2GB’s Chris Smith apologises for call by guest Prue MacSween for Yassmin Abdel-Magied to be run over
2GB presenter Chris Smith has made an on air apology after guest commentator Prue MacSween suggested on his show that former ABC presenter Yassmin Abdel-Magied should be run over.
MacSween: “I’d have been tempted to run her over”
The comments from MacSween, who owns PR consultancy Verve Communications, came after Abdel-Magied previously suggested that media vilification over her public stances on Islam and Anzac Day had contributed to a decision to relocate to London.
Speaking on The Chris Smith Show on Sydney station 2GB, MacSween said of Abdel-Magied: “She says she’s betrayed by Australia and she didn’t feel safe in her own country. Actually she might be right there because if I’d seen her I’d have been tempted to run her over, mate.”
The comments may conflict with the Commercial Radio Codes of Practice, which state: “A licensee must not broadcast a program which in all of the circumstances… is likely to incite, encourage or present for its own sake violence or brutality”.
Radio rules
Abdel-Magied’s controversial comments included a tweet on Anzac Day, swiftly deleted, in which she had written: “Lest we forget (Manus, Nauru, Syria, Palestine…)” and comments on the ABC show Q&A in which she refered to Islam as a feminist religion.
MacSween added: “To say that Islam is the most feminist religion – which is the religion that relegates women to second class citizens they can’t drive a car, they can’t have an education, genital mutilation, child brides, you name it! If that’s a great example of feminism then god help us.
“And then she insults Anzac Day – really our most sacred day.”
Listeners were quick to question the good taste of a remark about running people over when the tactic has been used by terrorists around the world.
https://twitter.com/RabiehGharibeh/status/884999579384590341
MacSween offered only a half-hearted apology, telling critics to “lighten up”
How about the families of the people who got run over on London Bridge. I bet they didn't find it funny.
— Billy Crazy (@BillyCrazy2) July 12, 2017
Smith later offered an on air apology, telling listeners: “I had a couple of emails just this afternoon after Prue’s segment that indicated they were upset with what Prue MacSween said about ever coming across Yassmin Abdel-Magied, ‘I’d probably run her over’ or something similar.
“I laughed over the top of it at the time so I didn’t hear exactly what she said but, suffice to say it was meant in a lighthearted, non-literal fashion and we’re hardly ever going to encourage people to run someone over.
“She’s not a fan of Yasmin’s as you know, Prue, and she was making the point through a light hearted embellishment of what she thought. However if it’s upset people we apologise, it’s not what I intend for her – that is Yassmin Abdel-Magied – and I think we can probably move on.”
2GB is owned by Macquarie media, which is in turn majority owned by Fairfax Media.
MacSween later accused critics of being “ferals”.
To all you festering, humourless Twitter ferals. Go tell someone who cares. Last time I looked this was a country of free speech. Get a life
— Prue MacSween (@macsween_prue) July 12, 2017
July 13 update:
Abdel-Magied appeared to respond to the latest controversy by tweeting a message of forgiveness.
Striving to always respond from a place of forgiveness and grace, inshallah.
— Yassmin Abdel-Magied (@yassmin_a) July 12, 2017
This is simple. If you remember her name just never ever use her PR ‘company’.
Prue if you’re reading this ask yourself why people are upset instead of just blowing it off you may learn something. The saying is wrong – You CAN teach an old dog new tricks.
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“To all you festering, humourless Twitter ferals. Go tell someone who cares. Last time I looked this was a country of free speech…” Really? What happened to Abdel-Magied’s right to free? She gives an opinion and you want to run her over? You were turned on for a callous, careless thought, just as she was. How about YOU ”get a life”?
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Takes a uniquely stupid mind to claim her free speech is being impeded while attacking Yassmin, who has been hounded by the far right for merely expressing her opinion.
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Well this is disgusting. Never heard of Prue McSween, and I can see why.
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Had me at 2GB. Everything after that is not surprising. Park your brain and heart at the door.
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Good article. We need to call this behaviour out, desperation for ratings is not an excuse.
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Sadly Prue’s happy for any publicity, that’s what she’s about.
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Summed it up well Cynic.
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So this young Australian girl (no need for hyphen-anything, most Aussies are immigrants or children of, read your Census results) made a statement about Anzac Day that a lot of people didn’t like, they said it’s un-Australian.
So how un-Australian is it to not give a young person a fair go, to drive them out of the country for making one mistake? (Not saying I think it was a mistake.) And yes drive out the country with not just this brainless radio but the actual death and rape threats.
Answer: really f*n un-Australian mate.
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When are these radio sideshow clowns going to be called to account for the basic difference between saying things like this ON THE AIR and off?
It’s called Broadcasting. It’s R-E-G-U-L-A-T-E-D. It is NOT the same as a personal conversation, under the law.
And not only because thousands of people (well, it’s 2GB, at least 100s) hear it, but saying things like this on air carries a different weight. There is tacit implicit endorsement of station management and advertisers, this is perceived even if those parties attempt to waive legal responsibility.
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Sadly this sort of dog-whistle, divisive and damaging hate speech directed to people & groups within our community seems to be increasing from parts of our media and commentariat.
Surely regulators need more independence – and immediate and stronger powers to act?
With the success of initiatives such as Stop Funding Hate in the UK and Sleeping Giants in the US (& other regions), marketers and advertisers here in Australia could be doing more to stop aligning their brands to and funding this kind of content. As an industry we can make a difference here.
It’s time to stop walking by….
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Exactly. The hypocrisy is breathtaking. The right are still piling on Yassmin for a relatively anodyne comment made nearly THREE MONTHS AGO. Yet when they get criticised for advocating that someone get run over, they go to water and claim that their right to free speech is being abridged. If there’s something I can’t stand, its people who can give it out but can’t take it.
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This comment from Bab was so on point it bears repeating:
‘Exactly. The hypocrisy is breathtaking. The right are still piling on Yassmin for a relatively anodyne comment made nearly THREE MONTHS AGO. Yet when they get criticised for advocating that someone get run over, they go to water and claim that their right to free speech is being abridged. If there’s something I can’t stand, its people who can give it out but can’t take it.’
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Once again, the death of free speech in this country …….Free speech is only allowed if you agree with the left wing moron minority.
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It seems Pretty is afforded the right to free speech this country has to offer, and so incites violence. Yassmin, on the other hand, utilises said free speech and gets crucified for it. Shame on Australia’s racist double standards.
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2GB apologises. But not their guest content provider Prue. She calls her critics trolls.
And she gets to keep going on air on 2GB, unrepentant.
So what can we assume about the moral compass of 2GB?
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To come up with that response Keithy you are obviously on a different planet
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