Former Australian of the Year Grace Tame got blue-tick Australian journos out in force on Twitter yesterday defending their deadlines when she questioned why outgoing Liberal Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells’ explosive exit speech to Parliament wasn’t on the front pages of every paper yesterday morning.
This criticism from the outspoken advocate seemed to get on a lot of media people’s nerves. Journalists from Nine papers, 10 News and Australian Community Media were quick to defensively jump in and let Tame know that they were covering it, it just occurred way past deadline, and that her comments were “not really reasonable”.
Tame later tweeted a correction, saying “it should be the leading story across news outlets nationwide”. But that she “stands by her sentiments”.
So did it make the front pages today? Well… kinda. If you count former prime minister John Howard’s take on the whole thing — leading with it all being about “personal grievances” — as covering the speech as front-page news. Spoiler: a lot of Twitter does not count it.
So, is it corruption and collusion that kept Fierravanti-Wells’ valedictorian speech off the front pages, or just that Australian media still sits within an archaic system where what is considered “newsworthy” is shaped around a printing press with daily deadlines? Gosh, two great options.
Well, time will tell, as Crikey’s Bernard Keane points out.
Tame’s response to that? “Let’s count them, Bernard.”
Watch this space.
To whoever chose Grace Tame to be Australian of the Year for 2021 – I dips me lid. She was an absolutely inspired choice and is a gift that keeps on giving. As an almost 81 y-o Australian women I am in awe of her continuing calling out of the political and media dinosaurs who dominate our landscape.
Good on you MJM.
We do like Grace Tame.
She calls a spade a spade…
We do indeed. She keeps people on their toes.
If there is a scorned womens party by next election it has my vote. Grace, Concetta, Julie Bishop, Julia Banks, Christine, Brittany. How many more. Perhaps Christine Holgate can buy Scotty a watch, to let him know the time is the 21st century.
Caucus room discussions would be interesting ….
All those women in sync with the moon. Give them AKs.
Crikey should set up a graph on their home page with two lines plotted – one for Kitching starting on the day her death was announced, and one for Fierravanti-Wells starting from the day after her speech (just to be fair) – hopefully it could be updated in real time and dots (signifying articles) along the graphs should be colour-coded as to ‘news’ organisation and (if possible) contain a link to the relevant articles
Was it a mere 370 pieces on Kitching? It seemed like a lot more.
Would it count as different pieces if the verbiage was the same and just shuffled about?
As seemed to be the case.
absolutely
this one should run all the way to the election.
we aer certainly not being served at all by the MSM. I dont read it and wouldnt waste my money, but I heard Murdoch’s lot didnt even mention it and keep spoiuting that Scomo’s going well. What a load of rubbish . . .
I am really over the Oz MSM (this is not directed at you guys, Crikey).
I would love to see, one day, and soon, an ICAC-style thingy focussed on them, in an attempt to stop the rot and try to restore faith in what is a vital organ of our democracy.
You’re never going to get a perfectly balanced media landscape, but there is a huge difference between having a few sh*t stirrer journos, and openly tolerating an industry that has largely unashamedly given up on all their professional ethics.
We wouldn’t let this level of corruption go on in our police force if it was public knowledge, i don’t think it should be tolerated in our press either. And it’s not hard to see that if left untreated, it’ll just get worse. USA-level insane.
Journos and editors collaborating with the government and Uncle Rupert, should be made to sweat under some tough cross-examination, to explain their dubious decision making, and with luck, get hounded out of the profession.
Honest, investigative journalists should replace them.
Am i living in fantasy land that one day, this problem with the Oz MSM could be fixed?