http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/Keeps a watch on all those who work in, own or control the media.PyRSS2Gen-1.0.0http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rsshttp://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2958067.htm<div id="mainContent"> <p><strong>Episode 24, 19 July 2010&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- // video --> <div id="video-player-single"><a class="singleClip" title="Javascript and flash 9 required to view this link." href="rtmp://cp44823.edgefcs.net/ondemand/flash/tv/streams/mediawatch/20100719_noonan.flv" style="background:#000000;color:#f09123;"><img src="http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/img/2010/ep24/noonan2.jpg" width="400" height="224" style="border:0px" alt="Tweed Tales on TT" /></a></div> <noscript> <br /><span style="color:#ffffff">Flash Player 9 and JavaScript is required to view video in the page. Alternatively use the Windows Media links below.</span></noscript> <!-- // video block --> <small></small> <h1>Tweed Tales on TT</h1> <!--br>Researcher: Some of the subjects of Tim Noonan's latest TT story claim to have been misrepresented and feel betrayed &ndash; but of course, Noonan's preferred subjects are just the sort of people that no-one believes. --> <div id="transcriptBody"> <p> And now to the latest effort by Today Tonight's star video-journalist, Tim Noonan. He has a very successful modus operandi. Mostly, he works solo. He picks a sub-culture that normal folk are afraid of or angry at - graffiti vandals, Muslim youths, street gangs, dole bludgers.<br /><br />He spends time persuading them to take part in a documentary that will tell their side of the story. <br /><br />And then Today Tonight puts to air stories that are artfully shot, slickly edited, and designed to scare the living daylights out of its viewers...<br /><br /><br /><q>We are here, we are multiplying.<br />They're frightening.<br />It's an urban war zone.<br />We're definitely going to see more attacks.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Seven, Today Tonight, 26th August, 2009</cite></q><br /><br />That's how Tim Noonan's story on postcode street gangs began. It won him a Walkley Award last year. But for its camerawork, not for its journalism. <br /><br />This is how it ended...<br /><br /><br /><q>Teenager: To the parents, the grandparents, the uncles and aunties out there, you gotta wake up, 'cause this is happening. It's happening now.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Seven, Today Tonight, 26th August, 2009</cite></q><br /><br />Be very afraid! <br /><br />Problem is, things aren't always what they seem in Tim Noonan's reports, as we showed when we looked last year at his hatchet-job on the Boardshort Bludger of Byron Bay...<br /><br /><br /><q>Justin Sheridan: I am workin, I'm workin on me tan... A bad day at the beach beats a good day at work.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Seven, Today Tonight, 14th September, 2009</cite></q><br /><br />But we showed that Justin Sheridan isn't a dole bludger at all - just gullible and naive.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2698834.htm">Watch Media Watch's 2009 story on Tim Noonan's treatment of Justin Sheridan</a><br /><br /><br />Well, this time Tim Noonan's been in Tweed Heads on the Queensland - New South Wales border. <br /><br />The target: <br /><br /><br /><q>Matt White: Home grown gangs of kids, some as young as five, are terrorising entire neighbourhoods. Roaming the streets, randomly targeting residents and tourists.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Seven, Today Tonight, 14th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Perfect Tim Noonan territory. <br /><br />Lots of scary shots of knives and hoodies, lots of scary comments from young punks...<br /><br /><br /><q>Teenager: It's fun.<br /><br />Teenager 2: It's fun, keeps us entertained. <br /><br />Geoff Provest, MP: Some of these communities are under siege. It's like a war zone. <br /><br />Tim Noonan: It used to be a peaceful place.<br /><br />Geoff Provest, MP: There's blood on the streets.<br /><br />Tim Noonan: Now, it's urban hell.<br /><br />Teenager 3: People get stabbed, people get their heads bashed in. <br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Seven, Today Tonight, 14th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Not subtle. Not over-burdened with evidence. But effective. <br /><br />And Tim had found a new wrinkle - the 'grey vigilantes':<br /><br /><br /><q>Tim Noonan: The victims of these gangs have had a gutful. To them it's not just headlines, or hype. Risking retribution and revenge a brave few have come together for the first time, to make their tales of terror public, and bring the gangs to justice their way. <br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Seven, Today Tonight, 14th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />So, let's meet some of these victims of the teenage gangs...<br /><br /><br /><q>Tim Noonan: On his morning walk, John was bashed from behind. <br /><br />John Murray: I heard someone yelling out and as I turned around, somebody's about to hit me on the back of the head with a large lump of timber.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Seven, Today Tonight, 14th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Perfectly true. <br /><br />But there was one detail left out of the story. John Murray told Media Watch...<br /><br /><br /><q>I believe I know who did it. It was a man aged 30-35 with tattoos on his calves.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Statement from John Murray to Media Watch, 13th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Frightening, yes, but nothing to do with youth gangs. <br /><br />Then there was Mr Grey Vigilante himself, a man named Ron Roberts...<br /><br /><br /><q>Ron Roberts: They have just made life intolerable.<br /><br />Tim Noonan: Ron has been terrorised for five years... His front door has been kicked down.<br /><br />Ron Roberts: They just kicked that straight in, smashed it in, smashed this right out.<br /><br />Tim Noonan: His prize winning rose beds have been destroyed 15 times.<br /><br />Ron Roberts: I'm 73 years old and I spend my life in that garden.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Seven, Today Tonight, 14th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />So who has been making Ron's life a misery? Tim Noonan didn't tell his viewers. <br /><br />But Ron Roberts told Media Watch...<br /><br /><br /><q>They're men in their 20's, not kids. A bunch of hoodlums. They live at the bottom of my street in the housing commission... They've been there about five years.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Statement from Ron Roberts to Media Watch, 14th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Three men, to be precise. Living in one house. Not teenage gangsters. And Ron Roberts admits the feud started with a neighbourhood dispute.