ABC presenter says Michael Clarke’s melee with Karl Stefanovic ‘isn’t news’

An ABC presenter has doubled down on his network’s decision to not cover Michael Clarke’s late-night bust-up with Karl Stefanovic, dismissing the most talked-about story in Australia this week as ‘not news’.

Michael Rowland, the co-anchor of ABC News Breakfast, took to Instagram on Thursday to say the ‘personal drama’ between Stefanovic, Clarke and his girlfriend Jade Yarbrough isn’t worthy of airtime.

This is despite the fact the fracas in Noosa led news bulletins on Channel Seven, dominated all the major news websites, and even made headlines internationally.

ABC presenter Michael Rowland (left, with Emma Rebellato) has doubled down on his network’s decision to not cover Michael Clarke’s late-night bust-up with Karl Stefanovic, dismissing the most talked-about story in Australia this week as ‘not news’

Rowland stated his view on the newsworthiness of Clarkey’s clash with the Today host after Daily Mail Australia published an article pointing out the ABC and Nine had completely avoided the one story everyone in the country was talking about.

‘Lol… Personal drama. Not news,’ he wrote on Instagram, alongside a screenshot of Daily Mail’s trending story.

Meanwhile, Guardian Australia’s media correspondent Amanda Meade was quick to point out in her column on Friday her masthead didn’t touch the Clarke saga either, except to comment on the avalanche of press coverage.

The fracas involving Stefanovic, Clarke (left) and his girlfriend Jade Yarbrough (right) led news bulletins on Seven, dominated all the major news websites, and even made global headlines

In extraordinary footage that emerged on Wednesday night, Stefanovic intervenes in a blazing row between Clarke and Yarbrough in a park outside a restaurant in Noosa, as Yarbrough accuses Clarke of cheating on her with his ex Pip Edwards last month.

The video was recorded by an onlooker on January 10.

Stefanovic hosted the Today show on Thursday and Friday, but remained tight-lipped about the video, which also featured his wife Jasmine – Jade’s sister – and celebrity accountant Anthony Bell.

Rowland stated his view on the newsworthiness of Clarkey’s clash with the Today host after Daily Mail Australia published an article pointing out the ABC and Nine had completely avoided the one story everyone in the country was talking about

It also hasn’t been mentioned on any of Nine’s websites, despite being a huge traffic opportunity.

ABC News Breakfast chose not to give the footage any airtime either this week.

The story was also absent from the ABC News channel and the public broadcaster’s website.

While Nine’s reason for ignoring the story is obvious – its golden boy Stefanovic is involved – news bosses at the ABC probably believed it was simply too low-brow for their viewers. 

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In extraordinary footage that emerged on Wednesday night, Stefanovic intervenes in a blazing row between Clarke and Yarbrough (pictured on November 3) in a park outside a restaurant in Noosa, as Yarbrough accuses Clarke of cheating on her with his ex Pip Edwards