Media and justice

The screening of television programs depicting real life events isn’t a new thing for Australians. Actual occurrences in our society have been used as the basis for TV series’, telemovies and films for many years. It seems nothing makes for a sure hit than the putting into film, an actual event that has moved us in some way.

Examples that spring to mind include the movie “Pearl Harbour” and more recently the highly decorated television series “Underbelly”. The fact that the events that occurred in these productions were real, undoubtedly contributed to their success. While this would seem fine in most cases, the ethical lines can become blurred when events depicted in these films or television programs are still before the courts.

An article by Michael Pelly in The Australian explains that a telemovie about the murder of Sydney model Caroline Byrne is likely to go ahead despite an “imminent” appeal from her convicted killer. The screening of “Underbelly” presented a similar scenario in which certain people depicted in the series were also still awaiting court ruling for alleged crimes.

Many would argue that these individuals don’t deserve to receive fair treatment because it appeared their guilt was beyond reasonable doubt. However, our judicial system identifies individuals as innocent until proven guilty. The power of media to sway public opinion is well known and like it or not, a well-produced movie or television series may influence even your own.

Appeals processes can be nauseatingly long processes and in this particular situation could delay the release of a telemovie for a period of time. However, the judicial process has to be regarded as of greater importance than the release date for a telemovie. Please don’t misconstrue my view as being at all sympathetic for those who commit these heinous crimes. My point is if hypothetically, an individual were depicted on screen as having committed the crimes he or she is alleged to have done so, when in fact he or she was actually innocent, it would be extremely unfair on this person and may affect their chances of receiving a fair trial. It is important an individual’s legal rights are upheld ahead of any commercial interests.

Newspaper Article: Caroline Byrne show to go ahead

Image Source: The University of South Australia

Blogging- the new phenomenon shaping our news

Web logs or “blogs” for short have exploded in popularity since the turn of the millennium. They have provided anyone with internet access and basic computer skills to broadcast their thoughts, feelings and experiences for the world to see. Blogs give the opportunity for us to interact with people all around the globe who share similar interests or whose posts strike a reaction in us in some way.

A relatively new concept that has spawned from the emergence of this new phenomenon is “citizen” or “grassroots” journalism. This concept uses blogging to publish announcements or descriptions about things occurring around us in real-time. These days “breaking news” can often be found on someone’s blog far sooner than that of major news outlets. Sullivan (2002) claims “Blogging is changing the media world and could, I think, foment a revolution in how journalism functions in our culture' ...[it might represent] a publishing revolution more profound than anything since the printing press”.

The style in which blogs present news is different to that of traditional media. While major news services broadcast information to an audience via one-way communication, blogs are designed to attract and encourage social comment. Gillmor (2004) states “Grassroots journalists are dismantling Big Media's monopoly on the news, transforming it from a lecture to a conversation”. Bloggers invite the audience to be a part of stories through expression of opinion and commentary. Traditional news services have realised the growing popularity in this style and have begun to invite viewer comment at the base of stories in their online formats.

Citizen journalism through Blogging provides an alternative version of news than that of mainstream media. However this can be a double-edged sword. Information published through blogging may be more accurate as it may come from an eye-witness first-hand, or it may be biased or inaccurate due to the author not bearing the responsibility to his or her audience a professional journalist does. What is for sure is that the use of blogging for citizen journalism is an attractive concept, as many believe society has become susceptible to manipulation as a result of the stranglehold large media companies have on the industry. And while I believe there will always be a need for professional media, everyday citizens will continue to have more input to our news.

References:

Gillmor, D 2004, "We the media: grassroots journalism by the people, for the people", O'Reilly Media, Sebastopol, California, viewed 29 October 2009

Sullivan, A 2002, "The blogging revolution", Wired.com, viewed 29 October 2009

Departing Australian Press Council chairman hit's out at publishers

The Australian public has always enjoyed a love/hate relationship with the media. While a vast majority of us consume some degree of mainstream news, it seems ironic that so many of us are quick to criticise the publications we welcome into our daily routine.

The Media Entertainment Arts Alliance Code of Ethics states journalists should “report and interpret honestly, striving for accuracy, fairness and disclosure of all essential facts”. I believe most professional journalists who have survived in the industry for any real length of time genuinely attempt to adhere to this code. However, through their endeavours to break stories as quickly as possible, inaccuracies do inevitably find their way into the news. Regrettably, these inaccuracies sometimes form the core of a story, wasting the time and money of news outlets and leaving the public feeling betrayed.

According to The Australian, retiring Australian Press Council head Ken McKinnon expressed his concerns over current ethical standards in his farewell chairman’s report. McKinnon delivered a bitter parting shot at publishers for failing to ensure “accuracy, fairness and balance” and calls for a review of the accountability of editors.

In his final report, Professor McKinnon identifies three recent examples where incorrect or unchecked information has been used for a news story. The first being the “Utegate” scandal "which led to a barrage of media attacks from both broadsheets and tabloids on the Prime Minister on the basis of a single unchecked, forged email". The second example is the fiasco surrounding Pauline Hanson and those supposed photos of her posing semi-nude in her younger years, and the third concerning the questionable media frenzy over NSW minister John Della Bosca’s fidelity. Professor McKinnon refers to the news value in this story, questioning whether there was real public interest in an otherwise personal matter.

So do news outlets deliberately place commercial benefit ahead of substance and accuracy? Or is it that the global media industry has become so competitive that it is simply too difficult and time-consuming to check up on information before publishing a story? Journalism ethics is an important issue for both publisher and consumer. Journalists and editors alike need to take responsibility for the words and images they publish because at the end of the day, credibility and reputation are paramount for the survival of any hard-news publication.

Article: Parting shot as press chief quits

Image Source: Australian Press Council

Welcome to Edward's Media Blog

Thank you for visiting my very first weblog.

Over the coming weeks I will be taking a look at current media issues. Through analysis, I will be providing summaries, reviews, and personal comments and opinions on issues relating to print, online and broadcast media matters. Content for analysis will be sourced from such publications as The Australian's Media section, ABC Radio National's Media Report, and The Guardian's online supplement.

Feel free to comment on any of the issues published in my posts.