Just how manipulative, dishonest, sensationalist, gutless, unfair and unbalanced is the media in this country? If, like me, you believe they need to be held accountable for the gross display of injustice they push down the throats of the Australian public then this is the thread in which to voice your opinion.
I intend to keep the Media Watch threads open indefinitely. If anyone sees an example of their lies in action then we’d like to learn about it. We will document everything we can and spread the message as far as we can.
The truth will win in the end.
The Media Watch pages are archived after 300 comments (or thereabouts), as beyond that they can be slow to open if accessed by some mobile phones.
Here are the links to the earlier Media Watch discussions:
Café Whispers 
Miglo, I’ve just put a great pile of stuff on Media Watch 111, about the Australia Network, and Murdoch’s interest in it.
Murdoch bones china: what it means for News/ABC deal
http://www.crikey.com.au/2010/08/10/murdoch-bones-china-what-it-means-for-newsabc-deal/
So, is News Corporation’s decision to abandon China good or bad for Sky News’ ambitions to take over the Australia Network from the ABC?
The question arises after Rupert Murdoch bailed out of China, selling control of three TV channels and a movie library to a well-connected local investment fund. The announcement came overnight and confirmed the failure by Murdoch to make headway in China, despite more than 15 years of trying through his Star satellite TV business and other ventures
Murdoch obviously wants to have a world-wide reach, but why, apart from making feel like the greatest megalomaniac who ever lived, and setting up a sizable dynasty to carry on when he’s gone to that great newspaper in the Sky. I think I just answered my own question…..
Hi Pip,
Your great stuff on Media Watch III is not lost; it can still be accessed above.
People with older computers or slow internet connections on their mobile phones were having trouble accessing the Media Watch pages once they reached a certain size, hence the need to keep adding new pages.
If you want to access Media Watch III, scroll to the top of the page and it is linked under the Media Watch IV post.
Hi Miglo, thanks for that, not that I would have minded doing it again, I’m trying to keep my mind on “divert” a bit tonight anyway.
I don’t know why I missed this from Mr. Denmore but it’s still very topical.
The Last Commons
http://thefailedestate.blogspot.com/2011/03/last-commons.html
Five hundred years ago, English capitalist farmers began a process known as “enclosure of the commons”, the forced and wholesale appropriation of public land – formerly used by villagers for arable farming. Now corporate forces, led by Rupert Murdoch, and agents of the political Right are attempting a similar manoeuvre on public broadcasting – the broadcast commons. The ultimate price is our democracy.
There’s some good news for Tony Windsor today. Maybe not much of interest for poor ol’ Barnaby.
http://www.computerworld.com.au/article/383764/test_customers_go_live_armidale_nbn/
The NBN has arrived in Armidale – that’s Windsor country 🙂
Pip @12.04 thanks for the link.
Barnaby will no doubt want to be at the launch of the NBN in Armidale particularly if he reads this from the article: “Armidale received the highest take-up of all five mainland sites of over 90 per cent of those premises included in the build”
Sue and Pip, I believe that this was part of the deal Gillard did with the independents. Windsor’s said that he felt that Armidale would be a great spot for the start of the NBN rollout. Windsor ain’t silly 🙂
Wait for the cries of ‘Pork Barrel’.
Although, they will obviously miss the tiny detail that it is going almost everyhere anyway.
Hi Pip
Thanks for the info regarding the NBN in Armidale. Great statistics.
A 90% takeup rate with a choice of 12 retailers which includes Telstra.
Couldn’t wish for more really. Why isn’t this headline news in the MSM ?.
Oh thats right, its because its wasn’t a coalition idea or initiative and it doesn’t make money for big business or permit a monopoly or duopoly, which are only OK when they are in the hands of big business and not the government.
shane in qld, if it isn’t a Coalition idea it doesn’t rate a mention, does it?
They made a complete hash of Telstra, didn’t check Sol Trujillo’s credentails….big mistake.
Subscribers will have a choice of providers of the NBN which is good for competition, and still it’s supposedly a bad idea. Years from now future generations will benefit from the foresight of this government and maybe not even know about the fuss along the way.
TomR, I read somewhere last night that Armidale was actually nominated before the election, but I can’t find it now. In any case “pork barrel” will get all the attention.
The knockers will do their own thing while the NBN spreads out across the country in spite of them. 🙂
‘The knockers will do their own thing while the NBN spreads out across the country in spite of them.’
I’m pretty sure they will think it is just too spite them Pip 😉
Slightly off topic, but I had noticed that the posts at LP have been very hard on Gillard of late. It was nice to see some sticking up for her over there
http://larvatusprodeo.net/2011/04/14/julia-gillards-calvinist-nation/#comment-275862
It appears that many of them are simply reading the headlines (well, sad to say, most articles are just an annotation of the headline these days anyway). Nicely said Patricia WA
Tom, I’ve been noticing similar – it was on another leftie blog and the topic centred around the Gillard government as a do-nothing government. That is, same as you have observed even left wing commentators are taking what they read in the MSM as ‘fact’ and then weaving their own stories around that.
Hi Pip
Here it is the pre-pork barrel commitment
http://www.minister.dbcde.gov.au/media/media_releases/2010/031
NBN Co First Release Sites – Mainland Australia
On 2 March 2010, NBN Co announced the first five sites to receive high speed broadband on mainland Australia, as part of the NBN.
The first release sites will be used to test network design and construction methods and will provide crucial information to assist in the roll out of the NBN.
NBN Co chose the first release sites based on a range of criteria such as demographics, climate, existing infrastructure and terrain, to ensure the physical roll out of the NBN is as smooth as possible.
The first release sites are:
* A part of the suburb of Brunswick in Melbourne;
* An area of Townsville covering parts of the suburbs of Aitkenvale and Mundingburra;
* The coastal communities of Minnamurra and Kiama Downs south of Wollongong;
* An area of west Armidale, NSW, including the University of New England; and
* The rural town of Willunga in South Australi
Exactly Min, I also think Tim Dunlop has a very good point when he said the following
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/55436.html
I’m all for being critical of the governemnt, I just don’t think enough criticism is given to the media by some who wish to criticise. Too many take what is written as fact, when we know that is defintiely not the case. I don’t think the term he used in ‘to be at least a little sympathetic’ is correct though, I think they need ot be more aware of the sources of their information.
Thanks for the link Sue. I await the ‘Pork Barreling’ claims with anticipation now 😉
Sue, I think that it’s going to be difficult to claim pork barrelling knowing that the University of New England is included..but knowing the MSM they’ll probably do so anyway.
Tom @ 11.26am..and a prime example of this is the coverage of Gillard’s os trip. Oh look here we actually have something written about it, hidden away down the bottom under Opinion.
http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/gillard-treads-finest-of-lines-in-china-trip-20110419-1dnc3.html
Here is one for Roswell..
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/a-youtube-video-showing-the-body-of-a-dead-alien-found-in-siberia-has-become-an-internet-sensation/story-e6freuy9-1226042012505
sue @ 11.22am, thanks for the link. I’m sure the MSM will publish the fact that it was planned long before the election, NOT.
Regarding PMs trip, on the Drum last night a “foreign affairs expert” claimed that Julia Gillard had timed her trip to be in Korea on Anzac Day to bring to prominence the Korean war.
Can you imagine the Australian press if she was actually in Japan on that day?
Funnily the expert didn’t mention the trip included The Wedding.
Of particular interest..
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/john-howard-laws-create-gay-marriage-loophole/story-e6frf7jx-1226042250325
And from the same article..
Sue, it’s probably just more made up on the run stuff.
Sue, I saw a somewhat bemused Julia on Sky the other day and when asked about attending the wedding she quite rightly answered, I’m going there to represent Australia.
Mr. Abbott has just been given more than five minutes speech on ABC24 News after the Press Club. He was not asked one question. No comment was made on his speech. Who else get this luxury.
The Opposition is correct in saying that the money spent during the global economic downturn is why we are now facing a stringent budget. Mr. Swan should come out and agree with them.
Mr. Swan should ask the Treasury to give a report on the actions taken during that time.
The Treasury should also be asked what the result would be if the money was not spent.
The Treasury should also be asked to assess what the result would have been of the Oppositions proposals at that time.
It would be nice to see a report card on the results of the money spent, especially that spent on providing new and improving infrastructure.
The Treasury should conclude by providing a summary on what the deficit would be in each scenario. It should also include unemployment and bankruptcies figures.
My belief is that we would be facing a greater deficit, higher unemployment and more people losing their homes and businesses if the quick and effective spending did not occur.
It is not only about spending money in this situation but spending it quick enough. History and experience overseas has shown that countries wait too long before spending, after the economy has collapsed. If left to this stage, the recovery is much more expensive and history has shown, the unemployment each time takes longer to recover.
Maybe there was some waste in the school refurbishment and the insulation programme, but not as much wasted that would have occurred across the community if the money was not spent.
Lost of employment, business or homes is waste of the highest degree.
I will expect to see many articles in the MSM asking questions along the lines above. I also expect to see pigs flying.
CU @ 4.38pm.. From the CSIRO.
In other words, as at 31 March 2011, the level of risk for households with insulation installed under the HIP is now effectively no different to the level of fire incident risk that existed before the program was implemented.
http://www.climatechange.gov.au/government/programs-and-rebates/hisp/reports/csiro-report.aspx
I’ve never thought much about David Letterman until I saw this.
Miglo, Bill O’Reilly looks quite uncomfortable when he’s not running the show, seething just below the surface; Letterman must be one the very few who get the chance to finish disagreeing with him before he screams at them.
what I’d like to know is where do these types come from?
From the Guardian,
Ed Milliband calls for inquiry into press abuses:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/apr/19/phone-hacking-ed-miliband-inquiry-press-abuses
but
He is aware that a front-rank politician, especially a party leader, is taking a political risk by challenging the media over its practices, including the powerful News International stable, but he argued: “The press itself will want to look at how self-regulation can be made to work better because it clearly did not work very well in relation to these issues here.”
and is there nothing Murdoch won’t do to make more money on his pay tv, while breaaking up/down the BBC?
😳 Forgot to put the link on.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/apr/19/formula-one-takeover-talks-murdoch
Formula One subject of takeover talks by Rupert Murdoch and Carlos SlimNews Corp in talks to make joint bid for one of few sports where it has no foothold with Mexican magnate Carlos Slim
I loved that from Letterman to O’Reilly – “you’re putting words in my mouth….just like you put artificial facts in your head….”
Doesn’t that exactly describe what Abbott and Co. do here on Carbon Pricing – well on any issue they argue about.
How long does Windschuttle’s contract on the ABC board end?
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/keith-windschuttle-questions-indigenous-law-professors-background/story-e6frg6nf-1226042454027
Disgusting indeed Eddie. It’s the same thing as it’s always been, when an Aboriginal is in the news for the wrong reasons it’s because ‘what else do you expect from an Abo’, but when they are successful then it’s because they’re not really a ‘proper’ Aboriginal at all.
Eddie, what a disgusting article. The claim that Windschuttle’s book “represented a defining point in the so-called ‘history wars’ in Australia” infuriated me. I’m hopping mad.
Eddie, Keith Windbluster is due to leave or extend his time at the ABC soon.
http://www.abc.net.au/corp/board/windschuttle.htm
He’s a worry….
More about the ABC
http://www.abc.net.au/corp/pubs/charter.htm
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/abcs-drum-challenged-for-lack-of-balance/story-e6frg996-1226032922760
and poor widdle Gerard [from the Right] complains that the Drum is unbalanced; that’s what many others are saying. too many IPA parrots, and other right-wing types.
Oh wait, Gerard says it’s too left-wing for his liking.
An interesting video Min.
I may try and apply a bit of logic in determining its authenticity. Let’s logically assume that a deceased creature left to the elements would most likely be ravaged by carnivores. That part of the world has a high wolf population and on first observation of the ‘alien’ it is evident that his limbs have been chewed at.
That, then, shows it to be fake. In the wild, lone hunting carnivores or pack hunters head straight for the abdomen as it is in the stomach and intestines that the most nutrients can be found. This poor fellow’s abdomen hasn’t been touched.
But . . .
What if it isn’t an animal? If this were the case I’d be inclined to suggest that it isn’t a fake. The fellow has the body shape of the common ‘greys’ often seen in close encounters of the third kind. Some people left of field have argued that the greys are biological robots. If this ‘out there’ theory is true then so is the little bloke lying in the snow.
This would explain his hollow leg. It would explain why there has been decomposition in his head but not his body. It would also explain why his abdomen has not been eaten at.
Interesting.
Roswell, plus maybe aliens don’t taste very nice 😀
Not if they’re robotic. But they would be a good source of iron.
Oh dear. I think the taste would be out of this world.
This from the company noted for it’s integrity….at around paragraph ten the snarking starts…
Therese Rein the $1.4billion queen of British welfare
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/therese-rein-the-14bn-queen-of-british-welfare/story-e6frg8zx-1226042492969
Or reptilian – as these are Arctic wolves reptiles would not be included as important part of their diet.
Pip, now that was a good news story. Good luck to her.
Reptilian? Maybe that was a wild guess.
As this isn’t an ‘out there’ science/science fiction blog I’ll resist telling you how close you are.
Not a guess Roswell, we must discuss this sometime.
Perhaps another day. For now, I’m on my way to Siberia.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/20/3197209.htm
MP arrested on child porn charges.
When this story broke last night Twitter was asking, State or Federal? The possibility of a Federal election was hanging in the air.
I felt very shallow and more than a little ashamed to be thinking about politics given the subject of the report, but also relieved that it’s a Sth. Australian MP.
Today Premier Mike Rann has accepted the resignation of one of his Ministers with no reason given.
I just watched Tony Rabbott reading from a prepared speech…if the government hadn’t wasted….$2 billion…..combustible pink batts…
So, I’ve retreived something I posted on the 7th March.
Pip
There is no doubt that the MSM don’t want to tell the truth, rather they sit in their echo chamber feeling very important!
