The ABC news director, Justin Stevens, has called out the racist abuse Tony Armstrong has received, saying the Indigenous presenter has been targeted on social media and in comments on news sites in a “despicable way”.
The statement comes two days after a Media Watch segment which was critical of the News Breakfast presenter for voicing a commercial for NRMA insurance, prompting media coverage in a number of different outlets.
On Tuesday, the ABC released a report on racism at the broadcaster, which included accounts of staff being subjected to public attacks from external media, individuals and social media.
“I am dismayed that within 24 hours of that important report I’m issuing a statement to publicly call out more racist abuse by members of the public directed at one of the ABC’s highly valued staff members, who also happens to be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander,” Stevens said.
“Tony Armstrong is one of the ABC’s best and most talented presenters. This week he has again been targeted on social media and in public comments on news websites in a despicable way.”
The proud Gamilaroi man, whose last day on News Breakfast is Friday, shared the racist comments he has received on his Instagram account. The comments are too offensive to repeat.
In an email to staff on Wednesday Stevens said management expects scrutiny of its journalism but the targeting of individual employees can “directly feed antisocial behaviour from the community”.
It’s not the first time Armstrong has been targeted. In 2022 the ABC notified police over a racist email sent to him after he was critical of the mining magnate Gina Rinehart for not disavowing her father’s racism towards Indigenous people.
“This shit has gotta stop,” he said on X. “One thing is for certain though, this isn’t guna stop us speaking up or stepping up. Sent to my work email, no less.”
The wave of coverage this week came after Media Watch was critical of Armstrong for not getting permission from management to voice a commercial for NRMA insurance, which is contrary to the ABC’s policy on external work.
“How any ABC reporter can voice a commercial for one of the biggest brands in Australia and not think that is a conflict is beyond us,” the fill-in host Janine Perrett said.
“If this is not a breach of the guidelines on external work, which says you must seek approval from above, we don’t know what is.”
Armstrong is not identified in the commercial and the Guardian understands his agent did not believe he needed to disclose the contract for this reason. The ads ran on TV and radio in July and have only just come to light.
“The voiceover was done without the ABC’s knowledge, this was due to a misunderstanding with Tony’s external representation,” an ABC spokesperson told Media Watch. “They have been provided a copy of the external work guidelines and reminded all ABC employees are required to meet them.”
The Media Watch segment was followed up by media including the Daily Mail, news.com.au, The Australian and Sky News Australia.
Stevens said the ABC has logged the details of the abusive social media posts and made a complaint regarding the moderation of the comments.
“This sort of behaviour in the community is often fed by the inflammatory nature of mainstream media coverage,” he said.
“The prominence of stories, tone of headlines and copy, photos run and selection of story angles can foster division and outright hate.”
Perrett said it was “astonishing” Armstrong had not asked permission and she was “stunned” he had accepted the job.
“But with his ABC contract up this Friday, maybe it’s the start of his commercial TV or advertising career,” she said on Monday’s program. “But it’s a shame this moonlighting at the expense of the ABC’s integrity is what we’re talking about in his final week on the News Breakfast couch.”
Media Watch reported that “plenty of ABC stars”, including Annabel Crabb and Jeremy Fernandez, take outside work, such as MCs at corporate events: Crabb hosted a Women in Mining conference in Western Australia last month.
The racism review was sparked in part by the treatment of the broadcaster Stan Grant who faced racist attacks on social media fuelled by a “relentless campaign” against the ABC’s coronation broadcast from News Corp.
Armstrong is in negotiations with the broadcaster’s entertainment division for a new TV role.
