A cartoon about the Samoan Measles crisis published in the Otago Daily Times (ODT) earlier this month has been labelled "hurtful and discriminatory" by the Media Council.
The South Island paper was forced to apologise for the cartoon - drawn by Kiwi cartoonist Garrick Tremain - which shows two women exiting a travel agency with the caption: "I asked what are the least popular spots at the moment? She said the ones people are picking up in Samoa."
An "unprecedented" number of complaints were submitted to the Media Council as the ODT faced backlash throughout the country, including from Race Relations Commissioner Meng Foon, for making a joke out of the measles crisis.
The Media Council, in a decision released on Monday, says those complaints have been upheld.
"We find that the cartoon was gratuitously hurtful and discriminatory," the decision says.
The Media Council says it's rarely upheld complaints against cartoons - but this one, in particular, had "no redeeming qualities".
"Despite the very high bar that must be crossed before a complaint about an offensive cartoon will be upheld, that bar was crossed with this cartoon, and by a significant margin.
"It [the cartoon] was a weak attempt at humour."
In a response to the Media Council, ODT editor Barry Stewart conceded the initial apology issued about the cartoon had not been accepted by the community.
Originally, the public was not forgiving as the ODT issued a two-lined apology on its website saying, "Today the Otago Daily Times published a cartoon making reference to the measles crisis in Samoa.
"The content and timing of the cartoon was insensitive and we apologise for publishing it."
Stewart told the Media Council, "it was clear the newspaper needed to restate and reinforce its apology at length, in detail, and with prominence".
In a statement on the ODT website the next day, Stewart said the content and timing of the cartoon was "insensitive" and promised a review of the newspaper's cartoon selection process.
"We have published many stories about the human suffering caused by the outbreak. They are stories not about a virus, they are stories of real people, real hurt, and real tragedy.
"This should have been our starting point when considering publishing the cartoon. That it was not was a deeply regrettable error in judgement."
The Media Council decision says the ODT has undertaken further commitments, including an immediate change to how a cartoon is considered and selected.
"Allied Press' human resources department is working to facilitate staff to improve cultural awareness and to counter unconscious bias," the decision says.
It was not the first time Tremain gained attention for drawing a controversial cartoon. He responded to criticism in 2013, writing, "There have been other hostile reactions to cartoons over the years, most often from special interest groups, race relations conciliators and other martyrs to political correctness."
