Hugh Riminton, national affairs editor at Channel 10, has written a scathing critique of Karl Stefanovic's decision to platform far-right figure Tommy Robinson on his podcast. Riminton, who has known Stefanovic since his early days at Nine's Sydney newsroom, expresses bewilderment at how the once-likable journalist has shifted to aligning with a man he describes as a racist, thug, and conspiracy theorist.
Stefanovic's Shift to the Far Right
Stefanovic, who rose to fame as a larrikin and hard-working journalist on the Today Show, recently left Nine Entertainment and launched a podcast. In a video release, he declared 'I'm free!' and framed the show as being about freedom of speech. However, his first major interview was with Tommy Robinson, a far-right activist with a history of criminal convictions for fraud and violence. Robinson is known for his relentless anti-Islam rhetoric and has been linked to stoking terrorist attacks on mosques. Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson called him a 'rightwing thug.'
Riminton notes that Stefanovic seemed uninterested in Robinson's background, including his stalking of journalists and his ties to far-right American billionaires and Russian front organisations. A BBC investigation found that a Russian group called 'Direct Action' worked to promote Robinson's profile to sow division in the UK.
The Social Cost of Far-Right Media
Riminton warns that the media model driven by anger and inflamed language has a direct correlation with violence, citing ASIO boss Mike Burgess's recent comments. He argues that Stefanovic's love-in with Robinson appears to be based on exploiting ordinary punters for profit, as media analyst Tim Burrowes notes that the money in freelance political commentary is found on the far right.
'The temptation is to see his love-in with Robinson as based on a new commonality: they both see ordinary punters as a group to exploit,' Riminton writes. He concludes that if Stefanovic is now selling racists, thugs, and conspiracy theorists, he hopes he fails.