<br /><br />So why does Tim Noonan call him a victim of street gangs, and intercut him with this kind of stuff?<br /><br /><br /><q>Teenager: Metal rods, sticks. I've never stabbed anyone but, yet.<br /><br />Tim Noonan: They call themselves KK87.<br /><br />Jake: You have to do something to make a name for yourself.<br /><br />Tim Noonan: They're one of dozens of youth gangs up and down the coast. <br /><br />Jake: In the last two weeks I've been in what, eight fights. <br /><br />Will: It's out of control. <br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Seven, Today Tonight, 14th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Admittedly, these kids are no angels. <br /><br />Will, the boy on the right, told us it's true his friend Jake has been in plenty of fights...<br /><br /><br /><q>Sometimes there are blues at parties with other blokes our age. It's got nothing to do with the old people in that story. <br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Statement from 'Will' to Media Watch, 14th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />In fact Will and his mates live in a different town, about fifteen kilometres from the grey vigilantes' homes. Will told us they feel betrayed. <br /><br />He claims that Tim Noonan...<br /><br /><br /><q>...said he was going to put in a good word for us and let everybody know that we've had nothing to do with any of the things that have been in the media about Tweed.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Statement from 'Will' to Media Watch, 14th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Three other youths in the story confirmed that's what they were told... and that Noonan had promised them grog and cigarettes for taking part. <br /><br />Last week, the police told Media Watch that they are...<br /><br /><br /><q>...following up a report of alcohol being supplied to minors as part of a recent Today Tonight program. This investigation is ongoing.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Response from police to Media Watch, 16th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br /><a href="1024_police.pdf">Read Police Media&rsquo;s response to Media Watch&rsquo;s questions</a><br /><br /><br />The allegation is flatly denied by Today Tonight's Executive Producer...<br /><br /><br /><q>Tim Noonan did not offer or supply alcohol or cigarettes to anyone.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Response from Craig McPherson (Executive Producer, Today Tonight) to Media Watch, 16th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />and he adds that...<br /><br /><br /><q>Tim Noonan was upfront and honest in all his dealings with the "kids" in this story. You'll believe who you choose to believe. <br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Response from Craig McPherson (Executive Producer, Today Tonight) to Media Watch, 16th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br /><a href="1024_mcpherson.pdf">Read Today Tonight&rsquo;s response to Media Watch&rsquo;s questions</a><br /><br /><br />Of course, Tim Noonan's preferred subjects are just the sort of people no-one does believe.<br /><br />For Today Tonight's viewers, fine old men like Ron Roberts are so much more credible - and his response to youth violence so eminently satisfying...<br /><br /><br /><q>Ron Roberts: And if anybody comes at me, swing it out and use it. And I will use whatever's necessary to stop them... An ex sugarcane knife, a cutting knife.<br /><br />Tim Noonan: And while the law has limits, they don't.<br /><br />Ron Roberts: They will get hurt.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Seven, Today Tonight, 14th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />But remember, Ron Roberts admits that his persecutors are three grown men down the street. And Today Tonight knows he's not the most peaceable of neighbours himself. <br /><br />Seven years ago, the program showed a very different side to Mr Roberts...<br /><br /><br /><q>Kara Furlong: It was horrifying, it really was. To be hit by someone as big as he is...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Seven, Today Tonight, 19th August, 2003</cite></q><br /><br />Back in 2003, he was cast as the villain in a classic Today Tonight expose.<br /><br />When he thought fifteen year old Kara Furlong had picked one of his flowers, the program reported, Roberts hit her and her friend.<br /><br /><br /><q>Kara Furlong: I had not a black eye, it was black at first and then it turned green...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Seven, Today Tonight, 19th August, 2003</cite></q><br /><br />Roberts pleaded guilty to charges of assault, and told the court that he was a decorated Vietnam veteran. <br /><br />But, said reporter Karen Cooper...<br /><br /><br /><q>Karen Cooper: He's a complete imposter.<br />You've been impersonating a Vietnam veteran haven't you Ron.<br /><br />Ron Roberts: No I'm not.<br /><br />Karen Cooper: Yes you have and you're not a veteran are you? You're a phony aren't you Ron?<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Seven, Today Tonight, 19th August, 2003</cite></q><br /><br />Seven years ago Naomi Robson called Ron Roberts 'a brutal bully'. Now he's the neighbourhood hero.<br /><br />Today Tonight's Craig McPherson says:<br /><br /><br /><q>...we were aware of his past but it had little importance in the context of the story. His fears and those of his neighbours are very real and genuine.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Response from Craig McPherson (Executive Producer, Today Tonight) to Media Watch, 16th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />No doubt. And Today Tonight seems intent on making as many old people afraid of as many young people as it possibly can. <br /><br />Millions of Australians watch A Current Affair and Today Tonight every weeknight. Now and then, both programs produce excellent journalism. <br /><br />But pandering to their audience's least generous instincts, and stoking popular fears, is easier - and, I'm afraid, way more profitable.<br /><br />For more detail on both stories visit our website. <br /><br />Until next week, goodnight.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>YOUR COMMENTS</h4> <div class="section" id="comments"> <h2>Comments (2)</h2> <p><a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;t=239&amp;tn=2958067&amp;dm=1&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d239%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Add your comment</a></p> <ul> <li> <a id="m_ucMessageDisplay2728_m_anchMessageAnchor" name="m2728"></a> <h3>Colin :</h3> <p class="date">20 Jul 2010 1:08:55pm</p> <p class="comment">And just who do we think are the scum in this story?<br />Tim Noonan?<br />The yoofs in hoodies?<br />Ron Roberts?<br />I'd pick the first and third. And throw in Craig McPherson for backing Noonan.</p> <p class="links"> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;t=239&amp;tn=&amp;dm=1&amp;m=2728&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d239%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Reply</a> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/Recommend.