Tele found guilty of ‘gravely inaccurate, unfair and offensive’ reporting on boat refugees
The Daily Telegraph was guilty of “gravely inaccurate, unfair and offensive” language in headlines about asylum seekers who arrive in Australia by boat, media watchdog the Australian Press Council has said.
The ruling from the APC used unusually strong terms to criticise the Tele, which published the finding today.
The complaints related to a story written by chief political reporter Simon Benson and published in November last year. The front page story was headlined “Open the floodgates, Exclusive: Thousands of boat people to invade NSW”. The story then began: “Thousands of boat people will be released into Sydney’s suburbs as the government empties detention centres.”
Further articles inside the paper were headlined “Open the floodgates” and “Detainee deluge for Sydney”.
The newspaper argued that the words were not accurate or unfair and that readers could decide for themselves whether they were appropriate after reading the stories.
Although it accepted that the articles themselves were “more measured”, the watchdog ruled:
The Press Council has concluded that use of the word invade was gravely inaccurate, unfair and offensive because of its clear connotations of forceful occupation.
“Accordingly the complaint is upheld on this ground for what the council regards as an especially serious breach of its principles.”
- Press regulation is among the topics to be discussed at this week’s Mumbrella360. Panellists on the session include APC chairman Julian Disney, News Limited group editorial director Campbell Reid, SMH editor-in-chief Peter Fray and journalism professor Matthew Ricketson. Tickets for Mumbrella360 are on sale until 5pm today.
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large.
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It’s about time, this kind of reporting shocks me to my core. The media holds so much power and to use negative connotations in this way is a massive misuse of reporting on the ‘news’ and the power that it holds. Subjective Vs objective… an issue across the board IMHO
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So what’s the punishment? Massive fines? Closure? Jail time?
…or just to promise not to do it again?
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What about just calling them illegal immigrants whcih most of them are.What about the fact as shown by Four Corners last night that some of them are not the ideal immigrants we want in our nation and what about the fact that many fly in from there countries into Indonesia which is a a safe haven but simply cant compete with the welfare state that we have here.
Its about time that we called a spade a shovel and call these people what they really are.
Illegal Economic Immigrants!Obviously amongst them there are genuine refugees and lets treat them as such but this open door policy that Gillard and Labor have allowed has made a mockery of our Immigration system and the Sovereignty of our borders.Not only that what about the security threat aspect of all of this.
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If you’re in the market for some more hilariously terrible reporting from The Telegraph, make sure you check out their own story on this ruling.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com......6383959453
I wonder who received the internal heat (if any) on this: the sub-editor or the writer? It’s the headlines which are the worst.
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Simon Benson (journo) should not be blamed for a report he wrote, based on material he secured from a source(s). The Press Council ruling was specifically directed at the inflammatory and misleading nature of the heads. Subs write heads and lay out papers. Journos write the copy.
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This will probably get you a feather in your cap at the daily telegraph.
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Good ruling however the real issue is the audience. I am afraid they are just giving their readers the sensationalist sound bites they want.
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The classic misreporting job in the Tell-a-lie was done by Malcolm Andrews back in 1079 when he breathlessly reported a spectacular lightshow over Perth caused by the break up of Skylab with some large pieces crashing to the ground..
The story was written at his desk in Sydney many hours before a few smallish pieces came down near Esperance.
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DIAC Nat Comms – sub-editors ARE journalists. I’m surprised you are not up to speed on that. And sometimes, just sometimes, editors write headlines.
Joseph, every single one of us has, under international law, the right to seek asylum. You are not an ‘illegal immigrant’ if you do so. But you might like to consider yourself lucky for not having to test out another country on its willingness to meet its international obligations.
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Disappointing that Joseph would seek to be as inflammatory using the word “illegal” when asylum-seekers have the right to do so.I agree there should be thorough security check but as with other periods of disruption in our history we know. – and I’m sure even you Joseph if you and we had the money to pay for your family to come rather than rotting in unsafe camps for years and years elsewhere we would do so. It is time the hatemongering and division fuelled by the Telegraph was finally dealt with.
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I like how the press council doesn’t even bother to suggest an appropriate rememdy….what’s the point?