Speaking of rorts…
From Lateral Economics [ can’t find the date for this]
Tax from more jobs lowers debt by $16 billion
http://www.lateraleconomics.com.au/waste.html
A Lateral Economics study released today shows that shows that over a quarter of the debt from the fiscal stimulus will be repaid from the taxes of those who would otherwise been unemployed.
“As our economy turned down in late 2008, australians’ spending kept other Australians in work and those kept in work repaid the favour by continuing to pay their taxes”, said Nicholas Gruen CEO of Lateral Economics.
So for every dollar the government spent, tax revenue to Australia’s governments rose by around 22.5 cents, leaving just 77.5 cents to be repaid. The total windfall to the budget – and to the community – of the additional tax revenue from the cash transfers is around $6.7 billion. This money and the production of all these people and all that capital kept in employment are the riches of good economic management – the only kind of free lunch we know of.
……the last paragraph:-
“Counting the effects of both the cash transfers and the infrastructure spending to the the financial year just ending, tax revenue increased by $16.2 billion from additional employment. These economic benefits are in addition to any social benefits including physical and psychological health from lower unemployment”, Dr. Gruen said.
There is no doubt remaining that the MSM aren’t interested in facts, just the agenda of their bosses.
Unfortunately, not everyone reads alternative/more truthful reports about the fiscal stimulus and it’s success.
So typical of Abbott and his grandstanding. This morning on Sky I saw (briefly) Tony ‘telling’ the government that they should reject the Villawood rioters asylum claims. Maybe he should have checked a few facts (not Tony’s strong point I know) because Chris Bowen has now advised that the rioters had already had their claims rejected.
Eddie @ 11.25am, here is a list of the ABC Board which I posted on the 10th March.
The Chairman, Maurice Newman is a friend of John Howard. He was appointed for a five year term commencing 1st January, 2007.
Mr. Newman has been quoted as being a climate change sceptic.
http://www.abc.net.au/corp/board/newman.htm
Directors.
Mr. Steven Skala AO, appointed for a five year term 6th October, 2005, re-appointed in November 2010 for five year term. Howard appointee. Re-appointed by Senator Conroy.
http://www.abc.net.au/corp/board/skala.htm
Mr. Peter Hurley, is a business man in the hotels industry.
appointed for five year term from14th June, 2006.
Howard appointee.
Mr. Keith Windschuttle, appointed 14th June, 2006.
Historian, author, editor and publisher. Howard appointee.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Windschuttlehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_wars#Windschuttle.27s_The_Fabrication_of_Aboriginal_History
Mr. Mark Scott, Managing Director, appointed 5th July, 2006, and recently re-appointed for a further five years by Senator Conroy. Howard appointee.
http://www.abc.net.au/corp/board/scott.htm
Dr. Julianne Schultz AM, appointed for five year term commencing 27th March, 2009. Rudd appointee.
http://www.abc.net.au/corp/board/schultz.htm
Mr. Michael Lynch,appointed for five year term from 27th March, 2009. Has has a long career in arts administration in Australia. Rudd appointee.
http://www.abc.net.au/corp/board/lynch.htm
Ms Cheryl Bart, appointed for five year term commencing 3rd June, 2010. Lawyer and company director.
http://www.abc.net.au/corp/board/bart.htm
So, three new directors.
Chairman Newman appointment expires in January 2012.
You should have a look at google for more information on Mr. Newman…….
Min, I forgot to mention, the speech was part of his plug for his “budget” when there is another election….
Mr Denmore.
http://newmatilda.com/2011/04/21/can-man-save-sbs
Was the speech along the lines of the one given yesterday on ABC24 after the Press Club. Went on forever, very boring, light on truth and no questions asked. He was talking, standing alone, with mining in the background. It looked like a press handout, taken by his team, while at one of the mining companies. No explanation or reason given. Is this the standard we expect from the ABC.
Sorry it not Mr Denmore, ‘NewMatilda’.
They are both excellent reads Eddie 🙂
Setting the record straight,
by Greg Combet, the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency.
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/142422.html
Carbon taxes Hunt and his high school debates.
My argument is not with Glenn Milne, although I suggest that next time he gets material from Mr Hunt he may like to check its accuracy before reprinting it in full.
As demonstrated above, the Government has been clear in its commitment that every cent raised from the carbon price will be used to assist households, support jobs in the most affected industries, and to invest in climate change programs.
The fact that Mr Hunt has had to revert to an amateur display of high school debating tactics by circulating incomplete quotes says more about Mr Hunt than it does about the Government.
The fact is that Mr Hunt has no substantial argument to run, has failed to address criticism of the Coalition’s Direct Action policy, and failed to respond substantively to the Government’s arguments on carbon price.
The community deserves more from Mr Hunt on this issue. It is frankly time he grew up and engaged on the substance of this important economic and environmental debate.
If the journalists and moderators aren’t prepared to correct errors/ untruths, someone has to do it.
It’s high time someone took on Hunt and Milne and it’s been done by a very competent fellow:smile:
Who’s next…Abbott, hopefully.
Dream on, Pip.
Miglo, you’re right, no-one has the time required to deal with all the BS being flung around.
“Today is a key milestone in turning around decades of shameful government neglect of the Royal Hobart Hospital and a step towards a healthier future for southern Tasmania,” Mr Wilkie said.”
This is excellent news and I am thinking especially of a cousin whose family has to travel from Hobart to Melbourne for leukemia treatment for their little grandson.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/backroom-mp-bernard-finnigans-rapid-rise-and-fall/story-e6frea6u-1226043111535
With the resignation of the SA MP lets hope the religious right of the ALP has a liitle less influence. This MP is in the same faction and major supporter of ” the SDA’s national president, Don Farrell – now a Senator and national Right powerbroker “.
Don Farrell is one of the MPs trying to stop the legislation to give the ACT and NT the right to make their own laws.
From Twitter.
http://thenextweb.com/socialmedia/2011/04/21/why-journalists-should-be-using-facebook-more/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheNextWeb+%28The+Next+Web+All+Stories%29&utm_content=Twitter
How is it that Glen Milne is employed by the ABC?
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/142422.html
Sue, Milne might not be for very much longer if he keeps up that standard. A very good job done by Combet to put-it-in-writing. To my mind Labor in the past has tried to point out the falsifications via the visual media but of course these are quite often edited and selectively at that – it needs to be in writing as well so that people such as Milne cannot do what is clearly his habit, that is quote from Liberal Party Press Releases. Something that I’ve been going on about for ages.
All of milnes articles (and pretty much anyway affiliated some way with ltdnews, should begin with the phrase
‘Not Intended To Be A Factual Statement’
http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/not-intended-to-be-a-factual-statement–2
(I know, I just posted this on the other thread, but too good to pass up on)
It’s worth a 2nd look Tom 😀
Sue, the SDA union has an interesting demographic:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shop,_Distributive_and_Allied_Employees_Association
The current National secretary is a Catholic, Joe de Bruyn, who has held the position for over a quarter of a century.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_de_Bruyn
and more about Don Farrell.
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/qanda/senators/farrell.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Farrell
Mr. Bernard Finnegin’s google references are no longer available…..
It seems to me that many of the Coalition Catholics, and the Right faction of the Labor Party may be the children of Democratic Labor Party people who were very worried about the Communists, and their attitutude belongs in the fifties. That’s just a guess but I’ve thought a lot about it.
Modern Catholics are divided into these types, who seem to be very well organised, and ultra conservative, while the less zealous, more reasonable types often find that they are on the nose with the conservatives.
Maybe that has always been the case, and it’s just more obvious these days.
Sue, Glenn Milne found himself to be no longer required at ltd news some time ago, and as far as anyone can tell, contributors to the Drum are paid for their articles by the ABC. A man has to make a living somehow!!
According to Larvatus Prodeo:
End of the road for Glenn Milne.
http://larvatusprodeo.net/2010/03/19/end-of-the-road-for-glenn-milne/
Glenn Milne boned from News? The automated email response from News Limited gallery hack Glenn Milne delivered the news: “Please be advised that as of the 13/03/2010 I no longer work for News Limited Sunday Papers, I still work for The Australian.” Milne is directing correspondents to a Gmail account, presumably because his role at News is now as Australian column contributor only.
So what’s happened? The veteran Canberra reporter had been dishing the political dirt for the Sunday tabloids — including The Sunday Telegraph, The Sunday Herald Sun and The Sunday Mail (Brisbane and Adelaide) — catching Kevin Rudd at a New York strip club, and swearing at MPs, exposing Greg Combet’s love life, uncovering Jan McLucas’ travel rorts and other salacious scoops prowling the halls of parliament house on Saturdays. It seems all that digging got too tiresome for the man Paul Keating dubbed the ‘The Poison Dwarf’ (and that was before his celebrated run-in with Crikey founder Stephen Mayne at the 2006 Walkley Awards). Milne couldn’t be reached for comment.
Crikey understands his replacement has already started work. Shaun Carney has defected from Fairfax — after almost 25 years at The Age — and last week announced to a shocked News Limited press suite he would now be filing for the Sunday titles. Fairfax didn’t respond to questions before deadline.
Carney was an associate editor and senior columnist with the Melbourne newspaper. He’s written two books, including a biography on federal Treasurer Peter Costello — ironic given Milne was seen as Costello’s biggest supporter in the press gallery.
Update: Correction from Crikey – Simon Kearney not Shaun Carney.
Did someone at ltd news put in a good word for Milne to enable him to continue profiting from his poisonous pen,
and who knew that the ABC Book shop apparently did a deal with Rupert’s Harper Collins last year?
Another piece describing the Milne way of reporting,
I’m not saying Glenn Milne’s a liar.
http://web.overland.org.au/2011/01/i%E2%80%99m-not-saying-glenn-milne%E2%80%99s-a-liar%E2%80%A6/
Written by Jacinda Woodhead on 7-01-2011
Glenn Milne, regularly published pontificating about his numerous anonymous sources, lowered the bar of journalistic standards yet again yesterday when he filed An ALP insider’s open letter to Julia Gillard at ABC’s Drum. The piece consists of an introduction by Milne, followed by an unsigned open letter to Julia Gillard from an anonymous Labor party member – ‘one of the best Labor thinkers going around’, according to Milne.
There is so much wrong with this piece, from its origins to its argument, it’s hard to know where to begin. With the misuse of anonymous sources, political manipulation of the media and sexism, it kind of epitomises the state of journalism today.
Milne was introduced on the Drum this way:
Glenn Milne
Glenn Milne has been covering Canberra politics for more than two decades including five Prime Ministers.
He has worked as a political correspondent for The Australian, The Seven Network and News Ltd’s Sunday newspapers.
A Walkley Award, Logie and News Award winner he is acknowledged as one of the most informed political commentators in the country and broke the historic Howard-Costello “Walletgate” story that led to John Howard going to the 2007 election and losing.
Epic FAIL ABC
TomR, thanks for the link to knowourmeme.
Weighing poll driven media.
http://northcoastvoices.blogspot.com/2011/04/weighing-up-poll-driven-media.html
It will be interesting to see how the media responds to this particular Essential Research survey, given that it runs somewhat counter to the main narrative when compensation for any price rise is factored into the equation. At the time of writing only Crikey had bothered to mention this second survey
I hate to break the news to Min and Roswell but the Siberian alien video has proven to be a fake. The little fellow was made out of chicken skin, and I might add that the job was well done.
Awww..I’m wrong again 😦
So school chaplains are not trying to convert or indoctrinate, they’re there just to provide counselling..or are they?
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/school-chaplain-body-says-it-has-mission-20110423-1ds9a.html#ixzz1KNDn0Lcf
Min, that’s a very confusing message to non-Christians and other Christians of older, more mainstream churches with a particular denomination.
Do these particular Christians also teach creationism, I wonder.
Over the last 30 years or so, the ultra conservative mainstream churches and the newer ahillsong brand have been turning out characters like Morrison and Bernardi and that scare me, a lot.
Min, . that wasn’t as clear as intended. The ultra conservative section of the mainstream churches, the Abbott, Andrews, Bernardi types display a very muscular, insistent style, as do some of the bishops.
The Hillsong style belongs to Scott Morrison, and they all worry me a great deal, because the more reasonable “love thy neughbour” types are sidelined.
Pip, which is why the school chaplain’s federally funded program was a BIG mistake in the first place. From the Federal School Chaplaincy Guidelines:
School chaplains will deliver services to the school and its community through:
providing general religious and personal advice to those seeking it, comfort and support to
students and staff, such as during times of grief;
There have been a number of schools &/or parents complaining that some school chaplains have been trying to indoctrinate kids at that school in their religion. However, as per the guidlines it seems that school chaplains can indeed provide “religious advice”.
I think that there is something very very wrong about Christian chaplains given free entry into government and thereby supposedly secular schools, and in their pride that their religion is the only religion gloat about having access to Muslim children.
Min, the Federal Chaplaincy Ptogram was instituted by the Howard govt., in 2006/7, and the question is, why?
Was it intended as a “social engineering” exercise?
Surely not, that’s what the conservatives accuse Labor of doing.
Maybe there were some gnerous campaign donors to consider.
Going well, just so you know, ptogram is Egyptian for program 😳
Ptogram..love it 😀
Pip, I think that Howard got this one going to keep the missus happy and to pander to the Hillsong crowd. And then Rudd added to it…sigh… But can Gillard do anything about it? Probably not, other than change the Guidelines as if she withdraws the program Abbott will go in boots and all with the ‘atheist’ accusation..which of course shouldn’t be an accusation at all given that we are in Australia still free to believe or to not believe of our own free choosing.
Min, Hillsong would have been very generous donors to the Liberals, and a more overt example of “keeping Australia Christian”, by way of rockin’ good music and party favours at their churches. Never mind love your neighbour, just rake in millions from their followers.
If Louise Markus and Scott Morrison are the best examples of their personnel, clogging up the Parliament, that can’t be a good thing.
