In a statement released as Media Week was going to press, ABC said that it took any transgressions of the reporting standards very seriously, but did not currently know the truth of the allegations.
Yesterday's release by Associated Newspapers of a video appearing to show News International distributors dumping thousands of copies of thelondonpaper provoked an aggressive retaliation from the latter.
In a statement, thelondonpaper accused Associated of "dirty tricks" and claimed to have photographic evidence of dumped copies of both London Lite and the Evening Standard's Home and Property section. Media Week has seen the photos, which date from March through to 18 April this year. It also claimed to have sent the photos to Associated executives in a bid to work together to resolve the problem.
Alan Brydon, head of press communication at MPG, said: "The fact that neither thelondonpaper nor London Lite are distributing all of their copies meticulously and religiously is not a surprise.
"There was never a time when 900,000 people were demanding a newspaper in the afternoon. It is of no surprise that supply by far outweighs demand."
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