Karl Stefanovic slams the 'media circus' around Schapelle

Thousands of Australians have voiced their disgust and displeasure over the media coverage of the convicted drug smuggler, and now one of the biggest voices in Australian media is joining the chorus. 

Today show host Karl Stefanovic has joined the outrage, slamming the ‘media circus’ on TV this morning.

“I realise there’s interest but why oh why oh why?” he said.

“Schapelle Corby — rightly or wrongly — has been convicted of drug smuggling.

“She’s done her time and has the right to live her life in relative peace — if that’s what she wants. Maybe she wants mayhem. Whatever. I don’t care.”

But he didn’t stop there.

Stefanovic went on to say the media have been made to “look like idiots” over their coverage of Schapelle Corby.

“There are far more important things in life than pursuing and losing Schapelle Corby,” he said.

“We in the media have a responsibility to inform but I reckon we were all made to look like idiots yesterday — and to what end?

“Where Schapelle is, what she looks like … come on. We know. And you know what? It ain’t that interesting. Move along, please.”

For all the media criticism though, there still is interest in the Corby case.

Most media outlets are reporting that coverage of Schapelle Corby is their top rating news at the moment.

Which is something Stefanovic’s TV rival, Sunrise host David ‘Kochie’ Koch, has also pointed out on TV this morning.

He’s defended the “over the top” coverage, claiming Australians can’t get enough of the Schapelle Corby case.

“We had family dinner at mum’s last night, three generation of adults, all saying the media coverage was over the top,” he said.

“Then for the next 25 minutes [we] discussed how she’ll settle back into Australia, was she guilty or not, what her Instagram was saying …

“I said, ‘I think we rest our case’. Everyone’s so interested, it’s amazing.”

This article first published by Starts at 60.