The students are revolting (but entertaining)
In its final edition for the year the University of Sydney’s student paper Honi Soit has become a satirical tome. Its target? The Australian.
Titling itself ‘The Austrailan’ the front page screamer: ‘Rupert Murdoch Dead at 85’ is accompanied by an article written by ‘Sarah Murdoch’ where it is claimed which the tycoon died from a “rare venous disease” caused by “an excess of power running through his veins”.
Then, after a fairly straight biography, the piece finishes: “Oh my god. I don’t know what to say right now. I’m feeling a bit sick about this… No, I’m so sorry about this. Oh my god, I don’t know what to say. This was a complete accident. It’s some other old geezer called Rupert. I’m so sorry. It’s just some other 85-year-old man called Rupert who’s died. I’m so sorry. It was fed to me wrong. Oh my god. This is what happens when you have breaking news, folks.”
Students put together 16 pages, including: a directionally instructive crossword;
A story about a Fairfax journalist who quit after reading the paper and being disappointed with the number of typos;
An article by “Peter Dutton” claiming a night on Nauru is “better than living with mother-in-law”:
International politics is tackled with headlines such as the Brexit-themed “Britain to pop by the EU to pick up a few things”, “North Korean peasants tell UN inspector ‘everything is fine'”, and “Donald Trump’s best friends revealed”, two of whom turned out to be Vladimir Putin and the university vice-chancellor Michael Spence.
The commentary section was perhaps the most colourful of all, with contributions from “Chris Kenny” titled, ‘I am Australia: the ABC doesn’t need diversity, they need more stories that matter to me, Chris Kenny’.
“Bill Leak” also contributed a cartoon:
With their student days drawing to a close many students are looking to the future and where they might be able to secure their first jobs in what they hope will be a long and fruitful career.
It seems the editorial team at University of Sydney newspaper Honi Soit aren’t keen on a future in journalism – at least not at News Corp.
Call me old but I don’t see the humour in this. Uni students are about as funny as a fart in a lift.
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Brilliant. Saw someone reading on bus this morning, had people photographing the headline. Great stuff – gave many a communal giggle.
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Anonymous, maybe you are old; I certainly am, but I am old enough to know that student satire, not always funny, is rarely without a trenchant point, and at least a snack for thought if not wholesome food.
The charming thing about student humour, is that it nearly always highlights the joyful reckless abandon of youth which more often than not, counters its arrogance.
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@Anonymous is that you again Rupert?
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