More than 2,000 viewers complain to Ofcom after ‘pro-Remain’ Channel 4 News presenter Jon Snow said ‘I’ve never seen so many white people in one place’ as he covered Brexit rally

• Jon Snow, 71, made the comments outside House of Commons in Westminster 
• Comment provoked backlash with people saying it couldn’t be further from truth
• Broadcasting watchdog Ofcom said it has now received 2,025 complaints
• Level of objections mean it’s more complained about than all but four 2018 shows

• e-mail

6

View
comments

Channel 4 News host Jon Snow’s remark that he had ‘never seen so many white people in one place’ has sparked more than 2,000 complaints. 

The veteran 71-year-old presenter was signing off from Friday evening’s Channel 4 News bulletin when he made the controversial comment.

He was referring, during the live broadcast, to the pro-Brexit protesters who brought Westminster to a standstill. 

‘It’s been the most extraordinary day,’ he said. ‘A day which has seen … I have never seen so many white people in one place, it’s an extraordinary story.

‘There are people everywhere, there are crowds everywhere.’

Channel 4 has been forced to apologise after news anchor Jon Snow, 71, said he had ‘never seen so many white people in one place’ while reporting on a pro-Brexit rally

Broadcasting watchdog Ofcom said it had received 2,025 complaints and is deciding whether to investigate.

The high level of objections to the comment would place the show as the fifth most complained about, when compared to the numbers from Ofcom’s most complained about shows in 2018.

The show which drew the most complaints was Celebrity Big Brother (27, 602), followed by Loose Women (8,002), Sky News (4,251), Love Island (4, 192).

The next on the list is Coronation Street, but that only has 1,098 complaints compared to Jon Snow’s 2,025. 

An Ofcom spokeswoman said: ‘We are assessing these complaints against our broadcasting rules, but are yet to decide whether or not to investigate.’

The remarks drew criticism online from some viewers who described the comments about ‘white people’ as unnecessary.

In a statement, Channel 4 News said it regretted any offence caused.

‘This was an unscripted observation at the very end of a long week of fast-moving Brexit developments,’ a spokeswoman said.

‘Jon has covered major events such as this over a long career and this was a spontaneous comment reflecting his observation that, in a London demonstration of that size, ethnic minorities seemed to be significantly under-represented.

‘We regret any offence caused by his comment.’  

His comments provoked a furious reaction on social media.

Katharine Birbalsingh, headmistress of the Michaela Community School in Wembley, North London, said: ‘The reason Jon Snow’s words are offensive to us all and not just to whites is because they judge us by the colour of our skin and not the content of our character.’

• Couple feared cannabis tycoon ‘Dr Pot’ would destroy their… Drivers queue up to cross into the US from Mexico after…

Share this article

Ryan Wills, a father-of-two who was caught up in the crowds in Westminster, took to Twitter to dispute Snow’s reporting.

‘I happened to be in Westminster after work. The ‘white’ comment couldn’t be further from the truth. I witnessed a diverse crowd… all there for different reasons, supporting the same cause,’ he wrote.

Nigel Farage said Mr Snow was an ‘appalling man’ and accused Channel 4 News of being ‘blatantly biased’

Another shocked Twitter user, Martin Webb, asked: ‘Did Jon Snow really say he’s ‘never seen so many white people in one place’? Inciting racial discrimination in the most multicultural city in our country?’

Former Ukip leader Nigel Farage described Mr Snow as an ‘appalling man’ and accused Channel 4 News of being ‘blatantly biased’.

The newscaster is no stranger to controversy and has been accused of Left-wing bias at various points during his career.

The son of a bishop, he claims to have rejected an approach by the security services to spy on ‘Left-wing people’ in the TV industry in 1976 when he was starting out as a reporter with ITN.

Two years ago, he was photographed at Glastonbury. The picture was tweeted by another festival-goer, who said: ‘Boss place that Glasto. Having a dance with Jon Snow and hearing him shout f*** the Tories is what dream are made of.’

Mr Snow failed to deny the claim, saying only: ‘After a day at Glastonbury I can honestly say I have no recollection of what was chanted, sung or who I took over 1,000 selfies with.’

At the time, a Channel 4 spokesman said he had been warned about future conduct and ‘his responsibilities around due impartiality’. Mr Snow famously refuses to wear a poppy while presenting the news on Remembrance Day and brands criticism of him for doing so ‘poppy fascism’. However, he does wear a poppy off-air.

The broadcaster has also been accused of being openly pro-Remain and of regularly tweeting apparently anti-Brexit statements.

Fellow broadcaster Julia Hartley-Brewer described Mr Snow’s comments on Friday as ‘unbelievably shocking’. She tweeted mockingly: ‘God knows what Jon Snow made of the Hay literary festival, where he spoke last year.’

Another shocked Twitter user said: ‘I can’t watch this without feeling seething anger. What a disgrace.

‘Do I have to apologise for attending a rally which supports the majority in the referendum because I am white?’

Source: Read Full Article