Feedback To ABC News' Controversial Redesign
Dear Australian Broadcasting Corporation,
On 14 August 2024, the ABC forecast their intent to redesign the format used for their ABC News Website and ABC News TV programme. (https://www.abc.net.au/about/media-centr...). The ABC News website had previously begun trialing rolling out expanded access to the new website design earlier, as observable in July across several social media sites.
I request access to the first 100 correspondents of 'feedback' received by the ABC relating to this redesign since 1 January 2024
Please exclude duplicates and documents already publicly released,
including media releases, reports, articles and statements to the media.
Please limit emails to the final message in the chain as long as previous
messages are captured.
I agree to having the names and direct contact details of non-senior staff
removed, however I request that redactions do not include non-personally
identifying information. For example, please leave the domain and job
titles when redacting email addresses or signature blocks on emails.
I preemptively agree to requests for third party consultation if
necessary, but would prefer that my information about my identity is not
shared with those consulted.’
Yours faithfully,
Glenn Hamiltonshire
ABC FOI 202526-013
Good evening Mr Hamiltonshire
The ABC acknowledges receipt of the below email, received Wednesday 30 July 2025, seeking access to:
On 14 August 2024, the ABC forecast their intent to redesign the format used for their ABC News Website and ABC News TV programme. (https://www.abc.net.au/about/media-centr... ). [...]
...access to the first 100 correspondents (sic) of 'feedback' received by the ABC relating to this redesign since 1 January 2024
We note you have not indicated whether you are making a request under the Commonwealth Freedom of Information Act (1982) which is required for a request to be validly made. Kindly confirm?
Please confirm what you mean by "100 correpondents of 'feedback'"? If you refer to correspondence, such as emails or letters, please indicate which part of the ABC you seek searches to be conducted.
The ABC's program material and related feedback (or complaints) is not subject to the FOI regime. As you have described feedback as relating to the design of the News website and News television, correspodence about this design would relate to our content and programs and be exempt under s 7(2).
Would you kindly consider narrowing your request to a particular area and excluding program-related complaints which are an exempt class of documents?
A decision on the request is due to be made by Friday 29 August 2025, subject to any extensions of time for consultation or by agreement. The ABC will contact you further should the request be too large to process as worded.
By making a FOI request, you are providing personal information to the ABC. The ABC manages personal information in accordance with its Privacy Policy - available at https://help.abc.net.au/hc/en-us/article.... Personal information may be disclosed in the course of processing this request, such as for the purposes of consultation or internal reporting. We note you wish to remain anonymous should third party consultation be required (we note your request had been publicy made and published online via Right to Know, outside of the control of the ABC).
Many thanks,
ABC FOI team
13 9994
We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians
and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work.
This email, including any attachments, is intended only for the addressee. It is confidential and may contain privileged information. You should not read, copy, use or disclose it, or take any other action in reliance of the information contained in this email, without authorisation. If you have received the email in error, please immediately let the sender know by separate email or telephone and delete the email from your system.
-----Original Message-----
From: Glenn Hamiltonshire <[FOI #13453 email]>
Sent: Wednesday, 30 July 2025 6:33 PM
To: FOI ABC <[ABC request email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Feedback To ABC News' Controversial Redesign
Dear Australian Broadcasting Corporation,
On 14 August 2024, the ABC forecast their intent to redesign the format used for their ABC News Website and ABC News TV programme. (https://www.abc.net.au/about/media-centr... ). The ABC News website had previously begun trialing rolling out expanded access to the new website design earlier, as observable in July across several social media sites.
I request access to the first 100 correspondents of 'feedback' received by the ABC relating to this redesign since 1 January 2024
Please exclude duplicates and documents already publicly released, including media releases, reports, articles and statements to the media.
Please limit emails to the final message in the chain as long as previous messages are captured.
I agree to having the names and direct contact details of non-senior staff removed, however I request that redactions do not include non-personally identifying information. For example, please leave the domain and job titles when redacting email addresses or signature blocks on emails.
I preemptively agree to requests for third party consultation if necessary, but would prefer that my information about my identity is not shared with those consulted.’
