The Nine cameraman who called a man a “fucking terrorist”

Quote from Simon Fuller’s LinkedIn profile:
“One of my goals is to continue my track record in the United States delivering professional level of expertise at an affordable price. Another goal is to obtain a visa that will allow me to expand my horizons in this new territory.”

Mate, you certainly need to expand your horizons beyond your myopic, racist little world you live in.

The cameraman should be sacked, or sent to a true frontline location such as a war torn country. He is a disgrace to the media industry…

I saw that on media watch last night. Putting myself in the shoes of the person being chased down the street by this cameraman, I too would have felt totally intruded upon and justifiably angry. And as for the ‘terrorist’ taunt, that was completely unacceptable.

Personally I think Fuller can count his lucky stars that he got off as lightly as he did. The restraint shown by both men as Fuller continued to harrass them was incredible. I doubt I’d be able to do that – and if Fuller had insulted my parent in such a way I’d have shoved the camera right into his face, as I’m sure many others would as well.

At the least he should be sacked, at the most he should be brought up on charges of racial villification. Sadly he’ll more than likely find another position elsewhere and never be held accountable.

I’m with Paul – since this cameraman has such an eye for a terrorist, send him to Iraq or the Afghan/Pakistan border to help report the news from there: LOVE to see him chasing terrorists with his camera there.

Pure coward.

Typical of Australia’s backwards and racist attitude towards TV.

I reckon Channel 7 would be scrambling to sign him up for a role hosting something.

“I reckon Channel 7 would be scrambling to sign him up for a role hosting something.”

Bwahhahahahahahahaha. Ouch!

sack him

(This comment – which may well have been intended ironically – removed by Mumbrella.)

To the commenter calling himself “Camel Humper”; you are a dunce.

But he was “just doing [his] job”. Douche.

Mind you, Nine isn’t exactly renowned for it’s quality journalism (‘cept on Sundays).

Hopefully this sort of footage will finally give the government and the courts the balls to start banning camera crews from intruding on people going about their business especially in front of courts. This need for the accused’s face (note the word “accused”) for their bulletins is the height of tabloid journalism. They never run a similar length of footage and priority in their news bulletins when accused people they’ve harrassed are acquitted.
The whole industry is peopled by scum.

so disappointing… but, unfortunately, not surprising.

Shame, shame, shame.

I watched this last night on Media Watch. I was absolutely appalled and incensed. This camera man should be fired and Channel 9 really ought to rethink their practices.. I’m all for the news grab but what, racial profiling is part of how Channel 9 works now? gimme a break. this is terrible terrible stuff.

Where are the Chaser or Hungry Beast when you need them?
A couple of ENG crews door-stepping him for a week would be hilarious. Anyone got his mum’s address?

What a douchebag, that cameraman should be sacked. He is an absolute disgrace to the media industry. Every person that leaves court is usually highly strung as I imagine its quite an ordeal. He’s not doing his job, he bought his personal feelings to his job and if Nine doesnt sack if there should be an uproar…. Lets start a Facebook page to get him ousted. I dont care if he has a family to feed, this is Australia, and my tax will look after them.

A thorough disgrace. If one needs any more proof that Channel 9 abandoned quality journalism years ago then this is it.

Stomach-churningly repellent.

Is Fox News holding auditions? Send them this tape, he’ll be gainfully employed in the US in no time

I worked for the Sun newspaper in the UK for a number of years and on many occasions had to follow someone out of court asking them questions. I always had a snapper with me.

It’s a tough job and you have an editor breathing down your neck telling you what shots he wants and what quotes he wants.

However, no matter what happens you do not do what this cameraman did. You don’t harass the subjects and you don’t taunt them. That’s crossing an ethical line which no one in the media should do.

This guys behaviour was totally out of line.

As a Muslim who works in the Australian Media space this makes me both sad and very angry. Shame on you Channel 9… and to Ten and 7 who subsequently broadcast the footage without reference to the provocation.

Shockingly bad. As a professional, he should have known better. I guess racist idiots can only hide their views for so long.

This is so embarassing for Australia. And to think that Aussies watch this standard of news coverage. Nine/ten and sevens’s standard of journalism is so crass it makes me puke. I’ll only watch ABC or SBS, except for the sports coverage.

