Archive for category Media

Steve goes on the telly

by @FakeFielding on 12 March 2010
Categories: Media, Politics | Tags: , , , , ,

Last Monday morning I was sitting at home on the floor of my room, absolutely smashing the evil Decepticons with a double-pronged attack of Autobots and Voltron, when Susan came in to tell me that I had been invited to go on the television! Apparently, a guest due to appear on some show called Q&A had cancelled and the ABC wanted me to go on instead! Tears welled in my eyes because it was the happiest day of my life.

I immediately sent a text to Nick Xzennophone, asking him if he’d ever been on the telly before. He answered yes, so I asked if he’d ever been on the ABC before. He answered yes, so I asked him if he’d ever been on the Q&A before. He answered no, so I told him that I was going on Q&A and he wasn’t. I signed off, “Regards Steve”, even though I don’t really have any regards for him. Xzennophone can be such a media whore sometimes so it’s nice to get one up on him now and again.

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Your ABC and climate change balance – a tale of two pricks

by David Bonnici on 11 March 2010
Categories: Environment, Media | Tags: , , , ,

In 1998, while living in London, my 18-month-old daughter wasn’t feeling well and came out in a strange rash. The local GP had no idea what she had and referred her to the Great Ormond Street Hospital, one of the world’s leading children’s clinics.

The doctors were unfamiliar with Sarah’s condition, but further investigation showed she had measles. The delayed diagnosis wasn’t due to any shortcomings in the National Health Service, but because a vaccine had all but wiped out the disease and none of the doctors, including experienced pediatricians, had actually seen it before. Luckily Sarah had that vaccination, as part of the Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) injection, and while she showed the symptoms she never suffered the full effects, which could be deadly.

So why did my daughter get measles in a first-world city, two decades after a vaccination had all but eradicated it? The BBC’s policy of giving all issues and views equal measure regardless of their credibility had something to with it.

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The nude bomb

by Ross Sharp on 3 March 2010
Categories: Media, Society | Tags: ,

You are probably all familiar by now with the recent mass nude Spencer Tunick photo shoot at Sydney’s Opera House that appeared to go off without a hitch, and was enjoyed and applauded by all with no instances of gross perversions reported.

However, one Queenslander was so outraged by this event that he was moved to fire off a letter to today’s Sydney Morning Herald …

How many people were arrested for indecent exposure in a public place? From the lack of media reports, none. That the police allowed this disgraceful display calls into question their ability to enforce the law. Are they afraid to do that? That the citizens of this once great city appear not to have protested calls into question their level of support for immorality in their midst. This was not art, it was grubby voyeurism at its worst. – David Stevens, Sunnybank Hills (Qld)

To which I was moved to fire off a response …

Re yesterday’s letter from David Stevens of Sunnybank Hills, Queensland protesting the “disgraceful”, “grubby voyeurism” and “immorality” of the recent Spencer Tunick photo shoot, I would like it be known that I am not native to Queensland, I only work here. – Ross Sharp, (Qld)

You’ve no idea how many times over the past five years I’ve felt it necessary to point this out.

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Is there such a thing as “citizen journalists”?

by David Bonnici on 1 March 2010
Categories: Media | Tags: , , , , ,

There’s been some debate on Twitter during the past week about the role of so-called “citizen journalists” and whether they even have the right to be blessed with the J-word. This then went into further discussion as to what makes a journalist, a question that doesn’t really have a simple answer.

Working journalists would argue that their craft is specialised and comes with appropriate qualifications. But, unlike law and medicine, the little piece of paper you get at the end of a journalism degree or cadetship is by no means an exclusive requirement needed to embark on a journalism career.

I think the key to the whole debate rests in the definition of a journalist, which is someone who processes information, weeds out fact from fiction and then presents it a manner which is understandable and informative to the user. This is where the notion of the “citizen journalist” falls over when it comes to describing someone relaying information online via blogs, Twitter and other social media.

During the weekend’s tsunami scare I saw a tweet that could be described as citizen journalism:

CometDudeOur PA system in Okinawa Japan just announced Tsunami warning. evacuate to higher ground #tsunami #okinawa

This is the kind of classic on-the-spot post during a major breaking story that made Twitter famous. But is it journalism? No, it’s not.

  • Sure, CometDude is providing important information here, but where’s the detail?
  • What sort of tsunami warning has been issued?
  • Does the warning include an order to evacuate to higher ground, or is this CometDude’s own advice?
  • What is higher ground; the top end of the street or the summit of Mt Fuji?
  • And finally, how do we know this is even true?

Sure, there is a limit to what one can write in 140 characters, which makes the case against this being classed as journalism even stronger.

Simply relaying what you’re seeing, or hearing is not journalism, it’s Citizen Commentary, and no different to eyewitness sound bites we see on the news. If that is journalism than “Chk-Chk Boom Girl” Claire Werbeloff might as well join the MEAA.

It could be argued they’re reporters. But reporting involves a lot more than just relaying what you see. It involves gathering such quotes and checking them against other facts before using them in a package to present the story.

