In Australia the “legacy media” are no longer a source of useful news, but actual political parties, dedicated to influencing, even controlling the behaviour of the electorate to suit their agenda. In an environment where these parties seriously competed there was hope of real news breaking through but now the 3 majors all sing from the same hymn sheet so everything they say is tainted and unreliable. The other media are each pushing barrows too and mostly their resources are so limited that they can’t be relied upon for anything beyond raw opinion. Readers/watchers/listeners are milling about in dark glasses in a pitch black room, bumping into each other, learning fuck all.
This topic is too vast for me to comment knowledgeably on - but my gut response is to agree with you. I am now 2/3 through Amy McQuire's just published Black Witness - and her critique of the role of "legacy/mainstream" media including in one of her essays of then ABC Lateline's Tony Jones and the paedophile rings of remote communities (thanks Mal Brough and the voice-disguised crook from his office)- leading directly to the undemocratic Intervention in the NT - is particularly enlightening - and not only on that case - but on other cases about which she writes. It is hard to trust any of the media names once Amy brings her formidable analytical powers to the cases. My own reading of the news is wide and independent - here in Australia and around the world. I would estimate at least 50% of the ABC TV's 7.00 o'clock news items I argue with - and as for 7.30 with Tony Jones' wife Sarah Ferguson - I switch off - unless Laura Tingle appears and has something to say.
The corporate media are not observers of politics, but players. This phenomenon is becoming more acute and increasingly prevalent.
As their business models collapse under the weight of utter hubris and the inevitability of technology-driven transformation, they revert to their core corporate raison d’être: make money for their institutional shareholders and proprietors.
As a consequence, our experience as ‘news consumers’ is exposure to a relentless campaign to influence the regulatory environment to their benefit. While this has always been the case to a significant extent, the sheer desperation of these corporations to turn a dollar / staunch the blood loss is unparalleled as control slips through their fingers.
It’s a painful interregnum, but quality journalism is still there to be found outside of the mainstream corporate drones and boosters. Your Sub is definitely one of them, Tim.
Thanks, Mal. I will, at some point, write about the media of the Weimar Republic. Remarkable similarities with what we have now, with completely different technologies. There were, for instance, are 4500 newspapers in Germany at the time, most quite partisan. It was an amazing environment and very recognisable. Point is: the more things change the more they stay the same.
I recently read an article by the author of the “Garbage Day” blog in which he said something to the effect of: fake news and AI is already becoming irrelevant as people are now thinking “well I know that’s not quite true, but it’s close enough to what I want to believe”. There’s a lifetime of discussion needed to dissect how that is going to pan out
I'm sure that's happening. My interest in AI is that I think the industry is heading for a crash but that doesn't mean the tools won't continue to be used and improve. I'm not convinced it changes anything fundamental; delusional politics has existed forever, long before there was AI. Scale is an issue, I guess. But there is likely to be a alternative force because of that drivng people back to local engagement. Your right: we will never get to the bottom of it, but we do have to find ways of doing politics better.
As we all have the attention span of a gnat these days your article is a little long, however ploughing through to last paragraph, I found you are one of few people who understand the birth of the community independents. Named 'teals' by taken-by-surprise MSM even though Indi went independent in 2013 and again to a different independent as well as my electorate, Warringah in 2019 and again in 2022. Then joined by 6 more and David Pocock in Senate at which time MSM could no longer write us all off as aberrations.
The seeds of discontent started in Warringah way before 2019 election when it was becoming evident to every thinking human being, especially most women and young people that climate change was rapidly advancing on us and that homosexual and transsexual humans existed in most families and friendship groups and had the right to the legal commitment of marriage if they so desired. Meanwhile our Liberal leader of 25 years, (blush) Tony Abbott was out there saying "climate change is crap" and refusing to vote for marriage equality on our behalf even though 75% of Warringah had voted YES in the ridiculous $22 million postal survey the LNP insisted we have. Highest YES vote in a Liberal, as we then were, electorate.
How did we know all this? social media. How did we gather the 4-5 separate groups which had risen up spontaneously in Warringah together and devise a plan? social media. I understand the legacy media want to retain jobs but the days of assuming politics in Australia is a two horse race with Dutton as one of the horses needs amending.
The length thing is interesting and I was actually going to write about it. My experience here--and it is matched by others I know on Substack--is that the longer pieces get better readership figures than the short ones. One of my most-read recent pieces was one of my longest, for instance, the one about Trump and Hitler. I don't know how to explain this, though I do know it is a fairly well-known thing. Even in unlikely areas like advertising. David Ogilvy--one of the original Mad Men--once famously said that "long copy sells". Interesting, I always thought. Agree with all you say about Warringah and other community independent seats. If you haven't seen it, my latest book might be of interest: https://www.amazon.com.au/Voices-independents-transforming-Australian-democracy-ebook/dp/B0BM3TDTXY
In Australia the “legacy media” are no longer a source of useful news, but actual political parties, dedicated to influencing, even controlling the behaviour of the electorate to suit their agenda. In an environment where these parties seriously competed there was hope of real news breaking through but now the 3 majors all sing from the same hymn sheet so everything they say is tainted and unreliable. The other media are each pushing barrows too and mostly their resources are so limited that they can’t be relied upon for anything beyond raw opinion. Readers/watchers/listeners are milling about in dark glasses in a pitch black room, bumping into each other, learning fuck all.
