Reflection on Gillard and the media

[freakiness]

Dennis Muller writes about ethical lapses by journalists

disclosure: academic not political writer

I have posted the first part of the article. 

http://theconversation.com/ethical-lapses-by-journalists-contributed-to-gillards-demise-15595?utm_me...

An integral power of the media is that of portrayal: the act of determining how people, events, ideas and organisations are described to the public, and therefore how they are perceived by the public. In this way, the media constructs for us our understanding of the world beyond our personal knowledge and experience.

For those of us who have never met Julia Gillard, our perceptions of her are based almost entirely on what we see, hear and read of her in the media. These perceptions are then reflected in public opinion polling, and the publication of these poll results tends to reinforce the perceptions. It becomes a self-perpetuating cycle.

Eventually, in this case, the poll results got so bad that Gillard’s parliamentary colleagues replaced her as Labor leader with Kevin Rudd.

So of course it is true to say the media played a part in the demise of Gillard as prime minister. The harder question is: did the media play a part that was ethically wrong?

Some elements of the media, notably commercial radio talkback shock jocks Alan Jones, Ray Hadley and Chris Smith, clearly did. Their depictions of, and remarks about, Gillard were disgustingly offensive. Not only were they sexist, extremist and malicious, but in Jones’s case involved encouragement of the idea that the prime minister should be dumped at sea.

[izabsmiling]

just as well I don't consider your continued judgement and instruction worth as much as you want me to

[nevynreally]

Whoever is in control of the ID at this time doesn't seem to be aware this ones about posting C & P's and not about confrontations.

[izabsmiling]

are you accusing me of having other people post with my id Nevyn ?

[izabsmiling]

I'll leave you two to what you do well ...though you may not do it to well without a target

[izabsmiling]

The article discussing the journalist ethics in relation to Gillard, that's all.

It's an interesting and accurate take on what happened.  That'a all.

The media can say that it is their job to impartially report what people say and do. This is true. But it is a failure of impartiality to suppress relevant available facts – in this case the known nature of this office-packing activity.

Impartiality is not achieved by passive neutrality. It is achieved by giving as full an account as possible, fairly and on the basis of an independent-minded assessment that gives due weight to all the available evidence.

The News Limited newspapers, especially The Australian, long ago gave up any pretence of impartiality in the coverage of national politics. They provided a regular diet of content calculated to turn voters against the former prime minister.

The Fairfax newspapers generally tried harder to be impartial, but there was a remarkable turnaround last week. The Age – as if its own pre-occupation with polls and personality politics had nothing to do with it – came out with a vacuous and hypocritical front page editorial saying that Gillard had to go, otherwise the voters would have no chance of focusing on the issues. Really.

While the mainstream media were thus engaged in their own systemic failings, elements of social media were sordid beyond description, wallowing in pornographic depictions of the prime minister and making slurs of the most degrading kind.

Fortunately the mainstream media kept well away from this material, but it showed how the licensing of vulgarity in public debate can lead to magnified crudity in social media. This, in turn, can create an atmosphere in which even lower standards of public debate are tolerated.

The media’s role in the demise of Julia Gillard as prime minister was complex. Part of it was a consequence of the media just doing its job. But part of it also was the result of ethical failures. These included crude abuse and incitement to hatred on commercial radio talkback, while among other mainstream media the failure of impartiality, failure of contextual accuracy, and the willingness to exploit rather than challenge debased public discourse.

yes it's about the media

[poddster]

Lol Iza, it's permanently upset, a perpetual bad day at work :^O

OMG !!! I actually aree with you. but it wont become a habit 😉

[poddster]

Kevin Rudd's new cabinet packed with women

The Labor expriement goes on, will the never learn?

[poddster]

Its called realism 🙂

[*notatroll]

Poddster, with your implied criticism of the appointment of women to cabinet, you are in danger of being labeled a misogynist. Just sayin'

[poddster]

Poddster, with your implied criticism of the appointment of women to cabinet, you are in danger of being labeled a misogynist. Just sayin'

That is a distinct possibility.

My comment is based on observation though, just have a look at the past history of labor women in high profile roles. Bligh, Kernealy, Gillard, McKew, Gidding....etc

The labor experiment to take the grating edge off its past Labor/Union image has been an epic fail.

Call me what they may it matters not 🙂