Comments on: Hanson photo affair undermines the right to know

By: shane

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

Gawenda is right. The photos and their purpose are disgusting. But these stupid photos are not necessary any evidence of freedom excercised by the media. It’s a clear example how not very independent media can be manipulated , particularly during election campaigns.
Mr. Gawenda, we do not need any extra censorship. We have more than plenty of ‘moderators’ and ‘concerned citizens’ and ‘community groups’ in this country ; that is why newspapers are getting less and less popular and the hoi polloi more and more turns to the Internet to get more info.
Media are not necessary independent in this country but they may be a very powerful tool for those who have the power to manipulate them. You should know it better.

By: Colin Clark

Colin Clark — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Michael, I dont think most people hold journalists in low regard. Crikey’s ratings wrap each day shows tabloid currant affairs programmes to be hugely popular. The ‘journalists’ at these shows are the bottom end and people can’t get enough of them or the ‘scoops’ they contrive, eg, wrapping a granny up in chains and putting a padlock on her then blaming someone else. People who watch these shows - and they are very much representative of mainstream Australia just aren’t interested in the matters of your discussion. It is an argument played out to a small minority and while the public maintains an appetite for sensationalist tabloid TV affairs programmes questions of standards and ethics will continue to be a sideshow to the main event.

By: Edward James

Edward James — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Michael. Perhaps the fact that Irene Moss chaired ICAC for some time made some of us feel she had little to offer so many oif us?. Fairfax and News Limited have been perceived in the recent past to do as they please by most of us. I self publish when main stream wont run it.. I am amused to watch main stream media taking a flogging now because their advertising revenues are drying up and electronic publications like Crikey.com and Sydney Independent Media among many others including blogs are taking over. Certainly world news still has a place, but cutting edge local news cant wait around for papers to be inked and distrubuted. The days of Gutenberg are finished long live Gutenberg. Many journalist will still find a place to hang their words on a line in a way that is attractive on many levels, but the hundreds of reporters being shown the door must mow compeat with everyone who has a camera and laptop. One important thing which has happened is papers can no longer run bulshit and get away with it. just consider the front page of my web site http://gosfordcouncil.tripod.com/ and ask yourself what the Express Advocate was thinking whennit distorted the truth ? Edward James 0243419140

By: L McIntire

L McIntire — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Michael Gawenda fears “that for most people, the Right to Know Coalition is just a group of self-serving media types who want to publish and broadcast whatever they damn well feel will sell papers or boost ratings and that all this talk of the media's role in safe-guarding democracy is just so much claptrap.” He’s right about that but that’s not all. A large number of people also see nothing but hypocrisy in the journalists (especially the relatively new fangled “FOI Editors”) whose demands of others are the opposite of the rights they claim for themselves.

They declare, from their position of public power, that public servants who (perhaps thoughtfully and correctly, perhaps carelessly and incorrectly, but always subject to external review) apply privacy exemptions to the release of government documents are hiding something (at the best embarrassing, at the worst illegal) from the public, while asserting as a matter of principle and ethical practice that they themselves should never, ever have to reveal their own sources. Yet all the reasons why freedom of information to government information is a good thing also apply to freedom of information to journalists’ information. Let journalists be subject to requests for access to the documents and notes of conversations that they relied on for their reports and opinion pieces. Let their sources be subject to checks and verification. Let members of the public, whom they claim to represent, be able to hold journalists to account like they hold politicians and public servants to account. Of course there should be exemptions on the grounds of privacy and confidentiality. Let the same tests for these apply that are applied to government information. And let there be the same rights of external review of appeals against exemptions.

I’ll support the Right to Know Coalition when it sees the public interest being as much served by the media being subject to the same disclosure and the same protections that they

By: Bob Deane

Bob Deane — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

While Mr Gawenda is correct in his piece-he confirms how the tabloids have frighten gutless politicians into groveling to editors and requesting in triplicate the exact height required to jump when commanded.

It should have been the role of a politician to drive "right to know" issues ala Hanson in the pursuit of cheap headlines. If Gawenda, Hartigan and other journalists out there really beleve the great unwashed publc thinks their intentions are pure and honourable they have rocks in their heads.

We know what you guys are up to,!. Those of us who sat and watched Australia march into a illegal war to kill thousands of innocent Iraqi citizens, urged on by the complient and warmongering media (New Ltd the main offendor but all the others took their part) are ell and truly over what passes for news. Get used to it guys-the party is well and truly over.

When Peter Breen said "his job was on the line"..we know he meant if he didn't sell enough copies of a topless phoney Hanson, he was toast. He succeeded and then went on a cowardly attack at all others apart from himself. The public just aren't that silly.

As Max Mosley said-the tabloids are purveyors of soft porn and have destroyed lives.