Press Council calls off inquiry into Daily Telegraph’s ‘Death Cult’ Sydney siege special
The Australian Press Council (APC) has called off its inquiry into a controversial Daily Telegraph “Death cult CBD attack” front page on its special edition released on the afternoon of the Sydney siege, Mumbrella understands.
News Corp Australia was told today that the press watchdog would not proceed with its investigation into the Telegraph’s coverage, despite receiving what are thought to be hundreds of complaints about the edition, which was published just hours after a siege began in the Lindt cafe at Martin Place on the morning of December 15.
Complaints are believed to have centred around a number of assertions in the report, including the prominent assertion hostage taker Man Monis was associated with the Islamic State terror group, with claims that added to the distress of readers and was not in the public interest.
Oh no. Commensense from the APC? What next? Their disbanding?
Utter bollocks. One of the first truisms taught to journalism students and reinforced in GOOD newsrooms goes as follows: “If in doubt, leave it out!”. Surely there must have been doubt about this claim, before they hit the ‘publish’ button. The other truism I understand that is particular to the Daily Telegraph goes something like: “Get it first and get it right!”. Epic fail on both counts. The APC has failed miserably in applying even a shred of accountability to a media organisation that is arrogant, petulant and apparently answerable to no-one but its proprietor.
The Press Council has dropped the issue because it is obvious that Monis was responding to ISIS appeals to kill infidels, as numerous miscreants have done since, at home and abroad.
In other words, the front page “contributed to the distress of readers” by telling them the truth.
@Dan of the Whine State: “The APC has failed miserably in applying even a shred of accountability to a media organisation that is arrogant, petulant and apparently answerable to no-one but its proprietor.”
News Corp is answerable to it’s readers. That’s why it’s readership keeps going up and up.
Truth will set you free.
Amazing to think that when people were held hostage and murdered by a man who hates this country, its people and its values, the complainants first point of order was to complain about the press coverage being too accurate.
Dan of the Whine State, there’s your problem right there. Australian journalism schools are more about journalism appreciation rather than actually doing journalism.