What's Wrong with Australian Media?

I've come to the conclusion that there is something seriously wrong with the media landscape in this country. I think the problem arises from the fact that indeed there are too many journalists and not enough news worthy events to cover. So the media resorts to the sort of News that is popular in the United States. Full of commentary and no actual hard-line reporting of facts. 

Do we really care if FORMER cricketer David Boon is dumping Australian Beer to promote a Canadian spirit? That's not worthy of reporting at all. The News should be about things that matter to us on a national and local scale. Tabloid News is a cancer on the word News. I opened the paper a few days ago to find out that the Beckhams had named their daughter Harper Seven, now who on Earth finds this tidbit of information relevant or useful? I mean, sure its a laugh when somebody has a name that sounds like a science fiction television show but really, where is the hard hitting News? Where are our Lois Lanes and April O'Neils? Where are our Deep Throats?

A 10 second sound bite is not News. The events around that sound bite are. I remember seeing Tony Abbott give a press conference on the dreaded Carbon Tax and the media in its genius ran 30 seconds of one comment that was taken totally out of context. But the same applies to the Prime Minister as well. The story where she was supposedly confronted by an angry voter in a shopping Mall was not News. It was an event that happened but its certainly not real News. The next part of the same story was even worse, it was along the lines of chaos breaking out in the Mall. I seen a few people having discussions over the Carbon Tax. There was no looting or burning cars but the tone that the media put to it was only adding to the inflamitory language that both the PM and Leader of the Opposition are using.

Lets not even mention the Greens because they have yet to answer any questions on policy at all. Answering tough policy questions at a press conference is far different than quoting verbatim from a policy booklet.

But back to the problem of the Media in this country. I'm all for an open press but in a world where I get my News from Twitter, I'm seeing the need for mass Media outlets in decline as more people connect to likeminded people to share and express views that they find important. The program QandA on ABC1 and News24 is a good example of media stupidity. Are the people who watch this show and attend the studio audience actually believing that the public figures on the panel are actually answering them? (I think more people just watch to tweet about it anyway in the hope they get On-Screen!) All I hear is generic answers that could be applied to any number of questions. 

The PM is an excellent example of this habit. She doesnt answer questions but to congratulate the questioner for a good question and then resumes to read the scripted answers that her minders have given her. I say this because she is taking advantage of the Media and knows that the less she says the better off in the long term she will be. I find that to be gutless leadership and gutless reporting by the Australian Media.

Its about time we as Australians of all persuasions Liberal, Labor or Green stood up and said that this is not acceptable. Vote with your remote and turn it off.

Real issues dont have to be bad News either. I'd be happy to read about good things that people do as well as the bad.

Dan J

(This is my first blog and I find it hard to read from the little window so if you find a mistake let me know and forgive me.)