ABC Online launches investigation unit

Tim Burrowes

February 11, 2010 2:01

ABC News Online has created an investigation unit in a bid to boost the quality of its digital journalism, the national broadcaster’s boss Mark Scott has revealed.

Speaking to the Melbourne Press Club, Scott said the ABC News Online Investigation Unit, led by Suzanne Smith, is designed to provide support for journalists to ensure the right “follow through” on major news breaks. He said:

But sometimes at the ABC, due to our structures, territorialities and history, our news rooms have not followed up stories broken by our current affairs programs as assiduously as they should have. Our news reporters have often had neither the understanding, contacts nor the brief to do so.

“And there have been times when those putting an ABC news bulletin together only became aware of a major story broken on an ABC current affairs program after it had gone to air – putting the ABC newsroom in the same position as any non-ABC newsroom.

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Tim Burrowes

Tim Burrowes is the publisher of Mumbrella and Unmade. He co-founded Mumbrella in 2008 and sister title Unmade in 2021. He's worked in the UK, Middle East, Asia & Australia and has specialised in writing about the communications world for the last 25 years. He wrote the book Media Unmade, published in 2021, and became the presenter of MediaLand on ABC Radio National in 2025.

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4 COMMENTS

Andrew Juma 12 Feb 10

Good win for quality journalism.

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Nick bolton 12 Feb 10

i was at this event and as usual, mark was articulate and interesting and honest. my favourite comment was, in regard to quality journalism he said ‘there is too mch angelina&brad and not enough angola&chad’

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julie 17 Feb 10

Thanks goodness. I’m sick of not having anything decent to read any more. Can I suggest the Tweed as a microcosm of what is wrong in Australia right now and needs someone to investigate. The NSW govt certainly won’t. The people who live here are getting nowhere despite multiple court actions and years of trying to ‘out’ incompetence and corruption.

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