The ABC publishes the most extensive set of broadcasting guidelines available in Australia. These include mandatory requirements such as the ABC's Code of Practice, statements of principle and philosophy, program objectives affecting various areas of broadcasting, general policies and explanatory information.

The most recent edition of the ABC Editorial Policies was published in March 2007 and revised 1 July 2008.

The ABC Board amends these policies to meet changing needs and circumstances including legislation affecting the ABC, and the booklet is updated regularly to incorporate new material.

The Editorial Policies are freely available to all staff and understanding of it is essential for all who have editorial responsibility for ABC content.  A copy of the Editorial Policies and the ABC’s Code of Practice can be downloaded from this page.

These policies enable program makers and the public to understand the editorial and ethical principles that are fundamental to the ABC. They are developed with the experience of ABC program makers and take account of the requirements of current legislation and regulation. Most importantly, they seek to reflect the standards that ABC audiences expect of their national broadcaster.

These policies offer a frame of reference as well as, on occasions, a check list of considerations aimed at helping program makers make difficult judgements for themselves.

The policies encourage program makers to satisfy the expectations of their audiences. But they also allow room for the challenging and disturbing to be seen or heard from time to time. To that end the policies insist, directly and by implication, on four fundamentals: honesty, fairness, independence and respect.

ABC Editorial Policies & ABC Code of Practice

Current versions:

• Editorial Policies (as at 1 July 2008)
• Code of Practice (as at 1 July 2008)
• Summary of amendments to the Editorial Policies and Code of Practice, taking effect 1 July 2008

Superseded versions:

• Editorial Policies (as at 1 March 2007)
• Code of Practice (as at 1 March 2007)

Guidance Notes

• Dealing with Sources (issued 1 July 2008)
  

Reviews & Discussion Papers

• Review of the ABC’s Self-Regulation Framework (November 2008)
  
• Sources and Conflicts – Final report (July 2008)
  
• User-Generated Content – Discussion Starter (June 2008)
  
• Key Words – Short looks at some big concepts that govern the ABC (March 2008)
  
• Elements of Impartiality – Discussion paper (September 2007, updated November 2007)
• Blogging – A Consultation Paper for ABC Staff (July 2007)

Quality Assurance Reports & Papers

• QA Project 5: Impartiality (Opinion Content) (July 2008)
• QA Project 4: Impartiality (Topical and Factual Content) (July 2008)
• QA Project 3: Impartiality (News Content) (July 2008)
• QA Project 2: Accuracy – Final Report (April 2008)
• QA Project 2: Accuracy – Description and Method (October 2007) 
• QA Project 1: Verification of Corrective Actions – Final Report (April 2008)

Speeches & Other Publications

• Adapting to digital technologies: Ethics and privacy, presentation by ABC Director Editorial Policies Paul Chadwick at the Future of Journalism Summit, Sydney, 2 May 2008
• A new transparency, address by ABC Director Editorial Policies Paul Chadwick to the Melbourne Press Club Journalism Conference, 6 September 2007
• Legitimacy requires accountability, Opinion piece by ABC Director of Editorial Policies Paul Chadwick, The Walkley Magazine, 15 February 2007