Society of Editors demands evidence of bigotry in our Press…
HERE’S THE EVIDENCE – SEE MY 13-MINUTE VIDEO BELOW.
The Society of Editors has strongly rejected claims by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (Harry and Meghan) that some of the UK media is bigoted.“The UK media is not bigoted,” blasted the Society today.
Their Executive Director, Ian Murray, added that, “It is not acceptable for the Duke and Duchess to make such claims without supporting evidence.”He also stated, “The UK media has a proud record of calling out racism,” and that media in the UK is “regulated”.
When I heard these comments, I wondered if the Society of Editors was asking for trouble, or simply having a perverse laugh.
Large sections of the UK press are awash with bigotry, racism and lies. I know, because it’s a subject I have been investigating for years, with bundles of supporting evidence.
For starters, just look at my 13-minute video here of my speech at a media conference in Leipzig, Germany back in October 2015. It’s replete with shocking examples of bigotry by some of our newspapers. And since then, in my view, newspaper bigotry has got much worse.
As for the Society’s proud claim that the UK press is “regulated”, putting it above “the wild west of social media”, well, that’s hogwash.The ‘regulator’ for almost all newspapers in the UK is the so-called Independent Press Standards Organisation (previously called the Press Complaints Commission) which is owned and run by the newspapers it is supposed to regulate.
Making IPSO next to useless. Explore just how useless by visiting the website of Hacked Off, that’s campaigning for a ‘free and accountable press’ that is properly, and independently, regulated.[Link: hackinginquiry.org]
If the interview with Harry and Meghan opens up a debate about just how terribly bigoted and racist parts of our Press are, all well and good. Some newspapers are causing huge damage to our society. It’s time we held them to account.
Report and video by Jon Danzig. Newspaper montage by HOPE not hate
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Jon Danzig is a campaigning journalist and film maker who specialises in writing about health, human rights, and Europe. He is also founder of the information campaign, Reasons2Rejoin.
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Update:
The executive director of the Society of Editors has resigned after the body came under fire for comments about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s accusations of racism.
Ian Murray said he would step down from his role so the organisation can “rebuild its reputation”.
The society had issued a strongly-worded statement following Harry and Meghan’s interview with Oprah Winfrey in which it said it was “not acceptable” for the couple to make claims of racism in the press “without supporting evidence”.
And it went on to say the UK press was not racist.
But since then, the body has been heavily criticised.
Mr Murray said: “While I do not agree the Society’s statement was in any way intended to defend racism, I accept it could have been much clearer in its condemnation of bigotry and has clearly caused upset.”
He said that as executive director, he should “take the blame” and announced he was to step aside.
He added that the original statement was “not intended to gloss over the fact the media industry in the UK does have work to do on inclusivity and diversity”.
More than 160 journalists of colour and the editors of the Guardian, Financial Times and HuffPost UK previously issued statements saying they did not agree with the Society of Editor’s position.
Guardian News and Media editor-in-chief Katharine Viner said on Tuesday: “Every institution in the United Kingdom is currently examining its own position on vital issues of race and the treatment of people of colour.
“As I have said before, the media must do the same.
“It must be much more representative and more self-aware.”
HuffPost UK editor-in-chief Jess Brammar also tweeted to say she disagreed with the statement.
She wrote on Monday: “I considered not saying anything about this because I’m aware I won’t make myself popular with my peers, but I’m just going to stand up and say it: I don’t agree with statement from my industry body that it is ‘untrue that sections of UK press were bigoted’.”
ITV News presenter Charlene White also said she would not host this year’s Society of Editors’ Press Awards because of the row over the comments on Meghan and Harry’s interview.
Alison Gow, president of the Society of Editors, said: “I would like to thank Ian for his tireless work on behalf of the Society; he has led campaigns for journalists’ rights and freedoms and worked hard behind the scenes when it appeared legislation might threaten those.
“The society is committed to representing all journalists and upholding Journalism; I am clear on what our mission must be, and we will strive as an organisation to listen and hear everyone’s views, and be strong advocates and allies for all those we represent.”
