ICRP Decision: ABC's yellow-cake bake

ABC have now issued a press release and posted the full ICRP report on our complaint about an ABC report that claimed Australian Uranium was found in Antarctica. The PDF is available here. 

Despite assurances that ABC would look at additional viewpoints on this issue it has never reported on a ministerial statement contained in a  letter  from the Australian Antarctic Division that included the following:

"News reports that uranium dust from Australia was found in an ice core from the Antarctic Peninsula arise from an unpublished study by scientists from Chile, the United States and Brazil. The data were presented at conferences in Punta Arenas, Chile in October 2009 and in Maine, the United States in May 2010.
Data from the World Nuclear Association indicates that in 1995 there was a marked increase in uranium production worldwide. The above mentioned study did not involve fingerprinting or source analysis of the uranium dust, consequently there is no evidence of an Australian source for the dust."

ABC News...baking the yellow cake: sensational icing, raw on the inside.

ICRP Decision: Uranium from Uranus

NEWSFLASH. ABC will shortly be posting a media release about the results of the Independent Complaints Review Panel's deliberations on our complaint about an ABC News report "Australian Uranium dust found in Antarctica".  ABC require confirmation that complainants have received a copy of the complaint prior to its formal release of the report on the ABC website. Here's a copy of a letter sent to Mark Scott ABC Managing Director. The complaint was not upheld, we assume the full ICRP report will be available from the ABC soon, in the meantime a scanned copy is reproduced below.

RE: ICRP Report: Uranium. 

Dear Mr Scott,

Just a short note to inform you I have received your letter of the 13 September relating to the ICRP report about ABC News Online story “Australia Uranium Dust found in Antarctic Ice”.

I note it its comments to the ICRP, ABC News state:

 “It is not normal or appropriate practice when new scientific research is reported to immediately seek political responses to it. It would be the case if the original story had a particularly strong political or policy impact, but in cases like this it was sufficient to simply factually report the original research.”

It is surprising that ABC NEWS still do not see the political implications of the story. If low levels of uranium dust from Australia have been found in Antarctica what would this say about the possibility of higher levels of contamination closer to home? That ABC News did not take the opportunity to scrutinise the original claims (none of which are peer reviewed) or interview representatives of the Australian Uranium industry or government officials to clarify this possibility, does not do much for ABC News’ reputation.

ICRP claim ministerial correspondence I sought has not been made public. This is incorrect. The correspondence was published on ABC NEWS WATCH the 6 July 2010. This includes the following statement that ABC NEWS somehow feel is not newsworthy or relevant to the story:

"News reports that uranium dust from Australia was found in an ice core from the Antarctic Peninsula arise from an unpublished study by scientists from Chile, the United States and Brazil. The data were presented at conferences in Punta Arenas, Chile in October 2009 and in Maine, the United States in May 2010.
Data from the World Nuclear Association indicates that in 1995 there was a marked increase in uranium production worldwide. The above mentioned study did not involve fingerprinting or source analysis of the uranium dust, consequently there is no evidence of an Australian source for the dust."

I am happy for you to issue the press release. 

Earlier posts:

Updated: Uranium from Uranus-Minister's reply

Update: Uranium from Uranus
Update: Oz Uranium from Uranus
Update: Oz Uranium in Antarctica? More likely from Uranus
Oz Yellow cake in Antarctic!

Scanned copy of ICRP report below (click to enlarge)

Updated: Uranium from Uranus-Minister's reply

COMMENT: We have spent some time endeavouring to convince the ABC that it should improve its story about Australian Uranium allegedly found in Antarctica. See for instance:
Update: Uranium from Uranus
Update: Oz Uranium from Uranus
Update: Oz Uranium in Antarctica? More likely from Uranus
Oz Yellow cake in Antarctic!
While ABC have amended the headline they have steadfastly refused to provide its audience with a more balanced perspective by making and reporting on the simple inquiries that would improve the story generally undertaken by quality news organisations. We have one final avenue of appeal open within the ABC and we will now turn to its Independent Complaints Review Panel to assist us help the ABC help itself. Our additional evidence in this matter is a letter we received today from the Australian Antarctic Division of the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.We remain somewhat perplexed that the ABC have left it for its audience to sort this matter out. 
The Letter includes the following statement:
"News reports that uranium dust from Australia was found in an ice core from the Antarctic Peninsula arise from an unpublished study by scientists from Chile, the United States and Brazil. The data were presented at conferences in Punta Arenas, Chile in October 2009 and in Maine, the United States in May 2010.
Data from the World Nuclear Association indicates that in 1995 there was a marked increase in uranium production worldwide. the above mentioned study did not involve fingerprinting or source analysis of the uranium dust, consequently there is no evidence of an Australian source for the dust." The letter appears below.


