Viewers complain about ABC's 'appalling' coverage of Sydney Mardi Gras (2024)

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ABC has come under fire from Mardi Gras viewers for its 'appalling' coverage of the Sydney Lesbian and Gay Pride event.

Streaming the parade live to television on Saturday night, the network left many supporters at home feeling shortchanged.

While some praised the ABC for providing 'really well done' air time to the massive annual festival, most were incensed over the camera work.

One unimpressed viewer wrote: 'The ABC does such a bad job of #MardiGras. On a technical level the sound and camera work was bad, but it was also so humourless and the editing was tactical to focus on women and minimise male bodies.'

A second said: 'Seriously the ABC needs to get better commentators on its #mardigras coverage. Apart from Courtney Act, this coverage is appalling.'

Most seemed peeved the camera was missing many of the gorgeous floats driving past, with one person writing: 'We’re missing floats again ABC.

'Floats and costumes that have taken so much time, effort and creativity. No need for the reporters on the ground talking crud.'

Another commented: 'ABC get your s**t together, we had someone waste 5 minutes on portaloo toilet conversation while great floats passed.'

'Are they really cutting away from floats for stories about a portaloo? We are missing all the work and effort that's gone into several floats for the co-hosts need to use the bathroom? Come on ABC you were doing so well,' someone else tweeted.

Despite the overwhelming wave of criticism the television network received for its poor coverage of the annual parade, some viewers sang their praises of ABC.

One viewer said they were 'really sad about missing out on the party' every year, but thanked the ABC for their coverage so they could watch from home.

Another wrote: 'We have been waiting for YEARS to have an uninterrupted Mardi Gras parade without stupid b roll stories. Really well done ABC.'

'Have only just switched over but I think the ABC coverage of Mardi Sydney Gras is much better this year. Presenters are explaining/describing the parade floats + not talking about themselves. Such an improvement, well done,' a third commented.

Complaints about the poor coverage aired by ABC came just hours after a large crowd of protesters marched through Hyde Park in Sydney ahead of the Mardi Gras parade to protest the involvement of NSW Police.

Marching through the park towards the marshalling area for the parade on Saturday, the crowd chanted 'stop police attacks on gays, women and blacks'.

The organisers, Pride in Protest, also sparked chaos in Darlinghurst, the heart of the city's LGBTQI+ community on Friday night, when about 300 people arrived for the same reason.

Police were formally uninvited to march in this year's parade following the arrest of a serving police officer, who was charged with the alleged murders of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies.

Mr Davies was honoured with a special float by Qantas, his former employer.

Officers on duty were out in force at the parade, however, drawing further ire from the group.

Pride in Protest organisers summoned those marching with the group to Town Hall for a 'speak out' event from 2pm on Saturday, with the march towards the marshalling area in Hyde Park taking place just after 4pm.

QantasCourtney ActSydney