Breakfast show Sunrise has found itself in hot water again after issuing a “bare minimum” apology for airing a segment about the Stolen Generation.
The program was forced to deliver an apology on air after the Australian Communication and Media Authority found a specific segment where a second Stolen Generation was suggested to be in breach of the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice.
The ACMA forced Channel 7 to independently audit the production process behind Sunrise and all editorial staff were required to take training on racism and Aboriginal affairs.
The incident stemmed from a 2018 segment, where the panel suggested a second Stolen Generation was needed to help Aboriginal children.
The panel included Sam Armytage, commentator Prue MacSween and radio host Ben Davis, but it was MacSween who made the suggestion.
“Just like the first stolen generation where a lot of kids were taken for their wellbeing, we need to do it again,” MacSween said on the program.
This inspired outrage in the community, as protestors chanted outside Sunrise’s Sydney studio for days after the segment aired.
The apology was given via a voiceover just before 7 am on Monday, with regular hosts Sam Armytage and David Koch still on holidays.
“On 13 March 2018 we aired a segment about alleged child abuse and neglect in Aboriginal communities and statements made by the Assistant Minister for Children and Families about white people adopting Aboriginal children,” the statement read.
“Opinions were expressed during the segment which referred to the stolen generation [sic] and which were offensive to some viewers, including Indigenous Australians.
“Channel 7, the Sunrise team and our commentators Prue MacSween and Ben Davis apologise for those comments and the harm they have caused.”
People took to Twitter to air their thoughts about the apology, with many saying it was “compliance” instead of genuinely being sorry.
“I would like to inform Sunrise that Aboriginal community members fought hard to get that apology out of you. Perhaps next time, try some sincerity and also actually have a person deliver it. I’m not convinced you’ve learnt anything here,” wrote one.
“I am not sure who else saw that apology, but that was not contrition. That was the bare minimum to tick off a condition legally. Coupled with the fact that it went to air at 6:47 am and the crowd who “expressed opinions” did not make the apology directly shows contempt,” another agreed.
This is the second time that Sunrise has addressed the claims, with Armytage and Koch addressing it while reporting in Queensland during the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
“We support and respect anyone being able to protest and get their view. Happy to have them here, and to express their view, but we have to be a bit careful with language and aggression,” host David Koch explained as the protest grew louder behind him.
“As regular viewers would know, we have lots of families and kids here. It’s school holidays in Queensland, it’s the Commonwealth Games, and while we respect everybody’s right to protest … there are a lot of families on holidays.”
“We have to be very careful with some of the language going to air. I do want to point out that the original segment that sparked this was that children are at risk, not about land rights … just keep that in mind,” Armytage added.
This article originally appeared on Over60.