I want to believe in our media. I believe the craft of journalism to be an extraordinarily important thing.
It is a critical part of our democracy. And it distresses me that I am so critical and that it has so deteriorated.
I believe that most journalists believe in their craft. And many are good. The institutions they work for have morphed and twisted so much to adapt to a changing world without being able to catch up, that the quest for market share has become so much more important than reflecting back and challenging our society, our culture and the issues that beset it.
So I am heartened tonight to discover this piece, a speech written by Mark Scott, the managing director of Australia’s ABC TV and radio. He is reflecting on the Australian election and the role played by media. By social media. How it could change. For the better.
It gives me hope.
Though we have to focus on our media.
Here’s an excerpt. I urge you to read the piece
The ABC hosted Jay Rosen for a day while he was recently in Australia. He is always good value on the role of social media and the nature of politicaljournalism – in some ways quite a contrarian – and full of encouragement about things we could do better.
He had two suggestions for the ABC, which we are exploring and will likely pursue.
The first is to provide more background, detail and context for members of our audience who are coming fresh to complex stories: like an ETS, or the NBN, or the operations of a hung parliament. The ABC has a role as a patient explainer of these complexities, to help people catch up with the conversation, understand what is being said and to make a contribution if they wish. It plays nicely to our Charter role to provide an educational service to the community. It makes policy more accessible and can bring important issues into the mainstream.
And Rosen said we should plan more thoroughly and consult more widely around what national issues are at play in an election campaign. Long before the campaign starts, talk with the community, engage with experts, undertake polling, think about national challenges: the immediate and the far-reaching.
Charter? What’s that? Planning? Backgrounding, education? Explaining complex issues? making policy accessible? Conversation? Golly. Doesn’t really feel like our media.
Hat tip @abcmarkscott (twitter)
hehehe
I would just like to point out that most of OUR media is owned by Australia. :p
Sounds good
, damn insomnia 
Damn this world where people use you and suck you dry!
Yes Clare it is annoying when the media is all in clamour about the South Canterbury Finance Bailout. When we would much rather ignore it.
Not everyone has ostrich as their middle name.
I’d like to ignore it but now my money is invested in it. Oh the irony of a Tory government nationalising businesses.
@Andy
Stay on thread. Clare
Let’s hope social media does make a difference.
Rosen has blogged on what he calls the Citizens Agenda and how trad media can discover it – excerpt:
The URL for Rosen’s post is http://journalism.nyu.edu/pubzone/weblogs/pressthink/2010/08/15/citizens_agenda.html
Hi Clare ( flower smile).
Awesome, Clare. Like, such amazing craft of writing you possess. You’re wasted in Parliament with this: “morphed and twisted so much to adapt to a changing world without being able to catch up, that the quest for market share has become so much more important than reflecting back and challenging our society, our culture and the issues that beset us.” I mean, like, I don’t understand it, but, like, I don’t have a BA in anthropology. Trevor, I bet you are jealous.
sort of a shame Labour never did a thing to strengthen PBS when it had a chance then isn’t it? unless you think the TVNZ charter made a difference
ms coddington… are you having a bad day? i fail to see the point of that blog. unless this is just you taking the opportunity to work on your catcalling in case the national party decide to let you back on their list.
if it is, the material needs work. not obnoxious or arrogant enough. good try though.
hang on… aren’t you supposed to be one of those journo’s? or is that your alter ego.
sprout.. considering the huge mound of dross that needed removing before any meaningful progress could be made i’m surprised they got as far as they did.
Any
Surely you are on thread.
Socialising investor losses ( many large investors) seems very relevant discussion.
Other areas are being cut.
Plunket would thrive on a whiff of that lolly.
@Deborah Coddington Was going to ignore you. But seeing as I haven’t seen you comment before I thought I’d say it’s good that you did. Not much more to add really as I think your comment was beneath you. Would like it if we could have a serious discussion
@John W @Chris73 @Andy Linton I think you are right. Andy was on thread. It was Chris73 who set me off. I was having a bad day. On reflection I think I was wrong.