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2728&amp;tpa=&amp;h=-479310602&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d239%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Agree</a> (0) <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/AlertModerator.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2728&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d239%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Alert moderator</a> </p> <ul> </ul> </li> <li> <a id="m_ucMessageDisplay2727_m_anchMessageAnchor" name="m2727"></a> <h3>Trashy Media :</h3> <p class="date">20 Jul 2010 11:28:02am</p> <p class="comment">I take issue regarding the unsupported claims by Jonathan Holmes about Today Tonight &amp; A Current Affair.<br /><br />Jonathan said:<br />&quot;Now and then, both programs produce excellent journalism. &quot;<br /><br />You are too kind ;-)</p> <p class="links"> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;t=239&amp;tn=&amp;dm=1&amp;m=2727&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d239%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Reply</a> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/Recommend.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2727&amp;tpa=&amp;h=-479317959&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d239%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Agree</a> (0) <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/AlertModerator.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2727&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d239%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Alert moderator</a> </p> <ul> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div><!-- end transcriptBody --> </div>http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2958067.htmMon, 26 Jul 2010 23:27:18 GMThttp://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2958065.htm<div id="mainContent"> <p><strong>Episode 24, 19 July 2010&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- // video --> <div id="video-player-single"><a class="singleClip" title="Javascript and flash 9 required to view this link." href="rtmp://cp44823.edgefcs.net/ondemand/flash/tv/streams/mediawatch/20100719_welfare.flv" style="background:#000000;color:#f09123;"><img src="http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/img/2010/ep24/centrelink.jpg" width="400" height="224" style="border:0px" alt="Not-So-Easy Money" /></a></div> <noscript> <br /><span style="color:#ffffff">Flash Player 9 and JavaScript is required to view video in the page. Alternatively use the Windows Media links below.</span></noscript> <!-- // video block --> <small></small> <h1>Not-So-Easy Money</h1> <!--br>Researcher: A Current Affair based their searing indictment of welfare 'bludgers' on the revelations of an anonymous whistleblower from Centrelink. But according to Centrelink, the story was riddled with errors and as to concrete evidence from ACA that there is a single family out there rorting $80,000 a year from the taxpayer - not a skerrick was offered. --> <div id="transcriptBody"> <p> And tonight, an election-free zone. <br /><br />Instead, we're going to focus on the nonsense that all too often passes for 'investigative journalism' on Nine's A Current Affair...<br /><br /><br /><q>Announcer: Eighty thousand dollars a year for doing absolutely nothing. <br /><br />"They're a heap of bludgers"<br /><br />Announcer: On A Current Affair the Centrelink insider blows the whistle on what Australia's welfare recipients really get paid.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Nine, A Current Affair Promo, 11th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />And on Seven's Today Tonight...<br /><br /><br /><q>Ron Roberts: If they commit a felony on your property, you shoot them. They are punks, they are scum, they are thugs, and they're oxygen thieves.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Seven, Today Tonight, 14th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />We'll come to the Grey Vigilantes later. <br /><br />But first, A Current Affair's searing indictment of welfare bludgers, based on the revelations of an anonymous whistleblower from Centrelink...<br /><br /><br /><q>Kate Donnison: How much can a family make in one year if they know how to rort the system?<br /><br />Whistleblower: Over $80,000 combined income a year from payments.<br /><br />Kate Donnison: Is there any incentive for these people to work?<br /><br />Whistleblower: There's none at all.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Nine, A Current Affair, 12th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />$80,000 a year! <br /><br />Kate Donnison spelt it out with a bewildering blitz of impressive graphicry:<br /><br /><br /><q>Kate Donnison: For example, a couple under 30 can receive the disability support pension at over $500 each, the mother can then receive a family tax benefit and carer's allowance for three children, plus mobility allowance and the pension education supplement for undertaking voluntary work and an online study course...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Nine, A Current Affair, 12th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Let's just hold it there. <br /><br />What Kate didn't tell us is that both parents would have to convince a doctor, and Centrelink, that they have disabilities that prevent them from working. <br /><br />Then they have to prove they have three children who each have:<br /><br /><br /><q>...a disability or medical condition whose combined care needs are equal to that of a single child... with a severe disability...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Centrelink Website</cite></q><br /><br /><a href="http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/payments/conc_cards_hcc.htm#eligible">Information on Centrelink's eligibility criteria. [External site]</a><br /><br /><br />Now what does that mean? <br /><br />Anyone who watched this Four Corners program about carers a couple of years ago will know that caring for a severely disabled child is a massive task...<br /><br /><br /><q>Tansy Mayhew: Chanté has a long history of vomiting and getting infections and every day I have to wash all of her bedding. I was hand-washing till one o'clock in the morning.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; ABC, Four Corners, 'In My Shoes', 12th May, 2008</cite></q><br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/content/2008/s2238820.htm">Read the transcript or watch the Four Corners program 'In My Shoes'</a><br /><br /><br />But A Current Affair's putative mother can manage that - with a disability herself, mind you - and still find time to earn...<br /><br /><br /><q>Kate Donnison: ...the pension education supplement for undertaking voluntary work and an online study course.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Nine, A Current Affair, 12th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />At the same time, her disabled husband is getting an additional allowance...