Offensive ANZAC Day tweets see journalist removed from his job with public broadcaster.
SBS journalist, Scott McIntyre has been sacked after sending a series of negative tweets on the centenary of ANZAC Day. The tweets have been deemed disrespectful and offensive by many.
McIntyre, a presenter and soccer reporter, tweeted the following yesterday, from his personal but officially verified account:
The response online to McIntyre’s comments was swift and angry. While there were small numbers who supported the journalist’s sentiments, the majority felt they were ill timed and offensive to those whose relatives fought and died defending Australia.
Communications Minister, Malcolm Turnbull – whose department is responsible for McIntyre’s employer the SBS – responded using the same medium. He was distinctly unimpressed and called for the comments to be condemned.
Today, SBS managing director Michael Ebeid and director of sport Ken Shipp released a joint statement condemning the comments as ‘inappropriate’. Announcing that McIntyre would no longer have a job with the network, they stated that the tweets had caused McIntyre’s ‘on-air position at SBS to become untenable’.
The statement reads:
“Mr McIntyre’s actions have breached the SBS Code of Conduct and social media policy and as a result, SBS has taken decisive action to terminate Mr McIntyre’s position at SBS, with immediate effect.
At SBS, employees on and off air are encouraged to participate in social media, however maintaining the integrity of the network and audience trust is vital. It is unfortunate that on this very important occasion, Mr McIntyre’s comments have compromised both.
SBS apologises for any offence or harm caused by Mr McIntyre’s comments which in no way reflect the views of the network. SBS supports our Anzacs and has devoted unprecedented resources to coverage of the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings.”
While many were distressed by the journalist’s comments, others have been quick to jump to McIntyre’s defence, including Channel 10‘s Hugh Riminton.
McIntyre was dismissed from his position with the SBS this morning.
Top Comments
I thought Anzac day was to remember the events of WW1 when our troops were slaughtered in Gallipoli after being sent into the front line by the mother country.
Yes the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were horrific, however this happened in WW2 and is a completely different war. No country can stand up and say there are 100% good or pure during times of war, that is not what Anzac day is about.
Besides, he is not going to jail or being flogged, he just lost his job as he breached the code of conduct. There is free speech, but there are consequences sometimes.
But was anything he said untrue, Or just unpopular. He reminded people of the horrors of the war on a day people would rather focus on a narrow aspect of it and glorify as 'heroes' some of its participants. He's a sports reporter, not a political reporter, I don't see the connection between his comments and the job he was employed for, and isn't SBS a channel that caters for a diverse base of cultures and opinions in any case. It all sounds very much like censorship to me.