Pip, there is an article about similar at:
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/36572.html
Nice cosy little business ventures these religions…
Min, I forgot what I was saying; sleep deprivation but no alcohol flu 🙂
Julia Gillard would be torn to shreds if she tried to do anything to the School Chaplaincy funding. There is so much nasty between the lines attack from Rabbott and ltd news as it is.
I listened to comments from a regular church goer recently who “doesn’t like her for what dhe did to Rudd”, and “she stood up there bold as brass” and said she and partner Tim were “the first de facto couple to meet the Japanese Emporor”.
Bigotry, and intolerance of the differences and choices of others for whatever reason is to me the sign of an ignorant fool.
UK press.
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/brian-cathcart-bad-editors-have-blown-it-for-the-rest-2274042.html
Eddie, thanks for the link. I often wish that our own politicians would fight back against the daily servings of misinformation and editorialising against them, and I keep coming back to “lunch with Rupert”. At present they don’t appear to have anything to lose by calling the journalists on there gotcha questions and their crooked stories, but then again the onslaught from Murdoch’s mob could get worse. Besides our complaints mechanism might be as toothless as the UK’s.
You won’t see this in the MSM, a CSIRO report that shows the Home Insulation Program (HIP) was actually safer than pre-HIP insulation installations. CSIRO Report HISP-2011 (pdf)
Then Possum does an even more detailed analysis ontop of the CSIRO HISP Report and it also proves the government’s HIP program was safer than pre-insulation installations.
What neither covers is the fact that for the government’s inspections of the houses where the HIP was conducted, 43% were sub-par below building standards. Those owners now know they have structurally sub-standard buildings, something they may never have known otherwise. It also means they can take timely action to remedy the situation, also adding to the safety of the building and to themselves.
But as I started you won’t see this splashed around anywhere and especially by this government who are so cowered by the media they actually disown what is a very successful program.
Sorry, link to Possum’s piece: The CSIRO gets HIP to debunking media hysteria
Adrian, from your link..I would agree with Grog’s assessment.
Yep Poss. This one program is a microcosm of all that was wrong with the Rudd Govt, and what passes for policy analysis in this country’s media.
Rudd gave up on it when he should have been boasting about the bloody thing. The media kept the narrative going because:
a) they didn’t have the skills to work out it was wrong
b) they didn’t have any desire to change it, and
c) the Govt was telling them the narrative was correct.
so many failures except the one thing that was not actually a failure – the policy.
“Some might think it’s strange that Gillard dyed her hair red. In fact, it’s perfectly sensible: it makes her more noticeable.”
Lindsay Tanner
What has that to do with this thread el gordo? Please stop trying to troll and divert from the terrible state of right wing media reporting in this country and around the world.
Oh deary me, does Mr. Tanner know what was going through the Prime Minister’s mind that fateful day years ago when she decided to dye her hair red. Perhaps it was a girlfriend who said, Hey Jules why not try some red highlights.
He’s only trolling and diverting from the facts on a government program Min. It’s how el gordo operates.
Mobius, agreed. One thing that annoys me is the media’s insistence that they can read minds and that they feel free to come to conclusions based on their own biases..or what will titillate the masses by providing some hot, juicy gossip. That the PM doesn’t believe in marriage – that the PM is ‘deliberately barren’ when this is clearly her own private business. And then trivia time starts with empty fruit bowls and her hair and her accent.
Thank you Adrian 😉
Yes Min, take the case of the BER. The most successful large scale project ever undertaken by a government, yet the media without research or scrutiny took the word of just one discredited person to launch their delusive attack on that scheme.
This Crikey piece sums it up nicely on how the media took good news on a highly successful scheme and spun it as a failure.
Building an Education
Confusion
It illustrates how this government can’t win with the media for when it stands up and gives the facts, debunking the opposition and media’s deliberately fictitious narratives, they still get canned by opposition/media spin whilst being accused of spinning. The standard right wing tactic of projection.
Adrian, the one that the media excels at is as per your link…
My bold. It’s the use of double negatives, that is when a report or expert supports anything pertaining to the government then the technique is to put doubts into people’s minds about the credibility of the report or person. The one above is “effectively cleared the Government”, the inference being that report’s purpose was to clear the government.
Tanner is a good man and capable, but politics is a rough game, unfortunately we lost him when Julia took the helm.
The left think Ltd News is biased and that’s a fair comment, the right think Fairfax is.
The ABC gets abused by both sides.
You may be unaware that for the past few decades journalists have been funnelled through Communications courses at universities around the country and have developed a left wing bias.
This cannot be a good thing if we hope to retain a robust and healthy democracy.
I think when Mr. Tanner’s book is released, it will have little in it that meets yesterday’s headline. As for being a shocking campaign, I do not think there would be many, including PM Gillard that would not agree.
I do expect every criticism in the book to be twisted and taken out of context. Not all criticism is bad or unproductive.
It was a shame that he felt the need to retire, but why would he trash his reputation by acting like a turd.
El Gordo, pray tell me where all these left wing journalist are.
In my opinion most of the new ones are stupid, ignorant or just to lazy to develop a bias of any kind.
Most of them are definitely opinionated and unable to provide facts to support their arguments.
Oh Tanner is now a “good man”, yet when he was an active pollie in the Labor Party the right bashed him every chance they got. How things change when he states one thing out of tomes that was a personal attack on Gillard, now he’s a “good man” and not a “factional stooge of the left”.
When Tanner wiped the floor with Abbott in a Lateline interview, before Abbott got the leadership, the right were abusing this “good man” for all they were worth. Especially since Tanner time after time showed up the Howard government and belittled the Coalition opposition in Senate Estimates. He was anything but a “good man” then.
Wingnut hypocrisy and blinkers rides supreme yet again.
‘…pray tell me where all these left wing journalist are.’
Most go into PR and help write tomorrow’s news.
ElGordo, pray tell me who they are.
Mobius, thanks for the links to Possum and GG. Always must reads. Mavbe if we all email these links to our local MPs and suggest that they start to spread the correct message in big loud voices, the MSM minions might be given permission to write the facts instead of the deliberately skewed bullsh they are generally required to write. They might even get to like telling the truth. Nah, probably not.
el trollo, you’re not quite on the station so I don’t listen to ya mate.
We shouldn’t hold our breath waiting for the next batch of young journalists to display fair and balanced reportage.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/appointments/van-onselen-appointed-winthrop-professor/story-e6frgckf-1226026377026
Van Onselen appointed Winthrop professor
From: The Australian March 23, 2011 12:00AM
PETER van Onselen has been appointed a Winthrop professor at the University of Western Australia.
He is charged with designing a masters in journalism to start next year. He received his doctorate in political science at UWA and was an associate professor at Edith Cowan University. He is contributing editor at The Australian and a presenter at Sky News Australia. Books he has written include John Winston Howard: The Biography (2007), with Wayne Errington and he is working on another, about the decline of the political class.
“He is working on another, about the decline of the political class”.
That should be a hoot.
Catching up, they are always young and impressionable, with high hopes of getting into the MSM. Only a small number get to realize their dreams.
Mobius, I’m left wing Labor, always have been. We appear to have become entangled in the climate change debate.
In my opinion, Abbott doesn’t have the bottle and has only been saved by Julia’s carbon dioxide (that is 2 parts oxygen 1 part carbon) tax, his polling numbers have been woeful.
As for Onselen, it’s common practice to take editor’s from the trade and place them in Communications courses, I did a year under associate professor Donald Horne.
It matters little about the bias of Unfairfax and Ltd News, the battle in the coming year will be about the bias of Aunty.
http://abcnewswatch.blogspot.com/2011/04/past-alarm-worlds-coral-40-gone-by-2010.html
Yes El Gordo, but can you name any or are they a figment of your imagination.
Left Wing Labor and you say.
And which way do you believe the ABC is biased gordo?
All senior journalists, including opinion writers, are old school and have a natural bias one way or the other.
The ABC and SBS editorial policy on climate change is to accept what BoM, CSIRO and IPCC are saying and not question the dogma.
But as Labor and the Greens continue to lose election after election it will be interesting to see how the ABC copes with this changed political landscape.
At the moment I can only see one sceptic and that’s Chris Uhlmann. I suspect there are others who have a contrarian bent, yet have not be able to voice their opinion.
A year ago Catalyst was ‘gung ho’ on global warming, but now we have very few stories on the subject. So this is the way it will pan out for them, they all keep their jobs and the circus moves on, but when it comes to hard news such as the ‘no carbon tax’ rallies …. the ABC is obliged to cover them honestly without derision.
It will be difficult for many to accept that the ABC is about to go over to the ‘dark side’ and begin sprouting what appears to be unscientific drivel. Sea level is falling and global warming has stopped even though CO2 continues to rise.
LOL
Climate Change Minister Combet relying on the views of Professor Steffen, said last week that:
‘There is 100% certainty that the earth is warming, and that there is a very high level of certainty it will continue to warm unless efforts are made to reduce the levels of carbon pollution being sent into the atmosphere.’
It’s crap.
What a distorted view of things you have el gordo, or at the minimum a very blinkered one.
Do not want you to railroad this blog on climate change as you did Deltoid, and if you go on with the same nonsense here as you did there then I will suggest Migs do the same thing Deltoid did and give you an exclusive el gordo topic to run your cockeyed arguments in.
You are trolling and just scatter gunning bits and pieces to get people here to engage with you in running around in circles. If they want answers to your nonsense then I will suggest they go to Deltoid and see the excellent responses repudiating your guff there and how you railroad topics on climate change.
How to look at climate change, another great piece by TPS.
How do you think about climate change?
This might be useful.
Understanding Climate Denial: Motivated Reasoning
Rather, climate denial seems closely linked to conservative and libertarian politics—the sense that the free market simply couldn’t have made such a mess of things; and the deep distrust of large scale government solutions that involve intervening in the economy.
And read the comments, Titus is so much like el gordo and gets just as thoroughly rebuffed for his nonsense as well, along with the Dunning-Kruger Syndrome reference. Oh so apt.
Mobius, thank you for pointing that one out. An exceptionally well informed article by Ad astra.
El gordo
“At the moment I can only see one sceptic and that’s Chris Uhlmann. I suspect there are others who have a contrarian bent, yet have not be able to voice their opinion”
Guess what el gordo we on this site do not want the journos voicing their opinion. We want them to investigate and report.
If you want opinion after opiion after opinion stick with your mates at ltd news. Bye
I found the piece on the Political Sword “How Do You Think About Climate Change” http://www.thepoliticalsword.com/default.aspx
a good read.
I was reminded of how many economists publicly predicted the Global Financial Crisis. With the benefit of hindsight many said they knew it would happen but to say so would have put them out of a job.
A lot scientists are intimidated by dangerous people with a short term political agenda who know how to appeal to the torch bearing mob.
From memory three economists predicted the GFC, which is a very poor show.
They have their super computers, but didn’t see it coming!
Climate science is in the same predictament, the models they use are flawed and fail the test of observation,
but scientists continue to hang on by the skin of their teeth in hope that the weather changes in their favor.
Migs, send me packing if you think my comments on politics and the weather are offensive. No need to snip, just tell me to piss off.
This is the biggest political story of the 21st century, so I wander around like a blog refugee to listen and learn from both points of view.
I’m pleased to see that a newspaper is giving some space to analysis instead of just opinions. From Sally Neighbour at the OO: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/commentary/dossiers-on-australian-suspects-full-of-errors/story-e6frgd0x-1226044690736
This is regarding the Wikileak dossiers on Mamdouh Habib and David Hicks.
Firstly Habib…
And on Hicks…
**my bold.
so I wander around like a blog refugee to listen and learn from both points of view.
But you don’t, you only wonder around for the denier point of view and that as what you push el gordo, nothing else.
I’m not going to get into the same roundabout arguments you espouse that have been thoroughly debunked elsewhere but all you do is make grand denier statements of absolute assertion using the same oft discredited and well worn denier memes and every now and again you cherry pick a source that seemingly supports your narrow POV, and even then you often misread and misrepresent what is being presented by the source.
The AGW science is not conclusive but it’s damn well near as science can make it to that at the moment. Thousands of bits of of continuously amassed evidence over several decades now make this the case, and this fits the models, thus proving them as well.
Every contrary theory has not done this, so the opponents mostly on the back of wealthy and powerful vested interests and almost exclusively of an ideology throw out lies, deceits, befuddlements and outright bunkum science that doesn’t hold up to any scrutiny, yet is used by the deniers as proof.
The deniers constantly attack the AGW science as being full of deception and lies but in an act of projection constantly use deception and lies in their attempts to confuse the issue. That they do this is proof they are wrong.
———————-
And yet again el gordo derails this thread. The media threads are about holding our media to account and pointing out their shortcomings, not a platform for you to espouse you nonsensical climate denier rubbish el gordo.
Yes Min that is very telling.
Downer, Andrews but especially Howard denied outright that Habib was tortured and as was typical of their government they attacked the messenger, in this case Habib, to belittle and marginalise him.
As the media slowly reveal more about the corrupt goings on by the COW in the illegal invasion of Iraq, it’s telling that what should be extremely damning on the Coalition and especially on Howard’s leadership is being let go to the keeper.
I’m hoping someone out there it gathering all these revelations and evidence on the Howard government’s involvement in Iraq and the outright lies it told to conduct the invasion so one day we might get a book or media piece that reveals once and for all that the Howard government was the worst this country has seen.
Mobius, I am waiting for another article from Jason Leopold of Truthout. In February this year he suggested he had evidence of compliance by the Howard government and that he would release it at I thought about now.
For the record el gordo, I saw the crash coming about a year ahead and positioned my shares accordingly (did very well thank you).
I believe in taking action on climate change but I would bet that it will not happen because of human stupidity and the MSM power of scare mongering.
Good move, lunalava.
The ‘MSM power of scare mongering’, like when Flannery went on a band wagon saying droughts will become more common and longer, along with rising tempertatures.
State governments everywhere bought state of the art desal plants because of his nonsense, expensive white elephants except for WA.
Climate change is real, global warming has stopped and sea levels are set to fall.