You can’t win, you either react and that douch of a cameraman gets his way, or you walk away after hearing your dad called a terrorist and try to ignore it.

“just doing my job” doesn’t really justify it.

Rhodie, tell us the rest, I know your secrets…

Admittedly, what he said was wrong. But in his defence, he’s not a trained journalist, he’s not there to interview and present facts, he doesn’t represent the views of Channel 9. It was a dumb, stupid fly away comment of an individual said in the heat of the moment that only ever aired due to a rival network giving it to Media Watch undoubtedly to discredit its rival. I didn’t think the performance of anyone there was particularly exemplary. It also did come across as very unprofessional, but is he any different from any other journo or cameraman or pap photographer who chases their victims? PS I wonder if he has any views on the Australian fast bowler, Scott Muller?

Nice one

I just watched the clip on the Media Watch website – Simon Fuller should be fired post haste. Completely unacceptable. If he is not let go by Channel 9, the network is in effect saying that they have no problem with their staff members badgering members of the public and racially vilifying them in the quest to obtain news footage.

Hey Aktif, please don’t lob us all in the same boat “Typical of Australia’s backwards and racist attitude towards TV.” – not all Australians are backwards or racist – haven’t you pretty much just done the same thing as the camera man?

WOW – going to be a very expensive “dumb” comment and clip.

Can’t agree with you more Phil. The last sentence is particularly apt if that sort of behaviour is typical of these guys “just doing their jobs mate”. It amazes me the media have any credibility whatsoever.

He should be fired.

There is no defence here! It’s disgusting and disgraceful, if the camera man is not ‘trained’ to be in these situations he shouldn’t be there shoving cameras in peoples faces, no excuse!

If the whole footage hadn’t been released, he wouldn’t be getting the sack he would be getting a pat on the back for pushing someone into a sound bite. Such is the nature of mainstream journalism and the producers behind it.

When what’s her name Bingle or a celebrity getting caught for DUI is the lead story on a major news network you’ve gotta question where we’re heading as a society.

I suggest to everyone that if you’re ever faced with a camera crew from 7, 9 or 10, tell them you’ll wait for the real journalists to show up before you’ll make a comment.

@Brian i totally disagree. That was no flyayay comment made in the heat of the moment. It was said to provoke him so he could get the “angry’ shot he needed. I would also like to point out that Channel 9 aired it BEFORE Media Watch, and if in fact Media Watch hadn’t enlightened us, we all would have walked away from our TV sets shaking our heads and thinking that indeed Gad Amr’s son must be guilty …because with a father like that is it any wonder? Shame on you Channel 9. Simon fuller should be fired. yesterday.

Unfortunately there seems to be a fairly liberal attitude in this country towards derogatory and racist names for other cultures, Lebo, Wog etc. amongst the general population if not the readers of this blog.

This is probably reflective of what a lot of un educated, ignorant white males might call people of a middle eastern origin in a heated argument. Its just broadcast as shocking when aired on TV coming from a supposed ‘media professional’.

Either way its pretty sad

p.s. I’ve been called both versions of my ‘post name’ in my time here

My stomach churns – i cant imagine being so polite while being bullied by an ignorant twat, followed around endlessly and called a terrorist.

Another case where the ratings winner trumps journalistic ethics? I think so.

Unless we can accept that yes, as a whole, Australia is a very racist country, and that our media biases are unacceptable from any every other country’s standards, I don’t see any real change by sacking the fool with the camera.

That angry rant by the son is awesome.

My heart goes out to the father Gad Amr. And to the son, who, even at the height of his (justifiable) fury right at the end of the clip, showed more decency, respect and intelligence than the cameraman.

Sadly, it shows how far media standards have fallen.

It’s always Nine staff isn’t it – culturally there’s something very wrong there.

I think this also raises the importance of programs like Media Watch. Why is the only real program that holds a spotlight on the Australian media industry only 10 minutes long..? Surely there are thousands of similar if not worse situations daily that MediaWatch doesn’t have time to cover.. At least make it half an hour..

…. Jess @ 35… you’re suggesting it was a deliberate, professional tactic to get better footage? I think we’re reading too much into this…. More like: he intimidated the gentleman with his camera. Instead of walking off, he confronted the camera guy who blurted out the first daft nonsense that came into his head. It was unscripted, unthought out piece of gutless diatribe of an individual who is no way indicative of the media standards in this country. I think we’re all getting a little too carried away here.