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Typical, the APC adjudicates according to its desire to hide an invasion from the Australain populace, much like Goebells and Stalins Pravda hid the truth from their populace. But the APC would probably have no trouble allowing aborogines to call the First Fleet (all 1373 of them) invaders.
First rate attempt at censorship. One wonders what the APC thinks of freedom of speech .
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Good to see the “Politically Correct” Brigade out trying to stop debate in Virginia and Facts First.One of the reasons that Julia Gillard and Labor are at 26% primary is due to the fact that they have lost control of our borders and have allowed a minority of voices to control this debate.These people are illegal immigrants and this attempt to use other words to describe them in order to create sympathy where in many cases none should be given.Many of those who come are paying over $10,000 per person and are not the type that rot for years in unsafe camps as Virginia would lead us to believe.
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Obviously Virginia and her ilk chose not to watch Four Corners last night because that program went a long way to open people’s eyes as to what is happening and the total incompetence of the Labor Gillard Government in protecting our borders and country.
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Joseph – wow. The majority of them are not illegal immigrants.
I wish we were calking a spade a spade instead if the hype & misinformation you obviously believe.
Also – check your facts vs number of refugees under Labor vs Howard.
I bet it’s pure luck you are in Oz. Have some empathy.
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Joseph, I wouldn’t classify every major media outlet who runs anti-asylum seeker rhetoric as being silenced by what you call a minority of voices. From ACA to talkback to populist mass market newspapers, the anit asylum seeker views are regularly put, often incorrectly. The inhumanity of the Howard years with its shameful treatment of genuine asylum seekers will never be forgotten. The Gillard govt has many failures including the way in which ir shamefully plays politics with this issue. As I say what would you do if you found yourself having to leave another country? As for you assuming you know my television viewing habits that is surreal. Good on the ABC for running hard – but the difference is their coverage is based on research and facts, not fear mongering.
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For too long the Greens and people like Virginia have been pushing the “Assylum Seeker Barrow.” Their use of emotive language to try and shut down debate is disgraceful.
With 17000 illegals forcing their way into Australia last year and in many cases displacing genuine refugees who have been waiting patiently for many years in refugee camps abroad for their turn to come legally to Australia its time that Australians spoke out against this campaign of disinformation by a noisy minority.
What we want in this country is an orderly immigration program allowing people from all parts of the world who have compatible ideals, values and ethics with our society..Australia on a per capita basis bats above its weight in its intake of refugees.To try and portray us in any other way Virginia is a total fabrication and misrepresentation.And if this information had not surfaced on Four Corners on the ABC one could only imagine the cries of ” gravely inaccurate, unfair and offensive’ reporting on boat refugees”
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@Joseph
Are you posting from a News Ltd office? How about a Liberal Party office? Or are you just a bigot?
‘Gillard has lost control of the borders.’ Ha ha, are you insane?
Oh, wait! You might just be a Telegraph reader, brainwashed by the drivel that covers it’s pages. I bet you sit up eagerly and watch the tripe Nine News delivers on a nightly basis too?
Joseph, I feel sorry for you. All of your balls are in one court and your ignorance means they will forever stay there.
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Fly on the wall.I love your personal attack.You cant argue the facts.
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Joseph why are you so upset on a few thousand refugees that come by boat.when there are more than a million in the world today.the Government has not lost control of our boarders its a world wide issue that we cannot by immune from you seem to swallowing the Tele line hook line and sinker besides more illegals come by plane a lot bloody more than come by boats..so how about you complaining at the airport.
Maybe you are are Liberal party hack or just plain ignorant.
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17,000 is clearly WRONG Joseph its more like 7,000 so go and check you facts
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I think Joseph probably meant to say 17,000 since federal Labor came to power. Also, it is important to note, that the department of immigration deems 70% of boat people not to be bona fide refugees, so, yes, there is an argument that there is a certain illegality to what’s going on. That’s not to mention the huge cost to the Australian taxpayer – some billions a year. Surely the best way to fill our refugee quota is to take genuine refugees from the camps in Burma and Malaysia. Preference needs to be given to healthy, English speaking refugees, ideally under 35 and those with children. Those that could actually contribute to Australian society. I apologise if that sounds cruel, but let’s face it, we can’t take everyone. Lastly I don’t believe anyone is actually against a fair refugee policy, but as the Four Corners program documented, the boat people one is not it.
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