Michael Clarke's Noosa melee with Karl Stefanovic: ABC presenter called out for ... trends now

ABC presenter Rafael Esptein has been called out for refusing to cover Australia's most talked-about story, Michael Clarke's Noosa rumble with Karl Stefanovic, on his Melbourne radio show. 

Epstein, who hosts ABC's afternoon drive program, told listeners he'd 'deliberately' chosen not to play audio of the bust-up out of principal, and felt bad 'even talking about it' on-air, The Australian Media Diary reports. 

He proceeded to slam other publications for covering the story, saying: 'It's very embarrassing, it's a blow up and it's just a cruel thing to do.'

'Let's call it what it is, venal money making. It isn't shared equally; media owners are never subjected to this, editors are never subjected to this,' he added.  

TV veteran Steve Carey has since lampooned Epstein for getting on his high horse. 

Carey, who worked at Seven, Nine and the ABC during his 35-year career, suggested that Epstein had a 'very short memory', reminding him that the media extensively covered James Packer's infamous Bondi brawl with former Nine boss David Gyngell not too long ago. 

'In May 2014 two of the most powerful men in television were caught brawling in Bondi and that was James Packer and his then best mate David Gyngell, so let's not beat around that one,' Carey told Media Diary. 

The ABC itself published a flurry of online articles covering the bust-up at the time, while the subject was discussed at length on ABC TV programs including The Drum and current affairs show News Exchange. 

It comes after Michael Rowland, the co-anchor of ABC News Breakfast, doubled down on his network's decision to not cover Clarke's Noosa brawl last week.