Studio 10 cleared over Kerri-Anne / Yumi Stynes stoush
Media watchdog is satisfied controversial segment included differing viewpoints on sensitive topic.
- Published by David Knox
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Studio 10 has been cleared by the media watchdog over a heated debate between Kerri-Anne Kennerley and Yumi Stynes in January.
The discussion, which grew out of an Australia Day protest, led to wide media coverage in which Kennerley was accused of racism. She later acknowledged that her delivery could have been smoother and clearer.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority looked at two complaints around a WIN TV broadcast. It looked at the segment as a whole, including whether it was likely to provoke intense dislike, serious contempt or ridicule against Indigenous Australians -noting “it is not sufficient that the broadcast induces a mild or even strong response.”
ACMA concluded that Kerri-Anne’s comments were not intended to form part of a discussion about violence in Indigenous communities but were primarily a vehicle for criticism of the Australia Day protesters for not actively addressing the welfare of Indigenous people.
It also took into account Yumi Stynes specifically challenging her comments such as ‘not even faintly true’ and ‘sounding racist’.
But broadcasting views that may be offensive or controversial does not, in and of itself, constitute a breach of the relevant Code provisions. ACMA also includes the context. It concluded that abuse in remote Indigenous communities was an issue over which people had differing points of view.
In other words, the segment would probably have been more problematic had Yumi Stynes not challenged KAK’s viewpoint.
By contrast a now-infamous Sunrise debate about the removal of Indigenous children, which offered no alternative viewpoints, was found to have breached the Code of Practice.
“I’m really happy that common sense has prevailed. Anyone who knows me knows very well that I am not a racist,” Kennerley told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Yumi Stynes on Twitter said, “ACMA didn’t clear KAK. It cleared Channel 10. ACMA found that KAK’s comments were based on RACE and were capable of ‘generating strong negative feelings…’”
SMH notes neither presenter has had any conversation with the other since the furore erupted.
One Response
Kerri-Anne goes from pleasant to Defcon-1 whenever anyone disagrees with her. Like the time they were discussing the projection of horse form guides on the Sydney Opera House. KAK would brook no opposing opinion (she was supportive) and ended up domineering the segment by hammering and hammering and hammering her point as everyone else looked uncomfortable.
Glad to see Yumi standing up for herself even now. Though I’ve never been a fan of hers either, the racist attacks she had to endure from social media while she was on The Circle were terrible.