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The Forum > Article Comments > And the ABC’s Drum beats: shoot the Wikileaks messenger > Comments

And the ABC’s Drum beats: shoot the Wikileaks messenger : Comments

By Jennifer Wilson, published 14/12/2010

Exactly what narrative is the ABC working to produce about Wikileaks? Shooting messengers is a tawdry and unintelligent occupation.

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Jennifer you make some valid points.
It is only now that the media and to a lesser extent political parties are catching up with other more astute and courageous commentators.
The collective inability of the media to put the heat on Howard, Rudd, Gillard and Abbott is staggering to say the least. Reporting on mining, climate change and water appears beyond them.
Having said that, I was on The Drum on 7 December and made many of the points you claim have been lacking from the program, particularly relating to WikiLeaks and Julian Assange. Other guests were Monica Attard and Chris Berg. The producers and Steve Canaan seemed relaxed with my presentation.
I do not get the impression that the ABC has any agenda other than that recently articulated by the Managing Director that in order to secure funding you have to be able to give what the government wants.
If you have not already seen the Drum program of 7th Decenber I urge you to watch it.
Bruce Haigh
Posted by Bruce Haigh, Tuesday, 14 December 2010 8:55:46 AM
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Here is a link to Scott Burchall's piece today in the Drum, looking at the possible psychological reasons why MSM have failed to adequately cover the Wikileaks story.

http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/42176.html

JenniferWilson
Posted by briar rose, Tuesday, 14 December 2010 9:38:18 AM
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Thanks Bruce, I did see it and I heaved a sigh of relief.

As Scott Burchell's article today in the Drum acknowledges, there have been some brave outspoken commentators.

Nevertheless, overall it's been a bit of a shocker..

As you point out, to secure government funding you have to be able to give what the government wants.

I guess Mark Scott said everything when he made that observation.

Jennifer.
Posted by briar rose, Tuesday, 14 December 2010 9:42:58 AM
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Jennifer,

Thanks for the article.
I'm also interested in the kind of rhetoric employed by the media on this issue - and its use as a subliminal tool. For my mind, the commentary seems to be all over the place - as if the mainstream media is attempting to come to terms with a (perhaps) permanent shift in the rules of the game. We'll have to stay tuned for that one.

I also note that the Drum site hosted the open letter to Julia Gillard.
Posted by Poirot, Tuesday, 14 December 2010 9:56:42 AM
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I realise I ought to have acknowledged in my article that the Drum has presented and continues to present well-argued points of view that are supportive to Assange and Wikileaks.

The problem is, when something oppositional appears, it is inevitably built around character assassination of one kind or another. I object to the ABC offering this as balanced reporting. It isn't balanced reporting. It's character assassination.

The ABC's chief online political reporter needs to lead with un-baised, serious attention to the Wikileaks story. If the CPR can't be bothered to take a serious look at it, it implies it's not of much consequence to the Drum.
Posted by briar rose, Tuesday, 14 December 2010 10:08:37 AM
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Jennifer
Thanks for your article, it is useful for us who are not completely in the media loop.
But MSM? wtf!

Re narcissism & megalomania: to which media moguls could these descriptors not be applied?
Dan
Posted by Dan Fitzpatrick, Tuesday, 14 December 2010 11:03:38 AM
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