Matthew Carney has been executive producer of Four Corners since May 2022, and will stay on until a successor is appointed.
According to News Corpâs Annette Sharp:
On Thursday the ABC clarified that Fazal was recruited âby the EP of (Background Briefing and Four Corners) after the usual required reference checksâ.
âThe recruitment for Four Corners followed a standard and robust process, the job was advertised and there was an interview panel,â a spokeswoman clarified, responding to and correcting claims (ABCâs Head of Investigations and Current Affairs Jo) Puccini had brought the former sergeant-at-arms of outlaw bikie gang The Mongols into the news division fold.
ABC Managing Director Hugh Marks: Statement on Four Corners program 'Downfall â the Last Days of President Trumpâ
The Four Corners program âDownfall â the Last Days of President Trumpâ examined the events of the 6 January 2021 Capitol riot in detail, including the role of President Donald Trump.
Comparing the BBCâs Panorama program to the ABCâs Four Corners program is opportunistic and false.
The BBC program spliced together two separate grabs from different sections of the speech President Donald Trump made during that day that occurred about 54 minutes apart, leading to criticism that the program was misleading.
The grab on Four Corners was used accurately by the program. The editing did not change the meaning of that section of the speech and did not mislead the audience. The program was consistent with the ABCâs high standards of factual, accurate and impartial storytelling.
The edited section of the grab is bracketed in bold:
âAnd Mike Pence is going to have to come through for us, and if he doesnât, that will be a, a sad day for our country because youâre sworn to uphold our Constitution. Now, it is up to Congress to confront this egregious assault on our democracy. And after this, weâre going to walk down, and Iâll be there with you, [weâre going to walk down, weâre going to walk down. Anyone you want, but I think right here, weâre going to walk down to the Capitol, and weâre going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women, and weâre probably not going to be cheering so much for some of them.] Because youâll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength and you have to be strong.â
The edit does not alter the factual meaning of the selected portion or misrepresent the speakerâs intent. The edited segment retains the essential factual elements of the speech, namely, the call for supporters to âwalk down to the Capitolâ and to âshow strength.â
âDownfallâ is powerful journalism of the highest standard. The ABC is proud of it.