Jackson fans push for Nine to withdraw ‘tacky’ documentary
Fans of Michael Jackson are furious that Nine plans to repeat an old documentary on his child molestation case tomorrow morning, potentially at the same time as he is being laid to rest in Los Angeles.
- Published by David Knox
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Australian fans of Michael Jackson are calling upon the Nine Network to shelve plans to repeat an old documentary that looks at accusations of child molestation several years ago.
The doco, Michael Jackson: What Really Happened, aired last week on Nine. It will form part of a Jackson ‘marathon’ beginning from 11:45pm tonight, leading up to the memorial at 2:50am.
But as details of a private burial remain unconfirmed -possibly before the Memorial- there is still a possibility that while Jackson is being laid to rest Nine could be airing the untimely doco.
CNN reports that relatives are expected to hold a private gathering at the Forest Lawn cemetery in Los Angeles ahead of the public service.
TV Tonight readers were furious with Nine last week for hauling out the doco:
Lisa: Channel 9, why the need to play this so called “documentary” at all? The timing isn’t going to change the fact that this program was just a disgusting tabloid vilification, designed for the purpose of causing as much damage as possible in any way they could think of. You don’t have to like Michael Jackson to have the intelligence to see this. The people involved in it should be forced to factually validate or recant their allegations but this isn’t just about the timing or Michael Jackson.
Chlassie: A load of crap! – that’s what this was just another story surrounding lies. I watched the complete story and have to say this has not changed my perception of Michael Jackson or his innocence but that of channel 9.
Ashlyn: It was neither revealing nor informative and stank of poor journalism. Channel 9 should be shut down for sinking sooo low all in the hopes of getting good ratings!! Channel 9 is the worst TV Channel in Australia!!!!
Craig: A very poor documentary. It was old, poorly put together and defiitely had an agenda. I wonder if Channel 9 actually viewed it before it aired, because it was totally inappropriate. It seems Channel 9 just goes from bad to worse.
Tim: How disgusting. The man is not even in the ground and Nine is trying to trash him with this rubbish. Even a cursory bit of research would show that much of this program is completely erroneous.
Today one reader, Kashi said, “Channel Nine are going to air this documentary again at the exact time he is being buried which is just before his memorial service on Channel 7.
“Please call them ASAP/immediately urging them not to play it at that time. I called to complain and got through immediately please do the same… simply because it inappropriate timing… And will hurt a lot of people who are mourning. and it is completely disrespectful.”
The programming of the doco lets down a comprehensive coverage of the Jackson Memorial planed by Nine from 2:50am, which includes on the ground reports from Robert Penfold, Peter Stefanovic, Leila McKinnon and Tom Steinfort.
In Melbourne the event will even be screened in the cold night on a big screen at Federation Square, from 1:30am -notably after the doco in question.
The Memorial will also be screened on Seven, TEN, ABC and Sky News.
33 Responses
barrie i did say that, i said none of us actually knew any of the people involved, just as i cannot know for sure he is guilty, neither can anyone else know for sure he is not. hence why people are so split over this issue. but when i saw john’s comment which claimed to know for sure i felt a need to express an opposite opinion in order to balance the comments. and craig i did acknowledge and accept the timing issue.
Scott and Bindi, if we do say that Michael wished to harm children then him wanting to help children and prevent others from hurting them through the Heal The World Foundation, AIDS Project L.A., American Cancer Society, Angel Food, Big Brothers of Greater Los Angeles, BMI Foundation, Inc, Brotherhood Crusade, Brothman Burn Center, Camp Ronald McDonald, Childhelp U.S.A., Children’s Institute International, Cities and Schools Scholarship Fund, Community Youth Sports & Arts Foundation, Congressional Black Caucus, Dakar Foundation, Dreamstreet Kids, Dreams Come True Charity, Elizabeth Taylor Aids Foundation, Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, Love Match, Lupus LA, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Minority Aids Project, Motown Museum, NAACP, National Rainbow Coalition, Rotary Club of Australia, Society of Singers, Starlight Foundation, The Carter Center’s Atlanta Project, The Sickle Cell Research Foundation, Transafrica, United Negro College Fund, United Negro College Fund Ladder’s of Hope, UNESCO, Volunteers of America, Watts Summer Festival, Wish Granting and YMCA amongst others (as well as being in the Guiness Book of World Records for ‘Most Charities Supported By a Pop Star’) is certainly a bit of a contradiction. He wanted to hurt them, yet prevent them from being hurt at the same time?
Bindi, unless you were in michael jacksons bedroom yourself at the time you cannot say that with a shadow of doubt what went on. You are only giving your opinion. Darryn, it looks like someone has a massive chip on their shoulder.