We will provide an update should the ICRP undertake to hear our complaint.

Update: Uranium from Uranus

ABC News Online, 3 May 2010
Summary published: Tuesday 29, June 2010
Complaint: An online reader complained that a report ‘Australian uranium dust found in Antarctic ice’ contained factual errors and lacked balance.
Finding: Upheld against 5.2.2 (c) ABC Editorial Policies (revised 1 March 2009)
Audience and Consumer Affairs response: The headline to the report did not meet the ABC’s standards for accuracy in news and current affairs content as it overstated the certainty that uranium dust found in Antarctica came from Australia. The headline was changed to ‘Uranium in Antarctic ice may be from Australia’ and an Editor’s Note was appended to the story to clarify the amendment. The complainant’s concerns about balance were not upheld.

http://www.abc.net.au/contact/upheld/s2940043.htm

Update: Groupthink culture is hard at work cherry picking the news for you

ABC have provided some replies to complaints about science news stories that reveal an insight into the manner its news editors choose the science news it feeds its audience, paid for by Australian taxes. It appears editors simply pick the stories that reflect their own personal bias. For an organisation doing less with more it comes as no surprise but provides further evidence that Maurice Newman's Groupthink culture is hard at work.

Here's the gist: On one hand ABC are happy promoting the unpublished and unsubstantiated  "opinions" of a scientist who erroneously suggests Australia's uranium has found its way to the Antarctic. And on the other it fails to report on concerns raised by another scientist published in a respected science journal about a study that erroneously suggested a link between butterfly emergence and global warming.

ABC's response to the complaint about the missing story about the Debunked Butterfly paper HERE.
Reply from ABC CRE to the complaint about the Erroneous Uranium report HERE. (Note that we still await a response from the Minister on how Australia's Uranium found its way to the Antarctic.)

Update: Oz Uranium from Uranus

ABC CRE have replied to our complaint regarding its unsubstantiated report claiming Australian Uranium was found in Antarctica. While ABC is happy reporting on un-substantiated opinions it happily lets published science fall through the gaps. Guess that happens when Group think culture dominates.

Here's ABC CRE's reply (received 28 June 2010). Note we stall await a comment from the Resources Minister.


Background
A request for review was received by the ABC on 4 June 2010 and referred to the Complaints Review Executive (CRE) on 7 June 2010. The complainant was advised that the CRE would aim to complete the review by 5 July 2010.
Content
On 3 May 2010 ABC News Online posted a report – “Australian uranium dust found in Antarctic ice”.
Correspondence
On 3 May 2010 the complainant wrote that: “The headline overstates the certainty of the proposition made by the researcher. It also fails to take into account alternate sources of the uranium mines and new uranium discoveries in Chile and Argentina. As such the report lacks balance and contains factual errors”.
Audience & Consumer Affairs (A&CA) responded on 4 June 2010 and advised the complainant that ABC News accepted that the headline to the report “overstated the certainty that uranium dust found in Antarctica came from Australia”. Accordingly the headline was changed to “Uranium in Antarctic ice may be from Australia” with an Editor’s note appended to the story. A&CA noted the headline did not meet the ABC’s standards for accuracy in news and current affairs content. However AC&A were satisfied that the story was in keeping with the ABC’s standards for balance. The brief story reported the views of Dr Ricardo Jana based on the findings of scientists and therefore AC&A did not believe that further perspectives were required in order to meet the requirements of the ABC’s Editorial Policies. On 4 June 2010 the complainant requested a review by the CRE.
Basis of Assessment
Stories appearing on ABC News Online are categorised as News and Current Affairs content and must meet editorial standards set out in section 5 of the ABC’s Editorial Policies.Given the nature of the concerns raised I have assessed the complaint with a focus on the following sections:
Section 5.2.2 (c) Be accurate
(i) Every reasonable effort, in the circumstances, must be made to ensure that the factual content of news and current affairs is accurate and in context
(ii) The ABC will not hesitate to admit and correct a significant error when it has been established that one has been made
Section 5.2.2 (e) Be balanced
Balance will be sought but may not always be achieved within a single program or publication; it will be achieved as soon as reasonably practicable and in an appropriate manner. It is not essential to give all sides equal time. As far as possible, present principle relevant views on matters of importance.
Assessment
I have reviewed the material specified by the complainant, read the correspondence with A&CA and investigated the use of Agency copy, in this case AFP, by ABC News. As noted by A&CA ABC News has corrected the headline which concerned the complainant, with an Editor’s note dated 18 May:
“The headline on this story was amended to make it clear that the traces of uranium found in Antarctica may have been from Australia, rather than presenting it as a fact.”
Accordingly in relation to the headline, the requirement of Section 5.2.2 (c)(ii) has been met.
However the complaint is still concerned about the substance of the story, copy for which had been provided by the independent international news service AFP. The context of the story was a summary of opinion by a Chilean researcher, and as such it accurately reported his theories, but without stating they were
undisputed facts. The ABC’s Editorial Policies note that balance may not always be achieved within a single program or publication, rather as soon as reasonably practicable, and it is not essential to give all sides equal time.In this case the Chilean researcher represented the findings of scientists for whom he provided the “principle relevant viewpoint” at that time, and his credentials were noted in the story. The substance of the story was based on the news value of the theories being put forward at that time. My enquiries with ABC News indicated that further enquiries have been made about the story. Accordingly it is still open for other viewpoints to be represented in future reports, in the context of appropriate news values and ongoing
scientific research and commentary.
Finding
Having assessed the content and the concerns of the complainant I consider that the requirements of the ABC’s Editorial Policies were met. Therefore the complaint is not upheld.

