Who is muzzling the media?

[Methusala]

A few weeks ago an extremely privileged white couple were married in England. This event was afforded blanket coverage by the world's media, so much so that like a huge earthquake, the media still rings with the aftershocks. Thinking about the cost of this coverage makes me cringe, surely the effect of this event on the lives of the population must be negligible.

 

Last night, in a rare display of journalists ability to expose issues of high value, ABC's 7.30 aired a story about the possibility that members of Australian special forces may have committed actions that constitute war crimes. It was a hard hitting article that should cause reflection on Australia's presence in the Middle East. It illustrated the extreme difficulty of maintaining effective control of military operations in remote areas.

 

This morning, I could locate no mention of the issues raised by the 7.30 story in Australian media on the web. Plenty of sports reports, coverage of the ex-deputy PM's travails and Trump's imminent meeting with Kim Jon Un. This could be that story of the year, given that the Defence department is actively investigating this and other similar affairs. Why aren't the media doing their job. Is the role of the media simply to maintain the population in a state of dumbed down complacency? Can democracy survive in a state of general ignorance or do I just worry too much? Thanks for your time. Don

 

 

[old man emu]

Maybe this is one time when the media has agreed to avoid "trial by media".

 

The allegations to which you allude are very serious ones, not only impacting on the persons involved (both sides), but on our Nation's reputation. Perhaps this is one time when the media has decided to await the outcome of the investigation and then dissect both the findings and the investigation process.

 

As to your enquiry whether the media is usually involved in dumbing-down the population, you must remember that commercial media coverage is aimed at the comprehension levels of Year 10 students. Don't ever expect any in depth analysis of current affairs in mainstream media.

 

 

[Methusala]

G'day OME, I don't expect (a responsible) media to conduct any superficial role, especially not by prematurely jumping to ill considered coclusions. I want journalists to be given resources to do their job properly. That is to conduct a thorough analysis of what information is available and REPORT it. In this way the people (demos) can do their democratic duty and make fully informed decisions on really important matters. These don't include, for example, whether the bridal frock is appropriate or do feral horses look good in photos of KNP. The jury system is used to good effect in the legal system. It is not beyond the capability of yr 10 level minds to make important decisions IF they are well informed. This is the area in which the media is undeperforming by substituting news/entertainment for news/information. Even the ABC is very guilty in this regard and I would like to know who has decided to substitute the "entertainment" role for the far more important "information" one

 

 

[facthunter]

Most media do it to make money and reinforce concepts popular with the "controllers". Those things go hand in Hand. It's NOT there to INFORM anybody. If they do, it's more of an oversight or co- incidence.. Sensation sells. It's often contrived. Images from something quite unconnected, for instance. Whatever they can get away with. Outright lies seem par for the course. Nev

 

 

[old man emu]

I don't expect (a responsible) media to conduct any superficial role, especially not by prematurely jumping to ill considered coclusions. I want journalists to be given resources to do their job properly. That is to conduct a thorough analysis of what information is available and REPORT it.

Perhaps in this case they are waiting for information to become available, then they can report the analyses of not only the raw information, but also those of persons competent to carry out such analyses. That would be a responsible approach.

 

This is the area in which the media is underperforming by substituting news/entertainment for news/information. Even the ABC is very guilty in this regard and I would like to know who has decided to substitute the "entertainment" role for the far more important "information" one

Quite so. For the commercial TV news services, the aim seems to be to provide a sensationalist "entertainment'" in the time slot between the quiz show and the soapy drama. I don't watch the ABC or SBS news broadcasts to give me a comparison, so I won't comment on them. Perhaps cable TV provides the only channels where current affairs are analysed with any degree of expertise.

 

 

[Marty_d]

You said it yourself, Don. The 7:30 report (ABC) digs up the stuff that the other media organisations ignore, or remain ignorant of, because they're no longer interested in investigative journalism.

 

That's why I only get news from ABC. Occasionally I'll check news.com.au for amusement value (amusing to see what they consider "news", and how badly they edit it) - but for actual news, you can't beat Aunty.

 

 

[Yenn]

While they are about it they should start looking at the top of the heap as well as the bottom.

 

Who sent those soldiers to war. Could they possibly also be guilty of war crimes.

 

My opinion is that John Howard is a war criminal and also responsible for any war crimes committed by those he sent to war.

 

 

[spacesailor]

Yenn

 

J H is also a paedophile !.

 

He paid 14 year-olds & younger girls for sex.

 

Young males were making money from the baby bonus, having " under-age" sex, & charging the girls for servicing them.

 

Back to the media

 

In the big earth-quake of Christchurch NZ, It was reported, one day only, "a cretch ( baby nursery ) was at the bottom of a collapsed building.

 

Never mentioned again in later media releases

 

spacesailor

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

Our media is guilty of ignoring some stories, perhaps because reporters and editors are suffering from lack of imagination.

 

Camp drafting- arguably the only true Australian sport- is practiced by thousands of dedicated practitioners every weekend across the nation, yet I have never seen a single mention of it in the media, nor seen an ABC doco about it.

