Amanda Meade theguardian.com, Wednesday 6 August 2014

Columnist leaves after being told he would be suspended for abusing readers criticising his article on the Israel-Hamas conflict

Mike Carlton was to be suspended for his reaction to reader criticism.

Longstanding Sydney Morning Herald columnist Mike Carlton has resigned after being admonished by his editors for the way he responded to readers on the heated topic of the Gaza conflict.

On Tuesday evening, the editor-in-chief of the SMH and the Sun Herald, Darren Goodsir, posted a statement on the website apologising for Carlton’s offensive language.

“I have become aware that Mike Carlton has corresponded with some Herald readers and letter writers using inappropriate and offensive language,” Goodsir wrote.

“This behaviour is completely unacceptable.

“I have asked Mike to apologise for these actions. Mike regrets his behaviour and will be contacting affected readers to apologise.

“On behalf of the Herald, I too apologise for any offence caused.

“In dealing with our readers, it is a basic principle that our staff, columnists and contributors should always behave with respect and courtesy.”

However, the Herald later took a harder line and informed Carlton he was suspended from writing his weekly column for four to six weeks. Carlton resigned immediately.

Another Fairfax editor, Sean Aylmer, told Sydney radio station 2UE the paper stood by the Carlton column of 26 July despite the strong reaction it evoked.

“The column was fine,” Aylmer said. “The issue wasn’t the printing of the column. What sort of got him into trouble was the way he responded to those readers, and it was totally inappropriate, using very inappropriate language.”

“As more emails emerged we kind of figured we needed to suspend him because we certainly want to put the readers first and no one has the right to treat people that way.”

However, the Glen Le Lievre cartoon which accompanied the column was belatedly deemed offensive by the paper and was removed from the website.

Carlton told Guardian Australia he had no choice but to resign because editor-in-chief Goodsir told him one thing and then Aylmer called and said something else.

“Goodsir and I agreed I would apologise to six of seven readers and that would be it and I could continue writing,” Carlton said. “But he was overruled higher up the food chain and I got another call.”

Carlton said he was saddened that a once great paper had “buckled to the bullies”. “The immense pressure from News Limited has got to them, and that is the worst part of it.”

He said he believed he had been suspended because of the language he used with readers but also because of a vigorous campaign to undermine him by News Corp, who reported that some readers who wrote to complain about his views on the conflict in Gaza received emails telling them to “fuck off”.

Carlton has been on the receiving end of a torrent of abuse from people who are angered by his support for the Palestinian people.

“I was subjected to a fortnight of abuse from people calling me a Nazi sympathiser to a slimy Jew hater, some with threats of violence. I got hundreds of emails from as far away as the United States. They called me a Nazi douchebag and occasionally I blew my top. That’s what we do in Australia.”

The author, former radio broadcaster and foreign correspondent is known for his robust, intemperate exchanges on Twitter.

His most recent comments on Twitter on Wednesday referred to coverage of his resignation in News Corp newspapers: “I see the Murdoch rags outdo themselves for vindictive sleaze and bullying this morning. Scum.”

Investigative journalist Kate McClymont has expressed her support for Carlton on Twitter: “I am so upset by @MikeCarlton01 resigning from @smh. This is a grim day for our profession.”

It is the second time Carlton has parted ways with the Sydney Morning Herald. When he refused to file his Saturday column in solidarity with Fairfax journalists who were on strike, he was sacked. He returned a year later.

Sydney Morning Herald's Mike Carlton resigns over Gaza column reaction | Media | theguardian.com