Yours faithfully,
Glenn Hamiltonshire
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #13453 email]
Is [ABC request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information requests to Australian Broadcasting Corporation? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www....
This request has been made by an individual using Right to Know. This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. More information on how Right to Know works can be found at:
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www....
Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will be delayed.
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.
The information contained in this email and any attachment is confidential and may contain legally privileged or copyright material. It is intended only for the use of the addressee(s). If you are not the intended recipient of this email, you are not permitted to disseminate, distribute or copy this email or any attachments. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete this email from your system. The ABC does not represent or warrant that this transmission is secure or virus free. Before opening any attachment you should check for viruses. The ABC's liability is limited to resupplying any email and attachments.
ABC FOI 202526-013
Good evening Mr Hamiltonshire
The ABC would be grateful if you could reply to our email of 7 August, as soon as practicable, to assist us in proccessing your request by providing the clarifying information.
In particular, please confirm what you mean by "100 correpondents of 'feedback'"? If you refer to written correspondence, such as emails or letters, please indicate which part of the ABC you seek searches to be conducted. Do you mean audience feedback?
We ask this as if by 'correspondents' you have not made a typographical error then you would be taken to be seeking a list of names of each individual who corresponded with the ABC about this topic, should that many indiviudals have provided feedback.
Many thanks,
ABC FOI team
This email, including any attachments, is intended only for the addressee. It is confidential and may contain privileged information. You should not read, copy, use or disclose it, or take any other action in reliance of the information contained in this email, without authorisation. If you have received the email in error, please immediately let the sender know by separate email or telephone and delete the email from your system.
-----Original Message-----
From: FOI ABC <[ABC request email]>
Sent: Thursday, 7 August 2025 8:32 PM
To: Glenn Hamiltonshire <[FOI #13453 email]>
Subject: FOI 013 - Acknowledgment of request
ABC FOI 202526-013
Good evening Mr Hamiltonshire
The ABC acknowledges receipt of the below email, received Wednesday 30 July 2025, seeking access to:
On 14 August 2024, the ABC forecast their intent to redesign the format used for their ABC News Website and ABC News TV programme. (https://www.abc.net.au/about/media-centr... ). [...]
...access to the first 100 correspondents (sic) of 'feedback' received by the ABC relating to this redesign since 1 January 2024
We note you have not indicated whether you are making a request under the Commonwealth Freedom of Information Act (1982) which is required for a request to be validly made. Kindly confirm?
Please confirm what you mean by "100 correpondents of 'feedback'"? If you refer to correspondence, such as emails or letters, please indicate which part of the ABC you seek searches to be conducted.
The ABC's program material and related feedback (or complaints) is not subject to the FOI regime. As you have described feedback as relating to the design of the News website and News television, correspodence about this design would relate to our content and programs and be exempt under s 7(2).
Would you kindly consider narrowing your request to a particular area and excluding program-related complaints which are an exempt class of documents?
A decision on the request is due to be made by Friday 29 August 2025, subject to any extensions of time for consultation or by agreement. The ABC will contact you further should the request be too large to process as worded.
By making a FOI request, you are providing personal information to the ABC. The ABC manages personal information in accordance with its Privacy Policy - available at https://help.abc.net.au/hc/en-us/article.... Personal information may be disclosed in the course of processing this request, such as for the purposes of consultation or internal reporting. We note you wish to remain anonymous should third party consultation be required (we note your request had been publicy made and published online via Right to Know, outside of the control of the ABC).
Many thanks,
ABC FOI team
13 9994
We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work.
This email, including any attachments, is intended only for the addressee. It is confidential and may contain privileged information. You should not read, copy, use or disclose it, or take any other action in reliance of the information contained in this email, without authorisation. If you have received the email in error, please immediately let the sender know by separate email or telephone and delete the email from your system.
-----Original Message-----
From: Glenn Hamiltonshire <[FOI #13453 email]>
Sent: Wednesday, 30 July 2025 6:33 PM
To: FOI ABC <[ABC request email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Feedback To ABC News' Controversial Redesign
Dear Australian Broadcasting Corporation,
On 14 August 2024, the ABC forecast their intent to redesign the format used for their ABC News Website and ABC News TV programme. (https://www.abc.net.au/about/media-centr... ). The ABC News website had previously begun trialing rolling out expanded access to the new website design earlier, as observable in July across several social media sites.