El Gordo, I am more concerned about the expensive secret services that countries in the west have. In spite of their spying, they did not see the fall of the USSR coming. They still believed that it was a country that had the power to take over the world. They did not predict the fall of the Berlin wall. They did see how unstable the east is and the rise of the people against the dictators that have the support of the west.
I do not see it as shocking that journalist are either left or right wing. Surely that is allowed in a democracy. What I do object to, journalist that omit or twist the facts to fit in with their own ideology. I am not that interested in the opinions of journalists. I still feel that I am capable to form my own opinions. Time will tell who is correct.
El Gordo, you still have named any that you believe are left-wing. Sadly I believe they have either gone underground or are very scarce.
Democracies allow people to have many views. Non in themselves are superior to the other. It is just a different way of looking at things. Different people have different needs and agendas. At the end of the day, it is hoped that what prevails is for the good of the country and the majority of people, while protecting the minorities.
Mobius, if we did not have a Neil, El Gordo or their ilk, we would have to invent them. They give us a hook to hang our arguments on for what we believe. They soon disappear when it gets too hard.
More about Wikileaks from: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/26/3200408.htm
And so it seems that Wikileaks has confirmed what was suspected how many years ago is it now?
Yes true on people like el gordo Cu, to an extent. On anything other than climate change I have no problems but I’ve seen how he railroads threads in other blogs on climate change and he is attempting to do the same here since he opted out of Deltoid, where they gave him his own permanent topic to argue his case.
If he can come up with some enlightening new credited science on climate change instead of rehashing the same old denier points, ones that he has been well and truly rebuffed on by the way, then it may be worth the debate. Also he is waylaying a blog on media to get on his climate change wagon and though it was pointed out what the purpose here was he went back to sidetracking the thread to climate change again.
Also my fault because I retorted when I shouldn’t have.
‘They give us a hook to hang our arguments on’…
Good call.
Blog comments are not letters to the editor, they are interactive and robust. This is the new media and we are all budding cadet journalists doing ’rounds’.
Re “Blog comments are not letters to the editor”. Mine are 😀
Yes ElGordo,but you missed my point. You repeat the same thing over and over, it does come a little boring and we stop listening.
I suggest you do a little listening and come up with some of your own opinions, if that is possible.
We are talking about how some in the MSM are twisting the climate debate and other issues to their own agenda.
The time will come very quickly when people ignore what you are saying, as they will see what you are saying as a waste of space.
‘We are talking about how some in the MSM are twisting the climate debate and other issues to their own agenda.’
Thought we already covered that ground, Unfairfax supports AGW and for the most part Ltd News casts a wider net. The ABC and SBS are strong believers in global warming caused by humans.
There is no conspiracy, just different opinions about the veracity of the theory.
No, el gordo, just a lot of so called journalist who believe the best was to gain promotion or even hold their jobs is to write what they perceive is what their bosses want.
I understand el gordo and his ilk are known as “concern trolls” a good name for bloggers with a political agenda and a spam approach to spreading their message.
They don’t look too closely at facts or research and prefer to cherry pick information from selected sources.
As the MSM model slips into obscurity, there is likely to be an increase in this type of media manipulation.
It’s a cheap special interest group campaign and not that hard to spot.
was should be way
el gordo, here is some worthwhile reading matter for, about real climate scientists:-
be a good poppet and have a read, you might learn something; it’ll keep you out of our hair for a while:smile:
Skeptical Science,
Getting skeptical about global warming skeptics
Climate scientists respond to Monckton’s misinformation
http://www.skepticalscience.com/Climate-scientists-respond-to-Moncktons-misinformation.html
Climate Works Australia
Climate Scientists Australia
http://www.climateworksaustralia.org/climate_scientists_australia.html
List of climate scientists.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_climate_scientists
Climate Scientists Australia website
http://climatescientistsaustralia.org.au/
Real Climate
Climate science from climate scientists
http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2011/03/blogging-climate-scientists/
Real Climate Data Sources
http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/data-sources/
Scientists tell Exxon to stop anti-climate campaignhttp://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102×2520950
Scientists tell Exxon to stop anti-climate change campaign
LONDON (AFP) – The Royal Society, the UK’s premier group of scientists, has written to the British arm of energy giant ExxonMobil, demanding the company withdraw support for groups that attempt to undermine the consensus relating to climate change, a newspaper has reported.
It is the first time the society has written to a company questioning its activities, which the Royal Society said supported groups that “misrepresented the science of climate change by outright denial of the evidence.”
The arguments against climate change are generously funded by the likes of Exxon, a company which isn’t known for any decent, civic-minded activities. Remember Exxon Valdeez in Alaska?
and did you know about this?
Exxon Mobil misinforming public on global warming?
http://trulyequal.com/category/exxon-mobil/
WASHINGTON: Exxon Mobil Corp. gave $16 million to 43 ideological groups between 1998 and 2005 in a coordinated effort to mislead the public by discrediting the science behind global warming, the Union of Concerned Scientists asserted Wednesday.
The report by the science-based nonprofit advocacy group mirrors similar claims by Britain’s leading scientific academy. Last September, The Royal Society wrote the oil company asking it to halt support for groups that “misrepresented the science of climate change”.
el gordo, be a good poppet and have a read; you might learn something, and it’ll keep you out of our hair for a while:smile:
Very pleasing to see that Downer’s past actions are coming back to haunt him…
http://www.smh.com.au/national/downer-hardly-in-a-position-to-call-me-shocking-says-hicks-20110426-1dv7m.html#ixzz1KeqfCPeK
Min, Downer’s personality type allows him to say whatever he likes with complete impunity and he won’t ever say anything else because that would mean owning up to his incompetence
I remember him saying things like “they’re all murderers”.
Habib apparently was planning to blow up a Qantas plane;
blow up a ballon, more likely.
David Hicks was said to be doing leadership training….. nah.
More than anyone else I’m hoping Downer is finally outed and made to account for two outright lies he told in parliament to justify the impending invasion of Iraq.
These lies are way worse than Gillard’s no Carbon Tax one because Downer’s lies contributed to the deaths of many innocent people and the troops of allied nations.
Downer, around two weeks after having been briefed that the evidence on Saddam’s nuclear program was not only shonky but most likely based on a forged intelligence report, stood up in parliament and said that he had been briefed with “irrefutable” evidence that Saddam was obtaining uranium from Niger and that he was purchasing aluminium uranium enrichment tubes. Both supposed activities known to have been untrue at the time, and these falsehoods being one of the reasons Wilkie remonstrated against the Howard government.
Downer never said probable or possible but stated these were irrefutable facts and he has never retracted from that, even when clear evidence was presented that showed both activities were false.
Mine @ 12.50pm. Habib supposedly was planning to hijack a plane, not blow it up. My mistake.
Catching up, all the editors with Ltd News are independent and Murdoch leaves the running of the stable to them.
There is no conspiracy by Rupert to enforce his will over that of his editors.
Lunalava, if I was a concern troll I would raise the flag, but there is no conspracy and you’re paranoid. Give it up lad.
As spokesperson for the Denialati I can say we are unaffiliated with any special interest group.
el gordo, I’m beginning to suspect that you work for ltd. news.
Catching up, all the editors with Ltd News are independent and Murdoch leaves the running of the stable to them.
Your proof?
As spokesperson for the Denialati
My you have tickets on yourself. I suggest the denialati don’t know you exist and wouldn’t give a rat’s arse if they did. You are just another blind fool in their campaign to muddy the AGW waters so they can get away with polluting for as long as possible. It is no accident they are using the same PR firm big tobacco used along with the exact tactics of confusing the issue and allowing ignorant people to spread their dirt.
Mobius, @ 1.35pm, we know what happened to Joe Wilson and in turn, his wife, Valerie Plame, for refuting the “irrefutable” facts about Niger. Malicious pay-back.
“There is no conspiracy by Rupert to enforce his will over that of his editors.”
el gordo, once again you could be correct but there does not appear to be many in the stable that does not agree with Mr. Murdoch.
…and Wilkie Pip.
Downer’s office “accidently” released a Secret document to Bolt so as to character assassinate Wilkie. Since then the opposition have made more outrage about leaked Labor Party documents than they ever have about a real serious breach of national security in the leaking of a Secret intelligence document.
Very telling about how the Conservatives work in both cases isn’t it Pip, and I’m always amazed that people go to such great lengths to support these corrupt and underhanded people.
No conspiracy Cu, please. Look back through Crikey at the many times so called independent Ltd. News outlets are on the same song sheet almost down to each note. Also read of the innumerable times they have not published what should be headline news on the Murdochs or their cronies/friends, yet non Murdoch outlets have headlined them.
On the piddling they maybe independent but always with a mind as to what Rupert would want published not what should be published. On the big stuff it is always on what Rupert wants.
I would love to see some leaks that revive Mr. Downer and Howard’s memory and lies regarding the wheat sales to Iraq. My belief is that if they did not know at the time, they should have.
Mr. Downer sounds shocking in that 2UE interview.
Mr. Hicks in Yugoslavia, unless I am wrong would have been on the side of the west. If he did get to East Timror, I imagine he would have been on the side of the Timorese people.
We should not forget, the Americas have locked up for nearly a decade without being bought before a court, hundreds on similar evidence.
I hate to think how many terrorists they have created. I am sure the families back in their own countries are taking the treatment of their men lightly.
Mobius
It’s true that Ltd News run the same stories word for word, it’s economic.
The SMH, The Age and countless other newspapers in the Unfairfax stable do the same if they have the space.
Over the past 30 years news room journalists have been so reduced that they run the risk of becoming an endangered species.
“The SMH, The Age and countless other newspapers in the Unfairfax stable do the same if they have the space.”
Not true, but the converse is true for Murdoch run media outlets.
The greatest example of this is the way Murdoch and the other media outlets covered first the lead up to the invasion of the Iraq war and then the invasion and aftermath.
The Ltd News and other Murdoch outlets were absolutely on the same song sheet for every note during the whole Iraq debacle, yet right across the globe including the different Fairfax outlets here the disparate non-Murdoch media were singing different songs.
For a left wing Labor supporter you sure are defending a far right wing organisation like Murdoch’s outlets that have on numerous occasions lied, exaggerated and distorted the truth in pursuit of its right wing ideological goals. Something I would have thought you would be condemning not defending.
The point is they take sides, it’s traditional, I didn’t agree with Ltd News on the Iraq war and marched against it. As for the independence of editors on that occasion I couldn’t say.
But with the climate change thingy, Murdoch has publically stated his support for the theory of AGW. I will search for a link.
Hi Pip,
Heard any gossip (on the grape vine) about Hurley and Windschuttle.Their 5 yr contract on the ABC Board finishes on the 14th June?
Mobius, Rupert is on your side and his editors are independent.
http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Rupert_Murdoch_Changes_Mind_On_Global_Warming_999.html
Bernard Keane has an article about Guantanamo Bay and it’s inmates.
http://www.crikey.com.au/2011/04/27/the-bureaucracy-of-gitmo-franz-couldnt-have-made-it-up/
El gordo, Murdoch is clearly against the NBN. Is it any coincidence, that so to are his papers?
Murdoch supports who ever he wants, he’s a kingmaker.
Remember how close he was to Blair and the concept of New Labor, a quiet little get together on Murdoch’s tropical island soon paved the way to 10 Downing street for that war monger.
Hawke, Keating and Howard all bowed to his ‘charms’ through fear of upsetting the man.
I’ll have a closer look at the NBN and see if it’s a universal bias.
Oh for stuff’s sake el gordo, that piece is 2006 and there have been several pieces on how Murdoch made some small platitudes to the AGW side but in action canned it at every chance. His news organisations are overly stacked with AGW deniers and his articles are predominately anti-AGW.
I think you will find that this was bought up at Deltoid, but you would know that.
Mobius could you supply a more recent link of Murdoch’s view on climate change, I am genuinely interested in discovering the truth.
Hi Eddie @ I haven’t heard anything yet. I’ll get an email alert going and get back to you.
We can actually do more than hope ol’ Winderbluss is leaving. Maybe an email from a few disgruntled Labor voters, to Senator Conroy, and hope for the best.
‘I am genuinely interested in discovering the truth.’
ROFL
Hi Pip,
Something has got to be done,with all those Howard cronies (sorry appointiees) on the Board.
I’ve never heard of the Steaming Toad, but reckon I might have to give it a look.
http://scienceblogs.com/deltoid/2011/04/steaming_toad_with_hg_nelson_-.php
Hi Eddie @ 9.45pm, there are many of us talking about it, and the time is here to write to Sen. Conroy or even local MP; mine is Kate Ellis.
I’ve been talking about emailing her for a long time so I’d better get on with …I’m sure she’ll jump to attention when she hears from me 🙂
I’ve done a google email alert so any time the winderbluss is mentioned, I’ll hear about it and let you know.
Pip, be warned: Kate Ellis is a Crow’s supporter.
Miglo, thums thar fightin’ words…
The latest reporting in our MSM certainly hasn’t picked up this aspect of the Wikileaks information.
“What is particularly unique about the documents from the latest Wikileaks’ release?
These documents are unique because they actually confirm long held suspicions about the use of informants…the fact that many of the detainees…in fact the majority of the detainees…were simply innocent individuals, who were sold to the US for bounty”.
http://www.truth-out.org/interview-investigative-journalist-jason-leopold-about-latest-wikileaks-release/1303929846
I’m in the middle of reading a good article about why it is pointless engaging with people like gordo on subjects like climate science
http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/03/denial-science-chris-mooney
It’s a pretty long read (for me), but I cheated an got to the conclusion first
SPOILER ALERT!
‘You can follow the logic to its conclusion: Conservatives are more likely to embrace climate science if it comes to them via a business or religious leader, who can set the issue in the context of different values than those from which environmentalists or scientists often argue. Doing so is, effectively, to signal a détente in what Kahan has called a “culture war of fact.” In other words, paradoxically, you don’t lead with the facts in order to convince. You lead with the values—so as to give the facts a fighting chance.’
