Questions about Clare the bogan say a lot about eroded trust
For what it’s worth, I think Clare Werbeloff is, in all her bogan glory, exactly what she appeared to be.
Despaite the intriguing questions raised by Justin Polites of Starcom MediaVest, I think Werbeloff’s brilliant deadpan commentary on how she witnessed a shooting in Kings Cross will turn out to be genuine.
But I think we are witnessing a legacy of the Naked / Witchery Man furore of earlier this year.
Whenever a news story emerges virally, cynical questions now end up being asked. The assumption, from journalists and even a proportion of the public is that somebody might be hoaxing them.
When Mumbrella broke the story of an intruder regularly breaking into The Marketing Store and stealing food overnight, much of the debate ended up being about whether it was a hoax on behalf of their cereal client. It ended up with Doug Chapman, boss of The Marketing Store, being quizzed by an exceptionally sceptical David Koch on Sunrise. It was true, by the way.
Then there was the Twitter meeting at the Hilton, which news.com.au’s Andrew Ramadge became convinced was a stunt for a mystery brand (worked out that it was indeed just a PR stunt for the Hilton yet, Andrew?).
And now there’s Clare the bogan.
I think the chances of her successfully being in the right place at the right time, then hoaxing the news crew, then it being picked up by the media are pretty slim.
But it says everything about the trust the public now have in viral news that we’re even thinking about it, doesn’t it?
Tim Burrowes
Linkedin
I dont know whether to hope it’s true or not, the “wogs” comments and these comments being published on Nine MSN unedited has been very damaging to Aussie abroad.
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Totally agree with Julian.
I’m really embarassed that an otherwise tolerant, multicultural and increasingly globalised city is this week represented internationally by a racist bogan.
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Is she related to the Ms Werbeloff at this Channel Nine function?
http://www.newsphotos.com.au/I.....m=97060433
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“But it says everything about the trust the public now have in viral news that we’re even thinking about it, doesn’t it?”
Replace public with digital media industry … I don’t believe the overwhelming majority of people really analyse nor care about things like this.
All the Witchery thing has done is make some online commentators/bloggers etc want to be the first to expose a company not being transperent because it’s topical at the moment.
i think michael might be onto something… google shelley and clare Werbeloff… i think they may be facebook friends…
wasnt it nine that pushed her into stardom…..
“Is she related to the Ms Werbeloff at this Channel Nine function?
http://www.newsphotos.com.au/I…..m=97060433″
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Damn. Lost my next blog as it’s already here!!
Agree with you Tim…I think there is a level of mistrust out there now for anything which may seem too ‘popular’ or organic. But I also agree with Ben, as well as a level of mistrust, there also seems to be cynicism in online circles and a need to expose a conspiracy.
IMHO – could it be that things like this are latched onto (thus becoming an online and mainstream news sensation) because the Australian public are sick to death of the ‘bad news’ – GFC, floods, fires, wars… and simply want something to distract them, if only momentarily? If this is the case, it perhaps offers a case study for how PR can get traction for a client at the moment, less of course the shooting a man’s leg part.
As much as it hurts, I think Claire is really Claire. Willing to eat my words though…
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I think it’s very easy to pull a hoax.
Lat week the media were desperately trying to find a kid who was filmed riding on the back of a train in Melbourne; it was huge news in Victoria.
A friend of mine sent about 5 different emails to the Herald Sun telling them it was me. He let it go for a while and when nothing happened he rang me and told me what he did. About 2 hours after that my phone rang, I picked up to hear “hi, it’s **** from the Herald Sun. Mate we know it was you on the train”
I was about to tell him the truth but came out with “how did you know it was me?”. I then did a 15-20 minute phone interview where the reporter repeatedly asked me to apologise to the police and public.
I thought that would be the end of it until around 2 hours later when I was leaving for the train station. Mum offered to drive me and when we got to the top of the driveway she yelled “who’s that woman with the camera?”
I went and spoke to the Herald Sun reporter and photographer and told them that “Wayne” had gone out and wouldn’t be back.
The paper was going to run with the story until my Mum found out. The reporter rang to speak to me one last time and she answered the phone. Damn!!
That’s why I don’t believe anything I read in the paper. The major newspapers in Australia are now just blogs with a big budget.
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I really want to believe that her story is neither true or a media hoax.
She is just a funny girl, just having a laugh.
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The fact that a hoax is so easy to perpetrate says a lot about the standards of journalism and the race to be “first to press” before all the necessary checking has been done. Some anonymous person with a camera and an internet connection serves a role, but they are not a journalist and that should be stated upfront by the outlet so the public can make an informed decision about the validity and trustworthiness of a report. Should also be stated if there’s a relationship between the people behind and in front of the camera.
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I myself, like most Australian was initially shocked then bemused by Clare Werbeloff, recollection of the event.
I thought she was naive but cute and like most Australians have the ability to look past the naive and to laugh at ourselves.
The line was clearly cross the amusement has turned to anger when I discovered that the apparently eye witness report was false. I am astonished that Clare Werbeloff could find it so funny, making up a story like that, as a 27 year old man laid on the ground fighting for his life.
I wonder if she would find it funny is that was one of her family members lying on the ground!
Well done Clare Werbeloff, you’re a disgrace to Australia.
Even worse Channel 9.. What pathetic reporting !
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True, cannot wait for Clare’s hilarious next trick – maybe dressed up in a sheet making racist remarks outside someone’s house and burning a cross?
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