 

Meanwhile cutting horses, a vaguely related imported American sport, gets regular coverage on TV. Why?

 

The Volunteer Rescue Association, of which I am an active member, is a unique organisation that has served the people of NSW and beyond for fifty years. I believe we are the largest unpaid rescue organisation in the world, and outside metropolitan areas, the busiest in the state. Despite this, the VRA is almost unknown because we are never mentioned by the media. Even when VRA teams toil for hours extricating the injured, the only thing the public hears about is the rescue helicopter which transported the patients away.

 

Unlike other emergency services, the VRA doesn't have the resources to retain a publicity department to feed stories to the media. Surely our news should be written by professional reporters, not paid PR people.

 

 

[Yenn]

We are hearing slightly more about the Aussie Womens cricket team. Possibly because the mens team has demonstrated that they are a bunch of ratbags. Notice that any third rate US celebrity is always talked about in glowing terms when they die. We have never heard of them until they die. Just recently there was a load of bull about some celebrity chef who died. I havn't met anyone who had ever heard of him before.

 

Lazy media is my reasoning for the poor quality.

 

You can practile see them salivating when there is an earthquake or some terrorist attack reported. Hours and hours of TV saying very little ad nauseum.

 

 

[Phil Perry]

Our media is guilty of ignoring some stories, perhaps because reporters and editors are suffering from lack of imagination.

Camp drafting- arguably the only true Australian sport- is practiced by thousands of dedicated practitioners every weekend across the nation, yet I have never seen a single mention of it in the media, nor seen an ABC doco about it.

 

Meanwhile cutting horses, a vaguely related imported American sport, gets regular coverage on TV. Why?

 

The Volunteer Rescue Association, of which I am an active member, is a unique organisation that has served the people of NSW and beyond for fifty years. I believe we are the largest unpaid rescue organisation in the world, and outside metropolitan areas, the busiest in the state. Despite this, the VRA is almost unknown because we are never mentioned by the media. Even when VRA teams toil for hours extricating the injured, the only thing the public hears about is the rescue helicopter which transported the patients away.

 

Unlike other emergency services, the VRA doesn't have the resources to retain a publicity department to feed stories to the media. Surely our news should be written by professional reporters, not paid PR people.

During the 1970s, I was a member of W.I.C.E.N. The Wireless Institute of Australia Civil Emergency Network. This Organisation provided communications by volunteer Radio Amateurs for all sorts of situations. Lost kids, missing sea fishermen, searches for missing motorists in remote areas, assisting the CFA with additional Smoke Net comms during bushfires. .,. . .. . downed aircraft, lost swimmers, temporary comms during floods,. . . you name it. We did this on our own time, using our own portable radio equipment and sometimes, local knowledge of an area to assist the emergency services when they were pushed for personnel. We often broke the rules by using illegal Phone patch interfaces onto HF radio frequencies to connect terrestrial phone calls when lines were down. . . I don't ever recall anyone ever thanking us for our help, not that this was why did what we did, but when one particular high ranking Police officer said that we were a pain in the ar$e and that we were getting in the way of the professionals, ( Professional Twot ) I gave it neck. Restoration of communications after Cyclone Tracy was a typical example of the kind of work WICEN did. . . and the general public still have no bloody idea. I'll bet you'll find no record of it.

 

 

[Phil Perry]

The mainstream media are governed by some sort of overall Narrative.

 

Every media platform in the UK yesterday and throughout last night, carried, as their main headline, the fact that President Trump was literally Hitler, as he has separated Ilegal Migrant children from their parents at the border and had them locked up in cages. . .

 

NOW, The Orange Twitter buffoon is guilty of many things, BUT. Let's get real here.

 

This practice of separating children from Illegal Migrant parents has been U.S. policy since it was introduced by President George W. Bush. It was continued throughout the Bill Clinton Presidency, and Also throughout the Two terms of President Barack Obama also, but the Mainstream Media said absolutely NOTHING about it. What is the difference here ? Why so much Bull$hit ?

 

I am not going to provide the video and textual evidence for this,. . it is out there for anybody to research. . .But I wouldl suggest that the title of this article, ought to be changed to 'WHO IS CONTROLLING THE MEDIA'

 

I watched an interesting Tongue in cheek' video from Dave Cullen, an Irish American journalist in the USA which tries to put this bollox into perspective. It's also very amusing.

 

 

[Phil Perry]

Can't find the video at the moment,. . but I have one of Senator Barack Obama detailing the fact that All illegal Migrants will be arrested for illegally entering the USA, watch this space. And Bollox to #FakeNews.

 

 

Obama was a bloody crook,. . .but that's another story in itself. . .How many Billion dollars in cash in that bribe giveaway flight to Iran ?. . .I guess it was all in Hundred dollar bills. . . .too heavy otherwise,. . might have needed Two C-130Js to carry the pallets of banknotes. . . . .I hope that it pleased the Mad Mullahs in the Iranian Regime,. . .maybe they Won't nuke us for a few years with the proceeds. . .who knows ?. . .