For some though, I think they have been shown the facts for so long long now, that no amount of values will change their mind.
No wonder Gina Rinehart and her mates are so keen on imported guest workers with the ABC reporting that foreign rig workers are being paid $3 per hour.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/27/3201880.htm
A good example of how a story does not have to be true to be an effective political media tool is the so-called birther issue in the US.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/28/3201915.htm
“the Obama United States president Barack Obama has struck back at conspiracy theorists questioning whether he was born in America, branding it a silly distraction.
After years of speculation about where he was born Mr Obama has unexpectedly made his detailed birth certificate public.”
So you just have to keep on repeating any silly old story in the media (and blog site if you are el gordo) and you will get some traction)
Then when Obama provides facts disputing the story the Republicans complain about him wasting time on trivial issues.
Anyone notice similarities with our MSM?
I love this heading in the Age “Anger as flood cash withheld”
and this from the article, “The Age can reveal that none of the money has been delivered to the state’s 94 flood-affected communities.
We later read
”It appears that the Commonwealth are trying to delay and avoid ever delivering the promised funds,” a spokesman for Premier Ted Baillieu said last night.”
Victoria is refusing to sign up to the so-called National Partnership Agreement as demanded by Canberra”
and this
But a spokesman for Regional Minister Simon Crean said the federal government ”stands ready to deliver the $500 million to Victoria as promised” as soon as the state signed the agreement
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/anger-as-flood-cash-withheld-20110427-1dwyy.html#ixzz1KleBrdXi
And you wonder why the bureaucracy, yes good old insulation. Now because the federal Liberals carried on so much about insulation and school halls the federal government insists the states sign agreements about inspections. ”
The heading in the Age should have read “Anger as Baillieu rejects flood funding”
Climate change: Rupert Murdoch’s ‘Australian’ peddles damaging bad science
The ‘torture’ of writing about climate change at The Oz
More on the Lomborg Deception
Media still prefer controversy over facts
Rupert Murdoch Is The King Of Climate Change Fearmongery
I could post so many more. Ask yourself if Murdoch is as sincere about climate change and action needed to abate it as he personally claims he is, then why are the vast majority of those he hires for frontline media spots avid AGW deniers and why is the bulk of his media coverage anti-AGW, often throwing up blatant falsehoods and misleading facts to sow confusion?
Thanks Tom R this is another way of saying what has been well known for years in Counselling. Cognitive and emotional responses are very different.
It is useless to use logic and facts with someone who is in a highly charged emotional state. Reasoning and logic always play second fiddle to emotions.
If you were a machiavellian political operative, who lets say worked for the Liberal party, then it would be a good strategy to stir up an emotional response in the community. This would help to limit reasoned logical thinking about an issue.
It is also very dangerous as the Cronulla race riots have shown. Abbott is riding on a generated wave of political righteousness devoid of logic, facts, sound policy and the things that keep our community stable.
That he is successful is a scary prospect.
Just a few more of many more:
Rupert Murdoch demonstrates mental incontinence over climate change
Who’d Pay for Rupert Murdoch’s Climate Change Skepticism?
…and Andrew Bolt believes Murdoch is a climate change sceptic: Murdoch a sceptic
If I come across it I’ll post the link of a breakdown from Murdoch media articles on climate change and how a vast majority were denialist and rubbished the science as compared to a small handful that were pro-AGW, it might have been Possum or Poll Bludger that did the breakdown.
Thanx Mobius, I will have a read and get back.
And issues around the Phone hacking continues,
“Pressure on police chief over meeting NOTW editor”
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/pressure-on-police-chief-over-meeting-notw-editor-2275774.html
Oh and read this one
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/joan-smith/joan-smith-my-phone-may-have-been-hacked-so-why-wasnt-i-told-2275578.html
“The questions are endless, but the most pressing is why it’s taken the police so long to warn up to 4,000 of us that our voicemails may have been listened to illegally.
…in July 2009, another eight were told that the security of their mobiles might have been compromised. That’s 36 in all, prompting one of yesterday’s pithier headlines: “3,964 to go?”
May be that Murdoch will have a few extra legal cases.
Come on Sue you must be paranoid to have a go at el gordos best mate Murdoch.
luna leva, I have changed your wording very slightly, but I hope not your meaning……
Following up on your links, and Sue’s, I too am very afraid. The ignorance and semi-literacy displayed by those commenting on the climate debate is astonishing. In the past due respect, even a slight awe, would have held back many from questioning ‘scientific authority.’ Now every man and his dog can debunk highly qualified climate scientists whose work is acknowledged as sound by most of their peers throughout the world. Believing their views are as valid as any of the ‘Climategate fraudsters’ the man and woman in the street are led by the nose to join whatever clamorous protest group politicians like Abbott are using to further their own interests. That Abbott’s political ambitions are being promoted by a powerful media empire like News Ltd. owned and controlled by a now acknowledged sceptic, Rupert Murdoch, is truly terrifying.
Murdoch said climate change has more to do with the sun.
Good catch, Mobius. The man has recanted and I agree with his sentiments.
So are you saying he was only paying lip service in 2006 and was a heretic throughout, or that he may have had a change of heart?
This is important if we are to know the bias of his editors, because after his 2006 statement I kept a close eye on proceedings (expecting them to change tac) but they didn’t follow their boss up the AGW path.
I’ve been asking myself why Rupert wants to own and control the world’s news media, as well as TV, and the only thing that comes to mind is that he can; it isn’t because he needs the money, rather, the more he has, the more power to him.
History is full of grandiose narcissistic types who’ve inflicted themselves on ordinary citizens, but probably never to the extent that Rupes can. Ancient Rome had it’s share of Ruperts who founded their own dynasty and that’s what the world is faced with. His childrens’ ages vary from fifty something to very young and his dynasty will outlive all of us here at the Cafe which is a horrible thought.
Someone mentioned the ‘group’ followers, who feel important because they’re either on his payroll or they feel they’re in the majority group….sheep.
The small consolation is that all those dynasties came to an end eventually.
Clamp on trusts would hit key MPs
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/clamp-on-trusts-would-hit-key-mps/story-fn59niix-1226045898292
FAMILY trusts stand to lose hundreds of millions of dollars a year in tax breaks to the budget axe next month, with dozens of MPs, including three crossbenchers who help keep Labor in power, to be targets of the expected crackdown.
Thirty-two federal parliamentarians, including independents Rob Oakeshott, Tony Windsor and Andrew Wilkie, operate family trusts, which can assign income to children as beneficiaries to minimise their tax.
They, along with more than 600,000 other family trusts, are believed to be at risk of losing the low-income tax offset that applies to their children’s trust income, as the government seeks savings ahead of next month’s budget.
Gee, 600,000 family trusts, and there is a need to mention Oakeshott, Windsor and Wilkie.
Can’t think why!!
Good article in ‘Failed Estate’.
http://thefailedestate.blogspot.com/
Now for a nice change. Rather than the usual negative here is a balanced article on the latest CPI.
http://www.smh.com.au/business/feeling-bad-on-prices-forgetting-good-on-wages-20110428-1dxy1.html
Yes Sue this is a smidgeon of good journalism out there, but the pity is it’s only a smidgeon when it should be bad journalism that is is a smidgeon.
This one is too good not to share 🙂 Referring of course to Trump’s ‘trump’ in demanding that Obama produce his birth certificate.
http://www.theonion.com/articles/trump-unable-to-produce-certificate-proving-hes-no,20250/
Trump Unable To Produce Certificate Proving He’s Not A Festering Pile Of Shit
As Ad astra states essential reading, including el gordo.
Thanks to lyn at TPS for spotting and linking this:
The truth is out there
I like this but I add that I think Greg Hunt should push for a Triangle Table rather than a round Table.
“Opposition climate action spokesman Greg Hunt said the Coalition remained committed to holding a climate business round table chaired by Mr Warburton and John White, the co-owner of coal technology company Ignite Energy Resources.”
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/business-gives-cold-shoulder-to-coalition-climate-plan-20110428-1dywm.html#ixzz1KrJpdot3
Hunt’s a tosser and a boofhead, along with Turnbull and Abbott!
These turkeys need stuffing.
An interesting piece in the ABC Drum
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/29/3203139.htm
“In the weeks after his nomination, Kerry’s campaign staff decided not to respond to claims from a previously unknown group calling itself “Swift Boat veterans for Truth” who contended in a series of TV ads that Lt Kerry was not the Vietnam War hero he’d been given a Silver Star for being. He was a coward who stabbed his comrades in the back when he returned home and denounced the war. To even respond, Kerry’s campaign team decided, would not only dignify the contemptible charge, but give oxygen to the flame. For one long month Kerry refused to go on the air and reject the claims. People believed what they heard on TV, Kerry’s approval rating plummeted and his campaign never recovered. The lesson to Democrats was simple; hit back at every lie, or the lie takes hold and becomes the truth in some people’s minds. Obama’s campaign took the lesson to heart in 2008, but since then the lingering “birther” claims seemed just too silly for words.”
This lesson is yet to be appreciated by Federal Labor.
‘This lesson is yet to be appreciated by Federal Labor.’
I wonder if Tanners book will give them a rocket up the back?
It has presented them with the perfect opportunity to go on the front foot.
Speaking of hunt, it appears that he has develped his own interpretation of the English language
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/167224.html
Words apparently are what he tells us they are, nothing more, nothing less, and definitely not what the dictionary tells us they are.
Lunalava re “hit back at every lie, or the lie takes hold and becomes the truth in some people’s minds.” I agree with you absolutely. A Big Problem I think and it started with Rudd, is Rudd’s ignore it as not worthy of consideration attitude. Now this is fine when you are dealing with mature and intelligent people, but sadly not so when dealing with the deliberately ignorant &/or the stupid. As per the quote, hit every lie on the head from the beginning or it will enter people’s minds as a fact.
Gillard is also falling into the same mold Min. Here capitulation over the alleged ‘Carbon Tax’ lie has seen her labelled as Juliar and will haunt her for the remainder of her career. I thought it was a mistake at the time to allow them the oxygen, and now, no matter what happens, it will be used as political fodder against her. And she has no-one to blame but herself.
Agreed Tom. If you need to make a decision to take a different course be straight forward about it – state your case – but f*rt-ar*ing around just makes a person look to be just that..a liar.
When it’s only your opponents who are making noise
So true.
What the……..
I was just on ABC on line reading a story “NBN chief’s former company in bribery probe”
but what caught my eye was the area to the side of the article called NBN Tip-offs where they ask the question “Do you have inside knowledge or first-hand experience with the NBN? Contact the ABC News Online Investigative Unit to tell us what you know”
Do you think I should alert them to the article on the 90% take up of the NBN in Armidale?
Or is this just a new low for the ABC.
Sue, clearly the ABC is just after some hot juicy gossip…the “tell us what you know” statement being the giveaway.
I’m sure Malcolm Turnbull’s sockpuppet along with all the Liberal zombie trolls will be flooding the ABC with “credible” inside information on the NBN, which the ABC, being a good Murdoch subsidiary, will dutifully make headline and sensational news, just as they did with HIS and BER.
Yes Sue, both the ABC and the OZ appear to ramping this one up (the radio rabble have been pushing it for a while now.)
Mind you, they are well behind with their reporting
http://afr.com/p/business/technology/no_alcatel_lucent_scandal_link_says_nZ26G76dd18bhrRCeaD2lJ
Note the date on the report
And more here
http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=1676626&p=42#r823
And Mobius, about as credible as the farmer’s wife they found who couldn’t work out a reason why she would ever need super fast broadband.
“{I was just on ABC on line reading a story “NBN chief’s former company in bribery probe”
”
Is not this old news that was dealt with months ago. The answer seems to be the same now as then, Mr. Quigley was not involved.
What is it about the ABC and MSM that they keep rehashing the same stories every month or so.
Do they hope if they tell it often enough, it will take hold. Sadly they might be correct.
CU, I would suspect that it’s to do with $s being handed over to pay for the story to be run again.
Quigley and Beaufret must be guilty…right, Right?
http://delimiter.com.au/2011/04/29/quigley-beaufret-must-be-guilty-right-right/#comment-61469
blog In the latest issue of what we are speedily coming to refer to as the “NBN, OMG, WTF, BBQ” files, Liberal Senator Simon Birmingham has revealed that NBN Co chief Mike Quigley and CFO Jean-Pascal Beaufret didn’t mention during their hiring process that their former employer Alcatel-Lucent was being investigated by the US securities regulator … for stuff they had nothing to do with. From (who else) The Australian:
a voice in the wilderness of not even ltd news
Pip, as Sue pointed out earlier, they are not in a wilderness, the ABC are right there with them.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/29/3203286.htm?section=business
Keith Windbustle taught history and journalism.
I wonder which current journalists were his pupils???
http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Keith_Windschuttle
http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/02/11/post-modernist-relativism-windschuttle-style/
churnbulls jumping on the NBN criminal factory
http://www.2ue.com.au/blogs/2ue-blog/turnbull-attacks-nbn-chiefs-silence/20110429-1dzu5.html
(I got this from the previously linked Whirlpool thread, and it opens to a stream from 2ue)
Just a small snippet and not even important in the scheme of things, however Gillard has been criticised ever since she became PM and especially by Abbott for not believing in marriage.
There ya’go folks, the mystery has been solved..Tim is yet to get around to asking her.
Asked whether she might also be preparing to take the plunge, Ms Gillard gave her strongest hint to date that a prime ministerial marriage could be on the horizon.
“A very good friend of mine has joked with me that before answering these questions, I should indicate it is customary to wait to be asked as to whether you want to get married before you start burbling forth views about it,” she told ABC television.
The above from the OO.
TomR, I meant Delimiter, not Murdoch’s ABC 🙂
From news.com:
We’re being softened up for another massive deficit when Treasurer Wayne Swan unveils the federal Budget on May 10.
http://www.news.com.au/money/help-can-you-get-us-back-into-surplus/story-fn84fgcm-1226046178866#ixzz1KtKVl8GX
What absolute garbage. We’ve been warned that it’s going to be a tough budget. Typical of news.com to encourage more hate.
