Monday, March 26, 2018

Some questions for the Australian public broadcaster the ABC about the ABC’s coverage of Lawrence Krauss



Has the ABC to date, in any of its media programs, TV channels, radio stations or websites reported the various elsewhere-published accusations of sexual harassment from various sources and various accusers, at least one accusation in the assault category, against the American atheist, skeptic and science populariser Lawrence Krauss, either the largely suppressed wave of accusations that came out in 2013 or the recent wave of accusations of February and March of 2018?
If not, why not?

Has the ABC to date, in any of its media programs, TV channels, radio stations or websites reported the various elsewhere-published and currently-discussed accusations of serious sexual harassment about the prominent American atheist and skeptic public speaker Michael Shermer?

If not, why not?

Does the ABC plan to invite Krauss or Shermer as guests on any of its media outlets or programs in the future?
If not, why not?

Lawrence Krauss has been a frequent guest on many ABC programs. He has been a guest on ABC radio stations at least four times in 2017, at last once in 2016, twice in 2014 and twice in 2013, on radio shows such as The Science Show, Conversations with Richard Fidler, Late Night Live, The Drawing Room with Patricia Karvelas, Nightlife and Lunch with Myf. Krauss has also been a prolific guest on ABC television shows: at least once in 2017, twice in 2016, twice in 2015 and once in 2013, on high-profile shows such as 7.30 Report  Catalyst, Q and A and The Weekly with Charlie Pickering. If Krauss has been dropped from any list of acceptable guests of the ABC or has been added to any guest blacklist, does the ABC plan to publicly explain the absence of this very frequent guest of the ABC?

Just last Sunday the ABC saw fit to broadcast a painfully detailedand hard-hitting radio report about sexual harassment allegations against the otherwise highly respected Australian statistician Professor Terry Speed, even though these accusations have not apparently prevented Speed from keeping hisjob as Laboratory Head of Bioinformatics at the Walter and Eliza Hall Instituteof Medical Research. In contrast, it appears that the ABC has still to date not reported in any depth the series of accusations of sexual harassment against Lawrence Krauss, even though the various institutional reactions to accusations against Krauss have essentially destroyed his career and have apparently caused the cancellation of Krauss appearing alongside Richard Dawkins in an upcoming speaking tour of Australia and New Zealand. How does the ABC defend this apparent inconsistency in its reporting of accusations against Speed and Krauss?

Does the ABC believe that its viewers, listeners and readers deserve to be warned about individual famous people who are known or reasonably believed to have a record of sexual harassment or sexual assault, including celebrities who are connected to or associated with the ABC? 


During the many times that Lawrence Krauss has visited the ABC have there been any episodes of sexual harassment or other forms of misconduct towards ABC admin staff, ABC talent, ABC crew, ABC guests, ABC audience members or others? 


Is the ABC trying to "keep the lid on" any Krauss scandal associated with the ABC?




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