No winners in television clash
THERE can be no winner in the clash between Kerri-Anne Kennerley and Yumi Stynes — two unlikely media personalities handed the onerous task of debating the integrity of Australia Day protests on Channel Ten this week.
Not conservatives determined to preserve January 26 as Australia Day, not indigenous sympathisers eager to change the date, not social historians hoping to understand the debate and make up their minds independently, not feminists looking for excellent informed debate between women and certainly not the producers of Studio 10 who are making a habit of exposing their talent roster to public criticism and ridicule.
The site of a shrill and ham-fisted Kennerley, 65, struggling to construct an argument against a phlegmatic label-wielding Stynes, 43, was an example of television debate at its ugliest.
Neither woman appeared wellversed in the subject despite apparently having passionately opposing views.
Kennerley failed to convey any real sympathy for Australia’s mishandled and misunderstood indigenous population and had no stats at hand to make her case that protesters opposing the traditional January 26 celebration have no real experience of the hardships facing indigenous Australians in outback communities every day.
Radio commentator Stynes meanwhile, younger and quicker, brought nothing at all to a nationally important discussion except one brutal insult — a hastily produced label marking Kennerley, a veteran variety TV host who has put her name to many worthy charitable causes during her five decade long media career, a “racist”.
Sadly such blunt sledging has become a hallmark of modern media debate where a throwaway word or expression is hurled quickly and irresponsibly — like a grenade — to create maximum shock and impact with minimum effort or care.
“Bully”, “sexist” and “misogynist” are other examples of words thrown around carelessly these days by others, frequently to the detriment of those hurling them.
The resulting shock rapidly reduces the chances of any considered defence. A shocked Kennerley wasn’t prepared for Stynes’ insult — and into the void rushed a predictable social media lynch mob who quickly declared Stynes victor.
In truth both women are losers — and both will have to live with the stain of the seconds-long skirmish for the rest of their careers — perhaps not such a long time for Kennerley with Studio 10’ s producers apparently happy for her to stumble from one career damaging Opera House Chaser prank to the next. Annette Sharp is a News Corp columnist