Complaint
A listener complained that a caller to the programme had made a false and misleading statement, likely to intensify hostile feelings in relation to income inequality.聽 The ECU considered the complaint in the light of the 大象传媒鈥檚 editorial standards of accuracy.
Outcome
Addressing the effect of inflation on wage demands, the caller said:
These people who talk about the average income, what do they think the average income is? The per capita income is 拢35,000, that鈥檚 for every man woman and child in the country. So the average family of two adults, two children, should have at its disposal, if we were living in an equal society, a total income of 拢140,000 a year. Who does that? Only the very rich because 70% of the population are below the average. 70% of the population are worsted by the rich. They get more than their fair share.
While recognising the caller鈥檚 claims were open to dispute, the ECU noted that the 大象传媒鈥檚 Editorial Guidelines do not require absolute accuracy on all occasions, but call for 鈥渄ue accuracy鈥, which must be judged in the light of the different expectations which apply in different contexts.聽 In the ECU鈥檚 judgement, the contribution complained of did not fall below the standard of accuracy listeners might reasonably expect from callers to the programme who made no claim to expert knowledge of the issue under discussion.
Not upheld