The editor of Melbourne’s distinguished daily journal of record, the Herald Sun, was quoted in his own newspaper today as saying the reason he decided not to publish the names of two AFL footballers allegedly involved in a police r-pe investigation was because it was a “moral issue”. Very worthy, except for the fact his newspaper named the players almost a day earlier on its website. The reason it published those names, apparently, was because a radio station decided to name the players. The “moral issue” therefore morphed into a commercial issue, and morality lost.
Last week, the Herald Sun‘s even more distinguished competitor The Age (which has named the two footballers after explicitly not doing so until they were named on radio), did some naming-and-shaming of its own. It chose to prominently feature a story on its website, and later in its newspaper, about the son of a former Victorian premier who, it diligently reported, “has been arrested after being found asleep” and “being drunk” in a public place. The Herald Sun also reported this news and named the former premier’s son.
No one, it seems, is now exempt from being named and degraded by the Australian mainstream media in its quest for being noticed. Almost no element of privacy — let alone civility — is any longer off limits for once-respectable tabloid, broadsheet or magazine mastheads.
Footballers charged with nothing? Name ’em. A 23-year-old who happens to be the son of a former politician? Name ‘im. Anyone, no matter how obscure, whose actions are likely to titillate readers? Name them all.
This growing mountain of sludge, comprised of hypocrisy piled on invasion of privacy piled on amorality, is inexorably oozing in just one direction: towards tough new privacy regulation or legislation, which will be introduced to the sounds of widespread applause from everyone except a few editors who think they can spray around words such as “moral issue” and be taken seriously.
Quite agree. The sooner privacy legislation is introduced the better.
Yes I find it interesting that you are now taking this line but then you are a victorian based newszine.
I don’t recall you lot or any one else standing back over Stewart and John both of whom were tried by Media found guilty and vilifyed,though in Stewarts case he has been now found not guilty.
But I dont see a couple of Rugby Union writers saying sorry either to Stewart or Hamer And the Eagles women who believed he did not do it.
As for Johns Group sex may not be your or my cup of tea,but the NZ police did not act on the matter,so no case to answer,till 4 Corners got hold of it,now will 4 Corners conduct a searing examination of the AFL as they do of the NRL,not on your life they wont might upset the AFL and various AFL supporting members of the ABC sports shows
Yeah, but what if you’re a “journo” with your own “dirt” on other journo’s?
Or a “media owner”? Or a relative of one?
the hun hasn’t been a newspaper of record for donkeys years, and it’s only distinguished by its immorality as evidenced in the case to hand.
The Age also seemed quite reluctant to disclose their relationship with Mitchell and 3AW during the affair.