… and if this deliberate provocation is an industry standard, why has it not come to light now? Why did no other camera person partake? Why was the other camera person from the other channel so shocked by it he sent the footage to Media Watch? Please… to suggest it was anything more than an unfortunate brainsnap is a total nonsense.

totally agree with off the grid @ 34……why do these guys think they have any right to not simply report facts and instead involve themselves to the point that they create their own “news”.

similar example they showed last night was a crime victim being harassed so much by a media crew the story became “man lashes out at media crew” instead of “man suffers drive by shooting” which is why they were there in the first place.

if we get the media we deserve then we’re heading downhill as a society real fast.

I like how his website says “Simon, is well presented and works to the highest possible standard” http://www.simonfullerpictures.tv/kit.htm — his website is still up, he just deleted the home page (probably because it has a video of Elle McPherson endorsing his work….you can get it from google cache by searching site:www.simonfullerpictures.tv and clicking the cache button). Makes you wonder if he asked Elle for her endorsement or for use of that footage, maybe her lawyers want to get in on the act also.

Oh, and for the technically capable, view source and you’ll see his keywords are things like “pop idol, american idol”….yet I’m pretty sure he isn’t THAT Simon Fuller

Oh, and anyone that finds themselves in a similar situation or has to go to court, may want to read this first: http://www.naimark.net/projects/zap/howto.html

This is slightly off-topic but the son is more than a little sexy.

It was one of the most disgusting things I’ve seen on television. I fought tears throughout.

We’re rightly outraged but somehow I don’t think the Australian Outrage Industry oops I meant media, will be camped outside the cameraman Simon Fuller’s doorstep for the next few weeks.

Predictably Simon Fuller’s excuse is to use the phrase “in the heat of the moment”.
But wasn’t he “just doing his job”?
Where’s the heat of the moment in THAT phrase?

Wow, this has (rightly) blown up here on Mumbrella. I saw it last night on Media Watch and I was sickened by it. If I had half a chance of finding an email address for the news editor, I would have fired him off a nice little note. I agree with the majority of the posters, this was totally uncalled for. I agree that it was designed as provocation and disagree that it was just a ‘heat of the moment’ thing. He’s apparently been around long enough to know better. Send him back from whence he came. To the Amr’s, congratulations for resisting the no doubt strong temptation to punch his lights out.

I work as a journalist for a news network in London. Simon Fuller is an absolute disgrace to the industry. Channel 7 & Channel 10 are also highly culpable for reporting this story in such an inaccurate context. This highly selective version of events would broadcast our OFCOM code by a mile and whichever editors made the decision to broadcast this story have evidently forgotten that they are there to serve the public and deliver accurate accounts of the truth. Their attitude is better placed in television entertainment.

It was actually my brother who alerted Media Watch to this story, he himself was a broadcast journalist prior to leaving the industry he was disgusted with this incident he brought it to the attention of Media Watch.

What disgusted him most was the referrence to “terrorist” there are many law abiding Muslims let live and work all over the world without blowing themselves up, in fact my brother and I are a couple of them.

Muslims much like the Jews have been discrimanted against for centuries and I draw your attention to Pope Urban’s calling of the first crusades. However, since Uncle Osama and his cronies like that silly Milk Shiek from Sydney Al Hillay the normal hard working peace loving, law abiding Muslims faces more discrimination today then they ever have.

This is just a tip of the ice berg and Simon Fuller is now “regretable” ONLY because he got caught out.

simon fuller has worked in both iraq and afghan/paki boarder so if anyone is qualified to pick a terrorist its simon

^^^
Dumb comment prize of the month nominee.

Simon Fuller needs to resign immediately and find a new job or Channel 9 should remove this red neck from its payroll. He himself has removed much credibility from the media industry. Watching this fool chase an innocent man down a street like an animal and call him a “fucking terrorist” in front of his own son, is about as low as it gets. I felt sick and I’m not a man who is squeamish. This red neck must be dealt with appropriately and he must feel the full wieght of the law on his pathetic carcass. I’m sick and tired of imbiciles like this taking it upon themselves to fly the flag for Australia. Muslim he may be (its not a crime to be Muslim), but he is also an Australian whether Mr Fuller believes this or not. Mr Fuller has shown no respect for an innocent Australian and he should be treated a a criminal. Mr Fuller, I might be waiting for you outside the court with a camera after you get sentenced, how would you like that?