 

Chuck Callesto on Twitter

 

( another bullcrap vid from the Kenya born 'President' )

 

 

[Phil Perry]

AND anther one. . .

 

 

This . .. from the biggest TOTALLY ANTI-TRUMP TV Broadcaster... . . who appear to have short memories.

 

 

[Marty_d]

( another bullcrap vid from the Kenya born 'President' )

Point of order, Obama was born in Hawaii. If they allowed non-US born citizens to become President, Arnie Schwarzenegger would be in the White House instead of the "wankpuffin" (to borrow your word) that slimed his way in.

 

On your claim that separation of children happened under Obama, you might want to check the "facts" you've been reading....

 

Fact check: Did Obama administration separate families?

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

During the 1970s, I was a member of W.I.C.E.N. The Wireless Institute of Australia Civil Emergency Network. This Organisation provided communications by volunteer Radio Amateurs for all sorts of situations. Lost kids, missing sea fishermen, searches for missing motorists in remote areas, assisting the CFA with additional Smoke Net comms during bushfires. .,. . .. . downed aircraft, lost swimmers, temporary comms during floods,. . . you name it. We did this on our own time, using our own portable radio equipment and sometimes, local knowledge of an area to assist the emergency services when they were pushed for personnel. We often broke the rules by using illegal Phone patch interfaces onto HF radio frequencies to connect terrestrial phone calls when lines were down. . . I don't ever recall anyone ever thanking us for our help, not that this was why did what we did, but when one particular high ranking Police officer said that we were a pain in the ar$e and that we were getting in the way of the professionals, ( Professional Twot ) I gave it neck. Restoration of communications after Cyclone Tracy was a typical example of the kind of work WICEN did. . . and the general public still have no bloody idea. I'll bet you'll find no record of it.

Thanks for that detail, Phil. At VRA conferences I've often rubbed shoulders with our CREST and WICEN people but never got around to finding out what the acronyms stand for. VRA radio resources have been invaluable during recent disasters; during the Sydney bushfires our radio people maintained communications in places no other networks could.

 

 

[facthunter]

Trump was one of the most prominent people maintaining the" Birther " Lie about Obama. He actually admitted it recently if you want some facts. Repeating lies doesn't make it a fact , but the deception often works.. Nev

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

Truth matters little to so many voters. The clever manipulators know all they have to do is provided them with a comforting lie they can cling to.

 

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[Old Koreelah]

Worth watching, before you kick the addiction:

 

 

[Jerry_Atrick]

Truth matters little to so many voters. The clever manipulators know all they have to do is provided them with a comforting lie they can cling to.

Exactly, so next time we complain our pollies are full of BS, remember we (in a collective sense beyond the contributors of this fine forum) want to be fed the BS so we can sit comfortably in front of the tellie. Applies also to the substituion of trivial information and entertainment news/advertorials for real news - the market is just bigger.

 

 

[Jerry_Atrick]

BTW - on the original post - I first read it on That Age's website - was shocked, but have to remember tha an ex Marine who did ywo tours of Afghanistan said almost everything the BBC reported was so far off reality, it was a good drama. The truth probably lies (pardon the pun) between his claim adn the BBC's version of the truth - reality - where money is to be made, you can't trust the message,

 

BTW - shocked that Aussies could do that - not sure why - people are people at the end of the day...

 

 

[spacesailor]

VRA radio

 

Is this the same "marine rescue" I hear when on the water, if so BIG thanks from me. Been helped a few times but just a voice from the either.

 

spacesailor

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

VRA radioIs this the same "marine rescue" I hear when on the water, if so BIG thanks from me. Been helped a few times but just a voice from the either.

 

spacesailor

Not sure which marine rescue organisation you refer to, Spacey. Two different coastal rescue organisations were affiliated with the VRA for decades, until they suddenly received an ultimatum to hand over all their assets to the new government-run Marine Rescue NSW, or lose their accreditation. Most caved in, but a few have remained affiliated with the VRA, and still regularly carry out rescue jobs on coastal rivers.

 

The bloody-minded behaviour of government authorities has resulted in much stupid waste. Boats in trouble within sight of a VRA unit have had to wait for hours while the "appropriate" units were summoned from far away.

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

Exactly, so next time we complain our pollies are full of BS, remember we (in a collective sense beyond the contributors of this fine forum) want to be fed the BS so we can sit comfortably in front of the tellie. Applies also to the substituion of trivial information and entertainment news/advertorials for real news - the market is just bigger.

We are all guilty of allowing the Lucky Country to go downhill. Everyone in an educated electorate knows we must spend no more than we earn. Australia could easily solve many problems- build proper energy and transport infrastructure, clean up our environment, pay down our massive debts- if we gave up some luxuries for a few years and got everyone working, like our forefathers did in wartime.

 

Sadly, it's political suicide for any candidate to advocate this.

 

 

[Old Koreelah]

And further to that- I dream that one day my countrymen can behave with the decency of these Japanese:

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-44492611