Makers of TV3’s The Nation refuse right of reply to untrue allegations

Sean Plunket, front man for TV3's The Nation

Kia Ora Gaza media release

27 August 2010

A number of untrue allegations about George Galloway and Viva Palestina, the UK-based charity he founded, were made recently on TV3’s The Nation, fronted by Sean Plunket. These allegations were made in the context of Mr Plunket’s interview with Roger Fowler, Captain of Kia Ora Gaza’s six-person Kiwi Team to Gaza.

“I’m stunned that such a collection of inaccuracies and downright lies, larded by overt bias, can be broadcast in New Zealand,” responded Mr Galloway in a Kia Ora Gaza media release two days ago. “Instead of defaming me behind my back Plunket could have put these wild allegations to my face. I invite him to do that now in a TV interview if he has the stomach for it.”

But Mr Galloway’s request for a right of reply has fallen on deaf ears at The Nation programme.

The Nation is made for TV3 by Front Page Ltd, whose managing director and executive producer is Richard Harman.

In an email to Grant Morgan, co-organiser of Kia Ora Gaza, Mr Harman gave this curt dismissal: “Your email to TV3 has been passed to me. My company produces The Nation. I can see no point in interviewing Mr Gallaway [sic].”

Mr Galloway makes this reply to Mr Harman: “It says much for your journalistic accuracy that you can’t even spell my name correctly. Your presenter wasn’t just ill-informed but mendacious and utterly biased. Your refusal to allow any right of reply will be viewed as a tacit admission that you relish this.”

And Mr Morgan gives this response to the makers of The Nation: “When allegations made in the media are denied as false, any reputable journalist would allow a right of reply. Yet Richard Harman, the boss of The Nation programme, denies a right of reply to George Galloway. This is gutless gutter journalism. Mr Harman and his front man, Sean Plunket, should hang their heads in shame.”

Read our previous media release on this subject:

George Galloway invites interview by Sean Plunket of TV3′s The Nation

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2 Responses to “Makers of TV3’s The Nation refuse right of reply to untrue allegations”

Janice Abo GanisAugust 27, 2010 at 3:51 pm #

In terms of this subject matter it is not a surprise that some members of the press and public are ill-informed and lack education in the area of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. As we progress in defining Palestinian rights internationally, there is always room for more work!
- Luc HansenAugust 28, 2010 at 10:57 am #
  
  It’s interesting that two of the most prominent RadioNZ presenters, Plunket and Kim Hill would appear to have similar biases.
  
  A search of previous interviews by Kim Hill finds her clear support for the establishment of Israel, usually expressed in a tortured tone, seems to hinge on the atonement for the Holocaust, while sadly lacking any reason for the Palestinians being the ones to do the atoning – and I can’t believe an information junkie like Kim has any truck with biblical myth.
  
  However, perhaps it’s a sign Plunket feels he has more freedom to express himself on “The Nation” and the right-wing blogosphere will discover that after all these years of accusing RNZ of left wing bias, the opposite is, in fact, the reality, at least behind the scenes, and Plunket is one of their own.

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