There’s been plenty of talk in recent days about the role of media in the coronavirus crisis. And much talk about what constitutes an essential service in these extraordinary times.
So, please allow me to speak plainly: an independent, Australian-owned media company such as Private Media IS an essential service.
Why? Because:
- It is essential that we report without fear or favour;
- It is essential that skilled journalists — and analysts — keep asking and answering difficult questions;
- It is essential that we respond to what you want and need to know.
So, we are asking for two things from you:
- Let us know what you want to know — and what we can and should do better;
- If we come up with the goods, please help us by subscribing to Crikey.
We are fighting to survive these times. All our staff and management are making sacrifices. We have so far only made modest changes to what we do: we’ve created a popular new newsletter, COVID-19 Watch, and put Bernard Keane’s Side View on ice
(Please don’t worry: we’ve haven’t iced Bernard himself. He’s still an integral part of what we do. And we hope to have Side View back soon).
We can see and feel the daily toll and the rising sense of stress and insecurity, not to mention the job cuts. We understand that pain.
This crisis will cut hard and deep but one day it will be over.
What will be left? What do you want to be left?
The Reserve Bank and federal government have talked about building a “bridge” to the other side of the crisis.
What do you want to see on that other side?
I know what I want to see: I want to see a thriving, independent and robust Australian-owned news media. I want to see governments, authorities and those will power held to account. I want to see the media held to account too.
Demand for what we do is running high. Thank you. You can help us even more by encouraging others to subscribe — or by subscribing yourself if you haven’t already done so.
Crikey is 20 years old this year. We have every intention for being around for many, many years to come.
We need your ongoing support to be able to do that. If you like what we do, please subscribe here.
What will be left? What do you want to be left?
Good Question PF !
I want Crikey to be left. I prepaid my subscription, so my side of the deal was delivered in advance.
I want these emergency powers removed from Statute Books. We have suffered decades of excessive power claimed by governments which then frequently fail to deliver on essential services.
I want Australian Federalism revisited. It can no longer deliver even clarity of distinction between State and Commonwealth.
I want fundamental omissions addressed. A Bill of Rights for Australian citizens was overdue in 1920. Antitrust legislation was overdue about fifty years later and we have been gouged by oligopolies. We have allowed ourselves to be distracted by trivia dressed up as fundamental national issues.
I want our elected officials held responsible to their electorates (and not to party whips).
I want High Court appointments to be solely on merit.
I want our Ambassadors to be appointed from the professional diplomatic corps.
We need to reinvent ourselves very fundamentally.
Cut the China bashing would help.
Yes I like what you do and I aleady subscribe to all your services. I will encourage others to subscribe.
Sandy Logie. Ditto. I will encourage others to also subscribe.
On the other side of the bridge I’d like a media that demands answers from those in power and is not satisfied until it gets them. Start with Scotty from Marketing, who never answers a difficult question and, somehow, never has to.
I want to see all independent media survive, the MSM today is merely the propaganda mouthpiece of government. Even the ABC today sounds like the Voice of London.