<br /><br /><br /><q>Kate Donnison: ...for caring for two adults, for example his parents.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Nine, A Current Affair, 12th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />...while educating himself too.<br /><br />Centrelink told A Current Affair, though the point wasn't passed on to its viewers, that...<br /><br /><br /><q>...any family that may receive this amount would be facing very unusual or extreme circumstances... There would only be a handful of these cases among our 6.8 million customers...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Centrelink statement to A Current Affair, 12th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br /><a href="1024_statement.pdf">Read Centrelink's statement to A Current Affair</a><br /><br /><br />But according to Mr Whistleblower it's easy to rort the system. Just invent disabilities, dream-up behavioural problems for your kids, manufacture your parents' helplessness.<br /><br />Centrelink has found that the figures in the story are full of errors. The details are on our website. <br /><br />But anonymous whistleblowers are so much more credible than boring officials, aren't they? <br /><br />Anyway, Kate Donnison did interview Centrelink's general manager...<br /><br /><br /><q>Hank Jongen: We make payments in accordance with laws that are set down by Parliament. <br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Nine, A Current Affair, 12th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Except that Hank Jongen wasn't asked about any of the rorts the program was alleging. Because that interview had been conducted two weeks earlier, and it was solely about welfare support for refugees. <br /><br />According to Centrelink, Mr Jongen complained to ACA after the program had gone to air that...<br /><br /><br /><q>The reporter assured our staff as late as last Friday (9 July) that comments from this previous interview would not be edited into the new... story.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Email from Centrelink to Media Watch, 15th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br /><a href="1024_centrelink.pdf">Read Centrelink&rsquo;s response to Media Watch&rsquo;s questions</a><br /><br /><br />That seems to have been a non-core promise, Mr Jongen.<br /><br />As to concrete evidence that there is a single family out there rorting $80,000 a year from the taxpayer - not a skerrick was offered.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>YOUR COMMENTS</h4> <div class="section" id="comments"> <h2>Comments (15)</h2> <p><a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;t=238&amp;tn=2958065&amp;dm=1&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Add your comment</a></p> <ul> <li> <a id="m_ucMessageDisplay2742_m_anchMessageAnchor" name="m2742"></a> <h3>Paul Bailey :</h3> <p class="date">22 Jul 2010 2:53:50pm</p> <p class="comment">I am Unemployed and 60 and wish I could find out how to get all this money. Even though I am near retirement age I still have to do 15 hours/week Volunteer Work or if not have to partake in all sorts of Programs with Job Network Providers.<br />I actually did a TAFE course and had to go onto Austudy which is quite a bit less than the Dole. So I don't know how anyone can make money studying</p> <p class="links"> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;t=238&amp;tn=&amp;dm=1&amp;m=2742&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Reply</a> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/Recommend.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2742&amp;tpa=&amp;h=-479244998&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Agree</a> (0) <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/AlertModerator.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2742&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Alert moderator</a> </p> <ul> </ul> </li> <li> <a id="m_ucMessageDisplay2736_m_anchMessageAnchor" name="m2736"></a> <h3>who :</h3> <p class="date">21 Jul 2010 9:16:23am</p> <p class="comment">I suppose ACA also forgot to mention Centrelink's dedicated staff to investigate false welfare claims?<br />If you offer free money (with some conditions) people are going to try and take as much as possible, at least they have tried to combat it. With over 6 million cheques to cash it will be difficult.</p> <p class="links"> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;t=238&amp;tn=&amp;dm=1&amp;m=2736&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Reply</a> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/Recommend.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2736&amp;tpa=&amp;h=-479211367&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Agree</a> (0) <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/AlertModerator.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2736&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Alert moderator</a> </p> <ul> </ul> </li> <li> <a id="m_ucMessageDisplay2726_m_anchMessageAnchor" name="m2726"></a> <h3>Artforartssake :</h3> <p class="date">20 Jul 2010 11:25:17am</p> <p class="comment">So Centrelink has 6.8 million &quot;customers&quot;!!<br /><br />That's about the most valuable piece of info ever imparted by Media Watch. What a tragedy for this country that we have THAT MANY people feeding off the public purse. <br /><br />Almost one in three Aussies are bludging off the system.<br /><br />No wonder we're the Zimbabwe of the South Pacific!<br /><br />We're headed for financial ruin if we keep this up.</p> <p class="links"> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;t=238&amp;tn=&amp;dm=1&amp;m=2726&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Reply</a> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/Recommend.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2726&amp;tpa=&amp;h=-479316872&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Agree</a> (0) <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/AlertModerator.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2726&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Alert moderator</a> </p> <ul> <ul> <li> <a id="m_ucMessageDisplay2726_m_ucMessageChildren_m_ucMessageDisplay2729_m_anchMessageAnchor" name="m2729"></a> <h3>wah :</h3> <p class="date">20 Jul 2010 2:51:28pm</p> <p class="comment">wah wah tax dollars wah</p> <p class="links"> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;t=238&amp;tn=&amp;dm=1&amp;m=2729&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Reply</a> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/Recommend.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2729&amp;tpa=&amp;h=-479311689&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Agree</a> (0) <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/AlertModerator.