ABC executives have indicated they want to work with other media platforms to try and tackle racist abuse of their staff.
Senior staff at the broadcaster have been questioned at a parliamentary hearing about support offered to ABC journalist Stan Grant, following its coverage of King Charles's coronation.
Mr Grant recently stepped down as host of Q+A after enduring substantial racist abuse following his guest appearance for the coronation coverage.
He took aim at the ABC for failing to publicly support him, as criticism of the coronation coverage appeared to have led to a surge in racist abuse.
The ABC's managing director, David Anderson, has apologised to Mr Grant and announced a review of supports for staff enduring such abuse.
He told the hearing on Wednesday the ABC needs to do more to defend and protect staff that are subject to racist abuse.
"We could see that other media were pulling out individuals, such as Stan, with regard to this," he said.
"We didn't want to bring a further focus to any individual. This is not an excuse — sometimes we worry that if we stick out a statement, that we're going to give oxygen to this and then perpetuate it for longer.
"But I think the time for dignified silence is over.
"I think that for this, certainly for our people, that we need to be more publicly supportive of them as well as what we do internally at the ABC."
He also defended the ABC's coverage of the coronation, which was criticised by some for dwelling on discussion around the legacy of colonisation, and Mr Grant's role within it.
"It was a long coverage, it was over eight hours, and across those eight hours a diversity of perspectives was reflected that is held across the Australian community," he said.
"Mr Grant was asked on as an individual, he wasn't there as the host of QandA, he was there for his own lived experience and his knowledge and history of our First Nations people, and from his experience personally and his family.
"For me, I think editorially that was justified, relevant and I think it was appropriate."
Working with other media to tackle abuse
Executives also indicated there was a role for other media companies to play in tackling racist abuse, particularly in not amplifying abuse published on social media.
ABC News director Justin Stevens told the hearing some media companies, at times, worsen the problem.
"Social media is an inescapable new force to give people a platform that never had a platform," he said.
"What media companies do to get clicks, and get readers reading about the ABC — they will focus on an individual, and then they will elevate the criticism — whether it is sexist, racist, not kind — and they will legitimise it by reporting on it on their publications to get an audience."
"And all media companies need to come together and have a really good, positive discussion about this needing to stop."
Mr Anderson said he had worked with executives at News Corp Australia on similar issues in the past, and planned to get in touch again.
Racism review to include Indigenous staff
The managing director was also pressed for details on the planned review of supports for staff experiencing racist abuse.
The review was commissioned following a recommendation of the Bonner Committee, made up of Indigenous staff members, which advises on issues relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Mr Anderson indicated the review would look at the experiences of both current and former Indigenous staff, and will likely be lead by both internal and external figures.
"I think it's a mix of both. I think I need external expertise on this — it's a review that is being conducted with recommendations that come to the ABC," he said.
"I see myself being involved in this quite closely as we go through, but again, I would like to talk to staff with lived experience within the ABC, senior leaders about their recommendations about what that is, before I jump to a conclusion about who that might be."
