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The Forum > Article Comments > Oprah, Wikileaks and 'J'Accuse'! > Comments

Oprah, Wikileaks and 'J'Accuse'! : Comments

By Virginia Small, published 21/12/2010

Politicians are reluctant to show any support for the media when it takes an adversarial role.

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Virginia, I think you are drawing a very long bow in making your case that the “hard at work” journalists have to “face down utterly dire consequences”

That our politicians were “more than willing to be seen supporting” Oprah Winfrey is explained by the fact that we, the taxpayers, coughed up millions for the privilege of hosting her and her contribution to tourism. That said, our media is “bound” with entertainment and is nothing new. In fact it could be said that our failing media is too close to all of its news subjects.

Not sure I could agree that Julian Assange is “representing the Fourth Estate” Given that his revelations are focused upon “scientific journalism” which seeks to publish that which journalist either will not present truthfully or perhaps at all. In addition it is clear that much of the MSM and public broadcasters are doing a great “hatchet job” on Julian. So how can you claim he is representing journalists when he is demonstrating their failures and being attacked by them?

Our media is now so closely aligned with the self interests of politicians, entertainment, industry, commerce, charities, conservation, human rights and social engineering issues that for most, all credibility has simply evaporated.

It is long overdue for journalism to reclaim its professional status and it cannot do this by releasing news items and relaying the opinions they have been given.

Journalism does need to get off the leash it’s on, it is time journalism was a watchdog, it is time journalism was hard at work, it is time journalism stopped producing “glossy reports”, it is time journalism earned the right to “freedom of the press” and it is time journalism did something threatening enough to face the “utterly dire consequences” to which you refer.

There is no reason to threaten compliant journalists, so most have absolutely nothing to fear.
Posted by spindoc, Tuesday, 21 December 2010 11:28:07 AM
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I think I am in agreement with points you make. My main observations about journalism today are its uncritical acceptance of the information it is handed, the pressures to entertain and the lack of historical context in which the news should be placed. Sometimes, sadly, news isn't news.
Posted by VMSmall, Tuesday, 28 December 2010 6:18:18 PM
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