it was aired overseas and made available online earlier this year, according to the ABC.

The documentary focused on alcohol abuse within the town, but Barkindji residents complained that there wasn’t enough emphasis on the positives of living in Wilcannia and the efforts the township was making to address the issues.

One of the scenes featured locals drinking alcohol at the home of Barkindji man Owen Whyman, but did not highlight that the gathering was a wake following the funeral of a close friend and prominent community member, The ABC reported.

A spokesman for the BCC acknowledged that the scene had in fact been edited in a way which was misleading.

“This clearly falls below the standards we expect of program-makers, and for this we would like to apologise,” he told the ABC.

“We are speaking with everyone from [the production company] Sundog [Pictures] involved in the filming and editing of the scene to find out what happened, and remind them of the BBC’s editorial standards.”

Furthermore, Whyman said producers had not gained permission from many of the people in the doco to be filmed, and them that the production would take a positive look at life in Wilcannia.

The BBC said Sundog Pictures told the network that participants had given their consent to be filmed “at every stage”, and were given “a clear understanding of the program’s aims”.

The network had also tried to include positive angles, according to the BCC spokesman.

“The program aimed to show what life is like for the local community, and whilst we can’t include everything we film, the program did feature the work of the youth centre and a traditional hunt,” he told the ABC.




Latest News

Gippsland Dairy Celebrates The Deliciousness Of Patience With ‘Slow Good’ Platform Via Special
  • Advertising
  • Campaigns

Gippsland Dairy Celebrates The Deliciousness Of Patience With ‘Slow Good’ Platform Via Special

Gippsland Dairy Yogurt is launching a new brand platform this week celebrating the unique, time-consuming process by which it is crafted. “In a category and industry focused on quick production and lowest cost, Gippsland Dairy has been able to retain its award-winning texture and taste by keeping true to its unique production method. We’re thrilled […]

Let Them Eat Cake: Cashed-Up Professionals Are Back In CBDs And Airports And They Want Their Audis
  • Media

Let Them Eat Cake: Cashed-Up Professionals Are Back In CBDs And Airports And They Want Their Audis

Offices and airports have become key hubs for social connectivity and brand engagement for today’s affluent business professionals, exclusive new research from oOh!media has found. In the post pandemic era, the study ‘A Professional Perspective’ by strategic consumer insights consultancy Nature, revealed 83 per cent of business professionals say while hybrid work is the new […]

Mariah Carey Lends Her Inimitable Voice to ‘Portrait of a Portrait’, Audible’s Latest ‘Words + Music’ Installment
  • Advertising

Mariah Carey Lends Her Inimitable Voice to ‘Portrait of a Portrait’, Audible’s Latest ‘Words + Music’ Installment

Audible announced that Mariah Carey’s ‘Words+Music‘ installment, ‘Portrait of a Portrait’, will debut on Thursday, May 23, exclusively from Audible. In the 40th volume of Audible’s franchise, the best-selling, award-winning visionary will immerse listeners in an enchanting Butterfly Lounge session that is not only an unparalleled auditory experience, but a masterclass in the art of […]

AiMCO Announces New Member Webinar To Deep-dive Into The Intricacies Of Influencer Agreements
  • Advertising
  • Marketing

AiMCO Announces New Member Webinar To Deep-dive Into The Intricacies Of Influencer Agreements

The Australian influencer marketing council (AiMCO) announced its new ‘Influencer Agreements 101’ webinar – a deep-dive into influencer agreements between brands and influencers, or their agencies. Lead image: Tegan Boorman, guiding council chair, AIMCO. The webinar, to be held on May 14, will explore the intricacies of legal and contractual agreements between brands, agencies and […]

TikTok’s Head Of People AUNZ Laura Chuck Leaves After Nearly 4 Years
  • Technology

TikTok’s Head Of People AUNZ Laura Chuck Leaves After Nearly 4 Years

TikTok’s head of people for Australia and New Zealand Laura Chuck has left after nearly four years in the role. In an emotional LinkedIn post, Chuck said “It’s with mixed emotions that I bid farewell to my incredible journey at TikTok, where I’ve spent nearly four incredible years”. Chuck joined TikTok in June 2020 and was […]

News Corp Australia Gets Ready For D_Coded 2024
  • Media

News Corp Australia Gets Ready For D_Coded 2024

News Corp Australia will be unveiling transformative solutions to navigating today’s rapidly changing digital landscape at the company’s annual D_Coded event next week. Over two days in Sydney and Melbourne, a series of live presentations and product announcements will outline how brands can gain a strategic advantage, build stronger customer relationships and achieve long-term growth. […]

Ideally Continues high growth trajectory, appoints senior marketing lead
  • Marketing

Ideally Continues high growth trajectory, appoints senior marketing lead

Ideally has appointed international brand marketer Maura Halpin to the newly created role of marketing lead, effective immediately. The appointment comes at a pivotal time in the brand’s ambitious growth strategy following its launch in August 2023. Since launch Ideally has announced a $2.15m seed investment has grown to nearly 20 staff across Australia and […]

Feel-Good Gin! The Oasis Committee And Spirit of Little Things Collab On Charity Gin
  • Campaigns

Feel-Good Gin! The Oasis Committee And Spirit of Little Things Collab On Charity Gin

The Oasis Committee in partnership with Spirit of Little Things has created the perfect bottle of gin for every media office bar cart with all proceeds from the signature gin to go towards Oasis Project and Western Australia’s disadvantaged youth. The Oasis Committee is focused on leveraging the power of the WA advertising and communications […]

Shot of a young programmer working at his computer with an overlay of computer graphics
  • Media

Media-Wize Wins AUSCERT PR Account

Media-Wize calls itself "a media training and technology and cyber security PR agency". Think nerds with better hair.

Concrete Playground Debuts Innovative Urban Exploration Platform With Lexus As Launch Partner
  • Advertising

Concrete Playground Debuts Innovative Urban Exploration Platform With Lexus As Launch Partner

Concrete Playground announced the launch of its redesigned website in partnership with Lexus. This partnership introduces a new era of urban discovery, enabling a deeper, more intuitive engagement with cities through a state-of-the-art digital platform. Revolutionised Digital Experience Concrete Playground’s website has undergone a significant transformation, designed to enhance the way users interact with their […]