Hey guys,
As I'm sure alot of you are aware, journalist Mitch Cleary has been stood down indefinitely over a retweet of Brooke Cotchin's publicly shared Instagram post.
This is on the same weekend as Nathan Buckley attending a tennis match, and four clubs breaching protocols in different ways.
Here we have probably one of the finest journalists in the AFL industry, who won an award for it, and he is sacked for retweeting publicly available info. This is despite journos outing Conor McKenna, Steele Sidebottom, Jack Steven (when he was the victim) and the numerous other invasions of privacy that morally lesser media personas like Ralph, Browne and McGuire have committed time and time again.
As someone pointed out on Twitter, the fact that the vast majority of posters/personalities/fellow journos etc. are steadfastly defending him and his character, is a testament to the way he's conducted himself throughout his career.
The AFL will have a real troubling time defending this, considering how their media arm is supposed to be 'independent.'
What do people think will be the outcome here? Will the AFL double down, or will they try to save face and fire someone down the chain and rehire Mitch (if he even wants to come back)?
In a day where the majority of Victoria is about to enter Stage 4 lockdown and experience the closest thing to martial law in living memory, firing an honourable journo for posting something about someone who broke the rules selfishly, is about as tone-deaf as you can get to the wider feeling in the country - especially in Victoria.
Thoughts?
EDIT: Amended to show Instagram post not tweet, and stood down indefinitely not sacked.
As I'm sure alot of you are aware, journalist Mitch Cleary has been stood down indefinitely over a retweet of Brooke Cotchin's publicly shared Instagram post.
This is on the same weekend as Nathan Buckley attending a tennis match, and four clubs breaching protocols in different ways.
Here we have probably one of the finest journalists in the AFL industry, who won an award for it, and he is sacked for retweeting publicly available info. This is despite journos outing Conor McKenna, Steele Sidebottom, Jack Steven (when he was the victim) and the numerous other invasions of privacy that morally lesser media personas like Ralph, Browne and McGuire have committed time and time again.
As someone pointed out on Twitter, the fact that the vast majority of posters/personalities/fellow journos etc. are steadfastly defending him and his character, is a testament to the way he's conducted himself throughout his career.
The AFL will have a real troubling time defending this, considering how their media arm is supposed to be 'independent.'
What do people think will be the outcome here? Will the AFL double down, or will they try to save face and fire someone down the chain and rehire Mitch (if he even wants to come back)?
In a day where the majority of Victoria is about to enter Stage 4 lockdown and experience the closest thing to martial law in living memory, firing an honourable journo for posting something about someone who broke the rules selfishly, is about as tone-deaf as you can get to the wider feeling in the country - especially in Victoria.
Thoughts?
EDIT: Amended to show Instagram post not tweet, and stood down indefinitely not sacked.
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