SMH: Independent. No More.

"More stringent approval procedures for cartoons have been introduced at The Sydney Morning Herald, following the publication of a cartoon last year that was described as 'clearly anti-Semitic' by the Executive Council of Australian Jewry." (Gaza cartoon breached Press Council standards, Australian Jewish News, 23/1/15)

So begins the AJN's report on the Press Council's adjudication of Glen Le Lievre's Gaza cartoon. (You can read the PC's adjudication, and my comments on same, in my 20/1/15 post Je Suis Le Lievre & Carlton.) The only real interest in the AJN's report, however, lies in its airing of SMH editor Darren (Yes Sir!) Goodsir's comments on just how Herald staff are now being put through their paces by Zionist trainers:

"Previously section editors had been able to approve illustrations themselves but I raised that, so that myself or the news director, who is effectively my deputy, would need to approve all illustrations,' Goodsir said. He said that there have been several positive outcomes from what was clearly a bad situation. 'The other thing that I did last year, and intend to do again this year, was work with the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies (JBOD) to run a two-hour talk and Q&A session about anti-Semitism.' Goodsir said the first half was about the history of anti-Semitism, and how the media has played a role in that, while the second half was a very productive conversation between the JBOD presenters and senior editors about how things can be interpreted in different ways."

Oh to be a fly on the wall!

And now that Vic Alhadeff (of JBoD) has his foot well and truly in the door, I can see these "very productive conversations" really taking off - wink, wink, nudge, nudge, know what I mean? (See my 9/2/12 post The Chosen.) 

But if you think it's only Herald editors who are getting the treatment, check out what's going down at NSW Police HQ (see my 28/10/11 post Israel 101 for Cops) or in your nearest high school (see my 14/12/13 post Building Bridges... to Israel).