Comments on: Large earthquake, no-one local hurt

By: Tony Richardson

Tony Richardson — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 02:51:31 +0000

Sad eh?

I guess that’s why we have the ABC and SBS … but hardly anyone watches them.

By: Smithee

Smithee — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 09:40:42 +0000

Haiti is all very sad, a tragedy, a terrible disaster etc, but it’s an earthquake. All earthquake disasters follow exactly the same script and I’ve read about several dozen over the years now.

- There’s the initial sketchy reports where media guess at the death toll
- Then we get the “X country pledges X amount in aid”
- How can YOU help, donate here or here
- Death toll starts firming up a bit, earlier exagerations scaled back
- Aid not arriving fast enough
- Handful of Australians are dead / rescued / injured /missing
- Miracle survival tale after X days in the rubble
- No more expected to be rescued from rubble
- Aid not arriving fast enough (again)
- Final miracle survival tale
- Sad story of how many years it will take to recover
- Pledged aid hasn’t arrived
- Congratulations for returning rescue and medical teams

I’m not saying that this is any less of a tragedy, but it’s always the same script. I’m concerned but I’m simply not interested in saturation coverage.

And while this may sound like a cynical reader point of view, I can assure you the media view is even more cynical. The adore big disasters – the story is easy to fathom and the sales and hits are wonderful. The tsunami was the best Christmas the media ever had.

By: Outdoor Avenger

Outdoor Avenger — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 01:15:30 +0000

I am also disgusted with Madonna Kings interview on CH 9. She was elated when she spoke of the one aussie who’s alive while pictures of the horrors flicked across the TV. DISGUSTING

By: martin turner

martin turner — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:59:21 +0000

I can guarantee your average daily telegraph reader has never heard of Hati, and would have no idea where its located, so why do a story on a country unless Aussie battlers, or diggers were injured or trapped there?.Its the most parochial jingoistic rag, based purley on tabloid trash, sleaze, and nationalism, thanks David Pemberton for contributing to the stupidity of this country.

By: Darren the Waving Goat

Darren the Waving Goat — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 04:02:32 +0000

The Fairfax online news sites – where video of Darren the Waving Goat outranks footage of the earthquake aftermath – aren’t much better. Still, it’s much more fun to bash the Tele.

By: Fred Friendly

Fred Friendly — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:21:33 +0000

I’m guessing page 18 is the start of the “international news” section, no?

By: Sam

Sam — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:15:10 +0000

Madonna King’s summary on this morning’s Today was that the news out of Haiti was ‘heartwarming’ because an Australian aid worker phoned her concerned mother.

By: SimonB

SimonB — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 23:48:23 +0000

Just heard this on ABC Local Radio (don’t you love that tag, but that’s another story):

Incoming Presenter – “… the devastation in Haiti is terrible – although it only made page 12 of The West Australian.”

Outgoing Presenter – “Yes, very strange…”

So, we’re not the only ones who think it’s bizarre. Maybe it’s because there aren’t enough “good” pictures yet?

By: Nigel Preston

Nigel Preston — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 23:46:48 +0000

This is pretty amazing, and yet kinda understandable too.

Do people want to be told about happy / entertainment stories – or – people they’ve never met devastated or killed by natural disasters. Most DT readers will want to read about the first one, but feel obliged to read the second.

I don’t think there was a lot of resources coming out of Haiti and maybe they thought they’d have a bet each way with the Aussie. I had a read of their A Plus section this morning and it was really well written about Haiti.

By: Stephen Green

Stephen Green — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 22:54:38 +0000

Makes sense. There are two kinds of news readers and News already owns The Australian for those that care about world events. Particularly if they are looking to charge online for “Quality” news using The Australian’s masthead, what better way to drive the difference between the two services? If they ran with the same editorial standards, why pay for the Oz when you get the Tele for free……? If one heads for the AB demos and one heads for the suburbs, there’s a clear choice between your products therefore if you decide to charge for one, you can. If the editors seriously think their demo of readers would rather know what Prince William has for lunch than a tragedy killing thousands and thousands of people and they are right, then we clearly haven’t evolved as a society as far as I’d hoped.

By: Stuallrt Sheridan

Stuallrt Sheridan — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 22:49:53 +0000

This is hardly Mumbrella news worthy, and certainly not a surprise at all when you think of the highly localised nature of the Daily Tabloid.

By: What’s important at the Tele? – Pure Poison

What’s important at the Tele? – Pure Poison — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 22:16:57 +0000

[...] Mumbrella has an excellent post this morning listing the stories given higher priority than the earthquake in Haiti in today’s Daily Telegraph. [...]

By: larry

larry — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 22:12:21 +0000

At the end of the day, all the Tele editors are doing are giving their readers what they want.

No locals hurt, Haiti isn’t a tourist destination like a Phuket etc and most people don’t even know where it is. Hence – not a big issue.

Don’t believe me – check the Top 10 most read on the tele website

1. Cameraman hubby ditches Rahni
2. Hollywood star burnt his penis
3. Dannii Minogue is pregnant
4. Cops want Australia Day grog ban
5. New spin on Warnie’s break-up
6. Brave Jessica rounds Cape Horn
7. Is Ricky on the move
8. Kimmorley wants three more years
9. Michael Bisping’s diary: UFC in Sydney
10. Beach fun for billionaire baby

Just loving what editorial direction via pageview analysis is doing for journalism, as it means we are assured of only the very best content …

I’m sure we can all agree that the Internet over the last 15 years has improved our mastheads and their approach to covering what really matters tenfold.

By: Beaudacious

Beaudacious — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 22:11:11 +0000

Hear hear!

By: Lawrie

Lawrie — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 21:55:26 +0000

I don’t know what’s more woeful than the actual tragedy in Haiti – the lack of coverage in the newspaper or that people actually pay money to read what DT defines as ‘news’