Australian Politics Forum - Mainstream Media Complicity

Annie Anthrax

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Mainstream Media Complicity
Jun 11^th, 2012 at 2:25pm

I've been reading a few articles on media that suggest that the Howard government had a massive influence over reporting during his term as PM. The articles suggest that the relationship between politics and media has become somewhat unethical - that journalists are mouthpieces for government (particularly so during the Howard years); they report what they are told rather than investigate for themselves.

Clearly this is not the case in media representations of Gillard. The bias may have been less apparent under Rudd, but it is quite obvious that rather than a mouthpiece for Gillard, the bulk of maintream media has tried to misrepresent her at every opportunity.

Anyone have any ideas why this is so?

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JC Denton Gold Member Offline Posts: 5471 Gender:	Re: Mainstream Media Complicity Reply #1 - Jun 11^th, 2012 at 2:28pm i'm pretty doubtful of the idea that the media in total is biased to any particular "side" of politics - i just think they're full of sh1t and liars eitherway.
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corporate_whitey Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 8896 Archivist	Re: Mainstream Media Complicity Reply #2 - Jun 11^th, 2012 at 2:32pm No criticism at all about Gillard or the carbon tax in the media at the moment...anyone noticed?
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Sir Spot of Borg

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Re: Mainstream Media Complicity
Reply #3 - Jun 11^th, 2012 at 2:35pm

Quote:

Anyone have any ideas why this is so?

I have been watching the leveson enquiry and when rebecca was interviewed she told how the media (and she spoke for the BBC as well) was "backing" blair. Then blair did something that "they" didnt like (whoever makes the decisions i guess) and they "switched sides" . Blair when he gave evidence said the same thing.

Since we have 70% murdoch media here too I see no reason to suspect it doesnt work the same way here.

SOB

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JC Denton Gold Member Offline Posts: 5471 Gender:	Re: Mainstream Media Complicity Reply #4 - Jun 11^th, 2012 at 2:36pm corporate_whitey wrote on Jun 11^th, 2012 at 2:32pm: No criticism at all about Gillard or the carbon tax in the media at the moment...anyone noticed? no, havent noticed that at all. what are you reading?
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corporate_whitey

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Re: Mainstream Media Complicity
Reply #5 - Jun 11^th, 2012 at 2:50pm

JC Denton wrote on Jun 11^th, 2012 at 2:36pm:

corporate_whitey wrote on Jun 11^th, 2012 at 2:32pm:

No criticism at all about Gillard or the carbon tax in the media at the moment...anyone noticed?

no, havent noticed that at all.

what are you reading?

Google News is usually my Barometer for how the regime is controlling the spin...at the moment the spin is Tony wont repeal, Julia has taken up knitting and all of the "benefits" are flowing.

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Sir Spot of Borg Gold Member Offline WE ARE BORG Posts: 26513 Australia	Re: Mainstream Media Complicity Reply #6 - Jun 11^th, 2012 at 2:50pm Apparently gordon brown is next in the hotseat for the leveson enquiry. Thursday apparently. SOB
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longweekend58

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Re: Mainstream Media Complicity
Reply #7 - Jun 11^th, 2012 at 4:12pm

Annie Anthrax wrote on Jun 11^th, 2012 at 2:25pm:

I've been reading a few articles on media that suggest that the Howard government had a massive influence over reporting during his term as PM. The articles suggest that the relationship between politics and media has become somewhat unethical - that journalists are mouthpieces for government (particularly so during the Howard years); they report what they are told rather than investigate for themselves.

Clearly this is not the case in media representations of Gillard. The bias may have been less apparent under Rudd, but it is quite obvious that rather than a mouthpiece for Gillard, the bulk of maintream media has tried to misrepresent her at every opportunity.

Anyone have any ideas why this is so?

which of course explains why the media was pushing for the election of Rudd in 2007. Seriously, has it not occured to you that the media are strongly anti-labor because most of the country is the same??? Is it just possible that rather than driving opinion, the media are reporting it instead?

and perhaps rather than the silly conspiracy you could consider that the reason Howard was PM for 12 years was that he was good at his job and well liked while the opposition was generally pitiful?

makes a lot more sense than your media conspiracy - particularly when they have an annoying habit of changing sides.

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Sir Spot of Borg Gold Member Offline WE ARE BORG Posts: 26513 Australia	Re: Mainstream Media Complicity Reply #8 - Jun 11^th, 2012 at 4:13pm As i have said before its not a "conspiracy" its policy. SOB
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...

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Re: Mainstream Media Complicity
Reply #9 - Jun 11^th, 2012 at 4:18pm

longweekend58 wrote on Jun 11^th, 2012 at 4:12pm:

makes a lot more sense than your media conspiracy - particularly when they have an annoying habit of changing sides.