‘Boarder’?

Sorry Peter, but to construct an intelligent argument you should learn mildly intelligible spelling.

As for this guy, lets hope the police get involved and the media are forced to dedicate the same amount of coverage as an apology to anything they misrepresent in the first place.

It’s like when the papers do 1/8th page ‘apologies’ on page 56 of the newspaper for a front story cock-up.

No, they should be forced to reprint, in the same weighting, on the same page the story they mucked up / misrepresented in the first place.

Imagine that – apologies on the front page of the paper or in the headlines of the 6 o’clock news. THAT would make the media accountable for the scurrilous, inaccurate diatribe they insist on peddling every day.

Who’s with me?

“Cold fury” is exactly what I felt watching Media Watch last night.

It will make no difference to the scheme of things, but I am boycotting Channel 9 News because of this until they confirm this guy’s termination of employment.

Yes Fiorella, I think Peter thinks he is qualified to identify who is qualified to spot a “terrorist”, unfortunately Peter might suffer from neanderthal syndrome also!

“No problem good sir I will stop filming your son right away…” Hindsight is haunting him now…

I can not believe my ears that Simon Fuller said the most horrible thing I have ever heard in my life. 🙁

SImon Fuller has been dismissed.

But the bosses who condone the day to day harassment of the public remain in power.
The oz media act as judge and jury when they show an image of a member of the public fleeing the camera.
Creative editing aimed to titillate and entertain rather than to reveal the story is part of the problem in a country where their is fierce competition and not a lot of news….

Did I say that the bosses who run the show are still in power?

Mike

I’m attempting to take the positive out of an overall despicable event by chosing to look at people’s comments on the incident. That it is (almost) universal condemnation is a very good thing to witness.

Now if only I could be confident this behaviour isn’t being encouraged by their producers, etc, instead of Fuller only being let go because he was caught out. For some reason I have a strong feeling that if the footage hadn’t been aired by MW then not even the action against Fuller would have occurred.

>I can not believe my ears that Simon Fuller said the most horrible thing I have ever heard in my life.

You must have had astoundingly well-protected ears then.

@ Claire, I wasn’t saying all Aussies are racist. I was just saying Aussie TV is racist and backwards, which I believe is a pretty fair comment.

BREAKING NEWS

Channel 7 have just offered him a job hosting Today Tonight.

@ Aktif – thanks for clarifying that.

Unbelievable.

Not so much that a cameraman can make a terrible off-the-cuff remark.

But that a news organisation could broadcast a so flagrantly biased account. Shame on you.

I think there needs to be a good hard look at racist attitudes in this country. Every day I see biased news reporting about immigration – yes, it’s been happening since 1788 Australia.

Fuller may not be genuinely prejudiced.

He is definitely stupid though.

“Simon, the camera’s rolling Simon. SIMON!”

duh.

i desperately wanted the son to smash him over the head with his own camera

I thought it was ironic that on the night Pete Hitch announced that this racist cameraman had been dismissed, the sport report on Nick Reinwoldt’s surgery showed the reporter & cameraman at the back of the Epworth Hospital, questioning Nick. His manager said ‘we’ve stated that Nick will be answering questions regarding his surgery later in the week’, THEN the reporter (with cameraman right in his face) immediately asked ‘so when are you coming back Nick?’ (or something like that) and Nick R says ‘didn’t you hear what he just said?’.

They’ve learnt nothing…

@tina Love your work. “the son is sexy…” right on topic there.

The irony is that the son was the one at court being charged for inciting a riot and he was the one telling off the cameraman.

Pretty sad that he has destroyed his life with one stupid comment.

It was just announced on the radio that this man has been sacked from his job, hip hip horray hip hip horray hip hip horray!!

Too bad, Ben Fordham could have used a cameraman like him

@Dave i was about to say the same thing.

This whole story has so many layers.

Son appears in court for inciting a riot and willfully damaging someone property and business – whihc we now know was all based on misinformation by this group of common thugs to begin with.

