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Old 7th Jan 2015, 01:45
  #70 (permalink)  
mickjoebill
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: UK/OZ
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Here is the link to make an online complaint at the press council.
Imagine complaining to them about a view expressed by Oprah Winfrey. If your complaint is about something GT said on a TV show (including the nightly news), then that is how they will regard your complaint.


But if about something he said in a newspaper, then they will look more closely. In this case, the first thing they will consider is whether the article is "news" or opinion.


I believe GT contributes opinion (aka "commentary") only, so this licences him to say whatever he likes and speculate as much as he likes.
But not if opinion is presented as fact or when facts are innacurate.
Here are the relevant principles from press council:
Principle 6)
(E.g. failure to take reasonable steps to ensure accuracy in texts, quotes, headlines, captions and images; misrepresentation or suppression of facts; failure to correct an inaccuracy; opinion based on false factual claims)
Lack of balance (General Principles 1, 2 and 3 and Privacy Principle 6)
(E.g. lack of balance in an article; lack of balance in a series of articles or in a particular publication over time; failure to publish a letter to the editor or other response)
Failure to distinguish between fact and opinion (Part of General Principles 4, 6)
(E.g. presenting opinion as fact, or blurring the line between fact and opinion)
Unfair or dishonest presentation (General Principle 1; part of General Principle 6)
(E.g. failure to identify reports as rumours or unconfirmed; unfair headlines, captions and images; failure to declare conflict of interest, including commercial interest; advertorial not identified)
Unfair or dishonest investigation (General Principle 5; Privacy Principles 5, 7)
(E.g. unfair or dishonest methods of newsgathering (such as deception); breach of confidence; identifying anonymous sources; exploitation of a victim or bereaved person)
The news brodaster has a duty to flag its content as opinion, speculation or fact. Reporting should be balanced. Viewers should be made aware of a contributor's vested interest. Broadcasters have to take take reasonable steps to ensure accuracy and fairness.

You can complain about a point of view if it in context of the broadcast, challenges the above guidelines. The complaint isnt toward the contributor it is to those who publish or broadcast.

Oprah can state a personal view on whatever she likes as she is not presented as being a specialist.

From the press council;
WHAT CAN BE COMPLAINED ABOUT?

Types of material

Complaints may relate to news reports, articles, editorials, letters, cartoons, images and other published material.

Why aren't you targeting the producers of the TV shows he appears on? GT is the messenger. It is the producers that like his message and insist on bringing it to us
A complaint to press complaints detailing the publisher or broadcaster does just that.

By the way, Australia has uniform libel and slander laws, under the umbrella of defamation.
If one is directly defamed by a contributor then action can be taken by that person or entity. So if a commentator's view, regardless if they are expert or not, is that an individual or group were wreckless or incompetent then such comment can be challenged in court.
This is rare as retractions usually are suffice in correcting non maliscous defamation.


Mickjoebill

Last edited by mickjoebill; 7th Jan 2015 at 02:08.
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