Complaint
Introducing an item in a review of the papers, the presenter said 鈥淎nd quite a lot of coverage still of Kathleen Stock, the academic from Sussex University who鈥檚 been abused by students who accuse her, falsely, of transphobia.聽 She says her Union has now effectively ended her career.聽 It鈥檚 published a statement of support, not for her, but for those who are abusing her鈥.聽 Four listeners complained that the use of 鈥渇补濒蝉别濒测鈥 was not only inaccurate but betrayed a personal opinion on the presenter鈥檚 part, and three of them complained of inaccuracy and apparent bias in describing the students who had been protesting against Professor Stock of 鈥渁busing her鈥. 聽The ECU considered the complaints in the light of the 大象传媒鈥檚 editorial standards of due accuracy and impartiality.
Outcome
As the validity or otherwise of the accusation of transphobia are at the heart of the controversy over Professor Stock, the ECU agreed that it was not duly accurate to refer to it in terms which suggested it had been disproved, and upheld the complaints in that respect.聽 However, it did not agree that the use of 鈥渇补濒蝉别濒测鈥 indicated the producer鈥檚 personal opinion (which would have been contrary to the guideline on impartiality which says 大象传媒 journalists and news presenters 鈥渕ay not express personal views鈥 on controversial subjects in 大象传媒 output), but considered it was better understood as an anticipation of the article being introduced, which did indeed argue that the accusation was false.
In connection to the reference to protestors 鈥渁产耻蝉颈苍驳鈥 Professor Stock, the ECU noted that publications by her antagonists had applied terms to her which were incontestably abusive, irrespective of the merits of the arguments they were associated with.聽 Accordingly the ECU did not regard the reference as raising issues of accuracy or impartiality. 聽聽
Partly upheld
Further action
The finding was reported to the Board of 大象传媒 News and discussed with the programme-makers responsible.