The ABC's guidance on personal social media does draw attention to this impartiality note.
But my last word on all this is to say how positive it is that thoughtful people like you and Osman are out there, caring deeply for public broadcasting and urging better share.google/xiHmXewkl8fG...

These sorts of judgements are often affected by problems, it's true.
On the other hand, concrete definitions are risky for all sorts of other reasons.
The best approach is this kind of detailed, transparent guidance...
share.google/s2UeBZEdPCjJ...

I've never encountered a journalist, here or overseas, who didn't believe there needs to be some limits on external activities of working reporters to avoid obvious conflicts, so a shared conversation on those limits is a great place to start.

But here's a thought - as media organisations like the ABC start to revise and improve policies in this area, wouldn't it be a good idea if they convened discussions with their own journos to seek a shared understanding of where the lines should be drawn, and why...

Had a listen to the podcast - lots of great stuff there.
I think that the judgement didn't so much dismantle or 'smash' things like social media policies, but rather it found that, in this case, they weren't properly exercised or relied upon - a question of a failure of process more than principle.

I've written about it myself more than once...
meanjin.com.au/latest/a-par...

All good points, Scott. There is a bigger, long running discussion that will probably never end, about the nature of journalistic impartiality and how it should be perceived and valued.
Many have waded into those waters...
www.uts.edu.au/news/2024/06...

I do wonder when we will be taking down all the 'Welcome to Victoria' and 'Welcome to New South Wales' signs that we see up and down the country.

...actually, I didn't know they'd rolled out a new blue tick system. I'm "old school" verified.

Guilty.
What can I say? I crave legitimacy.

Interesting read, especially as I found two of my own books in the dataset.

There was a time not that long ago when an action like that, in any democracy around the world, might have led to the rest of the press corp boycotting media events in solidarity until the ban was revoked.

I know I'm part of ancient history myself these days, but I remember that article well because I responded to it the next day.
I'd left the ABC by then, but some habits are hard to break...
www.smh.com.au/national/you...