Father goes to court to support his son – Indeed noble and something a father would do. Though you have to question the upbringing of someone who willfully incites violence and damages someones property because they were angry over a car race being cancelled

Camera man turns up to work under pressure to Get some notable footage to air in the evening news broadcast… oversteps the bounds clearly and acted totally innapropriately (yes there is no doubt here the guy was unbelievably stupid)

Thug screams at defence of father who really shouldnt have been there in the first place after cameraman goes too far to get the shot of the new item of the moment, the thug who helped spark a riot and detroyed someone elses business and property because they were not happy with something….

Ah the dominos fall.

@iusedtosellshit. That is a very valid point. We are all angry at the cameraman, but the son who started smashing things etc is no better than he… I really don’t get humans sometimes, we think we are the superior race but some humans really are imbeciles..

Just to clarify:

Ten did not air the footage without context at all- they did a brief mention that the man had been released on bail. They did not show the provocation, or the reaction to it.

Seven aired both the provocation AND the reaction… the journalist said in her voiceover “The man’s father was then provoked by a cameraman”.

@Claire @iusedtosellshit What the son was charged with in court (that’s charged, not proven and convicted) has nothing to do with it.

As has already been mentioned, I think the son showed remarkable restraint and, in fact, showed himself to be a better person by not decking the guy

“This whole story has so many layers.”

No it doesn’t. The cameraman was out of line, everyone knows it – even Nine, who ended up having to sack him.

That said, the people who sent him out to hassle some poor idiot to breaking point still have jobs.

@ Bill Posters

“That said, the people who sent him out to hassle some poor idiot to breaking point still have jobs.”

Too true.

I have heard a rumor that racial vilification is a violation of human rights and a breach of a number of Acts of Parliament. If the rumor is correct, the Mr Fuller should be charged with a crime. Giving this clown the sack does not finish the matter. He is still free to run around the community and call someone a this or that purely because he thinks he has a divine right to this country that nobody else has. Racial vilification is often linked with being extremely dumb. Mr Fuller has removed all doubt about this.

1. Next time you see someone pushing the camera man outside of court what are you now going to think?
2. Will you now change your views on previous camera man assaults??
3. And does now give everyone leaving the court reason to punch the camera man and take the stance that the camera man provoked me???

The media landscape changes all the time.

It really makes the point that editing can distort the truth and you can’t take anything you see on tv at face value.

So you think the truth is only distorted, misrepresented or completed misconstrued on TV??
You are the one I need to speak to about some Million Dollar Water Front property I have in a little African Republic. Let me know when you are free so I can organise a viewing whilst the tide is out.
Yours sincerely (honestly)
R. Mugobme
1800 747 633
1800 RIP OFF

It is, sadly, just how the commercial broadcast media is in this country. It is racist, and hides behind the flimsy theory that that’s what the audience wants; that it wants its own unevolved feelings on race reinforced.

I’m a non-Caucasian journalist; I’ve never been successful in getting work at a commercial network even though my credentials are impeccable (former international newsreader, I’ve broken stories and interviewed major international figures). Everyone keeps telling me to try SBS. Is that the only outlet for non-white journalists in this country? I once tried to get a job at a talk radio station, the gentleman interviewing me pointed out that a lot of old people ring and want to talk about how they dislike other races, and how did I feel about that? Never heard from him again. A former colleague of mine, who has a very easily pronounceable Balkan name, has former bosses – at the ABC, no less, although many years ago – suggest she Anglicise it.
My point is that if there were more non-white journalists at commercial networks, this sort of crap would be less likely to happen.

AD, you speak the truth. There is very much a white Australia Policy in this country. Very sad!

@ peter 9:08 pm
Sorry ridiculous argument, mate. Just because Simon Fuller has worked in Iraq and Afghanistan does not qualify him to identify a fellow Aussie as a terrorist. It’s like saying that because I’ve worked at Bunnings for a few months it gives me a unique ability to pick good plumbers just by looking at them. Weird argument.

Why are we so surprised. We are living in one of the most racist countries in the world. Australia is just good at hiding it. Mistake or no mistake Simon Fuller should be sacked…..

Firstly, SORRY…. But this isn’t an overtly racist country. I’m qualified I’m not Australian. Lived a few places a lot worse.

