SBS removes Ray Martin’s ‘n-word’ anecdote from Royal wedding catch up coverage
TV personality Ray Martin has come under fire after it emerged he used the n-word during SBS’ live broadcast of the Royal wedding, with SBS removing the offending moment in its On Demand version.
However the broadcaster defended Martin’s use of the word in statements to Mumbrella and the SMH, claiming the word was used “within its reported historical context” and that it had not received any formal complaints.
Martin used the word twice during an anecdote about the Duke of Edinburgh’s trip to Nigeria, in an attempt to explain how much the Royal family’s attitudes towards race have progressed over time.
The comments were made towards the end of the broadcast, during an in-studio forum where a multicultural audience discussed their reactions to the day.
An SBS spokesperson told Mumbrella: “During SBS’s Royal Wedding Live broadcast, Ray Martin told a historical anecdote about the Duke of Edinburgh’s reported use of inappropriate language whilst on tour in Nigeria.
“The discussion highlighted the positive cultural changes that have occurred, with the commentary that immediately followed from both presenters indicating that these terms are unacceptable.
“Whilst Ray presented this term within its reported historical context, SBS made the editorial judgement to remove it from the SBS On Demand version.”
Several Twitter users made reference to the comments while watching the live version of the broadcast.
How drunk on royal hype is Ray Martin to use the N word on national TV? ? #RoyalWedding @SBS
— Michelle?️?Bourke (@MichelleBourke) 19 May 2018
Myf looks panicked trying to steer the bus back on course after Ray Martin drops the n-bomb twice on #sbsroyalwedding
— Dylan Levey (@DylanJLevey) May 19, 2018
Ray Martin just dropped the N bomb on national television. That’s it, I’m out, goodnight.
— Warwick Hughes (@warwickfilm) 19 May 2018
The one ending in er or the one ending in o?
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3 likes on each tweet? Such outrage! Lucky the american’s haven’t noticed… Trump would be calling on Trumbel for an international apology.
Wouldn’t surprise me if everyone’s happy for this to be swept under the rug. Kind of missed the scoop a week later and all. It could have caught traction.
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So, he recites a story of Prince Philip using the word, as example of progress, and the story is “Ray uses N word”.
Pretty sad…
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What a beat up.
Presented in context, it’s appropriate.
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So, he told a historical story. What we have to change history now!!!
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I’m sure Ray is doing some serious soul searching with the important news Warwick Hughes switched off. I can just see Ray sitting contritely in group therapy, clenched fists on knees desperately yearning for a gasper, alongside John-Michael Howson, Mike Wilisee and Daryl Somers discussing the official date that blackface stopped being funny.
How I too long for the good old days, when a Journalist might go off piste slightly pissed and when vox pops were vox pops; sensibly dismissed as just the freeballing thoughts of average Joe numpty, rather than elevated to the level of finger on the pulse, important social critique and the lifeblood of a journalists story.
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