On Monday, the CBC apologized for publishing regular freelance contributor Heather Mallick’s online column about U.S. vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin Sept. 5.
The opinion piece, which included references to “white trash” and compared Palin to a porn star, was taken off CBC’s website after more than 300 people wrote to CBC ombudsman Vince Carlin complaining the piece was inappropriate.
Although Mallick’s piece was distasteful, it didn’t justify the CBC’s reactionary response.
Mallick could have criticized Palin less crudely and on a campaign-related matter instead of attacking her on her personal appearance.
But because the piece was clearly labelled an opinion column, it’s disappointing that the CBC felt the need to remove the column at the request of a minority of readers.
Although the CBC is a public institution, its editorial autonomy shouldn’t be so easily swayed by the public it serves.
Mallick’s piece underwent—one would hope—the same rigorous editing process other articles do and, if it wasn’t found to be defamatory, it should have been treated as any other column no matter how unpopular its viewpoint.
The CBC should have had enough integrity to leave the column available online while issuing an apology for its offensive content.
A more appropriate response would have been to edit out the offensive sentences and publish an apology or an editor’s note next to the column.
Removing the op-ed from its website suggests the CBC was trying to cover up the incident entirely.
The CBC should also be forced to answer for its unfair treatment of Mallick.
CBC publisher John Cruickshank’s comments on the CBC website criticized Mallick’s piece, which he called “grossly hyperbolic and intensely partisan,” when they should have focused on apologizing to the public.
These editors should have defended their decision to approve the piece.
Instead of owning up to its mistake, the CBC has tried to distance itself from the piece and essentially hung Mallick out to dry.
Mallick’s op-ed might have been distasteful, but the CBC’s hot-potato treatment of it was plain bad taste.
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