COMPLAINTS REVIEW EXECUTIVE
28 June 2010

Update 1/7/2010
ABC News Online, 3 May 2010
Summary published: Tuesday 29, June 2010
Complaint: An online reader complained that a report ‘Australian uranium dust found in Antarctic ice’ contained factual errors and lacked balance.
Finding: Upheld against 5.2.2 (c) ABC Editorial Policies (revised 1 March 2009)
Audience and Consumer Affairs response: The headline to the report did not meet the ABC’s standards for accuracy in news and current affairs content as it overstated the certainty that uranium dust found in Antarctica came from Australia. The headline was changed to ‘Uranium in Antarctic ice may be from Australia’ and an Editor’s Note was appended to the story to clarify the amendment. The complainant’s concerns about balance were not upheld.

http://www.abc.net.au/contact/upheld/s2940043.htm

Update: Oz Uranium in Antarctica? More likely from Uranus

ABC have replied to our complaint about a story originally headlined "Australian uranium dust found in Antarctic ice". ABC have now rephrased the headline "Uranium in Antarctic ice may be from Australia" and added the following editorial note: 

Editor's note (May 18): The headline on this story was amended to make it clear that the traces of uranium found in Antarctica may have been from Australia, rather than presenting it as a fact.

ABC, however embarrass themselves by not spending any further time conducting simple inquiries that quickly demonstrate the baseless nature of the claims. The facts are that Australia's Uranium mining industry in among the most highly regulated in the world with strict environmental controls that monitor mines for any pollution. In their original story ABC report that the minuscule amounts of the radioactive element "correspond to a year (1995) when Australia increased its uranium production," Ricardo Jana, who participates in an international research effort in the frozen continent, told El Mercurio daily." ABC's report states "An ice core from the Antarctic bears traces of uranium that may have been carried by the wind from Australian mines in 1995, a glacier expert has told a Chilean newspaper."

Here's a graph of Australia's production of yellowcake from the Australian Parliamentary Library

Production in 1995 at about 5000t is less than 1983 (about 6000t). Why were no "uranium particles" detected in 1983, wind not blowing the right way perhaps?  The other problem is that Australia does not produce Uranium. It produces Uranium Oxide, a compound of uranium. 

This story even corrected remains a load of nonsense!

ABC's reply is posted below and our request for further action on this woeful piece of reporting is posted below that.

From ABC Audience and consumer affairs received 6 June 2010.

Thank you for your email regarding ABC News Online.

Yours concerns of inaccuracy and a lack of balance have been referred to Audience and Consumer Affairs for review.  The unit is separate to and independent from ABC program areas.

On review, ABC News accepts that the headline to the report in question overstated the certainty that uranium dust found in Antarctica came from Australia. The headline has been changed to ‘Uranium in Antarctic ice may be from Australia’,  and an editor’s note has been appended to the story:   http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/05/03/2888354.htm  The headline did not meet the ABC’s standards for accuracy in news and current affairs content.