Ironically, this is being compromised in order to keep up with the internet. The result is information coming out through supposedly credible news sources before its verified, meaning that basic tenet of journalism, to weed out fact from fiction, is being sacrificed for the sake of providing up-to-the-minute content.

So, yeah, maybe one day the term Citizen Journalist will apply instead of Citizen Commentator, but sadly this will be because the standards that once defined true journalism will sink to its level.

3 Comments

Internet v3.0, a preview

by Ross Sharp on 1 March 2010
Categories: Media, Politics, Technology | Tags: ,

December 12, 2010

Re: Internet usage infringement notification

Dear Mr. Sharp,

Thank you for choosing iiNET as your service provider.

In accordance with current Federal Government Communications regulations, we are now obliged to examine the browsing history of all iiNET customers to ensure that appropriate community standards of decency are being maintained and that inappropriate, obscene, illegal or offensive material is not being accessed.

On October 14, 2010, you accessed a YouTube page containing the words “Adolescent Sex”. Before we report this information to the appropriate Federal authorities, we seek clarification about the type of material you were accessing and would request you contact us immediately to provide us with further information.

Kind Regards,
The Team at iiNET

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Everyone Likes a Usefull Invention

by Trevor McDonald on 25 February 2010
Categories: Media, Site news | Tags:

To keep in the spotlight of the Public one (me) has to punch through the various form of technology that surround us. Edison did it with the wireless then Florey did it with the Telephone, then Philo Taylor Farnsworth (I googled that) did it with the tele and Ron Jeremy did it with the Beta Max and Which leads us to the Internet That Al Gore invented (i googled that too) and Kevin Rudd did it with the dial up Internet (which I think is great because I can click on a page then go to the fridge, get a 44oml Woodstock bourbon can and drink it and come back and my email is almost loaded). Now I have invented something…  wait until I finish my fucken introduction.

Now there’s only one bloke who is more popular than me, has more fans than me, has been arrested and sent to jail more than me, has more de factos than me, drinks more piss than me, has been admitted to hospital for drinking more piss than me, has more Topical Debates than me,has written more novels than me, has recieved more death threats by Mick Gatto than me, has been abused with more obsenities than me and has appeared on Dancing With The Stars more than me. And that bloke is Hinchy or Derryn or The Human Headline.

Before Hinchy gives his Topical Debates on the wireless he types them up on his IBM and then reads them out on the air. It’s a little trick he uses to make people think he is doing it off his cuffs. Which brings me too my invention:…. (Drum Roll).

I would like to announce this press release via this Website that I will be making what is called a TrevorCast. When ever I feel the world needs to hear my editorials I will type them up and read them out to what is called an MP player. I don’t know How to send that out to the Internet but I can mail it for a small fee.

Stay tuned to that dial.

Trevor

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Why are Youse Surprised?

by Trevor McDonald on 25 February 2010
Categories: Media, Society, Technology | Tags: ,

Don’t get me wrong (because Im never wrong) but the two recent terrible tragedies involving our youngsters have been shocking and heart wrenching for their families and towns/communities. But you know what gets on my goat about the whole thing (apart from the evil little cunts who done it) its the fucken Facebook dedication pages.

Now In my time if you had died your mates and you step mums would put the hat around and put some death notices in the local rag. Now with the generation of the internet (Facebook) people can leave dedication notices on purpose specific Facebook (forums) outlining their grief and emotions (with grief appropriate emoticons too). While there is nothing wrong with this what gets on my quince is that people are surprised when these Facebook Dedication Pages are infiltrated by all sorts of nasty characters and hyperlinks (links that you click on to go to what is called a ‘webpage’).Like, what the fucken hell does you expect. You know like the real life, that the internet is filled with all sorts of nasty things and people who use the internet. Put something in the paper instead you know.

Plus I said to my ex defacto recently that if I died that I don’t want a Facebook dedication page. Just like I didn’t want her to dedicate love songs to me on the Fox FM.

A more important Topical Debate is Does You Think Steven Conways Internet Filter is going to stop these gallutes spamming Facebook Dedication Pages?

Youse be the Judges:

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Dickhead of the Year Award Already Won

by Trevor McDonald on 17 February 2010
Categories: Crime, Environment, Foreign matter, Media | Tags: , , , ,

Compare and Contrast:

1. Gob from the hit DVD show ‘Arrested Development’ decides to become the centre of attention and breaks into jail and gets locked up then let out. Gains notoriety by featuring on the cover of coveted magic magazine “Poof”. Everyone laughs.

2. ‘Captain Bathune’ formerly of the decapitated ‘Ady Gill’ decides to become the centre of attention and breaks into the Japo whaling ship to perform a ‘Citizens Arrest’ on the Caption of the ship. Gains no notoriety, no front page, is a prisoner for the at least the next 2 months with no soap-on-a-rope. Everyone laughs.

