Journalist and TV presenter Jessica Rowe bows to social media critics, deletes podcast with Senator Pauline Hanson

Jessica Rowe bowed to demands to retract a seemingly innocuous podcast interview with Pauline Hanson, inflaming those who saw in it the hallmarks of a pile-in.

 

Faced with the wrath of social media followers, journalist and TV presenter Jessica Rowe bowed to demands she retract a seemingly innocuous podcast interview with Pauline Hanson, a move that only inflamed those who saw in it the hallmarks of a pile-in.

Within hours of Rowe encouraging her followers to listen to her one-on-one chat with the Queensland senator on Wednesday afternoon, a furore erupted on social media; by late that night, she requested Southern Cross Austereo, which owns LiSTNR where the podcast was published, to delete it.

Among those to publicly criticise Rowe, 51, for interviewing Senator Hanson, 67, on her podcast, “The Jess Rowe Big Talk Show”, were Australian of the Year Grace Tame, actor/comedian Nakkiah Lui and former race discrimination commissioner, University of Sydney professor Tim Soutphommasane. The podcast did not discuss Senator Hanson’s life in politics but delved into her life outside parliament.

Senator Hanson spoke about being twice divorced, how she handled abuse and what she did in her spare time, which included knitting, gardening and reading.

“She talks love, raising kids & why she keeps going,” Rowe tweeted on Wednesday afternoon.

Four hours later, Tame wrote: “This is how discrimination and hate is subtly enabled and normalised. Everyone’s entitled to their own views, but not all views should be valorised by promoting their source. Pauline doesn’t need to be heard, but those whose oppression she’s both driven and reinforced do.”

Tame’s post was retweeted more than 1500 times and received 8000 likes. For more than a day, Rowe was trending on Twitter as thousands of people commented on her decision to interview Senator Hanson.

Lui wrote: “Jess, I have a lot of respect for you but this is not it. You’re platforming a racist. You’re celebrating someone who has made a career/$$$ from degrading, disrespecting and dehumanising many people. If you’re not interrogating them, you’re validating those racist opinions.”

Late on Wednesday, Rowe tweeted that she had requested LiSNTR to dump her podcast, a result of what she said was “listening to your comments”.

In an attached statement, she wrote: “There has been much reaction and comment to my podcast conversation with Pauline Hanson today. Pauline’s political views are the opposite of mine. I have never agreed with her on those issues. Never will. Kindness is at the heart of who I am.”

She went on to say she admired some of her critics, including Tame, and wrote: “I want to thank them especially for their candour. This will be the start of a bigger conversation for me and with those who this topic directly affects.”

Rowe, who is married to Nine Network Sydney newsreader Peter Overton, has spoken openly of her mental health issues and SCA chief content officer Dave Cameron said her request to delete the podcast after the backlash was quickly actioned.

“That was a conversation that went late into the evening yesterday and, to be honest, we are really supportive of Jess of what she wanted to do and how she wanted to go with what unfolded yesterday,” he said.

“We are about talents’ needs and wants first and foremost. We certainly weren’t going to push her into a situation where she was going to be made to feel more uncomfortable over the coming week or so – it’s just not worth it.”

In a statement on Thursday, Senator Hanson criticised the decision to have the podcast removed but said she understood the move, given Rowe had openly spoken about suffering mental health issues.

Grace Tame tweet in response to Jess Rowe's podcast tweet

She said Rowe was driven by “bullies” using “intimidation” to take such action.

“The usual woke suspects freaked out and made it their mission to bully a female host who openly admits to struggling with mental health issues brought on by keyboard warriors,” Senator Hanson said.

“Serial culprits should be ashamed of themselves for the deliberate intimidation, targeted harassment and stress they put on Jessica Rowe.

“I don’t agree with her pulling it down, but I get it.”

On a podcast with broadcaster Marcus Paul on Thursday, Senator Hanson said she wasn’t pleased with Rowe’s decision to have their conversation deleted.

“The podcast was pulled down because it portrayed me in a light that I’m just your next-door neighbour but a person with integrity, honesty and a person who stands my ground and won’t be pushed around,” she said.

“They don’t want you to see that … that’s the negativity I’ve always had to deal with it.”

One Nation MP Mark Latham was among those who criticised Rowe’s move to delete the ¬podcast.

“Jessica Rowe, the ‘journalist’ who only broadcasts material with which her friends agree.

“The ultimate echo chamber,” he tweeted on Thursday.

Nine News political editor Chris Uhlmann also tweeted about the backlash on Rowe.

“Another violent attack on a female journalist by grandstanding ‘progressives’ who lack the wit or curiosity to try and understand a different worldview,” he wrote.

“That is what journalism should be and why Jessica Rowe can be proud of her work.”