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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/aug/09/sky-news-removed-from-melbourne-railway-stations-after-extremist-interview
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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Sky News removed from Melbourne railway stations after extremist interview | Sky News removed from Melbourne railway stations after extremist interview |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Victorian government has directed the state’s trains operator to remove Sky News from railway stations amid a sustained backlash to the broadcaster’s decision to interview the far-right extremist Blair Cottrell. | The Victorian government has directed the state’s trains operator to remove Sky News from railway stations amid a sustained backlash to the broadcaster’s decision to interview the far-right extremist Blair Cottrell. |
| Jacinta Allan, Victoria’s transport minister, revealed in a tweet on Thursday morning that she had told Metro Trains to remove Sky News from station screens in Melbourne’s city centre. | Jacinta Allan, Victoria’s transport minister, revealed in a tweet on Thursday morning that she had told Metro Trains to remove Sky News from station screens in Melbourne’s city centre. |
| I’ve directed @MetroTrains to remove @skynewsaustralia from all CBD station screens. Hatred and racism have no place on our screens or in our community. #springst | I’ve directed @MetroTrains to remove @skynewsaustralia from all CBD station screens. Hatred and racism have no place on our screens or in our community. #springst |
| Sky News is now shown on large screens in the underground stations of Melbourne’s city loop. | Sky News is now shown on large screens in the underground stations of Melbourne’s city loop. |
| Allan told radio station 3AW on Thursday morning the government had decided to pull Sky from station screens because there had a been “number of interviews that had started to go down a slippery slope”. | Allan told radio station 3AW on Thursday morning the government had decided to pull Sky from station screens because there had a been “number of interviews that had started to go down a slippery slope”. |
| “As the public transport minister, where it’s a public asset being used to televise particular content, I think I’ve got a responsibility to make sure that content is appropriate,” Allan said. | “As the public transport minister, where it’s a public asset being used to televise particular content, I think I’ve got a responsibility to make sure that content is appropriate,” Allan said. |
| Sky News is also broadcast at train stations across the Sydney transport network, but a spokeswoman for the NSW transport minister Andrew Constance said the state would not be following Victoria’s lead. | |
| “NSW will not be changing what’s aired on train platforms,” she said. | |
| Constance’s office did not comment on Victoria’s decision or why the state would continue to air Sky. | |
| But Allan described the Cottrell interview as “the final straw”. | |
| Aside from Cottrell’s appearance, she referred to Mark Latham’s past on the network and the broadcast of an interview with the Liberal Democrats senator David Leyonhjelm which saw him accused of “slut-shaming” the Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young. | Aside from Cottrell’s appearance, she referred to Mark Latham’s past on the network and the broadcast of an interview with the Liberal Democrats senator David Leyonhjelm which saw him accused of “slut-shaming” the Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young. |
| “I must say ... I’ve been long concerned about the content and quality of what is put on those screens,” she said. “You don’t really have a choice but to watch them and see them.” | “I must say ... I’ve been long concerned about the content and quality of what is put on those screens,” she said. “You don’t really have a choice but to watch them and see them.” |
| Pressed by the host, Neil Mitchell, Allan said she had not watched the whole interview with Cottrell because she did not time have time “sit down and pore over every Sky News interview”. | Pressed by the host, Neil Mitchell, Allan said she had not watched the whole interview with Cottrell because she did not time have time “sit down and pore over every Sky News interview”. |
| The move comes after the network interviewed Cottrell on Sunday night and the broadcaster was accused of “normalising racism and bigotry” by the former Labor MP Craig Emerson, who quit his role at Sky News following the broadcast. | The move comes after the network interviewed Cottrell on Sunday night and the broadcaster was accused of “normalising racism and bigotry” by the former Labor MP Craig Emerson, who quit his role at Sky News following the broadcast. |
| American Express, Huggies and Specsavers pulled their advertising from the network amid a social media campaign by the activist group Sleeping Giants Oz. | American Express, Huggies and Specsavers pulled their advertising from the network amid a social media campaign by the activist group Sleeping Giants Oz. |
| Allan said those companies had also decided they didn’t want to “be associated” with Sky News. | Allan said those companies had also decided they didn’t want to “be associated” with Sky News. |
| Sky News has been contacted for comment. | Sky News has been contacted for comment. |
| Melbourne | Melbourne |
| Australian media | Australian media |
| Victorian politics | Victorian politics |
| Victoria | Victoria |
| Far right | Far right |
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