Comments on: The outing of Peter Hitchener: nothing straight about it

By: JamesK

JamesK — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Everything The Kid has written is perfectly true. Certain professions, BECAUSE they acknowledging inherent bias and BECAUSE they acknowledge that ideally that bias should not exist, ENDEAVOUR to minimise it and ENDEAVOUR to be seen to minimise it. Such a profession, most still agree, is journalism. The editor plays an important role. Does Crikey have an editor?

By: Jamesk

Jamesk — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Ah Jonathon!, So many journalists…so many knuckleheads to crack…..

By: The Kid From Bondi

The Kid From Bondi — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

We live in a “he said she said” world where news is entertainment. Yes entertainment. I don’t know if it was ever any different but certainly with the advent of tabloid journalism veracity has become a subjective concept at best. My fact is your fiction. Media is a for profit enterprise, facts don’t sell a good juicy story does. The days of objective factual reporting devoid of the reporter’s bias are long gone, if they ever existed, for who is ever without personal bias. The fashionable but somewhat odious concept of Gonzo journalism reigns supreme in this most enjoyable for of mass entertainment called the News.

By: Caroline Armstrong

Caroline Armstrong — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Is it usual for police officers to note down the registration of all parked cars with occupants? What does ‘called to observe’ mean??

By: Venise Alstergren

Venise Alstergren — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Chr*st! I thought we lived in the 21st C. What has been described belongs back in the 1940’s-50’s. Peter, I didn’t know journalists were meant to have ethics. Do tell.

By: ken oath

ken oath — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

i knew it!

the soft sell was utterly suss…

“a time of his choosing” - my arse.

By: Tom W

Tom W — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

If this is true, it is disgusting.

By: Scott

Scott — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

A good argument for a “Bill or Charter of Rights” perhaps.

By: Jonathan at Crikey

Jonathan at Crikey — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

That would be me. Bias exists, but a self aware pluralism is better.

By: Classified

Classified — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

“Is it usual for police officers to note down the registration of all parked cars with occupants?”

Only because the “reg check” was done

By: davo

davo — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Channel 9’s blokey culture, in which anything ‘effeminate’ (unless you are a ‘Mr Humphries’ type is disgusting - it is full of macho guys with little weiners - all of whom trying to be the ‘alpha male’ - look at the Christine Spiteri case as well.

Good luck to Peter Hitchener. May he thrive elsewhere!

By: Peter Hay

Peter Hay — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

This piece, in describing Campbell’s conduct, is far more eloquent about journalistic ethics - confirming they are, more or less, non-existent - than anything else.

By: The Kid From Bondi

The Kid From Bondi — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Jonathan …. self aware pluralism ….. a good phrase for a B- paper on Deflecting the Obvious - a first semester topic in the Introduction to Journalism Correspondece Course. However, I feel that this debate merits more than glib words on the not so trivial topic of “Is there a difference between news reporting and entertainment?”. Have a go debate the topic. Self aware plularism is not a worthy response - you can do better - call a meeting of your crew and workshop a good response. I await your comments but won’t hold my breath waiting for a meaningful debate on this subject - nothing personal Jonathan.