The past week has seen the media at its worst: Channel 9
staff dismissed for faking a helicopter cross; radio shock-jock Alan Jones
abusing all and sundry including journalists and police; The Australian
newspaper apologising to the Prime Minister for a sleazy slur by senior
journalist Glenn Milne.
You’d think that it’s time to spotlight these roiling
rabbits. Hardly. “The community should look in the mirror… If you’re dissatisfied
with the media, then fundamentally you’re saying you’re dissatisfied with
yourself.”
That was Fairfax CEO Greg Hywood’s advice to the audience at
the
Australian Media Leaders Held to Account panel. Their groans said it all.
The session on Saturday was part of the New News Conference at the Melbourne
Writers Festival. Also on stage were chair Maxine McKew, Mark Scott (ABC
Managing Director), Sophie Black (Editor of Crikey) and myself representing
Our Say members.
By the production of innocence I mean ways of reporting the
news that try to advertise or “prove” to us that the press is neutral in its
descriptions, a non-partisan presenter of facts, a non-factor and non-actor in
events. Innocence means reporters are mere recorders, without stake or interest
in the matter at hand. They aren’t responsible for what happens, only for
telling you about it. When you hear, “don’t shoot the messenger” you are
hearing a journalist declare his or innocence.
If you watch the video of the panel session, you’ll hear
those very words. My Our Say question, ‘What skills will be essential for
journalists in the newsroom of 2050?’ was intended as a starter for exploring
how the mainstream media should foster a working culture where young
journalists can learn their trade. An environment where they can learn how to
resist unethical behaviour when it’s expected of them, speak up within their
organisations when it’s unpopular, challenge tired norms and refuse to produce
what Julia Gillard called “crap”.
Some of broken bits raised during the two day conference
included:
- opinion
as news;
- fabrication,
distortion, manipulation or just plain inaccuracy;
- phoney
balance such as the climate change coverage; agenda-driven news and
vendettas;
- 24
hour news cycle – one hour repeated 24 times;
- personality
politics and trivialisation;
- lack
of in-depth treatment of issues and policies;
- politics
as entertainment or a game;
- savvy
insiders as control filters.
Afterwards I met a first year journalist who has worked with
one of the large media organisations for three months. Her response: What
training, what mentoring, what professional development. Her reality was
confirmed later by a media graduate who works for an NGO. Her peers are crying
out for the kind of support that should be the common experience. I suspect the
ABC is one of few with a structured development program for its journalists.
Mark Scott is optimist, “You’re going to have more voices
and more choices. Tremendous opportunities for audiences”. We have a long way
to go if those opportunities are going to mean quality journalism.
Of course the elephantine cliché in the auditorium, News
Limited, was not represented despite being asked. Except for the electronic
media, they are arguably the worst offenders in Australia. Jay Rosen suggested
that there is a worldwide culture of denial amongst Murdoch staff. Indeed, The
Australian’s usually sharp George Megalogenis was not just defensive at another
Festival event, The Spin Cycle. He also belittled Fairfax as a lifestyle
company who send dating emails to their subscribers.
At the Journalists and Trauma session Marysville resident
and survivor of the Black Saturday bushfires, Di James, shared her mixed
experiences of the media coverage of thse tragic events. On balance she was
positive but still cannot forgive the ongoing use of video of people’s houses
and photographs of dead bodies. She believes that reporters who asked
insensitive and “stupid” questions immediately after the fires desperately need
training.
Jay Rosen’s four quadrants (facts v. arguments, realities v.
appearances) for presenting political coverage struck a cord with his audience.
Easy to place Jones, Bolt and many others. Perhaps it will make a useful tool
for young journalists and those not yet consumed by cynicism.
Personal disclosures: I’m a Crikey subscriber and sometime
contributor (that’s not why I’ve spared Sophie); The Age is home-delivered
daily for the incredible sum of $99 thanks to a deal between Fairfax and the St Kilda FC (how long can that last?) and we’re ABC junkies at our place (Hi
Fran!)
