Australian Islamic groups have condemned the Sydney Morning Herald for threatening the suspension of columnist Mike Carlton and accused Fairfax of losing its independence. In a letter to the Fairfax chief executive, Greg Hywood, and editor-in-chief, Darren Goodsir, the Australian National Imams Council, Islamic Council of New South Wales and Muslim Legal Network New South Wales, among others, said they would boycott the Sydney Morning Herald unless the outspoken columnist was reinstated. Carlton quit the Herald on Wednesday after being told he would be suspended for the language he used when replying to readers who objected to an article he wrote discussing the conflict in Gaza. The editor-in-chief of the SMH and Sun-Herald, Darren Goodsir, said Carlton had used “inappropriate and offensive language” – not in the column, but in his responses to readers. In Saturday’s Sydney Morning Herald, Carlton’s column was replaced by one by author and columnist John Birmingham. The letter to Fairfax said the Muslim groups would consider notifying community organisations and spokespersons to cease cooperating with Fairfax journalists for media interviews. “As representatives of the Muslim community we have always regarded Fairfax to be one the more balanced media organisations in the country and where possible we have co-operated with your journalists on countless stories,” it said. “But with the resignation of Mr Carlton from your publications we have now lost one of the very few voices advocating for the Palestinian cause in the country.” A media campaign targeting Fairfax advertisers was also being considered, the groups said. In response to a request for comment on the letter, a Fairfax spokesman said: “We understand and respect that there are strong views being expressed by many parties. “But the Herald will not be swayed from its longstanding and ongoing commitment to providing fair, independent and balanced news and reporting.” The Muslim community groups also condemned the cartoon that accompanied Carlton’s column. “It was indeed a racist cartoon that implicated the Jewish people in the actions of the Israeli state by using Jewish symbolism and stereotype,” the letter said. “However, the apology from Fairfax makes it clear that Fairfax has been put under pressure by the Israeli lobby.” On Saturday morning Carlton said via Twitter he had pneumonia. “Out of hospital this morning,” he said. “Deepest thanks for thousands of supportive tweets and emails. Feel I have many good friends.” Carlton’s departure has been widely covered in the Australian media and generated a significant reaction on social media. News Corp papers have openly celebrated the departure of Carlton, who does not hide that he is no fan of Rupert Murdoch. The Daily Telegraph ran two pages which included a lengthy news report, graphics and three opinion pieces on the “grumpy grandpa”. The Australian also carried extensive coverage. The Telegraph later apologised for manipulating an image of the Boston bombing victim James Costello by adding an Arab headdress and Carlton’s head to portray Carlton staggering away from a Gaza-like disaster in a two-page spread headlined “Imploding. Always” and “Mad Mike Goes to War”. The Telegraph’s editor, Paul Whittaker, apologised for using the Boston bombing victim’s image and admitted he was unaware of its origin, which was first pointed out by Twitter user @TheMurdochTimes. “The Photoshopped image was an amalgam of different images put together during the art production process,” Whittaker told Guardian Australia. “I was unaware that that particular image had been partially used. It is an inadvertent but regrettable mistake for which the Daily Telegraph apologises unreservedly.” Carlton said in response: “It’s a new low in sewer journalism. To exploit that picture like that is just disgusting but not surprising for the Daily Telegraph.” theguardian/media/2014/aug/09/islamic-groups-threaten-smh-boycott-over-mike-carltons-departure
Posted on: Sun, 10 Aug 2014 02:54:55 +0000
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