Ita’s ex suing over Paper Giants
The ex-husband of Ita Buttrose is suing the ABC for portraying him as a ''flake who abandoned his young family.''
- Published by David Knox
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The ex-husband of Ita Buttrose, Alasdair ”Mac” Macdonald, is suing the ABC for defamation over his portrayal in Paper Giants, the SMH reports.
According to his claim, the ABC portrayed him as a ”flake who abandoned his young family” to be a ”free spirit”.
Macdonald accuses the ABC of presenting him as ”a deadbeat father and husband, who abandoned his heavily pregnant wife and young child for purely selfish reasons.”
He claims no attempt was made to verify the facts with him before going to air and that the ABC refused to withdraw the program or offer an apology, even after he put his concerns in writing.
He wrote to the ABC in April saying the marriage lasted 13 years in all, continuing into the period after Cleo when Ita was the editor of the Women’s Weekly and after the birth of their son.
”It was Ita who wanted out. She ended our marriage and we separated in September 1976. She filed for divorce thereafter. It was against my wishes as I was actively attempting to hold everything together,” he says.
Producer John Edwards said he would not have been able to do it without the co-operation of Buttrose.
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- Tagged with Paper Giants: The Birth Of Cleo
11 Responses
I hope Alasdair wins his case, it doesn’t seem fair to treat an innocent man like this.
ABC and Ita, you should both be ashamed of yourselves.
It comes as no surprise that defamation is in the air. With Ita as a “consultant” her characterisation was superficial, glowing and uncritical. There was no attempt to delve any deeper which is probably why this show was always better suited to a compliant commercial network and not the ABC.
Fair call I reckon. I would be peeved at being portrayed like this as well.
It seems they have used this to stike a sympathy nerve in the viewer for Ita. This would have been used to bond the viewer with the character.
There are many programs /movies that like to portray all men as bastards for this reason. Don’t get sucked in.
@Ronnie, No come on Ronnie, that is harsh.
Mr MacDonald certainly has a right to set the record straight, and if suing is the only option then I hope any damages go to charity. Likewise I hope Julia and her partner also sue because they have also been defamed by another ABC programme!
If Macdonald’s claims are true, then I’m definitely on his side. It was wrong of the ABC and the writers/producers to show his character in that light, considering the miniseries is deemed biographical/factual.
Alasdair is telling the truth. How do I know? I was working for Ita at the time of their separation and had been since early 1976.
Ronnie – I am astounded by the comment you have made, the issue of artistic licence is hardly a point at all. Mr Macdonald has the right to sue for defamation as he feels he has been grossly misrepresented by Paper Giants. It is not something that he can take lying down.
Oh well. I guess the truth hurts. Wanna bandaid?
but still, it doesn’t seem fair if you still around to be tarnished by events that may or may not have occured.
When its biographical or severely biographical its defamation. Put it this way – you couldn’t put this on TV if Kerry packer was still alive!
It’s called artistic licence in storytelling – get over yourself.