That’d be another lose/lose for Julia – you can see the OO and other Ltd news stories already Min
Bacchus, wrong thread. Media Watch is our dry zone. 😀
(Min whispers an aside) Bacchus don’t take any notice..it’s my shout 😉
Bacchus, plus then our Aboriginal communities will have to suffer another visit from Abbott. Mention marriage and Abbott heads for Alice Springs! Hang on..I used to know a bloke a bit like that 😀
Min, why would PM Gillard feel the need to get married.
She has her own income and haprovingen she can prosper on her own.
She does not have or intend yo have any children.
What would she gain by getting married.
What would her partner gain as well. He has had a family.
Not being married does not prevent anyone from having children a loving partner or the ability to commit to a long terelationshipaltionship.
Many do not need what amounts to a bit of paper to live their lives.
CU, absolutely no idea. However if Tim gets around to asking and the PM feels like answering yes, then that’s up to her to decide.
It was just one of those things that erked me about how the media treated her, that she was ‘deliberately barren’ that because she wasn’t married herself that she didn’t believe in marrage at all. Abbott used these facts about Gillard to point the finger and say Look at her she’s…..barren, she lives in sin. It’s his damn awful attitude towards not just the PM but towards women in general.
But anyway..now the truth is revealed Gillard may not be married due to the simple fact that Tim is yet to ask her. The gossipers can now cross that one off their list of accusations against her.
Min, your comment there on men,
Makes me think of all the blokes i’ve loved,
But then…..
They acted disappointingly.
Was it really them?
Or me?
Looking back
On half a century,
I think I know.
But then again
We aren’t allowed another go.
Hi Min, I see I commented prematurely on your ‘latest’ observations. The subtleties of relationships are often beyond understanding by those involved, let alone outside observers. My sense now of all those ‘near misses’ in my life is not about what the ‘other’ failed to do but rather about my own underlying determination about how things should play out, which is sensed by the ‘other.’ Looking back, I have no real regrets, though notionally I still have real grievances. I think that is not so much about what actually happened, so much as what one learns in coming to terms with it all. Julia Gillard, more than most of us, has real cause to be grateful for any disappointments she’s experienced or mistakes she made in relationships. For that matter, so has Australia.
And speaking of fates..eldest was at the market in Marrakesh where the terrorist bomb has killed 14 people, only a couple of weeks ago.
‘TomR, I meant Delimiter, not Murdoch’s ABC’
Sorry Pip, now I have had another go, it makes sense.
I blame the long week 😉
TomR, you’re excused:smile:
Rule number one of the Cafe: TomR is never excused. 😛
‘Rule number one of the Cafe’
That’s no excuse Miglo!
Thanks Pip
I’m sometimes canned for too often going about how badly and biasedly the media are covering politics in this country.
The Sideshow zooms over the press gallery’s heads.
If everything I have heard about this book/thesis is even half as good as being espoused then I think my position on the woeful state of the media will be vindicated.
The thing is, as Sales of the ABC showed, Jericho writes about and Dunlop has Twittered, the media still don’t get it and keep saying the fault lies with the pollies and the public.
Mobius, you are in excellent company with Grog calling it exactly the same as yourself.
It’s a great piece by Grog isn’t it.
Well done Lindsay and also well done for the way you have handled the media continuing to attempt gotchas on you and distorting what you gave written and stated.
Agreed Adrian. Obviously Grog spotted the warning signs – the fact that someone such as Tanner could, according to the MSM suddenly and mysteriously morph into another Mark Latham with a ‘tell all’ exposé.
The stupid media either deliberately because they don’t care, or not because they really are as dumb as Tanner proves they are, reinforce what Tanner has written about them.
Adrian, I think that Grog has come up with something which needs to pushed big time by those who care about an honest media.
What I am thinking of is the way that Grog specified and precisely the difference between asking questions about Policy compared with asking questions about Politics. How people such as Speers and Sales are not asking questions about policy, they make statements about politics.
And the above is precisely why Abbott continuously gets away with it – because the commentators never ask him about policy only his interpretation of the politics.
Exactly correct Min.
More on Tanner’s book/thesis from George Megalogenis and Matthew Franklin:
Stoking of the news cycle leaves democracy in danger: Tanner
This is wrong on so many fronts and even worse than cracking down on The Chasers from airing a satire on the wedding.
Facebook celebrates royal wedding by nuking 50 protest groups
Wrong link, try this: http://www.boingboing.net/2011/04/29/facebook-celebrates.html
Mobius, I hadn’t realised that George was back in action. Sadly a bit bland when compared with Grog, but then I should imagine that it wouldn’t have got past scrutiny at the OO if George had done otherwise.
There couldn’t possibly be anything other than ‘pretty pictures’ of the royal wedding could there. Reminds me of when Delhi moved all the beggars ahead of the Olympic Games.
Mega is having an interview with Tanner and thus this article was just leading to that.
George’s return after such a long break was hailed by many when he came back last week.
I have absolutely no idea whether there is any truth in this rumour…
http://www.independentaustralia.net/2011/republic/breaking-news-queen-orders-australia-to-become-a-republic/
A blog by Charles who many will remember was an author for The Blogocrats.
The Australian Carbon Tax – who pays for it?
http://climatechangeandstates.wordpress.com/2011/04/30/the-australian-carbon-tax-who-pays-for-it/
ME, from grogs article, this really stood out for me (and I haven’t even finished reading it yet). I had read olsens dismissal of it at the oo, and the contrast between the two writers is a chasm. Grog rises miles above what gets churned out there (note, I haven’t read Megalogenis’s article either, but then, I don’t list him as an oo writer, more a journalist who happens to get income from them 😉 )
Why is it he gets it, but the entire gallery appear to miss it?
I’m not even going to be able to finish Grogs article before my duties are invoked (in fact, I hear them calling now) but loved this line too
‘SPEERS: Well I guess if the answer is straight forward it’s pretty hard to distort it. ‘
Example (a) “There will be Carbon tax”
(which of course, there still isn’t, or still is not planned to be)
Facepalm (groan). These journos are just dimwits
And Cassidy in interviewing Tanner on Insiders proves again that the media doesn’t get it and attempts gotchas and blame shifting the current bad situation onto pollies spin, and no surprise with him, nearly all onto Rudd. He more or less intimated there was only a little spin from Howard but it increased to 100% when Rudd gained power to be a government that was nothing but spin.
Tanner pulled him up immediately and said he didn’t agree with that assessment. Cassidy, like a couple of others, really hate Rudd because he wouldn’t play their idiotic games as Tanner pointed out, but it still doesn’t stop them from putting the boot into Rudd at every chance.
Cassidy in this interview perfectly illustrated what is so wrong with the current media though he will go to his grave saying he was a great journalist and it was all the pollies fault.
Things not really as different as Lindsay Tanner suggests
Richard Farmer is one of those “couple of others” I was talking about, and here he shows his hate for Rudd yet again.
Tanner certainly has hit a sore spot with these journalists and in their reactions they only reinforce what Tanner has written about and prove Tanner right.
Malcolm Turnbull has been out and about spruiking his legal credentials, pity about the facts.
http://smarthouse.com.au/Wireless_And_Networking/Industry/L5K7R4R3?page
NBN Linked Bribe Drama Turnbull Hits Out
By David Richards | Friday | 29/04/2011
The Federal Labour Government has been accused of slipshod and a slovenly lack of due diligence, when it came to appointing senior management of the NBN Co and the subsequent allocating of contracts, to a Company that has been fined millions of dollars for bribing organisations to win business contracts in the past.
The next piece is by “anonymous” from the OZ
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/opinion/be-afraid-be-very-afraid/story-e6frg71x-1226047187279
Be afraid, be very afraid
From: The Australian April 30, 2011 12:00AM
REVELATIONS about the NBN show lack of due diligence.
When a government sets about spending more money on one project than has ever been spent before, the least taxpayers should expect is a bit of due diligence. The latest revelations about the National Broadband Network must elevate taxpayers’ concerns about this project to alarming levels. It is astonishing that Communications Minister Stephen Conroy and his department could recruit two senior businessmen from the French communications giant Alcatel-Lucent without the most cursory check to reveal the company was subject to a bribery and corruption investigation by US authorities.
“Alarming”, astonishing” ? Due diligence??
No-one at The Oz knows what that means, but they could start here…
http://nationalbroadbandnetwork.net.au/2011/01/quigley-never-questioned-on-alcatel-bribery-scandal/
Quigley never questioned on Alcatel bribery scandal
January 7, 2011 NBN News No Comments
Dismisses any connection to bribery probe.
NBN Co chief Mike Quigley said today that neither he nor CFO Jean-Pascal Beaufret have ever been questioned by investigators over a bribery scandal at his former employer Alcatel-Lucent.
Quigley said that investigators “just weren’t interested in” he and Beaufret – both former Alcatel executives now working at NBN Co – and that connections publicised in the press were “frankly misinformed”.
He said that two of the main countries in the scandal – Honduras and Costa Rica – reported to Spain, which in turn reported into Europe.
Quigley said at the time he was the president of Alcatel’s North American operations – a completely different reporting line and area of responsibility in the business.”
Mr. Quigley is far too polite.
Lindsay Tanner used the word “distorted” and he’s dead right.
Mobius @ 11.11am. Some people will never understand Kevin Rudd, a complex man at a time when things were rapidly becoming superficial.
Does anyone else get the feeling that the Coalition has change their press releases being in written form to video snippets.
Are the MSM and the ABC replaying these media releases without explanation during their news broadcasts. If I am correct, they are being presented as interviews carried out by the media.
Now I maybe a cynic, but the impression is being created that Mr. Abbott has a press contingent following him as he swans around the country. I imagine the taxpayer is picking up his air fares to what amount to Coalition electioneering.
I would like to see someone in the Press community recommend that all that strive to being journalists do some in-depth workshops into bias and how it effects their role as journalists. Everyone has bias of one type or another. Most thinking people realise this and take steps to ensure it does not impair the job they are doing. Modern day journalist to not seem to acknowledge this truth.
I love the rationalising done by many ex and present days’ journalist voice the excuse that the numbers employed has declined and they do not have the numbers to do the job properly. Where is the outcry among them demanding this situation be reverse. I seem to remember in the distant past, that journalist where capable and did stick up for themselves.
I do hope Mr. Tanner has success in his campaign, he is talking a lot of sense. I have not bought a book for years, as I have trouble reading print but this is one I will be buying.
Min, @ 1.49pm, Kevin Rudd is highly intelligent and viewed as a bit ‘different’ by the journalists whose intelligence, if present, is wasted.
It’s not what you know….
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/man-with-connections-20110430-1e1w2.html
Man with connections Heath Aston
May 1, 2011
THE pubs industry has bought itself ”gold-plated access” to the O’Farrell government by hiring the Liberal vice-president and factional powerbroker Michael Photios to open ministerial doors for the sector.
Mr Photios, a minister in the former Fahey government whose faction controls the Liberal state executive, placed his firm MP Consulting on the state government’s official register of lobbyists last week.
His main client is the Australian Hotels Association, which is fighting poker machine reform, outdoor smoking restrictions and moves to clamp down on alcohol-related violence.
Advertisement: Story continues below Premier Barry O’Farrell and Hospitality and Racing Minister George Souris have supported pubs and clubs as the federal government attempts to legislate for loss limits
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/man-with-connections-20110430-1e1w2.html#ixzz1L4eJ8v9l
Great Qanda tonight from Albury Wodonga. Sophie had a shock the audience laughed at her. Also the stooge who questioned Windsor about being a closet Laborite was booed by the 8oo strong audience.
Good show hope ABC has more in regional Oz.
thanks for that Sue, I haven’t had a chance to watch it yet.
I think the ABC24 might peruse blogs.
This morning when discussing Mr.Abbott’s roaming around the country, the presenter commented that Mr. Abbott was careful or words to that effect, to take a press contingent with him. Am I a cynic or is this an unusual remark.
A pity some were not seen not heard in some of the news quips that appear on news sections. A pity some did not ask any questions.
I enjoyed watching Q & A as I usually do, even when it’s not at its best, because one gets to really look at the faces of pollies during that hour, often when they’re not talking and should be listening. Some of them clearly aren’t doing that and just waiting to get their own oar in. Sophie Mirabella, one of my least favorite people, has the most unpleasant and supercilious expression when she’s being made to shut up. What an unhappy lot they are in the Coalition, mean minded and always wanting to tear down. Still harping on pink batts and money wasted on school halls too. Astonishing that they can argue against the NBN as Tony Windsor said again tonight. Always good value, isn’t he? So constructive.
Simon Crean seems at reasonable peace with himself and aging cheerfully after a long political life.
Patricia, they are very quickly beginning to sound like broken records always carping on the same old things. I wonder how they will cope shortly when they have to (gasp) come up with a reply to the budget. I wonder if it will be the same as previous when it was a game of pass the parcel.
Mungo MacCallum on Lindsay Tanner and observations about today’s media.
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/1069790.html
What if the back room boys had decided to make Tanner the one to replace Kevin. Would he have rejected the offer?
And how different would the political landscape be today? For a start, there would be no CO2 tax on the table and Labor would be riding high in the polls.
We have lost a Labor statesman and the party will have at least a decade to deliberate on its folly.
How do you know that el gordo? Tanner was for an ETS.
Note how it’s always back to climate change in some way or another.
If you are proven wrong at the next election el gordo can we see you shouting here that you are totally wrong and really don’t know anything but just make it up as you go?
I think Q and A was one of their better efforts.
As for Ms. Sophie Mirabella, she did not get much support from the eight hundred locals present. That is funny, as I believe she was on the panel as local member.
The complaints that these locals had about NBNco is that it will not come fast enough for them. No, Sophie did not have a good night. The locals let her know very lousily that they were not interested in hearing about pink bats Etc.
