The Daily Tele is in the clear over its Sydney siege special edition. But was it in the right?
The Daily Telegraph is in the clear with the Australian Press Council over its coverage of the Sydney siege. In the months since, two questions on the issue have divided the Mumbrella editorial team: Should The Tele even have done a special edition? And was its coverage right?
Below, Mumbrella editor Alex Hayes argues “No” on both counts; and Mumbrella content editor Tim Burrowes takes the opposite view.
Why The Tele got it wrong
Alex Hayes writes:
Re-reading the Daily Telegraph’s special edition from the Sydney siege I can say that on the whole they did the best job they could.
Alex Hayes’ ‘why they got it wrong’ piece is an excellent example of head-in-the-sand analysis.
Still questioning his IS affiliation? Really? What more do you want?
In addition, his argument that by the time it hit the streets it was out of date fails the common-sense test. By that definition, taken to its logical extension, newspapers would not be permitted to report on any fast-moving issues until they’ve run their course.
Flawed, anti-Murdoch sentiment, thinly veiled as analysis. It also ignores the facts – the Press Council got it wrong.
When you can rationalise the front page title of DEATH CULT CBD ATTACK as responsible journalism in this case then you really have lost the plot. No wonder the Finkelstein recommendations had no chance.
Apparently death-cult extremist IS members are now in the habit of writing letters to the Attorney-General.