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Media Watch implodes Seven News scoop

Media Watch debunks a major story by Seven News reporter Mike Duffy who claime he smuggled explosives into Dehii's Jawaharlal Nehru stadium.

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Media Watch last night quietly imploded a major story by Seven News reporter Mike Duffy who claimed last week that he had smuggled a suitcase of explosives into Dehii’s Jawaharlal Nehru stadium.

Duffy claimed that he walked into one of the venue with a case of explosive which could have triggered explosions if fitted with a detonator. He showed footage apparently walking past lax Indian security without being detected.

The story attracted coverage in media around the world. As late as last night Seven was plugging its news with a promo that showed international coverage.

But Paul Barry on Media Watch last night cried foul on a number of points.

It suggested the suitcase was empty, and that footage of Duffy walking past security without being checked were in fact traffic barriers.

CNN Reporter Parikshit Luthra told Media Watch “If Mike Duffy had tried to pass through the main gate security checkpoint he would never have been allowed through. The barricade Mike Duffy passed through is there to restrict traffic, that is all. Anyone can walk through there, you could, I could…….the area is not on lockdown yet.”

The ABC show also says Duffy had led an Indian businessman whose company supplies the Indian Police and Army into believing he was buying a remote explosive detonating kit for an Australian company called Ashburton Mining.

It tracked the man down who wasn’t happy with the report which implied he was a dodgy arms dealer.

“Mr Mark has cut pasted his videos to make a gossip / fraud story. His story has put us into deep trouble… and put at stake the future of our company and the live-le-hood of more than 30 people…” he said.

Seven News stands by its story.

You can read more here.

49 Responses

  1. god bless you media watch. I Really wish this show could be at a bit more exposed, and longer? Journalism with a capital ‘J’

  3. Does it count as journalism when you have essentially written the script for a story and gone out and shot it? Mike never had any intention of being turned away by security or thrown in jail for carrying explosives, did he? Seven went in with a predetermined outcome and then did what they needed to do to get it. The story was “Look how bad the security is! We could blow everyone up!”, it was never going to be “India security is top notch”.

  4. @RoD: the thing is that the owner of the company told MW that (a) Seven wasn’t given the device at the time, it would have been handed over at the airport and approved by customs; and (b) the device needed an electronic detonator to work and those are only available from the government. So it appears that there are various security mechanisms which prevent the scenario presented in the report. Seven just papered over them to do a ‘lazy, irresponsible Indians’ story.

  5. Saw that last nght. Earlier in the evening I saw an ad on 7 promoting how great their news was and they were showing bits of this story with channels from around the world mention channel 7 Australia. I wonder if they will now pull that ad?

  6. @RoD

    But he didn’t buy anything but a silver case. Even if he did get his hands on it, it was useless without the government restricted components.

    What channel 7 did was purposely misrepresent the facts to sensationalise a story. The same story could have been filed on our shores – only India is the easier and less liable target.

  7. RoD – if you watch the report you will see that no detonator was purchased. The reporter asked to specifically purchase the empty case to send some glass to Australia because it had a foam interior. Had a detonator been purchased it would have been delivered at Customs at the airport with appropriate authorisation. There was not even the potential of any danger exposed – a complete fabrication and deliberately misleading and a gross misuse of the media. I wonder what the journalist association code of ethics has to say.

  8. RoD, did you watch the Media Watch report? He didnt buy a remote detonator, he bought an empty case. He never even had access to a remote detonator, the one shown in his bs story was a non operational dummy model.

  9. Oh, and there’s nasty Kyle. And their sour grapes over Masterchef. What an ugly heart that network has.

  11. Hooray for Media Watch, epic poo faced for Seven, just proving once again it’s gutter journalism ethos.

  12. Channel 7 should lose their license over this. The “jourrnalist” who wrote this report should be barred. An absolute disgrace that tarnishes two country’s reputations. india’s and now Australia’s

  13. I agree with Craig, I simply love the work that Media Watch do. Wish they aired at an earlier time and had more coverage. Would give more of the public a better insight into the crappy journalism seven and nine do.

  14. So as long as a terror groups doesn’t go so low as to lie(!) and say they need a remote explosive detonating kit for mining, then everything should be OK? The details are hidden under spin and it has 7’s usual gutter journalism decorations – but the kernal of fact remains. It appears easy to buy a remote explosive detonator in Delhi without accreditation.

  15. I didn’t even see the Seven story but when I saw the ads I knew it was a setup. Good on ya Media Watch and don’t belive anything you see on commercial news channels!

  16. My favourite part of the media watch story was when the director of seven news said that they wouldn’t disclose the details of the story because it was an ‘undercover investigation’! As if they’re the cops or something! Hilarious.

  20. in perth the seven news line is “nobody knows news like seven”. (which of course is a joke). should it now be “nobody makes up news like seven”? (ok with maybe the exception being nine)

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