Selective journalism and the illusion of truth

How ABC’s ‘Ethical Tea’ report misrepresents Sri Lanka’s tea industry

- By Tyron Devotta

THE Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (ABC) story – is your tea ethical? – The uncomfortable truth behind your cup of tea,” examines whether Sri Lanka’s tea still meets ethical and sustainability standards.

However, the investigation only targets Plantation Companies (PCs) and their compliance with international certification requirements. While this focus may seem reasonable at first glance, it fails to acknowledge that PCs only contribute to about 23% of Sri Lanka’s total tea production. This report, on the other hand, generalises its findings to represent the entire “Ceylon Tea” industry, which presents a skewed perspective, relying on selective reporting rather than delivering a balanced analysis.

Small and medium-scale tea cultivators, often referred to as small tea growers (STGs), play a pivotal role in Sri Lanka’s tea industry. As per a 2023 report, STGs contribute to a perceived crisis for the selective “Ceylon Tea” brand.

What is most disappointing is that the fields in their PCs and the interviews she conducted amount to little more than superficial storytelling, failing to substantiate, explore, or dig into the deeper issues on the Sri Lankan story. By the end of the documentary, there is no clearer answer to the key question she set out to investigate. Yet, between the introduction and the conclusion, the report creates uncertainty about the credibility of “Ceylon Tea” in terms of ethical compliance—without providing the necessary depth or evidence to support such claims.

One sided narrative