Weird I just saw an ad on Nine about them saying they were the first to announce MJ’s death and the first on the scene etc. They are basically pushing this new image that they are the first to get the news which is ironic now as Seven is first to show the memorial so I guess they get to be first to be tactless and play this doco at the same time.
Mj & oj got away with what they did because the white law buckled under the “racism” card. The more u treat us as equals the less chance people like them will embarass us all.
While I personally don’t believe he did anything wrong or against the law that is not the point bindi, the point is this is not the time to air such a documentary , especially hours before his memorial.
I will not be watching any of it live, I will how ever record one of the other channels from 3am…
i can not believe how many people actually believe he was innocent, it is a complete double standard, if he was not rich and famous he would never have gotten away with it. that trial was a farce, OJ-dejavu in the extreme. i really believe that history will show the truth and it will all come out eventually, but some people will still stick their heads in the sand regardless. that aside however, i can see how now is not the best time to get into it all. personally i have not watched a single one of these documentaries as i refuse to let anything excuse the abuse of children. none of us know either michael or the children involved and cannot claim to know their motives, what was going on in their minds, what they are capable of or who they are as people, but for my mind that many accusations have to have a grain of truth to them, you don’t get that many people saying the same thing for no reason. and why after the first accusation would he not just stop hanging out with children, if you are innocent don’t put yourself in a position where you can be accused of things, but if you are guilty fighting the compulsions can just be too hard. but he does get some sympathy as he appears to have been a very sad and unhappy person.
Surely there’s something better they can get out from their archive?? I know I certainly won’t be watching it again! No respect!
Let’s see the ratings in the morning…
@John and mac, I actually covered his last trial and read all of the testimony. The documentary, while tacky, features interviews with several credible sources. Unlike the ridiculous consipracy theories which I have also read.
I really wish the Chaser had saved their eulogy song for this year…
Keep it away from all tribute telecasts. I haven’t seen it but from what I’ve heard it’s completely unnecessary. Odds are the burial/private funeral will be breaking news at the time anyway which would surely mean Nine News would be on the scene.
Totally agree it’s disgraceful.
At least Richard had the good sense to not into this last week like they had planned, Nine take this crap off the air!
For people interested, Fed Square in melb spoke on the radio and said they’ll be showing CH 7’s screening. (It makes sense they’ll show 9 though until ch 7 start their programmes)
@scott no one is being a pedophile apologist, he was found not guilty!! but i suppose you and people like you know more than the courts, jury etc.
@Scott, maybe it’d be ok if it were actually true, but it isn’t. It isn’t based in reality.
To accuse Michael Jackson of wishing to harm children is like accusing wildlife carers of bestiality and animal cruelty. He only ever wanted world peace and did so much for children all over the world through the Heal The World Foundation. He wanted to help them, and protect them from harm. Not be the one to harm them. Those who accused him of harming children only did so in an effort to get money from him.
If you want to actually know what really happened then search for ‘gq was michael jackson framed’ on Google and have a look at the book called ‘Michael Jackson Conspiracy’ by Aphrodite Jones (which is currently the best selling book for Michael Jackson on Amazon.com)
I’d like to push for all the Networks to withdraw all the Michael Jackson documentaries, because I’m over it already.
I’m not sure the best time to air the program is in the lead up to his funeral, but with everyone rushing to canonise Jackson, a sharp dose of reality wouldn’t hurt.
It’s a pity the screening last week didn’t have more publicity – I recommend everyone, especially paedophile apologists, watch it.
I agree, switched off over like 10 mins of watching it. It was bullsh..!!
Nine couldn’t stoop that low to repeat it!
‘tacky’ is probably the wrong word, there was probably a time that it would have been an interesting watch. it was just inappropriate. it was one of ‘those’ docos that needed a counter doco just to examine what the info really meant. there was some british talkshow that did this. some of it is on youtube.
for example when they were trying to prove how his popularity had faded by using a supposed auction of MJ’s goods and no one showed up they alluded that it was a michael jackson auction. when it was actually a general celebrity good auction that sold 2nd hand celebrity things from people in vegas that needed money, it was not directly from michael jackson.
i only saw the beginning of this doco and then changed the channel as it was just gossip and speculation that really had to credibility, what really makes the producers of the documentary think they now more than the jury that heard hours and hours of evidence.
@trojanTroy, just curious about which of those on ground reports you don’t like and why, surly it cant be all of them.
As if we didn’t already know, Nine are morons.
‘That What Really Happened?’ doco did seem like bullsh**t.and a waste of time.
“includes on the ground reports from Robert Penfold, Peter Stefanovic, Leila McKinnon and Tom Steinfort.”
And there’s my reason not to watch Channel 9’s coverage. Thanks David for the warning!