ABC apologises for alarmist report on WiFi dangers
The ABC has removed an episode of science program Catalyst from its website that overstated the potential health risks of Wi-Fi.
The broadcaster issued on Tuesday night a correction and apology for Wi-Fried?, which aired in February 2016.
An internal investigation, also published on Tuesday, found the program breached the broadcaster’s standards on accuracy and impartiality.
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“While accepting the importance of investigating public health issues relating to safety of technology, A&CA concluded that the episode breached the ABC’s editorial policies standards on accuracy and impartiality,” ABC director of television Richard Finlayson said in a statement.
“The ABC accepts the findings and acknowledges that errors were made in the preparation and ultimate approval of the program.”
The New Daily reported on the concerns of experts at the time of the episode’s airing.
“There will be parents demanding that Wi-Fi gets shut down in schools, there will be people who will probably stop using mobile phones as a result of it, and the net effect of that across the whole population is likely to be profoundly negative,” public health expert Dr Simon Chapman said at the time.
The episode’s reporter, Dr Maryanne Demasi, has been suspended until at least September.
She is the same ABC reporter who was censured by the broadcaster for inaccurate reporting on the safety of anti-cholesterol drug statins.
The reporter and the ABC defended the episode in February.