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2729&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Alert moderator</a> </p> <ul> </ul> </li> <li> <a id="m_ucMessageDisplay2726_m_ucMessageChildren_m_ucMessageDisplay2730_m_anchMessageAnchor" name="m2730"></a> <h3>paul Adams :</h3> <p class="date">20 Jul 2010 3:48:57pm</p> <p class="comment">I'm not surprised that Centrelink has 6.8 million customers, but they're not all bludgers. What about the amount of kids that attract family allowance? are they bludgers ?</p> <p class="links"> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;t=238&amp;tn=&amp;dm=1&amp;m=2730&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Reply</a> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/Recommend.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2730&amp;tpa=&amp;h=-479213281&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Agree</a> (0) <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/AlertModerator.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2730&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Alert moderator</a> </p> <ul> </ul> </li> <li> <a id="m_ucMessageDisplay2726_m_ucMessageChildren_m_ucMessageDisplay2731_m_anchMessageAnchor" name="m2731"></a> <h3>Jo :</h3> <p class="date">20 Jul 2010 4:03:27pm</p> <p class="comment">I assume that 'customers' also includes all the regular hardworking families who receive assistance such as the Family Tax Benefit. I'm self-employed on a relatively low income and unapologetically receive both the FTB and a small carer's allowance to help out with my autistic son. I'm grateful to live in a society that cares for it's own people and would dare anyone to describe my full days of work and being a mother as 'bludging'.</p> <p class="links"> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;t=238&amp;tn=&amp;dm=1&amp;m=2731&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Reply</a> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/Recommend.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2731&amp;tpa=&amp;h=-479216418&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Agree</a> (0) <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/AlertModerator.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2731&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Alert moderator</a> </p> <ul> </ul> </li> <li> <a id="m_ucMessageDisplay2726_m_ucMessageChildren_m_ucMessageDisplay2732_m_anchMessageAnchor" name="m2732"></a> <h3>Vanessa :</h3> <p class="date">20 Jul 2010 5:25:41pm</p> <p class="comment">Check your facts before flying off the handle. Centrelink is not just about providing money to &quot;dole-bludgers&quot;, it includes pensioners, the childcare rebates etc, bush fire victims, students, the disabled, farmers drought assistance, the paid parental leave scheme, community groups, international social security agreements and much more.<br /><br />And yes, they've decided to refer to them as 'Customers', perhaps their policy is to treat them like human beings instead of whatever it is that you would like them to be called.<br /><br />It's mindless passion and emotion like that displayed in your post that ACA and Today Tonight bank on...literally!</p> <p class="links"> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;t=238&amp;tn=&amp;dm=1&amp;m=2732&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Reply</a> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/Recommend.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2732&amp;tpa=&amp;h=-479215459&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Agree</a> (0) <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/AlertModerator.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2732&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Alert moderator</a> </p> <ul> </ul> </li> <li> <a id="m_ucMessageDisplay2726_m_ucMessageChildren_m_ucMessageDisplay2733_m_anchMessageAnchor" name="m2733"></a> <h3>Gary :</h3> <p class="date">20 Jul 2010 6:40:16pm</p> <p class="comment">You do know that Ceterlink helps people go to high school, tafe, uni as well as help people that have serous problems. i am guessing (also known as ACA investigative journalism) that the number of people exploiting the system is quite low. <br /></p> <p class="links"> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;t=238&amp;tn=&amp;dm=1&amp;m=2733&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Reply</a> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/Recommend.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2733&amp;tpa=&amp;h=-479218596&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Agree</a> (0) <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/AlertModerator.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2733&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Alert moderator</a> </p> <ul> </ul> </li> <li> <a id="m_ucMessageDisplay2726_m_ucMessageChildren_m_ucMessageDisplay2734_m_anchMessageAnchor" name="m2734"></a> <h3>pussinboots :</h3> <p class="date">20 Jul 2010 6:53:12pm</p> <p class="comment">Are you seriously kidding? 6.8 million customers includes: retirees, students, ANYONE who receives a Parenting Payment, Rent Assistance etc - most of which are middle class, let me tell you! So is EVERYONE who has ever studied or claimed a Parenting Payment a BLUDGER? My aunt claimed a Parenting Payment and she and her husband were bringing in $200K a year from their jobs! <br /><br />Welfare is supposed to be a leg up in unfair circumstances. A society without 'welfare' is no society at all. And ours is mostly accessed by the already wealthy! Don't be so damn ignorant.</p> <p class="links"> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;t=238&amp;tn=&amp;dm=1&amp;m=2734&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Reply</a> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/Recommend.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2734&amp;tpa=&amp;h=-479209189&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Agree</a> (0) <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/AlertModerator.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2734&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Alert moderator</a> </p> <ul> </ul> </li> <li> <a id="m_ucMessageDisplay2726_m_ucMessageChildren_m_ucMessageDisplay2735_m_anchMessageAnchor" name="m2735"></a> <h3>Karl :</h3> <p class="date">20 Jul 2010 7:49:25pm</p> <p class="comment">&quot;No wonder we're the Zimbabwe of the South Pacific!&quot;<br /><br />Have you been getting lessons in hyperbole from ACA?</p> <p class="links"> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;t=238&amp;tn=&amp;dm=1&amp;m=2735&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Reply</a> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/Recommend.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2735&amp;tpa=&amp;h=-479212326&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Agree</a> (0) <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/AlertModerator.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2735&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Alert moderator</a> </p> <ul> </ul> </li> <li> <a id="m_ucMessageDisplay2726_m_ucMessageChildren_m_ucMessageDisplay2737_m_anchMessageAnchor" name="m2737"></a> <h3>Trashy Media :</h3> <p class="date">21 Jul 2010 10:46:11am</p> <p class="comment">Wow ! &quot;Zimbabwe of the South Pacific!