And Secondly and almost as importantly what you got from Simon Fuller was what you demand from him. 15 seconds of footage that will titilate you whilst watch the news.

What Simon did was wrong but tell me how many times has mouth watered whilst watching someone irate leaving a court.

How do you think you get a reaction from these people after they leave court please tell me that??

@AmNoGuns – Australia IS NOT one of the most racist countries, how the hell can it be when we have such a multi cultural country, perhaps you have felt some kind of racism, I don’t know, but I think in general we are a pretty accepting country, yes we do have some rednecks, and there are other races OTHER than Australians who are racists towards other races but to state that Australia is the most racist country – your horizons must be very limited! Sorry but that just annoys me!!

This poster sums it up

http://img242.imageshack.us/im.....ckszb6.jpg

@claire: “@AmNoGuns – Australia IS NOT one of the most racist countries, how the hell can it be when we have such a multi cultural country, perhaps you have felt some kind of racism, I don’t know, but I think in general we are a pretty accepting country, yes we do have some rednecks, and there are other races OTHER than Australians who are racists towards other races but to state that Australia is the most racist country – your horizons must be very limited! Sorry but that just annoys me!!”

This is the problem. The attitude here is constantly one of defensiveness.

You are more annoyed about the perception of Australia as racist than the actual racism – that you yourself admit – does exist here.

You should really think about that.

@annon1 Actually if you read all of the posts including the ones that I have posted earlier I am not more ‘annoyed about the perception of Australia as racist than the actual racism – that you yourself admit – does exist here” at all. I think racism is complete bullshit, we all bleed the same colour and it is sad that people are still racist etc etc, but I also get sick and tired of people saying that Australia is the most racist country when it isn’t. But I have already had my say on those parts of this whole thread.

I will defend my country to the end, and ALL of the people living in it, so my defensive attitude is not the problem at all, it is small minded people and the non acceptance of other peoples beliefs, race, ways of living etc etc that is the problem.

And I have thought it about it, thanks!

Nice one, Anon1.

And this sad defensiveness which annoys me most is part of Australia’s obsessive cultural cringe.

Sorry but my defensiveness is not meaning to come across as you guys are obviously taking it – I hate racism as much as the next person, trust me, I have felt the brunt of it. So read from it what you will…

“Everyones a little bit racist”*

No doubt there are triggers that will bring this out. but the plain fact is everyone is a little bit racist whether they admit it or not.

How many times have we generalised race in a derogitory fashion or generalisation. Asians cant drive, Irish are drunks, Brits dont wash, Aborigionals dont work…. and the generalisation list based on race or culture can go on forever.

To say Australians are racist is as true as bias, generalisation and stereo types based of race or culture from all other countries and races on the rest of the Earth. We are all the same, and really no more or no less than other countries.

*Nods to Avenue Q the Musical

In terms of ethics, negative impact and action with forethought it is Channels 7 and 10 whom should be fined for presenting deliberately misleading and inflammatory information.

while I agree that Simon Fuller acted completely improperly, I would hope that the networks who aired edited footage and deliberately mislead viewers would be reprimanded – they are acted disgracefully!

“Gad Amr: You bloody idiot.

Omar (the accused) Amr: Fuck him, mate. He’s a fuck knuckle.”

That brough a tear to my eye. They’d both pass my immigration test.

I have a theory. The more you brand a nation as being racist. The more racist it becomes. And I suspect that is exactly what some people want.

Australia is a racist nation. Just because they know how to hide the emotion and stuff are all right. Simon Fuller is an example of desperation, where his own desperateness to ‘do his job’ leads to the true color of an Australian mate.
I hope Australians will learn something out of this incidence.

Anyway, I’m glad he’s sacked.

An absolute disgrace! Further amplified by the competing networks reporting on half truths… categorically racist!

What you all have to accept is that Mr Fuller and all his cohorts all have to do the same so that they elicit the kind of response that you demand from the news. You want to see the poor camera man with the gashed eye. You want to see a member of the public lose it and attack the camera. You want to see the poor reporter bashed for no visible reason. IT HAPPENS FOR A REASON>>> IT HAPPENS BECAUSE WE ALL DEMAND TABLOID TV. Accept and lets move on.

but why were there 9 of them lol?

So disappointing