I request access to the first 100 correspondents of 'feedback' received by the ABC relating to this redesign since 1 January 2024
Please exclude duplicates and documents already publicly released, including media releases, reports, articles and statements to the media.
Please limit emails to the final message in the chain as long as previous messages are captured.
I agree to having the names and direct contact details of non-senior staff removed, however I request that redactions do not include non-personally identifying information. For example, please leave the domain and job titles when redacting email addresses or signature blocks on emails.
I preemptively agree to requests for third party consultation if necessary, but would prefer that my information about my identity is not shared with those consulted.’
Yours faithfully,
Glenn Hamiltonshire
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #13453 email]
Is [ABC request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information requests to Australian Broadcasting Corporation? If so, please contact us using this form:
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www....
This request has been made by an individual using Right to Know. This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. More information on how Right to Know works can be found at:
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www....
Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will be delayed.
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.
The information contained in this email and any attachment is confidential and may contain legally privileged or copyright material. It is intended only for the use of the addressee(s). If you are not the intended recipient of this email, you are not permitted to disseminate, distribute or copy this email or any attachments. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete this email from your system. The ABC does not represent or warrant that this transmission is secure or virus free. Before opening any attachment you should check for viruses. The ABC's liability is limited to resupplying any email and attachments.
Dear FOI ABC,
Given the apparently failings in my original request, and my lack of clarity, I agree to withdraw my original request.
Yours sincerely,
Glenn Hamiltonshire
ABC FOI 202526-013
Good morning Mr Hamiltonshire
Thank you for your email.
The ABC has closed this file as withdrawn by agreement on 15 August 2025.
Many thanks
ABC FOI team
We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians
and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work.
This email, including any attachments, is intended only for the addressee. It is confidential and may contain privileged information. You should not read, copy, use or disclose it, or take any other action in reliance of the information contained in this email, without authorisation. If you have received the email in error, please immediately let the sender know by separate email or telephone and delete the email from your system.
-----Original Message-----
From: Glenn Hamiltonshire <[FOI #13453 email]>
Sent: Friday, 15 August 2025 7:55 PM
To: FOI ABC <[ABC request email]>
Subject: Re: URGENT pls reply: FOI 013 - Acknowledgment of request
Dear FOI ABC,
Given the apparently failings in my original request, and my lack of clarity, I agree to withdraw my original request.
Yours sincerely,
Glenn Hamiltonshire
-----Original Message-----
ABC FOI 202526-013
Good evening Mr Hamiltonshire
The ABC would be grateful if you could reply to our email of 7 August, as soon as practicable, to assist us in proccessing your request by providing the clarifying information.
In particular, please confirm what you mean by "100 correpondents of 'feedback'"? If you refer to written correspondence, such as emails or letters, please indicate which part of the ABC you seek searches to be conducted. Do you mean audience feedback?
We ask this as if by 'correspondents' you have not made a typographical error then you would be taken to be seeking a list of names of each individual who corresponded with the ABC about this topic, should that many indiviudals have provided feedback.
Many thanks,
ABC FOI team
This email, including any attachments, is intended only for the addressee. It is confidential and may contain privileged information. You should not read, copy, use or disclose it, or take any other action in reliance of the information contained in this email, without authorisation. If you have received the email in error, please immediately let the sender know by separate email or telephone and delete the email from your system.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #13453 email]
This request has been made by an individual using Right to Know. This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. More information on how Right to Know works can be found at:
https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www....
Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will be delayed.
If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.
The information contained in this email and any attachment is confidential and may contain legally privileged or copyright material. It is intended only for the use of the addressee(s). If you are not the intended recipient of this email, you are not permitted to disseminate, distribute or copy this email or any attachments. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete this email from your system. The ABC does not represent or warrant that this transmission is secure or virus free. Before opening any attachment you should check for viruses. The ABC's liability is limited to resupplying any email and attachments.