Angry viewers call for a Channel 10 boycott over Australia Day stance

Some viewers have lashed out at Channel 10 after the network’s parent company announced it wouldn’t be celebrating Australia Day and told staff they could work over the public holiday if they wanted to.

Paramount ANZ’s chief content officer, Beverley McGarvey, and co-lead Jarrod Villani only referred to Australia Day as ‘January 26’ in an email sent to all editorial and programming staff last week. 

The pair told staff the date was ‘not a day of celebration’ for Indigenous people and said employees could decide whether they wished to take the day off as a public holiday or work if they preferred.

‘At Paramount ANZ we aim to create a safe place to work where cultural differences are appreciated, understood and respected,’ the pair wrote in the email, first published by The Australian’s Media Diary column.

2GB radio host Mark Levy blasted the media company’s decision and questioned if Channel 10 should instead focus on lifting its abysmal ratings, with the network well behind its rivals at Nine and Seven with a network share of just 22.1 per cent.

The network has been struggling in the ratings with questions now being raised about the station’s viability

‘Surely they’ve got bigger things to worry about at Channel 10 then what to call Australia Day,’ Levy said on Monday.

‘Here’s an idea, why don’t they start worrying about the rubbish they put out on a daily basis and start boosting their ratings.

‘It wouldn’t matter if they’ve got people working on Australia Day because nobody watches the channel.’

In the staff email, Ms McGarvey and Mr Villani said: ‘For our First Nations people, we as an organisation acknowledge that January 26 is not a day of celebration. 

‘We recognise that there has been a turbulent history, particularly around that date and the recognition of that date being Australia Day.

‘We recognise that January 26 evokes different emotions for our employees across the business, and we are receptive to employees who do not feel comfortable taking this day as a public holiday.’

The network bosses were adamant that those who did wish to celebrate Australia Day ‘reflect and respect the different perspectives and viewpoints of all Australians’.

But not everyone was on board with the network’s stance towards the national holiday.

‘So, let me get this straight,’ commentator Rob McKnight tweeted. ‘A TV company owned by Americans and run by an Irish woman (Beverley McGarvey) are telling us what to think about our national day?’

Entertainment reporter Peter Ford also joined the pile-on: ‘Channel 10 really needs to devote more time to programming and less to virtue signalling.’ 

Commentator Rob McKnight pointed out the network is run by an Irish born woman, Beverley McGarvey, and its parent company Paramount is American 

Other Aussies simply called for a ‘boycott’ of the company. ‘Channel 10 is un-Australian #boycottchannel10,’ one viewer said.

‘Let’s boycott Channel 10, if you don’t celebrate Australia you are celebrating 90 per cent of the country,’ another said. 

Others defended the network for taking their own stance.

‘Nobody is saying you don’t have the right to celebrate Australia Day on the 26th. Channel 10 is a private company and don’t have to if they don’t want to,’ one said.

‘Always was, always will be (Aboriginal land),’ wrote another.

Paramount ANZ declined to comment on the criticism.  

Channel 10 was previously applauded for its use of traditional Indigenous names for capital cities during a weather report amid NAIDOC week in July. 

Instead of Sydney, the presenter read out the forecast for Gadigal, and for Melbourne, the city was referred to by its traditional name of Naarm.

The network first changed its weather map to include traditional names last year, and was immediately commended on the choice by many Aussies. 

Controversy has surrounded the celebration of Australia Day in recent years, with many calling for the date to be changed in respect of Indigenous Australians. 

Australia Day marks the landing of the First Fleet in Sydney Cove in 1788 and raising of the Union flag by Arthur Phillip.