For those within the journalism world, Kelvin Mackenzie is a well know name of British journalism. He is the former Editor of The Sun newspaper, known for his extreme views on a range of issues and is no stranger to controversy. So it shouldn't have been a surprise when he did it again.
On night of Friday 15th July, as the world’s news channel's scrambled to cover developments about the Nice truck attack in France. Channel 4 news had Fatima Manji co-presenting the bulletin from London, with news veteran Jon Snow in Nice telling their audience the latest information. Fatima Manji is an award winning journalist who before joining Channel 4 in 2012 was with the BBC, she also wears a hijab. It is this last fact which prompted Mackenzie to write his column, and created this controversy.
Mackenzie on Monday 18th July, writing in his column in The Sun headlined: “Why did C4 have a presenter in a hijab to front coverage of Muslim terror attack?”, questioned the news organisation’s decision to put Manji in front of the camera. He wrote that he could "hardly believe my eyes" when Manji appeared on the news bulletin. He carried on, “Was it appropriate for her to be on camera when there had been yet another shocking slaughter by a Muslim? Was it done to stick one in the eye of the ordinary viewer who looks at the hijab as a sign of the slavery of Muslim women by a male-dominated and clearly violent religion?”
The press regulator on Monday received over 2000 complaints over the column. The Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso) said it would assess the complaints. The National Union of Journalists joined in the condemnation of the column on Monday.
Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ’s general secretary said: “To suggest that a journalist is incapable of reporting on a terrorist outrage because of the colour of her skin, her religion or the clothes that she wears says all you need to know about the contemptible views of Kelvin MacKenzie. Journalism in the UK needs more diversity, not less.”
Channel 4 rushed to the Manji’s defence and gave a statement saying, "The comments published in The Sun by Mr MacKenzie are offensive, completely unacceptable, and arguably tantamount to inciting religious and even racial hatred, It is wrong to suggest that a qualified journalist should be barred from reporting on a particular story or present on a specific day because of their faith. Fatima Manji is an award-winning journalist. We are proud that she is part of our team and will receive, as ever, our full support in the wake of his comments.”
Fatima Manji hit back, writing in the Liverpool Echo, “It would be easy to dismiss Kelvin MacKenzie as an embarrassing, and serially embarrassed, relic of a bygone era in British journalism. But it’s dangerous to regard Mr MacKenzie and those who echo his Islamophobic sentiments as mere pantomime villains. Kelvin MacKenzie has attempted to smear 1.6 billion Muslims in suggesting they are inherently violent. He has attempted to smear half of them further by suggesting they are helpless slaves. And he has attempted to smear me by suggesting I would sympathise with a terrorist. In response to this, I have received kind messages from friends, colleagues, acquaintances and even those I have never met, expressing solidarity and anger at his words. Young men and women of all backgrounds regularly ask me for advice on how to forge a career in journalism. Mr MacKenzie’s monologue will frighten many of them into believing that they will be on the end of tabloid attacks merely for daring to do their jobs.”
The Sun has so far declined to comment on the matter as Fatima Manji is said to be considering her other legal options.
