From last night’s Media Watch on ABC, “Today Tonight’s false facts fuel fear“: With the government’s policy in chaos, a hundred and thirty-eight more asylum-seekers arrived at Christmas island over the weekend. But why is it such a huge political issue? Partly, at least, because many Australians believe that boat-people are being treated far too [...]
READ MORERestricting “freedom of information” revelations
Newspapers are outraged at a cunning new plan by government departments to undermine FOI requests: releasing the information to everyone. Channel Seven FOI editor Michael McKinnon says the philosophy of disclosure trumpeted by the federal government in its reform to the FOI Act is being undermined by departmental document dumps. He doesn’t necessarily have a [...]
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You blur their faces but give their names
Two schoolkids – one 12 years old, the other 15 – have been shamelessly used by the national media this week as ratings fodder, after a schoolyard fight was filmed and uploaded to the internet. In the video, the younger one punches the older one, and in return the older one “body-slams” the younger one [...]
READ MORENational media betray Tony
I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that this is the lead story around the nation’s media – well, we should have a media environment where I would be surprised, although obviously we don’t – but, come on. Does anyone seriously think Tony Abbott was suggesting, amongst a group of soldiers in Afghanistan who clearly were [...]
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