Australia’s Channel 7 censured by media regulator for ‘racist’ infanticide report
24 Sep 2012
Australia's Channel 7 network has been found guilty by the press regulator of serious violations of the broadcasting code, after screening a report so extreme it was branded 'Freakshow TV' by critics.
The report labelled Brazil's Suruwaha tribe as child murderers, "Stone Age" relics, and "one of the worst human rights violators in the world".
Non-profit tribals rights campaign body Survival International complained to Australia's regulator ACMA after Channel 7 refused a request to issue a correction to its report, broadcast on its Sunday Night programme.
In a landmark judgment, ACMA ruled that the Channel was guilty of breaking its racism clause – "provoking intense dislike, serious contempt or severe ridicule against a person or group" – believed to be the first time it has found a broadcaster guilty of this serious offence under the 2010 TV Code.
ACMA also ruled that the Channel was guilty of broadcasting inaccurate material.
"This was one of the worst reports about contemporary tribal people we'd ever seen. The Indians were made out to be cruel and inhuman monsters, in the spirit of 19th century colonialist scorn for 'primitive savages', " said Survival's director Stephen Corry.
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