ABC changing editorial policy after Rinehart furore prompts concerns of overreach from academics and advocates

<p>Managing director says guidelines will ensure no individual will ‘be the subject of comedy that is violent in its description in our programming’</p><ul><li><p>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></p></li></ul><p>A pledge by the ABC managing director, Hugh Marks, to change editorial guidelines on satire and violence after the broadcaster aired a program featuring<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/jul/31/gina-rinehart-threatens-abc-with-legal-action-over-race-around-the-world-program-ntwnfb"> offensive comments about Gina Rinehart</a>, has sparked concerns about overreach.</p><p>The four-minute film, titled A Very Relaxing Video, ran on documentary-reality show Race Around the World on 12 July and sparked a furore over comments made about the billionaire.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/aug/13/abc-changing-editorial-policy-after-rinehart-furore-prompts-concerns-of-overreach-from-academics-and-advocates">Continue reading...</a>