Sky News has been forced to suspend a producer from The Outsiders who allowed crude comments made during the broadcast to appear in an on-screen strap.
The controversial program, which airs Sunday morning and is hosted by Ross Cameron and Rowan Dean, invited Liberal Democrats senator David Leyonhjelm onto the show.
During the show, Leyonhjelm said of Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young, “Sarah Hanson-Young is known for liking men, the rumours about her in parliament are well known.”
The strap then remained on the screen for some time, reading, “Leyonhjelm: Sarah Hanson-Young is known for liking men. The rumours about her in parliament are well known.”
https://twitter.com/sleemol/status/1013275519586930691
Sky News said it would investigate how the strap made it to air and was allowed to appear on screen for a while.
Issuing an apology over Twitter, the broadcaster said, “Sky News wishes to apologise to Senator @sarahinthesen8 for broadcasting appalling comments by Senator @DavidLeyonhjelm earlier today, and for highlighting them in an on-screen strap. A producer has been suspended pending an internal investigation.
Sky News wishes to apologise to Senator @sarahinthesen8 for broadcasting appalling comments by Senator @DavidLeyonhjelm earlier today, and for highlighting them in an on-screen strap. A producer has been suspended pending an internal investigation.
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) July 1, 2018
A Sky News spokesperson added, “There are a number of aspects regarding the program which Sky News is investigating.
“An apology was made live on the show by Rowan Dean and immediate steps were taken to ensure the program was pulled off all platforms.”
Leyonhjelm’s invitation on The Outsiders followed him telling Hanson-Young to “stop shagging men” during a vote on Friday on means of self-defence for women.
Speaking on Friday’s incident, Hanson-Young said, “I asked whether I heard him correctly; he confirmed he yelled ‘you should stop shagging men, Sarah’.
“Shocked, I told him he was a creep. His reply was to tell me to ‘f. k off’.”
