Since Tuesday, that has been denied them. And the media have been complicit in this denial, without any attempt to explain.

I don’t know the reasons, but the hourly updates seemed to stop at 181 from the moment things started to get a bit ratty at the public meetings and the roadblocks.

What’s going on? Are we such an immature society that - like some tinpot dictatorship - we are to be shielded from the truth? And the media goes along with it ?

Do your job. Find out the present death toll and keep your readers appraised. .

On Greg Barns’s piece on tabloid ‘grief porn’ and mawkishness, summed up in his comment on a victim’s sad experience ‘do we really need to know this?’ Yes Greg, we do. The worst natural disaster in Australian history, and probably the deadliest recorded forest fire in human history (last being on the thumb of Michigan, Sept 5, 1881), and, horrors, Greg discovers that in six days of intense coverage some popular media have lapsed into moments of sentimentality, cameras a bit intrusive. Where’s he been? Overall, both the popular media and ABC coverage has been excellent, helpful, and comparatively restrained.

These pieces are so predictable. When one media starts to analyse the rest’s coverage you know they’ve nothing left to say. Greg sits back, in Canberra I think, and calls for the coolly clinical approach he saw with the London bombings.Where’s the analogy with the London bombings here, with thousands left homeless, living in tents, towns gone, and effects that will last for decades?

Yes some things are grating. A fat chaplain chasing after a disgusted suvivor who has seen not a cent of $45m in donations and other promised aid, bleating “are you okay?’

So there are still many issues. But find out the frigging death toll. It’s basic.

I deduced a 300 death toll by 7 am Tuesday morning from the hints of the main figures, and who knows this might have pushed it into the lead on ABC tv news 12 hours later. Crikey also mentioned the figure in unconfirmed rumours the day before.

My analysis started in this interweb thingy on 2.58 am last Monday, because I just couldn’t sleep knowing what had happened was in the mega fire category.

Just like after the 1994 disaster the opportunistic politics were cranking up, and as Rundle says “malign” it was. Very malign today, particularly The Australian:

1. Stephen Lunn implies an alleged call for restraint on prescribed burning submission by The Wilderness Society green group refers to any bush anywhere when almost certainly it’s only for remote large intact natural areas (the technical legal definition of wilderness eg 1987 NSW Act), not national parks as such, not council managed reserves, not roadside or private land or even State Forest.

2. In the main opinion piece again the TWS gets slimed to borrow a Bolt-ism by almost certainly falsely misquoting a reference to ‘massive increase in prescribed burning’ as statistically wrong for “southern Australia”. But TWS is a national ngo body. They worry about Northern Territory, and FNQ and NW WA. These are areas known to apply ‘let ‘er rip’ burnoffs. So what? Well they can INCREASE wildfire hazard by (a) promoting fire weeds (not a mention of this reality by the ‘expert’, and (b) too often escape as wildfires.

Indeed as I recall the father of the current NSW Bushfire Commissioner (Shane Fitsimmons) tragically died in hazard reduction burn working for the NSW NPWS that went wrong. Prescribed burning is NOT a panacea because they can go wrong.

To argue that prescribed burning is a panacea is a LIE that will kill as many as it sav

http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/PARLMENT/hansArt.nsf/V3Key/LA20071017034

“I pay tribute to Shane Fitzsimmons, the new Rural Fire Service Commissioner, who lives in Berowra Heights in the Hornsby electorate. Constituents in the Hornsby electorate are very proud of the fact that he was appointed to this extremely important position. Danielle Long from the Hornsby Advocate wrote a very nice article about Shane headed “Family support in top job.” Shane, who is only 38 years old, was appointed as Rural Fire Service Commissioner on 18 September and took over from Phil Koperberg, who stepped down from the position last year. Shane said that it was a tremendous honour and privilege to be given this top job. I wrote to him and personally called him. I know Shane ….

Shane was a little surprised that this opportunity arose so early in his career, but certainly he has been, firstly, a very committed Rural Fire Service volunteer and now he has progressed to the top job of commissioner. Sadly, his father, George Fitzsimmons, who also was in the Rural Fire Service, was just 52 years old when he died in 2000, along with three other National Parks and Wildlife staff, during a hazard reduction burn-off in Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park that went wrong. As the family is totally committed to community service, Shane felt this loss deeply and wishes that his father could have seen this wonderful opportunity bestowed on him. Shane Fitzsimmons knows that his father would want him to look out for the safety of his 70,000 firefighters. Whilst his father perished in a hazard reduction burn, the problem of bushfire arsonists is keenly felt and …”

I attempted several times to contact the editor of the Australian without success to ask the question that if this child was one of Rupert Murdoch’s children or grandchildren burnt to death in these fires whether News Corporation would publish these pictures. Similarly if Rupert was being told that Dame Elisabeth had been burnt to death in the bushfire would his grieving picture also be on the front page of the Australian?

I’m with you Greg! Also Miranda Devine had an article today, blaming ‘greenies’ for the ramifications of the fires. As I pointed out, the fact is, that people who lost everything in previous fires have rebuilt in the same area, noting that they knew the risks, but the reason they lived there, was having the bush very close to their homes. It may be, that in future, insurance companies will dictate what homes will be built and where.

I’m so glad I didn’t see the photos as you described, Greg. I’ve shed a lot of tears for those who have lost so much, and whose real agony awaits them, as they’re probably still in shock! I can only imagine their trauma, and hate to see them expoited. I’ve made the comment many times already - “get that camera out of their face” or words to that effect. It’s an invasion of the most hideous kind! My heart goes out to them with love and care! I suggest the media operate in this manner too! These people and their lost loved ones deserve our respect, at least! Perhaps the authorities should tell the media to leave the area under these circumstances - it is not our business!

Please shove your non-existent God up your monotheistic brainwashing a$$. The Rupert Murdoch owned The Sun recently described the affairs of Australia’s propaganda pulp that is The Zionist Bushfire 09’ Inc, as being Armageddon.

Let’s see, The Media ever since the 1940’s has been copulating in bed with The State, as exemplified by the fake UFO broadcasts on radio in the USA, which sent many decent working class folk running for the hills, some committing suicide & many became Survivalists-Inc-Corp.

That folks is the simple root of today’s societal problems, division, tribalism & economic polarity/duality. I know which bed I would exclusively sleep in, the blonde wife of Lachlan Murdoch. When I win the lotto, I’ll give Sarah O’Hare an Indecent Proposal.

That is why I don’t watch the Today show, it was my morning ritual, therapy & release. Anyway I better be off now readers, I have to study Carl Jung & Sigmund Freud for my TAFE community health diploma. Plus I have to pop a Viagra, my 48 year old madame teacher is dropping by later tonight for an all night study session. Enjoy.

Truly yours,
JB

Why are the fires worth more coverage/charity than the flood victims of Queensland? When did it become the norm for businesses to suggest where employees should spend their income.Has anybody else been advised how they could donate to this our greatest ever tragedy?

So many times it’s the arms length “helicopter” view - as Paul McGeogh refers to the Middle East saga - that helps bring light rather than noise.

So Jeff is being a bit harsh there saying self analysis of your own media sector shows you have nothing left to say. As always a question of balance - because as Jeff implies and my personal experience shows over about 15 years now, when you go in the field you always, always, always learn something new/unexpected.

The tabloids are quite good at getting ‘snapshots’. Others usually better at overall synthesis. Both are absolutely essential.

Co-operation between the two optimal. And yes I know, I would say that!