“Dangerous And Damaging”: Senior News Corp Employee Slams The Company’s Bushfire Coverage
The explosive letter was leaked after News Corp deleted it from internal email inboxes.
A senior employee at News Corp has resigned, sending out a company-wide email accusing them of “misrepresenting facts” when it comes to the climate change debate.
She accused News Corp of running a “misinformation campaign” and using reports of arson to try and divert attention away from the real cause of our current bushfire crisis.
“I find it unconscionable to continue working for this company, knowing I am contributing to the spread of climate change denial and lies,” she wrote.
“The reporting I have witnessed in The Australian, the Daily Telegraph and the Herald Sun is not only irresponsible, but dangerous and damaging to our communities and beautiful planet that needs us more than ever now to acknowledge the destruction we have caused and start doing something about it.”
“News Corp’s decision to take this approach in such a devastating time for our country, communities and environment is a step too far for any of us stakeholders to ignore and continue with our daily tasks without thinking for a minute about what we are contributing to.”
I see that the champions of free speech over at News Corp have deleted an uncomfortable email from all the staff inboxes. It’s almost like they’re a bit worried about how people see their decades-long campaign of climate denialism
— Ben Eltham (@beneltham) January 10, 2020
This seems significant. Will deranged bushfire coverage do what pedophilia apologism and spreading racist far-right propaganda didn’t? As a more tangible threat to the class of News employees it might. https://t.co/KY5HxD5P8I
— Osman Faruqi (@oz_f) January 10, 2020
Junkee has chosen not to name the employee in question, however she is a senior member of News Corp’s commercial team.
The email was sent in response to an all-staff email which discussed support initiatives in relation to the fires. It was then removed from News Corp employee inboxes within an hour of it being sent, but not before screenshots hit Twitter.
The letter comes after international scrutiny of the role that the Murdoch press has on the bushfire debate, with the New York Times accusing them of trying to “shift blame to the left, protect conservative leaders and divert attention from climate change.”
A News Corp employee has slammed the organisation for its “irresponsible”, “dangerous” and “damaging” coverage of the national bushfire crisis.
If other New Corp employees are willing to do similar, I’m happy to offer lunch—on me—to discuss freelancing.https://t.co/Y6S8LoSsBe
— Benjamin Law 羅旭能 (@mrbenjaminlaw) January 10, 2020
News Corp CEO Michael Miller has publicly responded, saying the employee who wrote the email had already resigned in December and was due to leave shortly.
“News Corp stands by its coverage of the bushfires. The dedication and professionalism of our journalists and photographers have kept the community – particularly those Australians affected directly – informed and supported,” he said.
“Our coverage has recognised that Australia is having a serious conversation about climate change and how to respond to it. However, it has also reflected there are a variety of views and opinions about the current fire crisis. The role of arsonists and policies that may have contributed to the spread of fire are, therefore, legitimate stories to report in the public interest.”