&quot;<br /><br />Today Tonight and A Current Affair could use your writing talents to create their sensationalist headlines.<br /><br />More to the point, they need viewers with insatiable appetites for sensationalist smear to remain outraged so that they can return and consume more advertising.</p> <p class="links"> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;t=238&amp;tn=&amp;dm=1&amp;m=2737&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Reply</a> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/Recommend.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2737&amp;tpa=&amp;h=-479214504&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Agree</a> (0) <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/AlertModerator.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2737&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Alert moderator</a> </p> <ul> </ul> </li> <li> <a id="m_ucMessageDisplay2726_m_ucMessageChildren_m_ucMessageDisplay2741_m_anchMessageAnchor" name="m2741"></a> <h3>Paul Bailey :</h3> <p class="date">22 Jul 2010 2:48:26pm</p> <p class="comment">If you or ACA or anyone else wants to know the facts about defrauding Centrelink then go to the Australian Bureau of Statistics website and find that the figure is approximately 1%.<br />As for &quot;1 in 3 Australians bludging off the system&quot; thats about 33% but the Govt reckons Unemployments less than 5% someone is wrong.</p> <p class="links"> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;t=238&amp;tn=&amp;dm=1&amp;m=2741&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Reply</a> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/Recommend.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2741&amp;tpa=&amp;h=-479248263&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Agree</a> (0) <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/AlertModerator.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2741&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Alert moderator</a> </p> <ul> </ul> </li> </ul> </ul> </li> <li> <a id="m_ucMessageDisplay2724_m_anchMessageAnchor" name="m2724"></a> <h3>Michael Wild :</h3> <p class="date">19 Jul 2010 11:42:42pm</p> <p class="comment">As luck would have it I'm a school psychologist who happens to be the (generally) happy father of a child with a severe disabilty who often helps parents of disabled children get the Carer's Allowance. Suffice to say that the disabilty has to be SEVERE if the student/child is under 16. Many clearly disabled kids don't provide the Carer's Allowance. The idea that a person with a Disabilty would be able to care for one (no 3!) kids with severe disabilities is almost funny. Another excellent program. Why can't we have Media Watch 10 months a year for 30 minutes? Please?</p> <p class="links"> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;t=238&amp;tn=&amp;dm=1&amp;m=2724&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Reply</a> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/Recommend.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2724&amp;tpa=&amp;h=-479314694&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Agree</a> (0) <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/AlertModerator.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2724&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Alert moderator</a> </p> <ul> </ul> </li> <li> <a id="m_ucMessageDisplay2723_m_anchMessageAnchor" name="m2723"></a> <h3>Lew Batten :</h3> <p class="date">19 Jul 2010 10:20:45pm</p> <p class="comment">Re. $80,000 a year story.<br /><br />I have a severely broken back with 2 bridges, 2 x 280 mm rods, 24 titanium pedical screws and a ruptured diaphragm.<br /><br />I told my friend exactly what Media watch said. Last week when I saw the story. I thought it was a disgrace that ACA could run such nonsense. Media watch hit it right on the head. A scenario like that would be almost impossible. But do they listen? Probably not. Need the advertising revenue. Good reporting except I thought it was on Today Tonight. Cheers.</p> <p class="links"> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;t=238&amp;tn=&amp;dm=1&amp;m=2723&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Reply</a> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/Recommend.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2723&amp;tpa=&amp;h=-479322051&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Agree</a> (0) <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/AlertModerator.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2723&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Alert moderator</a> </p> <ul> <ul> <li> <a id="m_ucMessageDisplay2723_m_ucMessageChildren_m_ucMessageDisplay2740_m_anchMessageAnchor" name="m2740"></a> <h3>mags :</h3> <p class="date">22 Jul 2010 12:44:10pm</p> <p class="comment">200K a year and getting a parenting payment?! Where do these kids go to school? Eton? Gosh what I could do with 200k a year.</p> <p class="links"> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;t=238&amp;tn=&amp;dm=1&amp;m=2740&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Reply</a> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/Recommend.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2740&amp;tpa=&amp;h=-479247176&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Agree</a> (0) <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/AlertModerator.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2740&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d238%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Alert moderator</a> </p> <ul> </ul> </li> </ul> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div><!-- end transcriptBody --> </div>http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2958065.htmMon, 26 Jul 2010 23:27:17 GMThttp://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2957566.htm<div id="mainContent"> <p><strong>Episode 24, 19 July 2010&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- // video --> <div id="video-player-single"><a class="singleClip" title="Javascript and flash 9 required to view this link." href="rtmp://cp44823.edgefcs.net/ondemand/flash/tv/streams/mediawatch/20100719_cargo.flv" style="background:#000000;color:#f09123;"><img src="http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/img/2010/ep24/cargo.jpg" width="400" height="224" style="border:0px" alt="Boat Pieces..." /></a></div> <noscript> <br /><span style="color:#ffffff">Flash Player 9 and JavaScript is required to view video in the page. Alternatively use the Windows Media links below.</span></noscript> <!-- // video block --> <small></small> <h1>Boat Pieces...</h1> <!--br>Researcher: Channel Ten chooses a degrading term to describe asylum seekers arriving in Australia --> <div id="transcriptBody"> <p> <q>James Boyce: As the Prime Minister was told her East Timor solution for processing asylum seekers had hit rough waters, another boat was sailing in, the second in two days, this time carrying seventy one pieces of human cargo.