Sorry guys and gals

This blog line proves conclusively that The Forum can be little more than a collective masturbataorium. Fancy looking to The Guardian as a guide! Even in a country dunny, it would be unacceptable - try the Independent. The poverty of our press is self-evident and you only have to follow the Shanahan/Kelly line on the ALP leadership to see a demonatration. (I see they've changed Shanahan's photo image - the constipated look giving way to a sick smirk). It's all froth and the herd swallow it uncritically.

If all we are going to get is a society of the (agony Aunt) distressed and complainers, playing lovely-dovey with each with blogging, rather than addressing the issues of a government/press oligarchy, then it is time to say good-bye, The intellectual bankruptcy of some contributors doesn't do the idea/reputation of OnlineOpinion any good at all. Do you all blog on the sick, sorry and limited New Matilda as well?

I know it's Christmas and we all get matey but the problems of this country will still be there when we gradually emerge from our collective festive stupor in Feb-March 2007. It is an election year and time to rid ourselves of infestation by the lackeys of Murdoch and Packer.

And a Merry Christmas to you all - watch out for grumpy cops acting as tax collectors.

Good work Peter,

Was it George Bernard Shaw that once said that once war is declared, believe the opposite to most of what you read, then the rest is questionable? Anyone is free to correct me on that general quote, its not even verbatim.

Anyone who has lived in Europe since the war in Iraq, knows, that what they read in their papers and see on their televisions, is vastly different to what we read and see. Even Canadian journalists have more freedom of speach than ours do.

The Internet has at least given us some intellectual breathing space.

The failure, is more a culture and regime.

What is currently happening in the circle of "media ownership" should smell the rat that it always was.

Shame on the Liberal parties Communications minister, that held a straight face whilst changing media ownership laws.

It was written all over her face in a press conference after the decision was voted on, that the Media owners would expand their interests into rural areas and other, such as radio, as they did.

Journalism no longer upholds truth and integrity, because it can't.

The drunken outburst between two media writers at the journalists awards just about sums it all up.

Suebdootwo
"Journalism no longer upholds truth and integrity, because it can't." Can't what? As in any longer?
More wishful thinking than fact I'd say. Newspapers have always projected their own view and supported their own interest above all else. Distributing information regarding events is how they make money, choosing from which angle they project that view is how they get and keep their targeted readership. Even the most basic statement like "the sky is blue", promotes a differing of opinion and even sharp arguement as the depth and hue and tint of blue is debated.
This attitude of political correctness that demands to be all things to all people equally has also infected the reporting of the news and public opinion. We only need one newspaper and one opinion and it's understandable that one company or person controls that distribution of that thought. We can't have one person being right and another said to be wrong. That's not fair. The sky isn't blue. It's blueish. Everyone is right. Even the coloured blind.
If something exist it must be torn down to make way for the something new. That something new doesn't need to be any different or better or more efficient, just something new. Selling dissatisfaction is the name of the game. Designed obsolesence. Cars, trucks, values, morals, ethics, people, it doesn't matter.

As a retired grain farmer and breeder, thought Peter's excellent
thesis pertaining to the failure of Australia's political media, might take in what should be the worst media crime of all, the suppression of news by order of a ruling political party.

Bad enough to obey orders to suppress vital news in wartime, but this action was about a weakening of our Bio-Security trade laws, as a result of the Bi-Lateral Trade Agreement with the US.

It was through the SBS Dateline programme that George Negus first arranged the graphic report about a shipment of suspected Foot and Mouth infected Brazilian carcase meat landed in NSW, and to make matters worse, the meat was reported just simply buried in a city dump rather than destroyed with the recommended acidic treatment process. Burrowing reptiles could have brought out some of the meat portions to be carried away by scavenging crows, etc.

Dateline also included angry reports from a a couple of cattle breeders in Queensland, and which gave me the incentive to make comment into our Online. As time went by with nothing in the media and my OLO Posts not commented on, rang up SBS to see if George Negus had been sold a pup at the time, as they say. But the SBS operator was so quick with an answer which was simply - we had to quieten it down - gave shocking realisation that it was news that had been ordered to be officially suppressed.

After two attempts trying to get information through our OLO, felt like giving our group away as an organisation weakened by some sort of official surveillance until I received a ring from a Queensland journalist who said he had had a gutsfull of trying to get his report in the news also on behalf of Queensland cattle breeders.

Finally, the amazing thing is that even my own grandkids who are now running the farms, thought it best to keep quiet because they have been told by Liberal Party members, not to upset the government over the foot and mouth scare.

For a citizen who for 6 years has been trying to get a matter exposed so that the Government Department responsible can have the light shone on them and those responsible can be made to answer and held accountable so as to change behaviour and attitude, I think places like On Line Opinion makes a huge difference.

It seems to be up to the media to expose matters as the Government only acts on what is exposed and the process of dealing with allegations and complaints is to ignore, discredit, cover up, close the matter and deny.

For some reason the media keeps away from some issues and is not interested in dealing or reporting on some matters.

At least if a person can say their piece on On Line Opinion and feel that they are being heard, if only by some it really is a needed avenue and outlet. It beats taking drugs.

Six years ago was the first time I went to the media with a story of systemic victimisation, bullying and educational neglect aimed at my children and the media outlets all either said that they were not interested or just turned on me. I have tried many times since then but because nobody will help my family the victimisation and neglect aimed at my children hasn't been stopped.

http://jolandachallita.typepad.com/education/