I must admit that I do not like the lady and could be a little bias in my judgement of her. I believe a woman who told her, her baby would be born a devil, if she did not clear her head of evil thoughts, was on the money.
el gordo, the ETS was never abandoned, it was only postponed because of the realisation that no matter what Labor did at the time, it would never be passed.
Sensible action to me.
Once again, people against the Labor government are dreaming up in their own minds what Labor will do and putting that forwarded as fact. When Labor does not do what is dreamt up by people, they are then accused of a back flip.
Mr. Rudd has acknowledged recently, that this was the correct action to take. There would be CO2 price on tax, because that is the right thing to do.
I enjoyed Mr Denmore’s piece “The Hall of Media Mirrors”
http://thefailedestate.blogspot.com/
It dawned on me why quality blogs such as this are so much better than anything written in the MSM. In internet blogs it is easy to provide cross-linked references to support what is being stated. This is just not possible on a tabloid page.
For example Denmore links to David Speer’s twitter account to demonstrate just what an idiot this guy is (not that I needed much proof).
This feature of online blogs is a great boon to thinking readers however has very little impact on those that prefer snappy one liners.
Roll on the NBN.
luna_lava what a shame you have fallen into the MSM trap,
the snappy one liner finish.
But I agree Roll on the NBN.
luna_lava, it is quite easy to supply sources. We mangaed to do this in essays we wrote at uni. It does not hurt to mention the source when repeating something.
“As for Ms. Sophie Mirabella, she did not get much support from the eight hundred locals present. That is funny, as I believe she was on the panel as local member.”
She blew the moment she attempted to sing the praises of the Howard government’s record for rural and regional Australia, and then using the Albury-Wodonga Pinces Hwy bypass as the achievement.
Everyone knew that long overdue bypass for what it was, an election pork barrel. How come the Howard government never included it in any previous road infrastructure funding but only during declining electoral fortunes?
Mirabella also went on about Howard visiting her electorate six times as that was an indication of his regional benevolence. Well sorry the only time in 11½ years that Howard visited the South Coast of NSW, the electorate of one of his party’s best performers in Joanna Gash, and a true fight tooth and nail for locals member, was when it was almost certain he was going to lose an upcoming election and even Gash’s electorate might be lost. Then and only then on massive lobbying by Gash did Howard do a lightening visit to the region.
If you go back over the decades and do a quantitative survey of the fortunes of regional areas by successive governments both Federal and State, I believe you will find it will be Labor governments who do more and benefit regional areas more than Liberal-National governments. At the State levels it has nearly always been Liberal governments that have slashed and burnt regional areas, wiping out their public transport infrastructure, schools and hospitals.
Yet these regional areas cling to their conservative roots even though these same conservatives continue to screw them and more so each time they are elected.
luna_lava, I don’t think not being able to use links is any excuse for poor referencing of cources in tabloids. After all, it was done for years prior to the advent of the internet.
Pure Poison have a good article up at the moment which I think touches on this issue. It isn’t so much a matter of not referencing (or providing evidence), but the placement of the references.
Although, imo, quite often in the oo, they will not even offer this up.
http://blogs.crikey.com.au/purepoison/2011/05/02/keeping-readers-in-the-dark/
Catching Up – yes but with the technology, I can click on a link, read or watch the reference and instantly consider it in terms of the point the author is trying to make.
Paper references require more work (on the part of the reader). For example Malcolm Farr once defended Howards cricket ability in Afghanistan, there was a Youtube clip reference, I clicked on it and watched Howard make a goose of himself bowling – Malcolm Farr’s opinion was clearly biased.
Hi luna_lava. Have a look at Australian Blog Sites (you can find the link under Blogroll above the world map on the right hand side of this page). There is a list of the dozens of independent blog sites who are providing an honest alternative to the mainstram media.
Continuing on with my picking on ulman as the most lightweight interviewer I’ve witnessed since Mike Moore. I have noticed he has a tendency to ask statements of fact rather than questions, which luckily Smith pulled him up on last night.
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2011/s3205798.htm
It’s pathetic when something as monumental as this happens, the minister has to spend the first half of the interview correcting the interviewer. What a sideshow indeed.
Last night on qanda Crean announced that Albury Wodonga would be getting a Cancer Clinic as part of the budget. Big news I would have thought however ABC online local news does not cover the story. As qanda is an ABC production you would think one of their journalists would find a story in this. Shame ABC .
And likewise earlier Gillard announced new payments to support kids with disabilities in schools and I believe also increased payments for carers. I’m still waiting for the written newspapers to provide any details whatsoever..you know, just a mention.
And Min straight after that conference with Gillard at a school the ABC crossed to Abbott who was yet again doing some media stunt.
Plus in the conference which was supposed to be about disadvantaged schools and disabled students, which Gillard rightly pointed out the Howard government totally ignored for over a decade though being lobbied for support, the reporters asked more questions on Bin Laden and attempted gotchas than they did on the policy.
Gillard said that her government will always be about policy and concentrate on that instead of the politics whilst Abbott runs around scaremongering playing politics.
Two interesting stories on the ABC News site:
“Fairfax slumps on profit downgrade”
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/03/3206334.htm
“Greg Hywood: Transforming Fairfax”
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/1213916.html
both stories mention a focus on improving journalism.
Mobius, was that Abbott’s On The Buses stunt? To paraphrase: Here is a bus – it is an Australian bus – we won’t have buses if we have a carbon tax..a carbon tax..a carbon tax…
Of course Howard ignored the needs of kids with disabilities, not enough votes in it.
Addendum: the sound was fairly bad on the interview with Gillard and so I missed a lot of it.
How on earth does Julia Gillard put up with confronting a pathetic media with pathetic, childish questions day in day out? But then again it depends on who is PM. Howard would snap back at them and he was allowed to get away with it. If Rudd snapped back he was said to be childish.
Personally, I’d prefer that Julia Gillard took the big stick to the idiots too.
Media respect for the highest position in the land has plummeted with the emergence of our new mainstream media. They always gave Fraser, Hawke and Keating respect at press conferences but not Julia.
How refreshing that the aim is to increase standards instead of profits. By increasing the former, they will ultimately increase the latter.
It’s a difficult one. If Julia bites back she will be called shrewish. Julia does an excellent job of maintaining her composure under very trying circumstances when dealing with the idiots in the media..I think that she should stick with this.
NSW Parliament sits today, the first sitting with the new government. Yet apart from this one blog article from AMB O’Farrell, who for the short time he’s been in has already done shonky deals, broken promises and cooked the treasury deficit figures whilst having two two senior public servants quit rather than work for his government, is getting not just a free run through the media but a supportive one.
How are any oppositions to conservative parties supposed to hold Coalition government’s to account and how is the media supposed to do their job when this blatant right wing support dominates the political landscape, and how is this supposed to democratic?
Just saw another example of the ABC bias on State politics. For the first time I heard a newsreader refer to a State Labor opposition in something that was going wrong for the government, in this case in Victoria with increased crime and the problems at the top levels of the police force.
They crossed to someone who I gather was from the Victorian opposition, but they didn’t give them any intro or graphics. The newsreader then proceeded to talk over the top of whoever it was for the few seconds ABC news allowed him to speak on air.
Contrast that with Abbott and the large amounts of uninterrupted and unchallenged time the ABC gives him.
Miglo, on 7.30 last night Leigh Sales was interviewing an American. The interviewee was more polite and respectful of Leigh Sales than our journalists are of the PM.
Yes, Tanner supported the ETS, but would have recognised the dangers going forward if he had been chosen instead of Julia.
The climate change issue is front and centre because of a political tax, the scientists and kitchen scientists will continue the AGW debate for many years to come.
A new wave of global cooling scientists will then take their place and the people will laugh out loud in disbelief.
so sayeth the prophet gordodamus lol
Who has proven to be a fairly unreliable seer in all things scientific to date
Please el gordo don’t tell us you too have one of Howard’s cracked crystal balls that can see into the future?
How the hell do you know what Tanner would have done in whatever position he found himself in the party? He has never indicated anything other than support for the AGW theory and Australia having to do something to mitigate it’s carbon output.
If you go on Tanner’s past performances and the way he’s voted in the party room or worked on policies then he’s always shown himself to be very meticulous, working through policy and problems a step at a time and always within Labor traditional policy frameworks and social constructs. A carbon tax and ETS fits right into that, including Swan’s and Gillard’s answers today on how they are implementing the carbon tax, carefully, meticulously and with full consultation of all parties every step of the way.
At 3.59pm The ABC Albury local news finally put up the story of the Cancer Centre as announced by Crean at 10pm last night.
So don’t give up cafe whisperers, you must be being monitored by the ABC. Or they just need a little help on what is news worthy.
Indeed Sue. When the ABC want stories they run to Tony Abbott. When they want news they turn to us. 😀
…’a fairly unreliable seer’. I think you are confusing me with scaper who predicted Fergy would take the helm from Julia.
If you want a long range weather forecast, I’ll give it my best shot.
‘How the hell do you know what Tanner would have done in whatever position he found himself in the party?’
Pure speculation I grant you, so I will attempt to find something to support my argument.
In the meantime the Conservatives in Canada have won a mandate to make their own policy. Harper is the PM and he said this a few years ago.
“But I think what we don’t need right now when we do face rising gasoline taxes and rising taxes on energy products are governments to come and specifically impose carbon taxes on our economy,” Harper told reporters in Beamsville, Ont.
“We think that is a foolish and unnecessary policy that is being proposed by our opposition.” “If what you really want is to get money for the government and claim that you’re trying to reduce emissions, then you impose carbon taxes. But that’s not a position this government is going to take.”
Source: Carbon tax ‘foolish and unnecessary’: PM (May 21, 2008)
Nope, I was wrong about Lindsay. He was all for the ETS until Kevin decided to dump it in an election year and Lindsay is basically saying what Cabinet agreed to.
‘Because of the confusion and uncertainty internationally, we have chosen to defer pursuing that for what is a fairly short period of time, a minimum of 18 months.’
Not long after that Julia made her move.
So Harper is wrong and he knows it. Canada like every other country that doesn’t do something to mitigate man made carbon will be severely penalised on the world stage, which in the long run will cost their economies far more than the mitigation burdens.
I expect Harper will bring in some type of scheme, watered down admittedly, but he will do something and in the long run Canada will bring in full man made carbon reduction schemes.
What you miss is that for the first time in Canadian history a Green got a siding and the surge of the NDP, a left wing party, which you should be very happy about.
The failure has been the Liberals and the reason for that is they moved from the left to the centre, and then like Labor here attempted to do everything to appease the centre, thus pissing off their core, who then moved both left and right.
China, India, Russia and the US are not going to mitigate, this is a no-brainer.
The far left can only move in one political direction.
China and India are already steaks ahead of us in their mitigation process. And many states in the Us are forging ahead without the Feds doing it. The same as happened here interestingly enough.
Trouble is, you know this already, so why the deception?
streaks, although steaks applies too, our eating habits and all 😉
Tom R – do you mean ‘streets ahead’ there? I think all of us in Oz has been over- exposed to the ‘streaking’ habits of a certain pollie. Not surprising if we mix our metaphors occasionally.
I think you are correct there patriciawa. What can I say, my mind tends to wander to places it really shouldn’t far too often
In my defense though, I was Framed!! 😉
Canadian results.
Nationally, the Conservatives only gained a swing of 1.9% nationwide, but there was a much larger shift amongst left-leaning voters. The Liberal Party’s vote dropped from 26.3% to 18.9%, while the NDP vote jumped from 18.2% to 30.7%. The Bloc Quebecois vote dropped from 10% to 6.1% nationally. The Green Party’s vote dropped from 6.8% to 3.9%.
Abbott and the Liberals liked to make a huge thing out of their last election results inferring it was a huge swing towards them when it was no such thing. Abbott only gained around 1.5%, hardly a huge endorsement. This is the same for the Canadian result, and it was not an endorsement for the conservatives stance on carbon mitigation but because the last two terms had produced unstable governments.
Canada 2011: results summary
Worth a look, especially at the details, like the conservatives only really doing well in Toronto and going backwards in Quebec and British Columbia.
‘The Green Party’s vote dropped from 6.8% to 3.9%.’ That’s significant.
Read it el gordo, they concentrated on a single policy line and one candidate to get a siding, which she won easily by over 10%. The first Green in Canada’s history to get a siding.
As there is no Senate in Canada it is not unusual for a party of forgo overall voting gains so as to concentrate on winning seats (sidings). So though you might go down in voting percentages you gain seats you would not have won with the voting being spread nationally.
Thanx Mobius, but it’s significant that the Conservatives are running without a coalition.
Chris Graham in ‘The Drum’
http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/1435896.html
I had just been reading that Eddie.
Is the oo the most thin skinned organisation in the world??
Eddie, one can only speculate why the OO should have wanted to not only denigrate but tell deliberate lies about Larissa Behrendt – the name Andrew Bolt comes immediately to mind.
Ah but read the comments because as Chris Graham is tied to Larissa Beherndt he’s just sticking up for her and thus full of shit. There’s nothing wrong with the Australian.
I note that as there is with every article criticising the Australian, one commentator has stated the Australian is the only fair and balanced newspaper in the country. It’s almost word for word the same statement as made by the other posters in topics criticising the Australian. Call me cynical but coincidence? I think not.
Mobius, maybe forewarned about Chris Graham’s article, someone already had the troops lined up.
With a bit of luck our resident concern troll el gordo owns a lot of coastal real estate with the news that sea level is on track to rise by 1.6 m by the end of 2100.
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/sea-levels-rising-higher-and-faster-20110504-1e8j7.html
Mike Quigley in the OZ.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/commentary/personal-attacks-distract-us-from-building-nbn/story-e6frgd0x-1226050059151
It wad interestimg listening tp Mr. Swan being imterviewed on ABC 702 by Deborah Cameron.
He was very clear and direct when talking about the coming budget. Ms. Cameron appeared taken back when Mr. Swan fidagreed with her about a black hold in the budget in regard to the new price on carbon. He inform her she was wrong and why she was wrong. The interview finished with her on the back foot, both were short with each other.
