ABC host says Michael Clarke’s melee with Karl Stefanovic ‘isn’t news’ as he doubles down on the public broadcaster’s refusal to cover the story everyone’s talking about
An ABC presenter has doubled down on his network’s decision not to cover Michael Clarke’s late-night fight with Today presenter Karl Stefanovic, dismissing the most talked about story in Australia this week as “not news”.
Michael Rowland, the co-host of ABC News Breakfast, took to Instagram on Thursday to say that the “personal drama” between Stefanovic, Clarke and his girlfriend Jade Yarbrough is not worthy of airtime.
This is despite the fact that the Noosa fight topped the news bulletins on Channel Seven, dominated all the major news websites and even made headlines internationally.
ABC presenter Michael Rowland (left, with Emma Rebellato) has doubled down on his network’s decision not to cover Michael Clarke’s late-night fight with Today presenter Karl Stefanovic, dismissing the most talked about story in Australia this week as “not News”. ‘
Rowland weighed in on the newsworthiness of Clarkey’s clash with the Today presenter after Daily Mail Australia published an article noting that ABC and Nine had completely avoided the one story that everyone in the country was talking about.
‘Hahaha… Personal drama. Not news,” she wrote on Instagram, along with a screenshot from the Daily Mail trending story.
Meanwhile, Guardian Australia media correspondent Amanda Meade was quick to point out in his column on Friday its masthead also did not touch on the Clarke saga, except to comment on the spate of press coverage.
The altercation involving Stefanovic, Clarke (left) and girlfriend Jade Yarbrough (right) topped news bulletins on Seven, dominated all the major news websites and even made global headlines.
In an extraordinary video that emerged on Wednesday night, Stefanovic intervenes in an argument between Clarke and Yarbrough in a park outside a restaurant in Noosa, as Yarbrough accuses Clarke of cheating on her with her ex Pip Edwards last month.
The video was recorded by a bystander on January 10.
Stefanovic hosted the Today show on Thursday and Friday but remained mum about the video, which also featured his wife Jasmine, Jade’s sister, and celebrity accountant Anthony Bell.
Rowland weighed in on the newsworthiness of Clarkey’s clash with the Today presenter after Daily Mail Australia published an article noting that ABC and Nine had completely avoided the one story that everyone in the country was talking about.
It has also not been mentioned on any of the Nine websites, despite being a huge traffic opportunity.
ABC News Breakfast opted not to give the footage airtime this week either.
The story was also absent from the ABC News channel and the public broadcaster’s website.
While Nine’s reason for ignoring the story is obvious — their golden boy Stefanovic is involved — news chiefs at ABC likely believed it was simply too vulgar for their viewers.
In extraordinary footage that emerged on Wednesday night, Stefanovic intervenes in a fiery fight between Clarke and Yarbrough (pictured November 3) in a park outside a restaurant in Noosa, as Yarbrough accuses Clarke of cheating on her with her ex. Pip Edwards.