ABC buckled on China doco, says producer
Posted
Updated
ABC managing director Mark Scott was questioned in Senate Estimates yesterday over the film. (ABC TV)
The producer of a controversial documentary about Uighur leader Rebiya Kadeer says the ABC told him it decided against screening the film last December because it wanted "things to settle down a bit".
ABC News Online has obtained an email from an ABC television executive to the film's producer John Lewis, which suggests that a screening date was scheduled, but then dropped.
The documentary, the 10 Conditions of Love, was at the centre of a row last year after Chinese officials tried to get it pulled from the Melbourne film festival.
The Chinese government has accused Ms Kadeer of inciting riots between the Uighur people and the Han Chinese in far western China, and tried to stop Australia from granting her a visa last year.
ABC managing director Mark Scott was questioned in Senate Estimates yesterday over whether Chinese officials discussed the film with the ABC.
When asked today on Radio National if the documentary was on December 17, Mr Scott said it had not.
"It was never locked in for December 17 I'm told, and we will be showing it this year," he said.
But Mr Lewis strongly rejects Mr Scott's denial, saying he had numerous conversations both over the phone and through email with the ABC about it late last year.
Mr Lewis says it was made clear to him in early September that the ABC wanted to press ahead with the December 17 screening.
"That was not my idea, that was an idea proposed to me. I was told that's how it was going to be - it was very definite," he said.
On that basis Mr Lewis began plans for a DVD distribution of the film through ABC shops to begin on December 18.
But he says when he rang back to talk about several issues, including publicity, for the film in late October, he was informed the film was not being screened.
When he asked why, Mr Lewis says he was told: "We'd like things to settle down a bit".
"I was amazed to be told that the ABC wanted things to settle down a bit and I don't know what you can make of that other than to think it didn't want to cause China some offence - but of course I don't have any direct knowledge of that," he said.
The email obtained by the ABC shows that when Mr Lewis further queried the decision in an email in early November he was told that the film was "no longer airing on that date", and "I hope the date change hasn't caused you too many problems".
"The reply makes absolutely clear that it was a date change," Mr Lewis said.
"[The email] is absolutely implicit that it was going to air on that date but it is no longer airing on that date."
"Every indication in all my dealings was that it was going to air on December 17 at 8.30pm, in prime time."
Earlier today Mr Scott said suggestions that China pressured the ABC not to screen the film were "ludicrous".
"We all knew that Chinese officials didn't like this film but there's been no specific representation on the ABC purchasing this film," he said.
The ABC wants to expand its international television service, Australia Network, into China.
Search ABC News
Featured Video
-
Video
Victorian Premier John Brumby has recommended sweeping policy changes in response to the Black Saturday bushfires.
-
Video
Prime Minister Julia Gillard addresses questions at a press conference in Perth on Labor leaks, Kevin Rudd and her partner's speeding fines.
-
Video
CCTV footage shows the American teenager known as the Barefoot Bandit attempting to escape from Bahamian authorities before being arrested.
-
Video
US President Barack Obama discusses his family life and the current state of the economy on a daytime chat show.
The ABC News Online Investigative Unit encourages whistleblowers, and others with access to information they believe should be revealed for the public good, to contact us.
