* * * *
Once, just once, I'd love to see one of these presenters bailed up in the same hostile style they love to unleash upon unsuspecting alleged conmen. I imagine it would go something like this:
* * * *

That has already been done, google John Safran vs Ray Martin.
If someone hasn't put that up on u-tube I'd be amazed.
For the record Ray Martins wife went troppo and Ray couldn't take being on the receiving end of his own antics. It never aired because Ray phoned up the ABC and threatened legal action or so the rumour goes but media watch aired about 30 seconds of it, comedy gold.

Husmusen

BOAZ_David, if you post quotes from books and articles, provide a reference to the work and its author, please.

In any case, Cronulla in the 21st century is not the colonial goldfields. Do you believe that a mercenary mob of fortune-seekers 150 years ago set the gold standard for law enforcement in civilised, first-world Australia?

There are leaders and there are followers. It's not the followers that are the problem. There is no such thing as mob rule. It is about those that rule the mob, and always has been. You get the leader you choose to follow and if your Muslim or Christian or liberal or conservative or what ever identifier you need... well, it's all down to your leader isn't it....can't blame it on the sheepple.
Of course if you don't have any convictions it's not likely your leader will either.

I remember a segment from the "Frontline" TV series that explained how Current Affairs TV isn't about journalism - it's about emotions.
"We want to cheer for the battler, be angry at the pedophile".. and so on.

Now they include those insidious and meanlingless phone polls, to make viewers feel that they somehow have a direct involvement with the story and to raise some extra cash on the side.

Somebody else once said "you are the product". They don't sell the product(story) to you, they change you to suit the product.

Ideally, all the facts should be presented and in a way to allow you to make up your own mind. What we get is a trial/verdict/execution process that tries to influence public opinion under the guise of informed comment.

The Safran-Martin encounter was pure gold and I hope that it gets a reprise.

Another similar expose is long overdue.

The electronic whorehouse is want to portray anything it can to make bucks/ratings. This goes hand in hand with the sanitisation and 'perception management', force fed to us from government and vested interests.

Truth can never get in the way of a 'good' story, it just isn't in their ethics (when they can get away with it).

Why even have Google/Yahoo/Independent news sources ?? - when we can get all the 'real news' we need from Packer/Murdoch/Fox outlets. More cathode ray therapy to dull the senses and any dissentions.

May your god help us when the new ownership laws have begun to weave their magic.