A change.org petition calling for an apology from News Corp papers the Herald Sun and Daily Telegraph over their respective “downright offensive” headlines about the coronavirus has almost reached its 50,000 target in just over 24 hours.
A front-page story in the Herald Sun on 29 January labeled the coronavirus as “Chinese virus pandamonium”. Meanwhile, a Daily Telegraph headline called for “China kids [to] stay home”.
Wendy Wong, who started the petition, wrote that the headlines were “misleading” and “unacceptable race discrimination against Aussie kids with Chinese background”.
She wrote in the petition description: “This label is downright offensive and unacceptable race discrimination. And both made the inestimable negative impact on Chinese community.”
Wong’s petition follows the call from NSW health minister Brad Hazzard for parents to keep their children home if they had been on holiday to China recently.
“The Herald Sun and Daily Telegraph should take serious responsibility of media ethics to report unbiasedly and objectively,” Wong wrote.
Wella Zhang wrote on the petition page: “Shame on this media and misleading message. An absolute discrimination leading message will definitely cause psychological harm or even physical bully to all People with Chinese backgrounds and kids. So upset to see this!”
Max Xie wrote: “This brainless anti-China mindset is so stupid.”
Jessica Lewis wrote: “Sick of anti-Chinese Propaganda and news media getting away with blatant scare mongering and racism.”
News Corp papers, however, aren’t the only publishers to call it the ‘China virus’. An article on BBC posted on 21 January similarly refers to the coronavirus in the same manner.
B&T reached out to News Corp for comment, with a spokesperson saying the reference to the Coronavirus as a ‘Chinese virus’ refers to it originating in China.
