SMH ‘unreservedly apologises’ for publishing Paul Sheehan Middle Eastern gang rape column
The Sydney Morning Herald has issued an apology a week after printing a column by Paul Sheehan about an alleged gang rape in Sydney which he later acknowledged had not been justified.
On Thursday Sheehan penned a column admitting his original claims had been flawed
In the original column, which was corrected on Wednesday, Sheehan quoted alleged victim “Louise” as using the term “MERC – Middle Eastern raping c—s”, included explicit details of the humiliating ordeal the woman was alleged to have experienced, as well as allegations NSW Police failed to act on the claims.
Today’s apology from the Fairfax paper acknowledges “aspersions” cast against the Middle Eastern Community and police, and ends with the line: “The Herald sincerely regrets the hurt and distress this report caused to these groups, and unreservedly apologises.”
It’s great to see someone like Paul who, when a young child, decides on what they want to do when they grow up, sticks to their plan and succeeds!
That’s not an apology. Sheehan has not apologised. The herald and Sheehan have yet to acknowledge that they published fiction as fact and malicious, sectarian abuse as news. Sheehan refers to embellishments. Is there evidence if any kind that his violent and shocking diatribe was in any way based on a single fact?
How on earth can Sheehan keep his job after this? Mike Carlton, basically the SMH’s left-wing counterbalance to Sheehan, was stood down for 6 weeks (and then quit in protest) for a far lesser transgression.
Sheehan has lost all credibility and the SMH will too if it continues to publish his copy. Carlton got sacked for far less.
Is there one standard for those writing from the left and another writing from the right?
This is the award-winning journalism that Fairfax tells us is worth paying 50c a day for. The only award this will win is Worst Journalism of 2016.
@ Lindsay.
Mike Carlton WAS not sacked. He resigned. GOT it. He FUCKING RESIGNEDDDDDD.
It’s Sheehan and his fancy water crap con that shoud be sacked.
Ok Ken, obviously I was wrong about the sacking bit, but it’s probably reasonable to say, he was made to feel very unwelcome. Not by the readers but by those running Fairfax. And you are right we writing “It’s Sheehan and his fancy water crap con that shoud be sacked.”
I feel sad that such a respected long-term career journalist and opinion piece writer has made such a serious mistake. I think Paul’s apology was heartfelt. I think, however, that his sloppy journalism and hurtful article – which will lead to even more racial hatred – needs a response. Please resign Paul.
Paul Sheehan is agenda driven – he has a personal bias on anything to do with muslims, rape and immigration.
The only surprise here is that his passion for his agenda override his professional judgement.
It would appear he was surprised that anyone in the public could or would pick the story apart.
Little wonder the ‘average person’ is turning off TV, not buying news in print, turning off radio – and instead paying more attention to reality shows or niche subjects of interest.
The public, in growing numbers, simply do not trust the ‘media’ any more. And with ‘spermaholic’ stories getting presented as factual – is there any surprise?
The SMH made a huge mistake in publishing Paul’s article. It has half corrected the error. The apology is very good – hopefully it assists the muslim community to forgive the paper. The half that is missing is sacking Paul Sheehan. His article demonstrates that he holds such a strong bias against a certain group of Australians that he is prepared to throw standard journalist procedures out the window.
The death of subs and lack of effective and powerful oversight of newspaper demagogues also have their parts to play. The story didn’t meet the most basic checks and balances that would be demanded of a serious paper of record. Sheehan should resign or be sacked. The editorial management might also take pause to consider how viable and sustainable their positions are considering they were asleep on watch.