Triple M issues apology to Caroline Wilson, decrees mandatory staff training
Broadcaster Triple M has announced that all its staff will undergo training courtesy of domestic violence charity White Ribbon following public outrage over Melbourne breakfast host Eddie McGuire’s on-air comments about drowning The Age sports journalist Caroline Wilson.
The radio network also apologised to “listeners, the wider community and Caroline Wilson” just days after it had sought to hose down the controversy, with content boss Mike Fitzpatrick telling Mumbrella on Monday that he had spoken to staff about the remarks but that they would not face disciplinary actions.
Fitzpatrick said he had spoken to staff and there would be no further action
Among the comments broadcast last week at the Big Freeze fundraiser at the MCG were statements by McGuire that we would pay for Wilson to be dunked in cold water, saying: “I reckon we should start the campaign for a one-person slide next year featuring Caroline Wilson and I’ll put in 10 grand straight away – make it 20. And if she stays under – 50. What do you reckon guys?”
McGuire was about to go through the ice slide himself and brought in fellow Triple M host James Brayshaw and former St Kilda captain Danny Frawley, with the latter responding: “I’ll actually jump in and make sure she doesn’t [come up] … I’ll hold her under, Ed.”
Triple M this afternoon issued a statement acknowledging the “public condemnation of comments” and noting that all on-air talent be receiving training.
“Triple M acknowledges the widespread public condemnation of comments made on Triple M Football last week,” said the statement. “The comments were inappropriate and unacceptable, disrespectful to Caroline Wilson and to women in general. Triple M apologises to its listeners, the wider community and Caroline Wilson.”
On the topic of on-air counselling, the radio company said: “The Triple M employees involved in an on-air discussion before the Freeze Motor Neurone Disease have been counselled and each have apologised for their remarks and acknowledged the importance of stamping out language and behaviour that encourages or appears to tacitly endorse violence, most particularly against women.
“The broadcast staff of all Triple M stations have been reminded that language of this nature is not acceptable and there is no context that makes it acceptable. We recognise that continued and further education is necessary to ensure that all staff understand what is acceptable and what won’t be tolerated. We have arranged for all our on air staff to undergo training from White Ribbon and to enable them to further promote their message, this weekend Triple M will be donating its on-ground digital signage to White Ribbon.”
The move comes amid the risk of commercial sponsorships being under threat by the remarks. Car manufacturer Holden has already said it is reviewing its sponsorship deal with Collingwood, the club where McGuire is President, and there is the risk that other sponsors may follow.
Sister Southern Cross Austereo station 2DayFM currently has a licence condition against it for decency, but this condition does not apply to Triple M Melbourne. That condition was imposed after shock jock Kyle Sandilands launched a tirade against News Corp entertainment journalist Alison Stephenson who wrote a critical review of his TV show.
her employer The Age in which she writes about her discomfort at being part of the story.
The AFL commentator noted that she had strong opinion but argued: “No journalist, no commentator, male or female, should have to put up with personal attacks for doing so. McGuire avoided the issue at hand. He played the woman and engaged a couple of willing blokes only too happy to do his bidding.
“Knowing him, he is not going down without a fight. Violence against women is abhorrent, he keeps saying; even as a joke. Having said that he still took some time to back down about his comments directed at me which were supposedly humorous but in truth were laced with venom.”
The full Triple M statement:
Triple M acknowledges the widespread public condemnation of comments made on Triple M Football last week. The comments were inappropriate and unacceptable, disrespectful to Caroline Wilson and to women in general. Triple M apologises to its listeners, the wider community and Caroline Wilson.
The Triple M employees involved in an on-air discussion before the Freeze MND have been counselled and each have apologised for their remarks and acknowledged the importance of stamping out language and behaviour that encourages or appears to tacitly endorse violence, most particularly against women.
The broadcast staff of all Triple M stations have been reminded that language of this nature is not acceptable and there is no context that makes it acceptable. We recognise that continued and further education is necessary to ensure that all staff understand what is acceptable and what won’t be tolerated. We have arranged for all our on air staff to undergo training from White Ribbon and to enable them to further promote their message, this weekend Triple M will be donating its on-ground digital signage to White Ribbon.
Triple M has carefully considered whether further disciplinary action is required and believes that the public censure of the comments and the actions taken by the AFL community should be a sufficient incentive for a change in behaviour.
Well done fitzy. They need it. I hope this apples to the grill team too in NSW.
Mumbrella is it national or just Vic?
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Why do you need to do training? Surely it is common sense that you don’t make those sort of statements even in joke form.
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Forced into an apology they shouldn’t have had to issue. I’d expect 3AW will make a similar statement soon, right? Oh wait no, joking about drowning Caro was done lovingly at the station she works for.
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Many of the comments from the general public, media, and other parties suggest the root cause of domestic violence isn’t widely understood, so this training is probably warranted…
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