0/5

Media Watch implodes Seven News scoop

Media Watch debunks a major story by Seven News reporter Mike Duffy who claime he smuggled explosives into Dehii's Jawaharlal Nehru stadium.

Media Watch last night quietly imploded a major story by Seven News reporter Mike Duffy who claimed last week that he had smuggled a suitcase of explosives into Dehii’s Jawaharlal Nehru stadium.

Duffy claimed that he walked into one of the venue with a case of explosive which could have triggered explosions if fitted with a detonator. He showed footage apparently walking past lax Indian security without being detected.

The story attracted coverage in media around the world. As late as last night Seven was plugging its news with a promo that showed international coverage.

But Paul Barry on Media Watch last night cried foul on a number of points.

It suggested the suitcase was empty, and that footage of Duffy walking past security without being checked were in fact traffic barriers.

CNN Reporter Parikshit Luthra told Media Watch “If Mike Duffy had tried to pass through the main gate security checkpoint he would never have been allowed through. The barricade Mike Duffy passed through is there to restrict traffic, that is all. Anyone can walk through there, you could, I could…….the area is not on lockdown yet.”

The ABC show also says Duffy had led an Indian businessman whose company supplies the Indian Police and Army into believing he was buying a remote explosive detonating kit for an Australian company called Ashburton Mining.

It tracked the man down who wasn’t happy with the report which implied he was a dodgy arms dealer.

“Mr Mark has cut pasted his videos to make a gossip / fraud story. His story has put us into deep trouble… and put at stake the future of our company and the live-le-hood of more than 30 people…” he said.

Seven News stands by its story.

You can read more here.

49 Responses

  1. @devil’s advocate

    The point is it wasn’t that easy to obtain (all the materials to create the bomb weren’t actually obtained, and apparently one crucial item needs to be applied for from the Government, so it’s fairly strictly controlled).

    And it wasn’t a ‘secure checkpoint’ because the place wasn’t in lockdown yet, ie it was filmed a week or more because the games had begun.

  2. Point is: He could of blown up those traffic barriers. It also does depend how far away they are from the village.

  3. I dunno, guys.. I don’t think 7 faked anything… just thinking about it… it’s a ‘what if someone really did do this.’ I’m playing devil’s advocate, but I think that’s what they were demonstrating how terribly easy it was to obtain and walk thru a ‘secure’ checkpoint…. okay, so the story did say that this was a car entrance… but seriously… if a guy walks thru a gate regardless if it’s a car entrance or pedestrian, they should still be checked out.

  4. We can only hope that Nine repackages this Media Watch report for tonight’s 6pm news or ACA so the masses will see it. I believe they’ve done that before when Four Corners has exposed the underworld of Scientology & Rugby League.

  5. My partner and I actually argued about this report last night. He thought it was a cheap beat up by Media Watch putting too much emphasis on unreliable sources. I saw it as an astute deconstruction of the theatre of what passes for journalism.

  6. At least Media Watch does something, all ACMA does is sit around all day waiting for someone to say something and then ignore them for the next six months.

  7. I think it is now time that commercial news is held accountable under the Trade Practices Act (TPA)

    A consumer “buys in” by watching. The TV station advertise the program as news so it is reasonable to accept at least an intent to be honest anf factual.

    They deliberately fabricate a story (Chase for Skase anyone) thus misleading the consumer.

    If anybody sold you goods with lies the supplier would be helld accountable under the TPA for false & misleading conduct.

    Why aren’t ACA & Today Tonight held accountable as well

  8. You know suitcase being empty or full woudn’t matter anyway. The point was that he could carry a suitcase (whether filled with bombs or not) past a traffic barrier. Therefore proving the point of bad security. Even though it will be the same in Australia since i’ve walked past cops with suitcases. So in a way the point was valid by 7 just not completely correct.

    1. Mark the barriers were only to stop traffic congestion. It was not a lockdown site. If he had tried to smuggle a car through you might have a point.

  9. I thought Media Watch’s report was brilliant. I’d seen the report before however I just thought it was another Seven beat up because they didn’t get the rights to the coverage.

    We seriously need to do something about news coverage in this country. When ratings become more important than accuracy you know you’ve crossed the line you’re not supposed to cross.

  10. a good way to stop this from happening again is for a journalism body or ACMA to impose a strict fine on the reporters themselves not the network with deep pockets. if it hurts the average employee that employee will be less likely to risk financial loss even if faced with losing their job for not filling a sensationalist story. good luck trying to get your journalists to file bogus garbage when they know they’ll get slapped with a $20k fine, better to just quit the network and find a new job.

  11. The unfortunate outcome of this is that most of the people who watch TT won’t watch MW or see anything else to challenge the complete fabrication they’ve been served up.

    I’m looking forward to 18 months from now when ACMA slaps Seven on the wrist and Seven’s management says that they will ensure that their staff receive some more training.

  12. Thank you Media watch for exposing the fakeness of Channel 7. From the truth you can’t escape. I can tell the real from the fake and Channel 7 you are fake and don’t trust your journalism anymore. Makes me wonder how is it possible that it’s the most watched news in Australia make up this and spit out news like this and making people believe it, what a load of croc!!!! I wish it was said about ABC News, to me that is much more better.

  13. @ jenny – an ugly heart describes Seven very well. There are good people at the network but they all get tarred with this.

  14. hopefully some sort of karma comes back onto seven. They seem to destroy people’s lives on a weekly basis and get away with it. They have certainly been fueling fear and discrimination amongst the naive older population. Seriously, this sales person was just trying to do his job and earn an honest living for his family. The ‘journo’ tricked and lied through his teeth to get the ‘story’ he wanted. Do journalists think they’re better than everyone else, that they are above the law, that they can do whatever they want because they are journalists?

  15. One reason I don’t like channel 7′ TT and any other affairs show. They are tacky as and anything to attract dumbed down Australians

  16. It was another brilliant report on the underhanded tactics Today Tonight use to sensationalise things in order to bring in the ratings. Looking at the net today there isn’t much coverage about it and I don’t think we will see anything on Yahoo7 about this either.

    It is sad to think that people will still be believing that the Seven report was true.

Comments are closed.