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Ten Late News, 13th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Pieces of human cargo? <br /><br />What a strange choice of words. How about asylum seekers? Or passengers? Or people?<br /><br />Welcome to Media Watch. I'm Jonathan Holmes.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>YOUR COMMENTS</h4> <div id="content" class="section"> <div id="misc" class="section"> <p><div class="section" id="comments"> <h2>Comments (0)</h2> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;tn=2957566&amp;dm=1&amp;tpa=&amp;r=" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Add your comment</a> </div></p> </div> </div> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div><!-- end transcriptBody --> </div>http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2957566.htmMon, 26 Jul 2010 23:27:16 GMThttp://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2964691.htm<div id="mainContent"> <p><strong>Episode 25, 26 July 2010&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- // video --> <div id="video-player-single"><a class="singleClip" title="Javascript and flash 9 required to view this link." href="rtmp://cp44823.edgefcs.net/ondemand/flash/tv/streams/mediawatch/20100726_snowjob.flv" style="background:#000000;color:#f09123;"><img src="http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/img/2010/ep25/snowjob.jpg" width="400" height="224" style="border:0px" alt="Snow Job" /></a></div> <noscript> <br /><span style="color:#ffffff">Flash Player 9 and JavaScript is required to view video in the page. Alternatively use the Windows Media links below.</span></noscript> <!-- // video block --> <small></small> <h1>Snow Job</h1> <!--br>Researcher: The Australian's travel section tries to get one past its readers when it shows Charlotte Pass covered in snow --> <div id="transcriptBody"> <p> Before we go, a story where a few more questions wouldn't have gone amiss.<br /><br /><br /><q>Tis the (southern) season<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; The Weekend Australian, Travel & Indulgence section, 10-11th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Of course we all know that most travel reports are puff pieces.<br /><br />But this was a truly amazing snow job:<br /><br /><br /><q>THE white stuff is falling on both sides of the Tasman, to the delight of skiers, snowboarders and resort operators. Australia has seen the best start to the ski season in years.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; The Weekend Australian, Travel & Indulgence section, 10-11th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br /><a href="1025_snowjob.pdf">Read the full article as published in The Australian online</a><br /><br /><br />Well, actually, it's the worst start to the Australian season in years. <br /><br />The online version of the story had this enticing pic...<br /><br /><br /><q>Charlotte Pass, near Perisher Valley, NSW, shows off its white runs.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; The Weekend Australian, Travel & Indulgence section online, 10th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />And here's what Charlotte Pass actually looked like at the time the story was published.<br /><br />There has been a good bit more snow since then. But The Australian helpfully explained to us that their report wasn't talking about natural snow. <br /><br />It was...<br /><br /><br /><q>Based on the wealth of snow-making equipment Australian resorts now use to pump out man-made snow...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Response from Michelle Rowe (Dep. Editor, Travel & Indulgence, The Australian) 16th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />So there you go. When you read 'the white stuff is falling', you didn't think that meant 'falling from the sky' did you?<br /><br />More fool you. Think. Again. <br /><br />That's it for now. Till next week, goodnight.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>YOUR COMMENTS</h4> <div class="section" id="comments"> <h2>Comments (0)</h2> <p><a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;t=241&amp;tn=2964691&amp;dm=1&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d241%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Add your comment</a></p> <ul> </ul> </div> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div><!-- end transcriptBody --> </div>http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2964691.htmMon, 26 Jul 2010 23:27:15 GMThttp://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2964688.htm<div id="mainContent"> <p><strong>Episode 25, 26 July 2010&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- // video --> <div id="video-player-single"><a class="singleClip" title="Javascript and flash 9 required to view this link." href="rtmp://cp44823.edgefcs.net/ondemand/flash/tv/streams/mediawatch/20100726_fordham.flv" style="background:#000000;color:#f09123;"><img src="http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/img/2010/ep25/fordham.jpg" width="400" height="224" style="border:0px" alt="The Right To Record" /></a></div> <noscript> <br /><span style="color:#ffffff">Flash Player 9 and JavaScript is required to view video in the page. Alternatively use the Windows Media links below.</span></noscript> <!-- // video block --> <small></small> <h1>The Right To Record</h1> <!--br>Researcher: With all the focus of the election, a remarkable media story slipped by almost unnoticed last week. Channel Nine journalist Ben Fordham and producer Andrew Byrne were convicted of offences relating to the NSW Listening Devices Act when they recorded and broadcast conversations dealing with an alleged kidnap plot. While laws in other countries, and indeed some other Australian states, permit clandestine recordings where there is evidence that the story is in the public interest, NSW laws do not. --> <div id="transcriptBody"> <p> And now, with all the focus on the election, a remarkable media story that slipped by almost unnoticed last week.<br /><br />That righter of wrongs and scourge of the powerful, Mr Ben Fordham of A Current Affair, was found guilty last week of breaching the New South Wales Listening Devices Act. His producer, Andrew Byrne, was convicted of five similar offences.<br /><br />Over two years ago, A Current Affair broadcast one of the seamiest, and in some ways most ludicrous stories in its chequered history - and that's saying something.<br /><br /><br /><q>Ben Fordham: Somebody has hired me to kill you.<br /><br />Escort: What?<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Nine, A Current Affair, 28th May, 2008</cite></q><br /><br />What indeed! Baby-faced Ben Fordham posing as an underworld hit man?<br /><br />But according to Ben, he was acting very much in the public interest.<br /><br /><br /><q>Ben Fordham: Now this is without doubt one of the most chilling stories we've ever come across, and it's led to an underworld investigation, one which may have just saved a man's life.