However, we are satisfied that the story was in keeping with the ABC’s standards for balance.  It was a brief news story reporting the findings of  scientists from the Chilean Antarctic Institute that uranium found in Antarctic dust may be from Australia; as such it reported the views from Dr Ricardo Jana.    We do not believe that further perspectives were required to be included in order to meet the requirements of the ABC’s Editorial Policies; Dr Jana was the principal relevant viewpoint on the subject to hand.    

For your reference, the ABC’s Code of Practice is available at:  http://www.abc.net.au/corp/pubs/documents/200806_codeofpractice-revised_2008.pdf

Yours sincerely
Audience & Consumer Affairs

Our reply...

Dear ABC Audience and Consumer Affairs,

I am not satisfied with ABC's reply. 

Firstly a simple check by ABC would find that Australia does not actually produce any elemental Uranium, it produces and exports Uranium Oxide, more commonly known as Yellow cake (see http://www.aph.gov.au/library/pubs/rp/2009-10/10rp06.htm) . ABC's story mentions "miniscule amounts of the radioactive element" (key word element) and ABC's "expert"  - a glacial scientist talks of "uranium particles". Yellowcake is a compound of Uranium, it is not an "element".  Particles of Yellowcake are a mix of oxygen and uranium. I repeat the "expert" does not mention particles of uranium tied to oxygen, clearly he refers to elemental uranium "uranium particles", which as stated Australia does NOT produce.

Secondly, Australia's Uranium mining industry in among the most highly regulated in the world with strict environmental controls that monitor mines for any pollution. ABC did not bother to check with the Office of the supervising scientist or the Uranium industry for comment. As a geologist I can state the odds of that uranium coming from Australian Uranium mines are as likely as it coming from Uranus. 

As originally stated the story has no factual basis and lacks balance.  The allegations are actually quite serious and amount to Australia polluting Antarctica which is at odds with its commitments to international agreements.  As such ABC should have spent more time researching this. It is disappointing to see an organisation that supposedly prides itself on quality journalism let a story this poorly researched slip through and be published.

I request the ABC either spend more time on this story to establish the facts and add some balance (including issues raised in our original complaint that indicate Uranium is mined in nearby Chile and Argentina), or remove the story from the website.

If you feel ABC Audience and Consumer Affairs have nothing further to add, please pass this complaint on to the ABCs Complaint Review Executive. We have included them in this email.

Oz Yellow cake in Antarctic!

Update reply recievced 6 June 2010: see below
Score +1


ABC HEADLINE: "Australian uranium dust found in Antarctic ice" Online 3 May 2010
ABC REPORTED: ABC covered claims by a Chilean researcher that uranium dust was found in ice core from the Antarctic Peninsula. The report states: "An ice core from the Antarctic bears traces of uranium that may have been carried by the wind from Australian mines in 1995, a glacier expert has told a Chilean newspaper.
The minuscule amounts of the radioactive element "correspond to a year (1995) when Australia increased its uranium production," Ricardo Jana, who participates in an international research effort in the frozen continent, told El Mercurio daily."
THE COMPLAINT: The headline overstates the certainty of the proposition made by the researcher. It also fails to take into account alternate sources of the uranium such as Uranium mines in South America including new Uranium discoveries in Chile (HERE) and Argentina (HERE) . As such the report lacks balance and contains factual errors. The result is shallow sensationalism.
OUTCOME:
Received 6 June 2010
Thank you for your email regarding ABC News Online.

Yours concerns of inaccuracy and a lack of balance have been referred to Audience and Consumer Affairs for review.  The unit is separate to and independent from ABC program areas.

On review, ABC News accepts that the headline to the report in question overstated the certainty that uranium dust found in Antarctica came from Australia. The headline has been changed to ‘Uranium in Antarctic ice may be from Australia’,  and an editor’s note has been appended to the story:   http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/05/03/2888354.htm  The headline did not meet the ABC’s standards for accuracy in news and current affairs content.

However, we are satisfied that the story was in keeping with the ABC’s standards for balance.  It was a brief news story reporting the findings of  scientists from the Chilean Antarctic Institute that uranium found in Antarctic dust may be from Australia; as such it reported the views from Dr Ricardo Jana.    We do not believe that further perspectives were required to be included in order to meet the requirements of the ABC’s Editorial Policies; Dr Jana was the principal relevant viewpoint on the subject to hand.    

For your reference, the ABC’s Code of Practice is available at:  http://www.abc.net.au/corp/pubs/documents/200806_codeofpractice-revised_2008.pdf

Yours sincerely
Audience & Consumer Affairs

COMMENT: Another example of poor journalism.