News Corp’s Executive Chairman of Australia Michael Miller has denied his company ever intends to bully women or transgender people with their reporting.
Miller defended the media conglomerate’s reporting during an appearance at the National Press Club earlier this week.
The business leader delivered an address speaking about the changing nature of the media industry, the effects of big tech companies and social media on the business.
He said social media companies has a lot to answer for when it came to the effects their products had on people’s mental health and the rise of bullying in society but denied News Corp also targeted individuals and groups in society.
Reporter Kat Wong from the Australian Associated Press noted that during his speech Miller highlighted that 65% of women and girls have reported that online content has had a negative effect on their mental health, and he had suggested that big tech companies profit from bullying.
Wong asked if News Corp also profits from bullying highlighting their coverage of prominent Australian women including Antoinette Lattouf, Brittany Higgins and Yassmin Abdel-Magied.
“In 2021 there was a report that found that 45% of News Corp articles of transgender kids caused distress to those communities” Wong said before asking, “Was it okay for News Corp to bully those demographics and people?”
Miller denied that the company’s coverage bullied individuals or communities.
“The work wasn’t intended to bully. They raised issues.” he said.
He said News Corp mastheads have been at the forefront of campaigns to stop bullying. Arguing that their campaign to raise the age of criminal responsibility, and another to put counsellors in every New South Wales school showed a commitment to tackling bullying in society.
“I’d actually stand by a lot of our journalism and the positive impact it has and the advocacy we undertake” Miller said.
Miller then went on to suggest that the difference between big tech companies, who also donate money to anti-bullying campaigns, is unlike News Corp they “don’t subscribe the Australian values”.
Earlier this week News Corp broadcaster Sky News highlighted that a teacher, who is transgender is working at a Perth school sharing her name and details of her social media account.
The broadcaster and News Corp papers have also run stories suggesting that children are identifying as cats in schools, despite it being well proven as a social media hoax.
The Australian newspaper was also widely criticised for creating a gender section and creating a steady stream of negative reports about transgender youth and healthcare.
In 2021 the Australian Press Council found The Australian newspaper had breach journalistic standards on multiple occasions when producing stories about Dr Michelle Telfer.
Also earlier this week News Corp columnist and Sky News host Caleb Bond delivered a long rant complaining about Pride events based on a social media post that was quickly determined to be completely fake.
