In a remarkable coincidence, editors of major Sunday turdbloids published by News Crap Australia have all decided to put the same story on their front pages.
It’s a yarn about the personal stress faced by prominent Aboriginal ex-Labor identity turned Liberal, Warren Mundine, who has taken a lead role in the “no” campaign against the proposed indigenous voice to federal parliament. (main picture)
In the story Mr Mundine reveals how the vicious personal attacks on him during the voice campaign have twice pushed him to the brink of suicide. Dreadful stuff.
As usual, the attacks have come through social media, notably Mr Mundine’s personal Twitter account and the News Crap story reproduced a range of such tweets, suitably censored for publication. (below)
But, our Media Glass House researchers wonder, why did the story single out just a “no” campaigner? Was it a way to give a boost to the “no” campaign itself by implying how awful some of the “yes” campaigners can be?
After all, the story itself – penned by a reporter from the News Crap-related Sky News – points out that a Queensland University of Technology study shows racial hate speech and abuse has been a feature of both sides of the voice campaign.
Not only that, but the QUT study also found that more of such abuse originated from those on the “no” side of the argument.
So, our MGH teams ask, why not feature Mr Mundine as well as someone prominent in the “yes” side who no doubt has also experienced such racial abuse? Does anyone think Noel Pearson’s social media accounts haven’t been flooded by similar attacks?
Our MGH researchers also wonder how News Crap could keep a straight corporate face when reporting such racially abusive responses to a public figure, especially those that queried Mr Mundine’s Aboriginality.
After all the tone and content of the tweets reproduced in today’s story that could be deciphered were remarkably similar to the comments that regularly appear in the comments section of its own publications.
In addition, let’s not forget how many times News Crap columnists and Sky News “after dark” stars question the Aboriginality of various indigenous leaders and activists. Andrew Bolt’s clippings file on that topic would be bulging.
So, our MGH researchers suggest that today when we consider the story about racial abuse being directed at a public figure, let’s stop to ponder what large, dominant media organisation may have contributed to the development of a climate where such behaviour is both regularised and normalised.
By the way, our MGH teams point out that the Warren Mundine story mentioned above didn’t waste the opportunity of including a prominent plug for the Sky News “documentary” on the voice debate, including its upcoming days and times of broadcast.
When it comes to blatant commercial cross-promotion nothing ever changes at News Crap, does it?
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