Being a topical debator who can weigh up the twos and fros of port and starboard in both sides in a debate I would like to ask some pertinant questions in the ionosphere of the Internet. One being who gives a flying fuck about the Ady Gill dickhead? Two being did he watch the famed Police Academy movie “Citizens on Patrol” too many times? And more importantly, where are the David Hicks fan club and Get Up when he needs them?

Now, this whaling business is all over the news channels. And the Japs are being harpooned in our media for killing a fish. So? When Wayne and I did a tour of Werribee zoo when we were kids we hadn’t been fed by Wayne’s step mum for a few days. We saw an antelope walking around with a wound in it’s side and a bit of blood. Wayne and I were following that antelope around with our tongues hanging out waiting for it to drop dead so we could bring something home to eat. Did Africa try to put a citizens arrest on us? But I digress sort of.

Now I’m glad this hilarious tale of Captain Buffoon hasn’t been followed too much in the media and the David Hicks fan club haven’t rallied demanding Buffoon’s release. I hope those Japs are serving threee square meals of rare endangered whale for breakfast, lunch and tea. Maybe he will be released looking as fat as David Hicks. Further in the excellent Herald Sun article it’s investigative journalist also notes that Captain Buffoon handed the Japo Captain a bill for a cool 3 million. Is this where I insert the imaginary typewriter joke? LOL.

To sum up this debate I will like to end with a quote from the article in question:

“[Buffoon] opened the door and walked into the wheelhouse… that’s the last we’ve heard from him” a save the whales home and away actor said.

As the internets would say; Sea Shepherd FAIL, Captain Buffoon FAIL, Ady Gill FAIL, Debt Collection FAIL and Whaling WIN!

This is Trevor signing off.

Trevor.

7 Comments

iFad? No, iVerydisappointed

by Bob Dumpling on 1 February 2010
Categories: Corporations, Media, Music, Technology | Tags: , , , ,

Well the iPad has arrived but can you hear that noise? It’s the sound of Apple losing their shit after reading Alan Kohler in Business Spectator. Yep, worse than David Pogue ranting about AT&T or another Hitler/Downfall video bemusing on the lack of camera & multi-tasking… the worst has happened. Alan Kohler is disappointed in the iPad.

It seems Kohler already bought a Tablet (like an HP or something, whatever “the iPad looks like just another tablet computer”) and hated it… and having filled his home with iMacs and Macbooks, he really hoped for something extra special. But the iPad, from what he has seen, fails to live up to his high-technicolour dreams.

Worse still, Kohler is pretty sure that the iPad is not going to save newspapers. I know that’s what we all hoped for, in fact, for as long as I can remember Steve Jobs has always said that more than anything else, he wanted to ensure the ongoing stability and prosperity of global media enterprises.

So the ‘Tablet’ (which he insists on continuing to call it post-keynote) must indeed be a bitter pill for Alan Kohler to swallow. But if this article with it’s infantile, “I hate the way the world is heading, where’s my mummy?” tone makes you want to stab something… lock up your kitchen ware because that other giant of Australian business journalism, Michael Pascoe wrote an absolute doosey last week.

Pascoe thinks Apple is “an IT gadget company” with the temerity to (I know, this is incredible) over charge innocent Aussie consumers.

As far as reality denial goes, this is an extra special article. I’m sure you have heard of Melody Gardot? I hadn’t but I live in the suburban equivalent of an iron lung so to me any cultural reference point is like mainlining speed. Anyway, Ms Gardot has a massive is on the cusp of a massive singing career which is being totally hampered by Apple iTunes Australia’s barbaric pricing structure. I know, it’s shocking. Read it and embrace the rage.

But seriously, this would be valid were it not for the teensy-wincey fact that Australian’s are used to being rogered by music publishers, book publishers and all sorts of other protected entities. The other fact that our elder statesmen of Australian journalism can dabble a bit in the world of tech-journo and appear so out of touch, makes me disappointed that the death of media isn’t all that deadly.

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Just when does it become “un”?

by Scott Bridges on 25 January 2010
Categories: Media, Society | Tags: , , , ,

On the 26th of January each year the countries of Australia and India both celebrate their national days. I’m spending this particular 26th on the subcontinent, observing Republic Day activities which will this year allow Indians to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the creation of the independent Republic of India. I’ve spent enough Australia Days at home to know what’s going on there: everyone’s chilling out in their own way, enjoying the last real fling of the summer holidays before work starts back proper; and the media’s gone into super-patriot mode, re-hashing all of the usual tired cliches about how awesome Australia is and what it means to be Australian (hint: starts with “B” and ends with “BQ”), while a significant portion of the population cringe just a little bit. In recent years, especially around Australia Day itself, there seems to have been a growing gulf between those who love Australia to death and those who the former aggressively dare to leave if they don’t love it. The latter simply want to point out that it’s possible to love your country and acknowledge its faults at the same time. It’s curious that a day intended to unite Australia tends to somewhat divide it instead.

In the ex-Portuguese territory of Goa, an opinion writer by the name of Joe D’Souza, writing in the Herald, has written an honest report card on the country he loves, and I’m wondering what the reaction might be if a similar article appeared in an Australian paper.

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