I think a lot of people agree with you, Peter.
Hopefully there is light at the end of the tunnel
This topic is too vast for me to comment knowledgeably on - but my gut response is to agree with you. I am now 2/3 through Amy McQuire's just published Black Witness - and her critique of the role of "legacy/mainstream" media including in one of her essays of then ABC Lateline's Tony Jones and the paedophile rings of remote communities (thanks Mal Brough and the voice-disguised crook from his office)- leading directly to the undemocratic Intervention in the NT - is particularly enlightening - and not only on that case - but on other cases about which she writes. It is hard to trust any of the media names once Amy brings her formidable analytical powers to the cases. My own reading of the news is wide and independent - here in Australia and around the world. I would estimate at least 50% of the ABC TV's 7.00 o'clock news items I argue with - and as for 7.30 with Tony Jones' wife Sarah Ferguson - I switch off - unless Laura Tingle appears and has something to say.
Good reminder, Jim, for me to get to Amy McQuire's book. She is one the best, another vital voice from outside the mainstream.
The corporate media are not observers of politics, but players. This phenomenon is becoming more acute and increasingly prevalent.
As their business models collapse under the weight of utter hubris and the inevitability of technology-driven transformation, they revert to their core corporate raison d’être: make money for their institutional shareholders and proprietors.
As a consequence, our experience as ‘news consumers’ is exposure to a relentless campaign to influence the regulatory environment to their benefit. While this has always been the case to a significant extent, the sheer desperation of these corporations to turn a dollar / staunch the blood loss is unparalleled as control slips through their fingers.
It’s a painful interregnum, but quality journalism is still there to be found outside of the mainstream corporate drones and boosters. Your Sub is definitely one of them, Tim.
Thanks
Thanks, Mal. I will, at some point, write about the media of the Weimar Republic. Remarkable similarities with what we have now, with completely different technologies. There were, for instance, are 4500 newspapers in Germany at the time, most quite partisan. It was an amazing environment and very recognisable. Point is: the more things change the more they stay the same.
I recently read an article by the author of the “Garbage Day” blog in which he said something to the effect of: fake news and AI is already becoming irrelevant as people are now thinking “well I know that’s not quite true, but it’s close enough to what I want to believe”. There’s a lifetime of discussion needed to dissect how that is going to pan out
I'm sure that's happening. My interest in AI is that I think the industry is heading for a crash but that doesn't mean the tools won't continue to be used and improve. I'm not convinced it changes anything fundamental; delusional politics has existed forever, long before there was AI. Scale is an issue, I guess. But there is likely to be a alternative force because of that drivng people back to local engagement. Your right: we will never get to the bottom of it, but we do have to find ways of doing politics better.
As we all have the attention span of a gnat these days your article is a little long, however ploughing through to last paragraph, I found you are one of few people who understand the birth of the community independents. Named 'teals' by taken-by-surprise MSM even though Indi went independent in 2013 and again to a different independent as well as my electorate, Warringah in 2019 and again in 2022. Then joined by 6 more and David Pocock in Senate at which time MSM could no longer write us all off as aberrations.
The seeds of discontent started in Warringah way before 2019 election when it was becoming evident to every thinking human being, especially most women and young people that climate change was rapidly advancing on us and that homosexual and transsexual humans existed in most families and friendship groups and had the right to the legal commitment of marriage if they so desired. Meanwhile our Liberal leader of 25 years, (blush) Tony Abbott was out there saying "climate change is crap" and refusing to vote for marriage equality on our behalf even though 75% of Warringah had voted YES in the ridiculous $22 million postal survey the LNP insisted we have. Highest YES vote in a Liberal, as we then were, electorate.
How did we know all this? social media. How did we gather the 4-5 separate groups which had risen up spontaneously in Warringah together and devise a plan? social media. I understand the legacy media want to retain jobs but the days of assuming politics in Australia is a two horse race with Dutton as one of the horses needs amending.
The length thing is interesting and I was actually going to write about it. My experience here--and it is matched by others I know on Substack--is that the longer pieces get better readership figures than the short ones. One of my most-read recent pieces was one of my longest, for instance, the one about Trump and Hitler. I don't know how to explain this, though I do know it is a fairly well-known thing. Even in unlikely areas like advertising. David Ogilvy--one of the original Mad Men--once famously said that "long copy sells". Interesting, I always thought. Agree with all you say about Warringah and other community independent seats. If you haven't seen it, my latest book might be of interest: https://www.amazon.com.au/Voices-independents-transforming-Australian-democracy-ebook/dp/B0BM3TDTXY