ABC Chair Kim Williams has rejected claims that he interfered in editorial decisions following a Media Watch report alleging he pressured teams to give airtime to Australian comedian Sandy Gutman, known by his stage name Austen Tayshus.
The report stated that Williams intervened on at least five occasions to push for Gutman to be featured on ABC radio, including after some local teams had declined interview requests. ABC editorial teams are governed by policies designed to maintain independence, and Williams insisted he had not attempted to override any editorial judgement.
“I emphasise this is just not the case,” Williams said. “If there have been misunderstandings in the process, or erroneous assumptions, I genuinely regret that they have arisen.”
According to Media Watch, Gutman — best known for his 1983 hit Australiana — received over 90 minutes of airtime across 11 segments on ABC local radio since last year, with many appearances promoting his live shows. In several cases, local teams had initially turned down interview requests before allegedly being pressured by ABC executives following Williams’ involvement.
In one incident, after ABC Port Pirie declined to interview Gutman, he reportedly called Williams and accused the station of antisemitism. Williams then contacted ABC head of audio content Ben Latimer, who allegedly relayed a message down the chain of command. Days later, Gutman appeared on ABC North and West SA radio.
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Following repeated lobbying from Gutman, Latimer reportedly told Williams that the comedian was “out of line.” In another case, after ABC New England declined an interview, Williams forwarded Gutman’s complaint to Latimer and another senior executive, expressing support for the comedian. “I know he can be demanding but he is talent,” Williams wrote in an email cited by Media Watch.
Williams later clarified that he did not intend to influence decisions but was responding to “talent” and expressed respect for editorial independence.
The revelations raised concerns among ABC staff about potential breaches of editorial independence. ABC Managing Director Hugh Marks, who recently joined the broadcaster, described the matter as “important” and emphasized the need for a clear separation between board and management.
Former ABC editorial director Alan Sunderland criticized the actions, saying they reflected “a significant failure of process and judgement.” He argued that any perception of a board member lobbying for editorial outcomes was “inappropriate.”
While Gutman referred to Williams as a “friend,” Williams downplayed the relationship, stating they had brief contact nearly 30 years ago. Later, Gutman himself said he wasn’t even sure they had met in person but contacted Williams for help regarding what he saw as bias among ABC journalists.
ABC management has since spoken to Gutman, reinforcing expectations for professional behavior when pitching interviews. In a statement, the ABC reaffirmed its commitment to editorial independence and stated that all content decisions must align with its policies to maintain public trust.
