It didn’t take long for lines to be drawn and sides to be chosen in the latest drama out of Ten’s morning panel show Studio 10.
Panellist and Logie Hall of Famer Kerri-Anne Kennerley suggested those marching to change the date of Australia Day didn’t care about social problems and crime in Indigenous communities. Guest panellist Yumi Stynes — the only non-white person on the panel — said Kennerley sounded racist.
Well! KAK was very offended (as people increasingly are when they are called “racist”). Producers followed up yesterday by having two Indigenous guests with opposing opinions on the show — Alice Springs town councillor Jacinta Price and former Victorian MP Lidia Thorpe. Meanwhile, the commentariat has fully embraced this latest battle in the culture wars.
In KAK’s corner
Most traditional and conservative media are supporting Kennerley. Sydney’s Daily Telegraph today has come out in full support of KAK — she’s on the front page, with Indigenous leader Warren Mundine saying it’s “stupid” to call her racist. Inside the paper, an opinion piece from Jacinta Price that supports Kennerley is given prominence over a counter-opinion from retired Indigenous figure skater and archaeologist Lowanna Gibson.
Its editorial says Stynes “played the racism card”, while on the opposite page the cartoon shows Stynes calling a barista racist for offering her a “short black” coffee.
The Tele‘s broadsheet stablemate The Australian has also run an opinion piece from Jacinta Price, and quotes Indigenous Health Minister Ken Wyatt as defending Kennerley. Andrew Bolt has used his Sky News program and his blog on the Herald Sun website to support Kennerley’s position.
Over at Sydney’s 2GB, Kennerley defended herself on Ben Fordham’s program before KIIS’ Kyle and Jackie O called Stynes and Kennerley to talk to about the spat.
Former Studio 10 executive producer Rob McKnight published a blog post on his industry website TV Blackbox on why he would never have let Stynes on the program:
The producers and executives at 10 might be patting themselves on the back over the amount of publicity this confrontation is generating, but not all publicity is good publicity. The headlines alone are causing one of their regular presenters serious brand damage … None of these paint KAK in a good light. In fact, they are very damaging, especially when they don’t represent the point she was trying to make. Essentially, she has been thrown under a bus by a co-host and that’s not cool.”
Daily Mail Australia, which loves any kind of morning TV drama, has been dining out on the brouhaha, rewriting and churning out its own versions of all the commentary and developments.
In Stynes’ corner
Unsurprisingly, online and youth-focussed outlets have leant towards Stynes’ view. Ten’s own news website Ten Daily is leading its website on Wednesday morning with an opinion piece from Yawuru woman Shannan Dodson asking why it’s more offensive to call someone racist than it is to say something racist.
Junkee‘s coverage of the story relied more heavily on social media commentary than specific criticism of Kennerley’s comments, while Pedestrian took a swing at breakfast TV more generally and flat-out called Kennerley’s comments “racist” without qualification (which other outlets were reluctant to do). Meanwhile, Indigenous X founder Luke Pearson has published a piece satirising The Australian‘s coverage.
“….. Alice Springs town councillor Jacinta Price”? ….. Is that the woman that appears over Morrison’s shoulder where/whenever he’s in the NT for photo ops – in between appearances to either mitigate on behalf of, or touting, Limited News Party Coal-ition policy?
It is the one and only. Marcia Langton wrote an op-ed about her which was published in the Saturday Paper last August.
No, it’s the former children’s presenter turned NT right wing figure Jacinta Price. If you want an Indigenous person to voice the right wing take on an issue, and Mundine or Pearson are busy, she’s who you go to.
Whoops, sorry klewso missed a line in your post! Instead of a ‘No’, pretend my post starts with a ‘Yes’!
Unfortunately the link to Luke Person’s piece brings up an error message.
Rais – I was able to follow the link. Give it another go – it’s well worth the read.
Thanks JB. Third time lucky, it worked.
So :-
“Kennerley as a privileged, elite, conservative, sees a threat to civilsation as she knows it, and sees what she perceives as “dropped/loose ball” (in that narrative) and pounces on it?
The rest of the conservative team (with the same priorities) takes the opportunity to form a ruck around her?
….. Who knows what those “activists” have been doing in those communities? Does the media, she works for, commit to any coverage from those communities?
Who knows what goes on?
Is she doing anything for her “public” :-
* Struggling on stagnant wages (while companies/sponsors(?) make bigger profits)?
* Unable to afford a home?
* Pissed off over a government more intent on subsidising and underwriting donor profits than the greater good of the great unwashed?
* Intransigence over climate change policy priorities – the way that effects the young?
* Struggling on welfare and/or underemployment?
If KAK wasn’t being racist, why on earth did she make those comments? They had nothing to do with the topic.
KAK is a hypocrite, pure an simple. She always heads straight to offence as her first defence. Total lightweight, get her off the airwaves.