Excellent Media Watch piece tonight on the Mullumbimby High story (catch it on their site I’m guessing).
How can ordinary folk continue to tolerate the behaviour of the press? How do these people, these alleged journalists, in TV of all networks and all sizes of print, have the nerve to claim the privileges of the fourth estate?
The more you see of this sort of story, the more you witness the behaviour of popular media in the field, on the hunt, slavering on the prowl … the more you realise they are agents of utter misanthropy. Why do people, ordinary people, often people in the most miserable states of despair and distress, give these parasitic worms the time of day?
And then why do they watch the ordure they then produce and commit to air and paper? Honestly, it shames us all. It parades itself as news and current affairs, but in truth it is the worst sort of malicious, cynical evil. It deserves total contempt. Sorry rant. But after 30 years in this caper … well sometimes I wonder where we’ve come.
Watch the Media Watch segment. Then turn off your TV. Memo people in Situations: the media are not your friends. Don’t talk to them. Just. Walk. Away.
6 Comments
This, Mr Green, is exactly why so many people turn to Crikey with such relief. Just imagine what would happen to your audience if someone sent Today Tonight et al off to the hell they deserve and free media actually took their role seriously.
Be angry about it, you should be, they dishonour your profession, but remember they are also the reason for your existence.
Spot on except for one thing. I really don’t think the ‘Sorry’ is necessary. I know politeness has its place but i don’t think it’s needed here. “You people make me sick” will suffice.
Agree, JG. I saw it on the telly. Incompetent bastardry of the first water spewed all over a small town and its children, when they were at a very low point.
Not as low as some.
You certainly do have the right to “rant”!
Once upon a long time ago, Australia’s TV media reporting was far superior to the mainstream US TV media and seemed to me to involve good investigative reporting, much more so than the British TV, except for the BBC. But now we have an (almost) level playing field.
It has long galled me that we have allowed so many of those US programs like ‘Stringer’, which were soon copied by UK programs of the same ilk, to be shown in Australia. There doesn’t need to be censorship. These programs fit the “misanthropic” category and should be dismissed purely by disgust. In fact, I often wonder that the US allows such programs to be broadcast outside of their Country – must be against their national interest!
It was pretty bloody awful. It makes the asinine ejaculations from the NT newspapers seem harmless.
Feel the same way Jonathan, although I have never worked in media. You don’t have to work in media to be disgusted.
Your comment about ‘the media are not your friends’ in these situations is axiomatic. I doubt that people understand the faustian deal they are doing when they talk to the media.
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