I think there's your answer. The agenda setters in the media know that both parties are reading from the same script. They can grant or withdraw support to any side, at any time, with no consequence.
The pollies know the media have the ability to make or break governments.

Thus, the media can lead government around like dancing bears. The government is really representing the medias interests - but who is representing ours? How do we, the people get our voices heard over those of the media?

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longweekend58

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Re: Mainstream Media Complicity
Reply #10 - Jun 11^th, 2012 at 5:59pm

... wrote on Jun 11^th, 2012 at 4:18pm:

longweekend58 wrote on Jun 11^th, 2012 at 4:12pm:

makes a lot more sense than your media conspiracy - particularly when they have an annoying habit of changing sides.

I think there's your answer. The agenda setters in the media know that both parties are reading from the same script. They can grant or withdraw support to any side, at any time, with no consequence.
The pollies know the media have the ability to make or break governments.

Thus, the media can lead government around like dancing bears. The government is really representing the medias interests - but who is representing ours? How do we, the people get our voices heard over those of the media?

I still dont think you are addressing the question as to whether media LEADS opinion or just reflects it. I dont think the answer is all that clear cut, but it does seem a particualrly labor excuse of blaming the media when they are in big trouble. After all, there isnt much good to report from the Gillard govt. it is usually a diet of scandal, incompetence and internal fighting. If the media ONLY reported events and left all opinion out of it do you think the polls would really be any different?

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AUSSIE: "Speaking for myself, I could not care less about 298 human beings having their life snuffed out in a nano-second, or what impact that loss has on Members of their family, their parents..."

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BatteriesNotIncluded

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Re: Mainstream Media Complicity
Reply #11 - Jun 11^th, 2012 at 6:20pm

Annie Anthrax wrote on Jun 11^th, 2012 at 2:25pm:

I've been reading a few articles on media that suggest that the Howard government had a massive influence over reporting during his term as PM. The articles suggest that the relationship between politics and media has become somewhat unethical - that journalists are mouthpieces for government (particularly so during the Howard years); they report what they are told rather than investigate for themselves.

Clearly this is not the case in media representations of Gillard. The bias may have been less apparent under Rudd, but it is quite obvious that rather than a mouthpiece for Gillard, the bulk of maintream media has tried to misrepresent her at every opportunity.

Anyone have any ideas why this is so?

She's a woman!!

Huh

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cods Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 88048	Re: Mainstream Media Complicity Reply #12 - Jun 11^th, 2012 at 6:22pm Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Jun 11^th, 2012 at 2:50pm: Apparently gordon brown is next in the hotseat for the leveson enquiry. Thursday apparently. SOB Fleet St has always had a bad name sob. and Murdoch hasnt always had the power he has now..
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Re: Mainstream Media Complicity
Reply #13 - Jun 11^th, 2012 at 6:26pm

longweekend58 wrote on Jun 11^th, 2012 at 5:59pm:

... wrote on Jun 11^th, 2012 at 4:18pm:

longweekend58 wrote on Jun 11^th, 2012 at 4:12pm:

makes a lot more sense than your media conspiracy - particularly when they have an annoying habit of changing sides.

I think there's your answer. The agenda setters in the media know that both parties are reading from the same script. They can grant or withdraw support to any side, at any time, with no consequence.
The pollies know the media have the ability to make or break governments.

Thus, the media can lead government around like dancing bears. The government is really representing the medias interests - but who is representing ours? How do we, the people get our voices heard over those of the media?

I still dont think you are addressing the question as to whether media LEADS opinion or just reflects it. I dont think the answer is all that clear cut, but it does seem a particualrly labor excuse of blaming the media when they are in big trouble. After all, there isnt much good to report from the Gillard govt. it is usually a diet of scandal, incompetence and internal fighting. If the media ONLY reported events and left all opinion out of it do you think the polls would really be any different?

theres obviously some sort of feedback loop, I just think the media tells us what to think moreso than we tell them what to report.
Recent example is that olympians posing with guns "scandal" - they tell us it "caused outrage" yet the unanimous opinion on the street seems to be a resounding "who cares"? They're usually a bit better at gauging public opinion, so it doesn't stick out like dogs balls, but they're prone to the odd howler.

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In the fullness of time...

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BatteriesNotIncluded Gold Member Offline MediocrityNET: because people died for this! Posts: 26966	Re: Mainstream Media Complicity Reply #14 - Jun 11^th, 2012 at 6:28pm HATE KEEPS WAR ECONOMIES STRONG!!! SIMPLE!!!
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