COMMENT: Heard the one about the media group that thinks the bushfires are funny?
It’s been a day now since I saw that Mail On Sunday headline – the one saying “Er, Bruce, the fire’s the other way!” next to an image of a fire truck with a huge wall of flames behind it.
And if anything I’m more astonished than ever that the British paper let it go out of the door.
Those who defend it might say that the paper did it before they knew the full seriousness of what had happened. But it would have gone to press at lunchtime Sunday, Australian time – by which time the situation was obvious. And you can just make out in the copy that they already knew that the death toll was in double figures.
One can only conclude that they thought they were writing about events far away, that wouldn’t reach an Australian audience. But that changed when British media commentator Roy Greenslade wrote about it. It was then picked up here by Crikey’s Margaret Simons.
Nonetheless, I was so surprised, that I put in a call to London late last night and spoke to John Wellington, the newspaper’s managing editor, to ask if they had already issued an apology. We had a brief, off-the-record chat and he said he’d get back to me with the paper’s formal position. I expected to come in this morning to find an email and write a short story about how the newspaper has admitted a lapse of judgement and apologised. But they’ve chosen to say nothing.
Although not on the same scale of offence, in some ways it reminds me of The Sun newspaper’s mistake over the UK’s Hillsbrough football disaster, in which the paper slandered dead fans. Nearly 20 years on, sales have still not recovered in some parts of the country.
In our earlier piece, one of our commenters says it’s a pity that the Mail On Sunday doesn’t own any media over here.
In fact, as a point of information, the newspaper’s parent compant, the Daily Mail and General Trust does have significant interests in Australia – DMG Radio owns much of the Nova radio network, while DMG World Media is one of Australia’s biggest exhibitions and events company. In our space that includes the digital marketing conference Ad:tech.
As a further point of information, the British newspaper industry is governed by the Press Complaints Commission’s code of practice. One of its points covers “intrusion into grief and shock”. It states that “publication must be handled sensitively”.
The PCC also accepts complaints online. You can do so here. You know, if you want to.
Why not tell a friend too?
Linkedin
Wow.. that’s bad.
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Thanks for the PCC tip. Like you I found the link through Margaret Simons and was disgusted at this cheap, snide and unfunny shot.
I’ve sent my complaint to the PCC on the grounds that it breaches point 5 of their code of practice.
At the very least, the Mail on Sunday should be forced into an apology.
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It’s bloody awful that headline. It’s always staggered me that that paper has any readers at all – It’s was always a deeply depressing sight to see yet-another late-middle-aged woman in a Barber jacket walking by clutching her copy of The Mail. That headline is yet another good example of why.
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It was once said that the Daily Mail is out of touch with the 21st Century, but in touch with 5 million people out of touch with the 21st century.
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Very distasteful.
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This isn’t surprising at all and in the exact taste of many British tabloids. They tend to mock a nation they feel they can look down for a cheap gag, without repercussions.
This sentiment reflects a significant portion of the population, not just a singular tabloid’s insensitivity, driving the popularity of such tasteless trash (just look at circulation of the MOS compared to the Sunday Times).
From tabloids making light of a disaster, to certain football supporters mocking the fact that 1 million people died when famine struck Ireland a century ago, if roles were reversed, the Brits wouldn’t be so forgiving.
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That’s a shocker. It’s the kind of try hard ‘joke’ headline/caption you’d expect from FHM or RALPH magazine (em, not that I read either, mind…).
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Awful. There is no defence.
I’m astonished they haven’t apologised. I hope their colleagues at Nova etc over here are on the phone explaining what idiots they are.
I’ve sent my complaint to the Press Complaints Commission. I hope you do too,
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I am a proud Englishman who has lived in Australia for more than 20 years, and although I have seen some cringe worthy news leads from both Australian and English papers in the past, this absolutely takes the gold medal for tactlessness and trying to eek a few more sales from a perceived smart comment. When I saw this I was saddened and embarrassed – I hope the editor who signed this off is now making the tea or at the very least got a kick in the arse that put them into next week.
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I have just been made aware of this disgusting article. I am sick to the stomach! I was the Bruce that the article refers to. I was sitting in the front of the truck and was in charge of that tanker as we battled fires in Labertouche for over 18 hours.
Bruce
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