Four Corners is the longest running show in Australian television history, first airing in 1961. It is one of the ABC’s most important programs, and one of the last remaining in-depth investigative news programs in the world.
While the ABC’s nightly news bulletins reported a 2 per cent increase in average nightly audience ratings in the 2024-25 financial year, the average audience for Four Corners fell marginally from 936,000 to 929,000, according to the ABC’s annual report published last week. For comparison, 7.30 grew its audience by 5 per cent and Foreign Correspondent grew its audience by 15 per cent.
Last month, the ABC said Fazal’s podcast appearance did not receive final approvals as part of its external work guidelines. The ABC said support was withdrawn after the first episode aired with gambling ads for online crypto casino Vegastars were within the video.
Four Corners executive producer Matthew Carney was the ABC’s China bureau chief from 2016 to 2018.
“After the interview aired, which included gambling ads, his manager withdrew endorsement of the work. ABC management is looking further into this matter,” an ABC spokesperson said in response to a series of questions. The spokesperson later updated their statement, saying the broadcaster was “thoroughly investigating the matter”.
The ABC has engaged an external legal firm to assist in its investigation into its reporter’s conduct, a source with knowledge of the matter, not authorised to speak publicly said. The ABC declined to comment.
The podcast blew up after just two episodes, after Fazal’s co-host Ryan Naumenko, a controversial figure in the Victorian underworld alleged the Four Corners reporter had not told the ABC he was being paid for his appearances, and had demanded to be paid in cash to cover his tracks.
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The ABC’s Media Watch published screenshots of text conversations between Fazal, a former Mongols bikie himself and Naumenko, in which the ABC journalist requested that he transfer money directly to his account. Naumenko has claimed he paid Fazal a total of $13,000.
Fazal’s lawyer Rebekah Giles told Media Watch the ABC journalist had connected Naumenko with a production crew, and that any funds transferred to him were to pay those contractors. However, Naumenko provided further screenshots to Media Watch showing he had made direct bank transfers to members of the crew who produced the podcast.
The feud later escalated after a series of encrypted messages between the pair were uncovered, some of which Fazal claims were “fabricated”, including one in which he allegedly said he wanted to “kill” YouTuber Jordan Shanks, known online as FriendlyJordies.
In 2024, Fazal was alleged to have passed on threats to Shanks and his producer Kristo Langker if didn’t remove a video about the Alameddine crime family. Following the story in this masthead, Carney and the Four Corners team issued an official statement of support for Fazal, who denied the allegations.
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