The Seven Network has defended its decision to block viewers from seeing a protest outside its Sydney studios in response to a controversial segment on its brekkie show.
Activists mobbed the studios last week in protest of a Sunrise segment hosted by Samantha Armytage about a push by the federal government to change adoption policies for indigenous kids.
Protesters were equipped with signs and chanting in disgust, forcing Sunrise producers to lower the blinds on the studios’ windows and running stock footage of Martin Place to block the protest from viewers.
NO ANSWER! The Sunrise Cash Cow has $40,000 to giveaway on Monday – get those entries in! ????? #sun7 pic.twitter.com/ZmtyDatZ3v
— Sunrise (@sunriseon7) March 15, 2018
Showing the protest oustide your studio? Didnt think so. Racism is not acceptable. Feel good Friday BS how about you apologise?
— Trent Almir Smith (@TrentAlmirSmith) March 15, 2018
A Seven spokesperson told B&T that while the network respects the right to protest as much as it respects the right of free speech, some of the protesters were holding offensive signage and others began banging on the windows and mouthing obscenities.
“To ensure regulatory compliance, and bearing in mind the potential for young children to be watching, the decision was made to utilise a generic backdrop,” the spokesperson said.
The Seven spokesperson said it also deleted footage of the Sunrise segment on its social channels “at the request of the original copyright owners of the vision featured”.
