Channel 4 News boss takes swipe at Kelvin MacKenzie's journalism
The ongoing feud between the Channel Four boss and the former Sun editor continues
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.The editor of Channel 4 News has hit back at Kelvin Mackenzie’s criticism of him as a “c**k” by poking fun at MacKenzie's journalism.
The former Sun editor attacked Ben de Pear, who runs Channel 4’s daily current affairs programme, in his column on Sunday.
“If the new C4 dating show [Naked Attraction], in which contestants have their faces hidden but display their penises and vaginas, is ever short of a large c**k they could always ask the current editor of C4 News to appear,” MacKenzie wrote.
De Pear responded by describing MacKenzie’s rant as one of his rare examples of ““decent, logical [and] non-discriminatory journalism” which he can endorse.
The pair has been engaged in an ongoing row which recently escalated after MacKenzie complained Fatima Manji, a Muslim reporter who wears a hijab, had been selected to report on the Nice terror attacks for Channel 4 News in his column. MacKenzie then threatened to complain to Ofcom about the issue.
MacKenzie was widely criticised for his column which asked: “Why did Channel 4 have a presenter in a hijab fronting coverage of the Muslim terror in Nice?”
In the article, MacKenzie said he “couldn't believe his eyes” when he saw Manji reporting on the terror attack. He said she wasn't one of the “regular presenters” even though she has been at the station for four years.
“Was it appropriate for her to be on camera when there has been yet another shocking slaughter by a Muslim?“ MacKenzie wrote. ”Was it done to stick one in the eye of the ordinary viewer who looks at the hijab as a sign of slavery of Muslim women by a male-dominated and clearly violent religion?”
Channel 4 condemned MacKenzie’s comments, saying they were “offensive, completely unacceptable” and comparable to inciting racial hatred.
In a statement, De Pear said: “ITN accepts and understands that our reporters and presenters are in the public eye and can expect criticism and comment from many quarters, including newspaper columnists. What it cannot accept is an employee being singled out on the basis of her religion.
“We are not going to simply stand by when an employee is subject to an act of religious discrimination”.
In the aftermath of the article, Manji accused MacKenzie of smearing Muslims and rejected his comments as “one wild screed in a long-running and widespread campaign to intimidate Muslims out of public life”.
Ipso has received over 1800 complaints in connection to the article.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments