The Walkley board will review its rules on “chequebook journalism” after it emerged that the Seven Network paid Bruce Lehrmann’s rent for a year to secure an interview that was later nominated for the 2023 scoop of the year award.
But a statement released on Sunday by the foundation, which oversees Australia’s most prestigious journalism awards, did not reverse or retrospectively invalidate the nomination. As of Sunday evening, Seven’s interview was still listed on the Walkley website as a shortlisted finalist.
In its own statement, Seven claimed this was acknowledgment from the foundation that its entry had “fully met the entry criteria” for the award.
The board said it had “made enquiries of Seven as to the nature of the agreement in place with Mr Lehrmann at the time of entry” but did not mention any response.
“As a result of this situation, the Board has resolved to review all terms and conditions of entry to the awards, including with a view to ensuring transparency and full disclosure around the practice of ‘chequebook journalism’, where a media organisation makes a payment or provides a benefit to an individual in exchange for access,” the statement said.
For future awards, entrants will be told that if they fail to make a “full disclosure of any and all payments or benefits-in-kind to participants or third parties” then the board “can and will remove stories from consideration for the awards at any stage of the process, or revoke status in the event that the entry is a finalist or winner”.
“The judging panel should have been equipped with all the relevant information about payments made or benefits flowing to a participant in a story under consideration.”
Former Liberal staffer Lehrmann is suing Network Ten and journalist Lisa Wilkinson for defamation.
He has denied allegations that he raped Brittany Higgins at Parliament House in Canberra. His criminal trial was abandoned due to juror misconduct. A second trial did not proceed.
Lehrmann has given two interviews to Seven’s Spotlight program this year.
In May, in answer to a question about payment for the interview, the Seven Network told Guardian Australia: “7NEWS Spotlight made no payment to Bruce Lehrmann for the interview, however the program assisted with accommodation as part of the filming of the report.”
Last Tuesday, while giving evidence at the defamation trial, Lehrmann agreed under cross-examination that Seven had paid his rent for 12 months from June 2023 to June 2024 as part of the deal for an interview with Liam Bartlett.
“Network Seven organised the accommodation,” Lehrmann said in answer to a question about how much Seven had paid.
Seven Spotlight entered its story “Trial and Error” into the all media scoop of the year category of the 2023 Walkley awards, and was nominated as a finalist.
Under the Walkley Foundation’s existing terms and conditions, entrants must “declare any payments or benefits provided to third parties in connection with the work/s, including payments or material gifts given in exchange for interviews, information or access”.
“This will not necessarily disqualify an entry – transparency is important for the judging process.”
In a statement last week, Seven said: “We said at the time we were assisting Bruce Lehrmann with his accommodation costs. It was well reported back then.
“The 7NEWS Spotlight report was rightfully judged by the esteemed Walkley Foundation as one of the top three scoops of 2023.”
On Sunday evening, Seven added in a new statement: “7NEWS Spotlight adhered to the Walkley Foundation’s guidelines as part of the nomination process and, in disclosing its arrangement with Bruce Lehrmann, fully met the entry criteria. We welcome the Walkleys’ findings after its exhaustive ‘review’ confirming this.”
