Charles Etherington against The Press

Charles Etherington complained about letters to the editor and opinion pieces published in The Press over the last year which he said had demonised and vilified Israel.

Items he referred to included:

• A March 24, 2025, column headlined “The moral obligation for NZ to act over the Gaza war.”
• A commentary published on December 17, 2025, headlined “Bondi attack followed a large increase in online antisemitism, research shows.”
• Letters published on December 17, in the wake of the Bondi attack in which correspondents referred to Israeli genocide.
• An April 21, 2025, column headlined “Prejudice stamped on both sides of the coin”.

He said these and other columns and letters were “from people making extremist claims about Israel's war action against Hamas in Gaza, in particular allegations of genocide.”

“That continuous flow of such absolutely contestable very very serious allegations amount to inciting ethnic hatred against Jewish citizens in NZ.”

He complained that many of his letters to the editor had not been published and that The Press had breached Media Council Principles (1), (4) and (5).

In response the editor of The Press said it had published many of Mr Etherington’s letters though not all of them.

“I reject your suggestion that The Press is in any way inciting racial hatred or violence against Jewish people by publishing letters which are critical of the current leaders of Israel. We also publish many letters criticising the leadership of the United States of America but have not been accused of inciting violence against Americans.”

The Media Council understands that Mr Etherington and many other people have very strong and polarised views on the Gaza war, its genesis, the actions of protagonists, the devastation and loss of life and the international debates that flow from this long running conflict. This includes claims that Israel has committed war crimes and genocide and that criticisms of Israeli’s conduct of the war have contributed to antisemitism.

It is not for the Council to weigh in on these matters. Its sole purpose is to consider issues of journalistic ethics, with the precept that there is no more important principle in a democracy than freedom of expression.

Principle (1) Accuracy, Fairness and Balance states, “Publications should be bound at all times by accuracy, fairness and balance and should not deliberately mislead of misinform readers by commission or omission.”

This Principle applies in the main to news reporting rather than opinion pieces or letters to the editor which are referred to in this complaint.

Principle (4) Comment and Fact states, “A clear distinction should be drawn between factual information and comment or opinion. An article that is essentially comment or opinion should be clearly presented as such. Material facts on which an opinion is based should be accurate.” 

Principle (5) says, “Opinion, whether newspaper column or internet blog, must be clearly identified as such unless a column, blog or other expression of opinion is widely understood to consist largely of the writer’s own opinion. Though requirements for a foundation of fact pertain, with comment and opinion balance is not essential... Letters for publication are the prerogative of editors who are to be guided by fairness, balance, and public interest.”

No clear argument was presented to show how these Principles may have been breached.

The letters and columns were clearly identified as expressions of opinion which were no doubt honestly held. They were not abusive or racist and nor did they contain any clear falsities.

People are entitled to criticise Israel’s conduct in this war and its treatment of Palestinians and a legal case, alleging genocide, is before the International Court of Justice. Equally they are free to publicly criticise Hamas. The comment on these issues published in The Press articles and letters do not equate to antisemitism or incitement. The Council noted similar criticisms have reportedly been made by Israeli’s themselves and by many in the international Jewish community.

As is stated in the Media Council Principles, letters for publication are the prerogative of editors who are to be guided by fairness, balance, and public interest. Mr Etherington has had letters published by the Press, and we see no breach of the principles in the non-publication of some of his letters.

Decision:  No grounds to proceed.