Tag Archives: media

That was the year that wasn’t

We are now in the third decade of the 21st Century, so what has happened in the last 10 years? Certainly, had it not been for WikiLeaks, 2010 itself might have gone down as another forgettable year for media in Australia and around the world, few examples of great journalism, no breathtaking, game-changing technical innovations, not even any great “end-of-an-era” events at which we could pause and take stock. Read More

Don’t try this at home, children

It’s 10 years since Wikileaks dropped its first load of explosive government leaks on the world and the ripples continue. Few WikiLeaks supporters really believe the world can exist if everyone is absolutely truthful with each other; some “economy with the truth” is needed to oil the wheels of diplomacy. They know. We know. Now they know we know. It’s a brave new world of diplomacy but please, kids, don’t try this at home. Read More

Who let the racist cats out of the bag?

Reactions to attacks on Indian students in Australia show how far our discussion on race has deteriorated, with ethnic lobby groups themselves among the guilty. Critics have long argued that while Australia is not a racist country there is a vein of racism running through society that must be constantly worked on. In this second of a two-part series we ask: Has neglect let the racist cats out of the bag? Read More

Women and war reporting

More and more women journalists and female crews are reporting from the front lines of conflicts . Once almost wholly the domain of men, war reporting now seems to be open to women, but how true is that? And while women can bring an expanded skillset to the job, are we actually seeing that on our news pages and TV screens? What can we do to redress failures in assigning and valuing women war reporters? Read More

Who will blink first in Fiji?

Fijian coup leader, military dictator and then elected Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama wanted to be remembered as a man who implemented reform in his island nation of 800,000 people. But it was the very journalists he bullied who would be writing his legacy. More than 10 years have now passed since this article was first published, but has anything really changed in the Pacific islands state? Read More

Dilemma of receiving lost documents

Finders keepers? A highly sensitive, controversial, confidential document found on a train seat or cafe table is every journalist’s dream, presenting the possibility of a scoop of a lifetime. But it’s not yours, right? Should you give it back unread or publish and be damned? The practical and ethical choices – and the consequences – should give us all pause for thought. Read More