I wanted to write a post about an item on tonight’s edition of MediaWatch (an ABC program here in Oz), I intended to link to the MediaWatch page but the relevant content isn’t up yet. The main story on MediaWatch tonight was about the commercial stations reporting on African gangs in Melbourne. These prime time news programs claimed that gangs of Africans were roaming the streets, causing trouble, raiding bottle shops and scaring the bejesus out of everyone. The news items co-incided with a decision by the Government to prevent African refugees entering Australia until the middle of next year. The MediaWatch team found that the stories were completely fabricated, the ‘witnesses’ were misquoted and mis-represented. On closer inspection, it was easy to see that the video evidence that was used to support the story – on various channels – didn’t even feature Africans! How can this happen? Worse still, what percentage of commercial news viewers watch MediaWatch? Not many; they are still under the impression that Africans gangs are running Melbourne suburbs. As the original eye witness said ‘this is a gang issue’ not a ‘race issue’. This fair minded commentary was obviously ommitted from the news coverage because it didn’t fit with the broader political agenda. How are we supposed to have faith in global news agencies and news producers when this type of manipulation is occurring at the local level?
I believe that the above is partly a reflection of commercial broadcast media in Australia, which is at worst racist and bigoted and at best peurile and pointless. Take Alan Jones, who fails to disclose his personal interests (which are in the millions of dollars) while positioning himself as the ‘voice of the people’. Link to this MediaWatch story for more on this. In the end, all Australians suffer…while those in power manipulate and spin to suit their own self serving agenda.
Just Another 24 Hours 
I believe the media in most countries are manipulated by those in power. What we see on tv is shaped by the prejudices of these people and their point of view, which is always bigoted and racist.
Unfortunately, the majority of the population:
– do not have the ability to form their own opinion because they only read Woman’s Day or at most, the local newspaper and watch ACA/TT religiously
– are racist and bigoted themselves, which means no amount of education or travel will help
That’s rather a dire picture you paint of the majority of the population, which opens up an issue too big to tackle here. I find it depressing that the media, which is supposedly one of our checks and balances perpetuates racism and bigotry but also that it does it with such blatant disregard for the powerless…