Greens leader attacks ‘biased and unbalanced’ reporting, backs independent journalism
Bob Brown, the leader of the Greens, has attacked newspapers in Australia – particularly News Limited – and called for a tax breaks to support independent not-for-profit newspapers, in a submission to the media inquiry.
In his submission, Brown wrote that since 70% of print media in Australia is owned by one company – News Limited – there is “inherent censorship” in the press.
He slammed the “corrosive influence on democracy” of corporate power in Australia, and said that editorial opinion, “necessarily biased and unbalanced”, has spilt into news reporting and headlines.
It is my submission that the profession’s ethics are, in important aspects undermined, that the public esteem for the news media is depressed and that the concentration of ownership, at least of the print media, is corrosive of the fabric of Australian democracy and ought to be remedied.
Brown suggested that a not-for-profit journalism model, introduced in the US in 2006, should be backed in Australia. This would lead to more investigative and indepth journalism, he noted.
However, Brown conceded that it was difficult to gauge the cost of such a scheme, and “further work would have to be done in this regard”.
Brown also slammed the media’s code of ethics as a “hollow vessel” and backed an increase in resources for the Press Council, as well as a change in its structure.
He said:
A body that is majority funded by the industry it serves, particularly when the industry is dominated by a sole proprietor, does not have the best funding model for ensuring independent and impartial judgements and policies that are in the public interest. I urge consideration of a joint funding model for the Press Council to secure a degree of independence from both those it represents and the government.
Bob Brown talking about ‘Corrosive influence on democracy’. Give me a break.
Of the nearly 150 members of the House of Reps elected to at the last election all but one promised the Australian people there’d be NO carbon tax. But because ONE Green candidate was elected we now have a carbon tax. NOW, THAT’S WHAT I CALL A CORROSION OF DEMOCRACY.
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LOL.
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There’s also Singo’s 2GB(S), bullshitting the battlers for big business mates. Radio licensing laws insist on balanced coverage on controversial issues. It beggars belief how Singo and his Gillard bashing rot-jocks have kept their broadcasting licence? If the ad industry had any integrity, or balls, they would boycott the station. But that ain’t gonna happen because negativity pulls listeners. What’s the answer, anyone?
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“Corrosive influence on democracy” of corporate power in Australia. He’s not wrong. Just look to see how the mining tax fares in parliament, despite being supported by a majority of voters. Or the pokies tax. Or the completely distorted views proffered and funded by corporate interests (and their right-wing attack dogs in the media) on climate change.
Indeed, we are a long way from being the clever country. The monopoly News have sits at the heart of our problems.
Love or hate Bob Brown, he’s the only political leader in this country that is free to say what needs to be said. The other two clowns have become puppets for the interests of a powerful few.
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Green with anger – you forget several independents, but you also forget how gypped a lot of Greens voters must feel when in the lower house 12% of Australians voted Green in 2010 yet they only have one seat. The National Party got 3% yet have 6 seats, the Libs 30% yet have 44 seats. Yes, thats our electoral system. Count your lucky stars its designed to suit a duopoly. Heaven forbid if we had proper democracy.
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Exactly my point Citizen Stupid. By your own logic there should be NO carbon tax.
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But Green with Anger there is a carbon tax because a majority of our parliament voted for it. And if it wasn’t for a vicious about-turn by the media (News, basically, as Fairfax didn’t really change its pro-action stance) against action on climate change, the greater population would still support something like a carbon tax like they did from 2006-2009. Its a hung parliament and this sort of thing will happen; we got the government we deserve.
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This bloke is a Dill. But that’s not news.
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Bob – please don’t confuse poor quality journalism with quasi censorship. Just because the easy, appealing road is taken, doesn’t mean that people are restricting alternate views… otherwise you yourself would receive nothing more than lip service.
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what a crock! Anyone who disagrees with the Greens is biased in their eyes….why don’t they start their own newspaper, one that agrees with everything they are saying…best make it an online-only version though
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please let the next election come soon…..please!
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‘m hardly an avid reader of the Telegraph, but if someone wants to buy it and read it, then who am I to criticise?
And who’s to say that Independent Media can’t be biased as well?
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“Citizen Stupid” – the powerful few you refer to are actually Bob Brown and the ‘independents”….so your argument could be construed as being so left wing as to have you coming full circle, so to speak.
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Simon – you are one of the besieged voices of mainstream Australia are you? The mighty left-wing conspiracy powers having silenced you for too long. Wake up mate. If you think that the powerful few – big mining, big media, big pharma etc – don’t hold massive sway over the Libs and the ALP, frequently despite public interest, then you are deluded.
Yes, Adam Brandt and the Independents are a powerful few. But further to Don’t Believe The Hype’s facts above, you are very lucky that there aren’t a lot more Green MP’s given how many Australians vote for them. Bob Brown and the Senate Greens are not a powerful few, they are a wholly legitimate representation of Australia’s voters.
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Were all the decent journos taking a day off at the races yesterday or was there some other horsing around in the media stables when Julia went on the attack and Abbott was scrambling to come up with a suitable alibi on the Qantas debacle. Despite the nation’s airline grinding to a halt and occupying front page headline stories for the past few days, when question time turned to cast a dark shadow on the opposition, particularly Mr Abbotts inability to answer a question, the nation stopped and so did the political articles on smh.com.au or news.com.au It was only after seeing the full report on SBS news that I searched and found a few buried articles on what seemed like one of the most interesting question times in a long time…. Would it have been a frontpage headline if the prime minister was unable to explain herself? I’d say so judging by the barrage of headlines against the government over the last few months, or possibly since the election. I believe amongst all the festivities of the Cup we may have overlooked what seems to be another obvious bias in online news. So yes I agree with Bob… lets get a body, which at least sets out to be independent, and hopefully remains true to name… enough horsing around!
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Runaway horse – can you point me in the direction of the question Tony was asked?
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The only thing you can believe in the Murdoch press is the Melb Cup result. Anything else and you have been manipulated!!!!!!
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‘green with anger’ @ 10.02am must have missed this in
The Australian before the last election.
Julia Gillard’s carbon price promise
by: Paul Kelly and Dennis Shanahan From: The Australian August 20, 2010
http://www.theaustralian.com.a.....5907522983
“JULIA Gillard says she is prepared to legislate a carbon price in the next term.
It will be part of a bold series of reforms that include school funding, education and health.
In an election-eve interview with The Australian, the Prime Minister revealed she would view victory tomorrow as a mandate for a carbon price, provided the community was ready for this step.
I don’t rule out the possibility of legislating a Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, a market-based mechanism,” she said of the next parliament. “I rule out a carbon tax.”
This is the strongest message Ms Gillard has sent about action on carbon pricing.
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I find it astounding that I meet people who watch Nine news and take it as Oath. This country has serious media issues and I agree with Bobby B: it needs to be sorted.
Media aside this country has serious issues. My local pub, is not a pub. It is a casino.
Thank goodness for the Independents and Green. The ALP and The Libs are a disgrace.
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Won’t vote for the greens myself but always amused by the MSM’s glass jaw.
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Sorry, but I totally agree with Bob.
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