Supporters of the Voice to Parliament have criticised Channel Nine after the broadcaster labelled the Voice as ‘divisive’ in a news bulletin.
Sydney newsreader Amber Sherlock read out the phrase “the divisive Voice to Parliament” as an introduction to a news story on Monday evening.
'Yes' supporters took to social media to call out Channel Nine.
“Purposeful, intentional, divisive reporting – when media show you who they are, we have to believe them,” one user said.
Another wrote, “So Channel 9 are now officially referring to The Voice as “The Divisive Voice To Parliament” in their news reports? Disgraceful.”
One user highlighted the incident as an example of ‘media bias’.
“It is deeply built into the entire professional model of this sort of reporting – from the racist norms – and it comes out effortlessly and unexamined in framing like this.”
Nine’s Director of News and Current Affairs, Darren Wick, released a statement following the backlash.
“Our news teams have been reminded about using emotive language when reporting news stories,” he said.
Constitutional lawyer Gabrielle Appleby works with the Uluru Dialogues and said the media has "an enormous role and responsibility" in the lead up to the referendum.
"Unbiased, fact-checked and contextualising reporting is required to ensure that people’s understanding of the issues is not manipulated, and their vote distorted," said Appleby.
"There is a further consideration in relation to this referendum, where the types of arguments and how they are reported can harm vulnerable groups, and particularly members of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and incite racism towards them, and harassment of them."
Just last year, the Australian Reconciliation Barometer (ARB) found an increase of instances of racism towards First Nations people compared to four years ago.
This isn’t the first time Nine has come under fire for reporting involving mob.
Back in December last year the network was forced to after NRL player, Latrell Mitchell’s, photo was used alongside an accused murderer story.
The Voice to Parliament referendum bill . It will then be voted on in the senate, followed by the referendum.
