Sam Newman faces media watchdog probe over Caroline Wilson comments

FOOTY Show presenter Sam Newman faces a probe by the media watchdog for his controversial comments over the Caroline Wilson drowning joke.

• Sam Newman blasts Caroline Wilson
• Caroline Wilson fires back at Sam Newman

FOOTY Show presenter Sam Newman faces a probe by the media watchdog for his controversial comments over the Caroline Wilson drowning joke.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority confirmed it would be making “further inquiries” after receiving complaints about Channel Nine’s AFL Footy Show segment where Newman said Wilson was “becoming an embarrassment” and “the jig’s up”.

“Even if you were under water you’d still be talking,” Newman said.

It comes as Wilson took to the airwaves in Adelaide today and said Newman was “just a bit of a Neanderthal” and that he “lives in the past”.

An ACMA spokeswoman said complaints over both the initial Triple M radio joke and Newman’s later comments were “being referred to the broadcasters in the first instance”.

“The Authority has held preliminary discussions about these matters and will be making further inquiries,” she said.

The Footy Show's Rebecca Maddern as Marilyn Monroe, with James Brayshaw and Sam Newman

ACMA have not yet opened an investigation.

On the Wednesday night program, Newman offered his support to Collingwood president Eddie McGuire and Roos president James Brayshaw over the drowning joke — even though Brayshaw then stated he stood by his apology.

He also accused Wilson of a “character assassination” of journalist Beverley O’Connor at a “recent” media awards night.

However, an opinion piece by O’Connor in 2012 reveals it was Footy Classified’s Craig Hutchison, not Wilson, who “launched what was supposed to be a humorous attack” on her column.

”As it went on, the target of his nasty barbs began to seem less about the column than they did about me,” O’Connor wrote.

But on the Footy Show, Newman edited this quote to instead read “target of the nasty barbs” and directed the allegation to Wilson.

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Newman’s claim that the attack was “part written, edited, produced and delivered by Caroline Wilson” led to his comment that the journalist should not complain for being treated equally.

“Now, you can understand if you’re going to want to be equal and treated equally, the point is don’t complain when it’s too equal,” he said.

”The jig’s up Caro, honestly and truly. You are becoming an embarrassment. Even if you were under water you’d still be talking.”

It’s not the first time ACMA has made inquiries into Newman and the Footy Show over a segment involving Caroline Wilson.

A 2008 skit on Sam’s Mailbag saw Newman staple Wilson’s photo on a mannequin dressed in a bra and underpants.

He dressed the dummy in different outfits, manhandled the figure and made provocative remarks.

ACMA found the segment breached the code of practice and “provoked severe ridicule against the journalist on the grounds of gender”.

Newman was removed from the Footy Show for a number of episodes, forced to apologise publicly and privately to Wilson and undertook professional training.