Mr. Swan proved that if you stick to message and pull people up when they are wrong, you can get your message across.
Later on there was a discussion about where Mr. Abbott has been for the last couple of days. It appears he is still on his country tour, which they described as being like on an election campaign.
The person talking to Ms. Cameron, said that maybe he should stop and take a rest. She then went onto add, take some time to listen to someone.
Perfect, instead on rushing around like a chook with his head cut off, it would be cheaper for us, and more beneficial to him to take time to listen and formulate some policy that people want, not what suits his agenda.
The oo appear to enjoy their personal attacks Eddie. Although, they were one of the first to jump to yabots defense when he had his bobble head moment.
Why would that be I wonder?
Mr Denmore on Twitter.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/04/us-newscorp-idUSTRE74376H20110504
Eddie, @ 9.26am, the Oz would surely have known the true facts about the ‘scandal’, and carried on with their smear campaign regardless. Seems to me that Rupert would prefer to not see the NBN built, because he would have no control over it, doesn’t he own enough already??
Catching Up, You’ve got me watching out for any sign of a journalist who might be travelling with the Rabbott, and it got to the stage where it was just funny. Was he talking to himself ??
Eddie @ 9.58am, altogether now……….ohhhhh. 😀
from Reuters:-
News Corp’s filmed entertainment operating income fell by 50 percent to $248 million, compared with the quarter a year ago with 3D movie Avatar, the biggest selling movie of all time.
Publishing operating profits was down to $36 million a drop of $207 million due a $125 million charge at its marketing service business but primarily due to advertising revenue declines at Australian and UK newspapers.
News Corp is also in the process of assessing buyout offers for its struggling entertainment site Myspace, a one-time pioneer of social networking which has long fallen far behind Facebook. News Corp said Myspace continued to rack up increasing losses during the third quarter
Here is some more budget news that won’t make the headlines of city MSM
“Labor delivers $120M for Tamworth upgrade”
http://www.northerndailyleader.com.au/news/local/news/general/labor-delivers-120m-for-tamworth-upgrade/2153421.aspx
I better keep looking at the regional papers for the the stories the journos miss.
As it appears education and health are the main focus of the budget.Then naturally the story will become
Naughty bad JULIAR, can not be tough enough.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/abc-confident-on-australia-network/story-e6frg996-1226048026634
ABC is confident of retaining the Australia Network.
THE ABC is cautiously optimistic that it has retained the contract to run the government’s global service, the Australia Network, with a decision on the 10-year $223 million contract due today.
Australian News Channel’s Sky News (a joint venture of Nine Digital, a division of Nine Entertainment, Seven Media Group and British Sky Broadcasting) also submitted a tender to run the government-owned international television network administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Australia Network chief executive Bruce Dover sent a measured but positive email to key staff this week in anticipation of today’s decision about the network, which broadcasts into 45 markets in the Asia-Pacific region.
While not claiming victory, he said he expected a further month of contract and post-tender negotiations before the new services began on June 8.
Mr Dover added “under the probity requirements of the tender process” the preferred contractor must keep their selection confidential until June 8.
Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.
Related Coverage
NBN builders fear blowout The Australian, 6 Apr 2011
Rules risk putting aunty in a bind The Australian, 3 Apr 2011
NBN Co ditches ‘price gouging’ builders Herald Sun, 1 Apr 2011
Rudd to control foreign TV bid The Australian, 13 Feb 2011
Rudd to vet Asia TV guides The Australian, 13 Feb 2011
End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.
He also warned that the department was entitled to ask the ABC to extend its current service for six months if another tenderer was successful.
Even if the department and Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd meet today’s deadline, it is likely to presage a complex round of negotiations.
Mr Rudd’s intervention in the tender process has already prompted some observers to dub the Australia Network “KRudd TV”.
Notice the little sting in the last paragraph.
Pip, those stings in the tails (or is that tales)…they just can’t help themselves!
The decision on the contract for Australia Network is due today.
[Note the little barb in the last paragraph.]
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/abc-confident-on-australia-network/story-e6frg996-1226048026634
“ABC is confident of retaining the Australia Network
THE ABC is cautiously optimistic that it has retained the contract to run the government’s global service, the Australia Network, with a decision on the 10-year $223 million contract due today.
Australian News Channel’s Sky News (a joint venture of Nine Digital, a division of Nine Entertainment, Seven Media Group and British Sky Broadcasting) also submitted a tender to run the government-owned international television network administered by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Australia Network chief executive Bruce Dover sent a measured but positive email to key staff this week in anticipation of today’s decision about the network, which broadcasts into 45 markets in the Asia-Pacific region.
While not claiming victory, he said he expected a further month of contract and post-tender negotiations before the new services began on June 8.
Mr Dover added “under the probity requirements of the tender process” the preferred contractor must keep their selection confidential until June 8.
Mr. Dover added “under the probity requirements of the tender process”, the preferred contractor must keep their selection confidential until June 8.
He also warned that the department was entitled to ask the ABC to extend its current service for six months if another tenderer was successful.
Even if the department and Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd meet today’s deadline, it is likely to presage a complex round of negotiations.
Mr Rudd’s intervention in the tender process has already prompted some observers to dubthe Australia Network “KRudd TV”.
Which observers would that be, and has anyone been able to find any news about this lately??
One thing that is consistent the Government does not get full recognition when promises are delivered.
“Funds for super clinic.
A MORWELL healthcare centre has received $23,800 in federal funding to include new rooms and facilities as part of the government’s GP Super Clinic Model.
The healthcare centre is set to receive two new student rooms as well as a training room with multimedia equipment at it’s new clinic”
For who did the journalist go to for comment, yes the local member National Darren Chester, who said “Helping to provide quality training facilities is a positive move and there needs to be a better system of incentive payments to attract young doctors to rural areas and more support services to make sure they enjoy the experience and stay for the longer term,” http://www.latrobevalleyexpress.com.au/news/local/news/general/funds-for-super-clinic/2153969.aspx
Just like the BER the Nationals oppose but want to make sure they are front and centre for photos or good news stories.
The Oz seems to be on the case after all,
Rudd’s network rules risk putting Aunty in a bind
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/rudds-network-rules-risk-putting-aunty-in-a-bind/story-e6frg996-1226032934427
Given that the contract is with the Dept. of Foreign Affairs and Trade, it makes sense that the Minister for DFAT, Kevin Rudd would be in charge.
and there was a mention from The Age, which also mentioned my favourite puzzle….”breakfast/lunch with Rupert”.
http://www.theage.com.au/world/come-in-aussie-come-in-20110418-1dlg0.html
IT IS a political custom Australian leaders make every effort to respect: when in New York, ensure there is time to say g’day to Rupert Murdoch. So it was that Julia Gillard dropped by for lunch last month on a day that just happened to be a special occasion for the ageing media mogul.
”Have you bought him an 80th birthday present?” a reporter cheekily asked the Prime Minister.
But what to give the man who has everything? How about a $223 million contract to broadcast Australia Network, the government’s overseas television station that reaches more than 34 million households in 44 countries throughout Asia, the Pacific and the Indian subcontinent. Would that do?
Sue, thanks for the link.
Simon Crean mentioned on Q+A that local training would encourage people to stay in the region after completing their training, and this article shows that he’s already on to it.
Nice work Simon.
😳 sorry for the double up on the Aust., Network. Must have been keen to get the news out 🙂
Talk of the devil, and take credit for previous government’s policy successes and infrastructure programs.
Shelly Hancock hot off the historic win for the Liberals in NSW was crowing about the very much needed and soon to be started new roadwork for South Nowra.
Problem is this was slated by the previous Liberal government and canned and then finally implemented by Keneally. We had the final plans in a nice glossy brochure on our staff room table ages ago and it’s going to be very good, as wide the extension of the dual carriageway a couple of years earlier, again under Labor as was the massive Mount Conjola realignment.
So now hardly in office a dog watch and the new Liberal government is already claiming the credit for work done by the previous Labor government.
“as was” not “as wide”
Pip, Mr. Abbott was definitely interviewed today in Tasmania on ABC 702. He might have not been. Every question allowed him unlimited and uninterrupted time to repeat all of his spin on the price on carbon.
He did not miss one of his one liners. It will according to Mr. Abbott, the end of Australia as we know it, if the carbon pricing is introduced. I am not to sure about the doctors warning that our health would be harmed.
As for encouraging teenage mothers back to education and skill training, he was very discouraging, claiming there is no childcare. Mr. Hockey made the same response. Is“ childcare that hard to obtain. I have not heard of any of my children complaining.
The simple fact is that Centerlink has been encouraging this type of support for a number of years, eight or nine as my grand-daughter is concerned. She did numerous Tafe courses as a very young mother of two babies. She is all for the scheme. PS, The Tafe provided childcare.
I can never remember an Opposition leader of any colour been given prime time every day to repeat the same message for months on end. Surely you need something new to say, to warrant this exposure.
Mobius, I was annoyed last week when the new education minsiter sat in a class room with an interactive white board and numerous computers. I do not know or care what his name was, but I do object to his announcement that he was going to spend the remaining 90 million of the stimulus money on interactive white boards and computer. I further object to his statement that empty halls are of little use. The problem is that all schools have had their computers increased and have been promised over what they have already received, a white board for all class rooms. I also believe that it will be found that the halls have been fitted out with technology, schools have never had access to before.
I hadn’t heard of this blog before, but it’s very clever especially for those who enjoy tongue in cheek humour: Boganomics.
http://macrobusiness.com.au/2011/02/boganomics/
Min, thanks for the link to boganomics, I hadn’t heard about it.
Catching Up, the bias is there for all to see, with Abbott being given so much free air time to repeat his mantras.
Eddie @ 9.26am, did you catch 7.30 tonight.
Chris Uhlmann interviewed Mike Quigley…..he really isn’t good enough to hold the senior [really, really important] positon.
It’s probably too soon to get the transcript.
Does anyone think this is good for a laugh, coming from the fella who made such a hash of his last Budget costings??
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/hockey-rejects-gillards-budget-challenge-20110505-1e9be.html
Quote of the week from Joe Hockey:-
“You’re asking us to show the Labor Party how to deliver a surplus.
“Well we did that last year. We did it in great detail last year”
Detail?? I’m glad he didn’t say ‘factual’.
Here is the link to 7.30, with Chris Uhlmann interviewing NBN CEO, Mike Quigley.
Quigley quizzed
Mike Quigley leads the company charged with the ambitious plan of building a 36 billion dollar national broadband network. Chris Uhlmann asked him about issues with the roll out of the NBN and his past business dealings.
http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2011/s3209105.htm
Try as he might, he just couldn’t get the answers he wanted 🙂
As for the Alcatel scandal, it’s been done to death and still Uhlmann couldn’t let it go.
Just for the record, Mr. Quigley has reiterated his position:-
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/commentary/personal-attacks-distract-us-from-building-nbn/story-e6frgd0x-1226050059151
The SEC interviewed a number of Alcatel’s management team concluding that there was no improper action on the part of Alcatel’s management.
Throughout the five years in which the investigation took place, neither of us was contacted or questioned at any time by the SEC or the Department of Justice as we had no knowledge of and no bearing on the actions they were investigating. I did not raise the investigation of Alcatel-Lucent during my recruitment to NBN Co because it was resolved to the satisfaction of the SEC and Department of Justice well before NBN Co even existed.
It is regrettable that some media outlets have sought to misconstrue these events.
While the leader in the The Weekend Australian said it did not suggest any impropriety on our part, it nevertheless counselled its readers to “be afraid, be very afraid” that I did not advise the government before my appointment of the likely settlement by Alcatel, a settlement relating to events in which Jean-Pascal or I were never involved.
It is disappointing that our integrity has been questioned over these events and a distraction from the important job we have in designing and building the NBN.
Mike Quigley is the chief executive of NBN Co
Just had a good laugh watching Mr. Bolt on the Circle on 10. When asked what his greatest success were. Surprisingly, reporting about the Stolen Generation and climate change.
He wants a show were he does nbot feel like a leper as he was made to feel on the ABC.
He went onto say that people become very angry when they do not believe what he says. He said people have to understand that just because they do not like what he says, it does not make what he says wrong.
What I have written is words to the effect what he said.
The arrogance of the man knows no bounds.
By the way, one on the questioners made sure that Mr. Bolt knew her brother was in the audience, he happened to be a Liberal politician.
The true stiry that the media should be following is why fourteen tenders for the NBNco work were so similar. In any other incidence of this type, they would be screaming collusion.
It appears to me that Australian firms had swallowed the rubbish put about by the media that this government and therefore NBNco is a soft touch.
These firms will now have to decide if they want all or nothing, there is no other choice.
If they choose nothing, it must leave the door open for new players to enter the market. Is that what competition is suppose to be about.
Mr. Quigley tried to explain that NBNco did have many options. He also pointed out that after the deal is completed with Telstra, it would mean that not as much ground needs to be dug up and that they would be replacing copper which is much easier.
By the way, it was once again ignored by the interviewer that the company he previously worked for notified the authorities that they had a couple of rogue elements in their mist. These were in another country and another section of the business.
No connection whatever to Mr. Quigley. The answers were given in January and nothing has changed.
Catching Up was it a less well known pollie, sussing out the reponses to the blot, I wonder??
Or was the polloie their to show support for the greatbigtroutmouth
I do not know but I forgot to add they all sat there in adoration of the man. One did make an attempt of calling his views extreme which he answered by saying he was conservative. Not a label I would give the man.
It is clear that this show is to support the Coalition as Mr. Abbott is to be his first guest. I do not believe that Gina is noted for spending money for nothing. She will expect her full return to meet her agenda, which is all about Gina and no one else.
FYI There is a media Watch V up. Somebody should probably lock this one. Not that the comments aren’t worthy, just that the thread gets too long.
Tom: Good idea.
Min the Mod: Media Watch IV is now closed for comments. Migs has set up Media Watch V – please refer to the above link.
are you sure about that Min 😉
Min looks around..nope nobody on Media IV 😉