I found an interesting artical from media watch last week on the state of "news" from the commertial stations, in this case channel 9 http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2290097.htm On the day that Glen McGrath's wife died of breast cancer the top 3 stories on 9's "news" were 1) A refreshed and invigorated looking Kate Nielson and Wayne Carey have opened up to 60 Minutes about their dysfunctional and at times dangerous partnership. a blatant advertisement for 60 minutes 2) Schapelle Corby's mother is flying to her bedside amid fears the convicted drug smuggler will harm herself as she battles severe depression in hospital. Her hospitalisation coincides with tonight's screening of part one of the Nine Network documentary about her arrest, trial and imprisonment. A blatant advertisement for another show on 9 and finally number 3) Jane McGrath has lost her decade-long struggle with cancer. The wife of Australian cricket great Glenn McGrath succumbed to the disease at her family's home in Sydney this morning. finally an artical which really was news 60 minutes and today tonight are even worse, i wish the ABC would move there news and current affairs show (the 7:30 report) back to the same times as the commertial stations so that i could actually watch some REAL news
(Insert title here) In the United States, people have long expressed concerns about state-owned news media, fearing something akin to the old Soviet propaganda machine. Yet, strangely, with three private broadcast network news systems (ABC, CBS, NBC), and several cable-based news channels (CNN/CNN-HN, FOX, MSNBC, CNBC), our best television news is the News Hour on PBS, and public radio (NPR, APM, PRI, BBC World) offers some of the best news coverage available in the U.S. And while the BBC, like the American public news media, is not perfect, it sure as hell beats the most part of England's tabloid news. A question, though ... was Jane McGrath famous for anything other than being a bowler's wife and cancer patient? Was her battle with cancer something the public was experiencing in a drawn-out, cathartic manner? I mean, condolences to the McGraths, of course, but what makes it that much bigger news than Corby's mother trying to help her suicidal daughter? I mean, what am I, from my removal across the Pacific, missing here?
actually she was the founding member of one the breast cancer suport services after she got her own. So no it could be argued that it wasnt that big a news story (though from the amount of sympathy letters ect that were sent to McGarth and there children i could dispute that) but it sure was bigger than "A refreshed and invigorated looking Kate Nielson and Wayne Carey have opened up to 60 Minutes about their dysfunctional and at times dangerous partnership." To be honest this is not the reason i dont like using 7,9 and 10 as news stations, its just a symptom of the problem channel 7 has a "current affairs" show called today tonight. A while ago they ran a story on how hard it was for young people to get work, the public took one look at the kids they had used as there "face of the problem" and turned against them as "dole bludgers". Today tonight rather than having ANY sence of right and wrong went on to do another show where they "found" them shit jobs aproxamitly 1840km from there homes and friends\family in the gold coast and then ridiculed them when they refused the work. Since then i have refused to watch any commertal news Oh and i do lission to NPR "all things concidered"Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Its played on ABC news radio tiassa you should really read some of the other stories on media watch, you will get a kick out of themPlease Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
The only problem I have with PBS and the BBC is when they attempt to do reports on science related issues. Many lovely assumptions and many really big egos on their part. That being said, you listen to NPR? Good God that's dull.