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Nine, A Current Affair, 28th May, 2008</cite></q><br /><br />We can't tell you much about the story, because its main target, retired solicitor James Robert Markham, is now facing trial on charges of recruiting others to commit crimes, including kidnap and assault.<br /><br />We can tell you that Mr Markham allegedly paid his nephew, Adam Tolmie, to commit these crimes on his behalf.<br /><br />But Mr Tolmie, who had a long and violent criminal history, instead took the story straight to Channel Nine. <br /><br />He allowed Nine producer Andrew Byrne to listen to a conversation that he claimed to have secretly recorded when his uncle commissioned him to kidnap and assault a male escort.<br /><br />In that conversation, as Her Honour Judge Fullerton said in her judgment last week...<br /><br /><br /><q>Mr Tolmie is heard to describe in graphic detail the various forms of homoerotic torture it was planned that the male escort would be subjected to...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; NSW Supreme Court Judgement, 20th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Partly because the conversation was so horrific, the judge concluded:<br /><br /><br /><q>I am in no doubt at all that Mr Markham was unaware that Mr Tolmie was recording this conversation...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; NSW Supreme Court Judgement, 20th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />That meant that, under the <i><a href="http://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/fullhtml/inforce/act+69+1984+FIRST+0+N">NSW Listening Devices Act</a></i>, recording the conversation was illegal. And so was communicating its content in any way to a third party.<br /><br /><br /><q>Ben Fordham: What did you know about this bloke at that point?<br /><br />Andrew Byrne: Nothing, he was a complete stranger to me...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Nine, A Current Affair, 28th May, 2008</cite></q><br /><br />So when Ben Fordham interviewed his own producer, Andrew Byrne, about the content of the conversation, and when they included a brief excerpt from the tape in their story, they were both breaking the law.<br /><br />But that tape wasn't conclusive enough for A Current Affair. So, the court heard, they and Adam Tolmie cooked up an elaborate plan. <br /><br />With Ben Fordham posing as a hired underworld killer, they lured Markham into a car equipped with hidden cameras and microphones and got him to agree, on tape, that he wanted the victim kidnapped and tortured.<br /><br />Unfortunately, we can't let you hear any of that conversation - and nor should A Current Affair have done - because the court found it too was private. But ironically, Ben Fordham was acquitted of charges relating to that conversation, on the grounds, the judge found, that:<br /><br /><br /><q>Although there is no doubt that Mr Fordham was aware the car conversation was being recorded... in my view he does not by that conduct alone "use" a listening device.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; NSW Supreme Court Judgement, 20th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />His producer, on the other hand, who wasn't in the car at all, was convicted, because, said the judge...<br /><br /><br /><q>I am satisfied... beyond reasonable doubt that Mr Byrne caused the listening device that Mr Tolmie was outfitted with to be used to record the conversation in the car.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; NSW Supreme Court Judgement, 20th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br /><a href="1025_judgement.pdf">Read the full Supreme Court Judgement handed down by Her Honour Judge Fullerton</a><br /><br /><br />It's a tough world for producers. <br /><br />The judge found there was insufficient evidence to convict the Nine Network of any offence - even though, clearly, its senior executives must have approved the secret filming and put the story to air. <br /><br />There were many sleazy aspects to the story. And A Current Affair didn't take its recordings to the police until just before it went to air.<br /><br />But the fact is, a man has been committed for trial on serious charges as a direct result of the illegal recordings.<br /><br />In many countries, the courts balance the right to privacy against the public interest - among other things, in a free press. <br /><br />That's how Britain's News of the World, for example, justified this:<br /><br /><br /><q>Sarah Ferguson: Five hundred thousand pounds when you can, to me... open doors.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Nine, A Current Affair, 24th May, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, secretly filmed soliciting bribes for an introduction to her former husband Prince Andrew.<br /><br />The UK broadcasting regulator, Ofcom, stipulates that surreptitious filming should only be used on TV and radio when:<br /><br /><br /><q>...there is prima facie evidence of a story in the public interest.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Ofcom Code of Practice, section 8.13</cite></q><br /><br />That's how Channel 4 was allowed to broadcast inflammatory Muslim preachers, secretly filmed in Britain's mosques...<br /><br /><br /><q>Abu Usama: America, the UK, France, Germany... They have come against the religion of Islam. Why give up your religion and your long legacy of Islam to please someone who is an enemy of you?<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Dispatches Documentary 'Undercover Mosques', 15th January, 2007</cite></q><br /><br />That could not have been broadcast in New South Wales. In fact under the state's new <i><a href="1025_surveillance.pdf">Surveillance Devices Act</a></i>, even recording silent video inside a building, without the consent of the owners, is illegal.<br /><br />And the law allows for no public interest exception. <br /><br />A court, or a regulator, may well have found that A Current Affair's efforts were in its own interests, and no-one else's. But in New South Wales, and some other states, the question doesn't even arise.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>YOUR COMMENTS</h4> <div id="content" class="section"> <div id="misc" class="section"> <p><div class="section" id="comments"> <h2>Comments (0)</h2> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;tn=2964688&amp;dm=1&amp;tpa=&amp;r=" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Add your comment</a> </div></p> </div> </div> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div><!-- end transcriptBody --> </div>http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2964688.htmMon, 26 Jul 2010 23:27:14 GMThttp://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2964686.htm<div id="mainContent"> <p><strong>Episode 25, 26 July 2010&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- // video --> <div id="video-player-single"><a class="singleClip" title="Javascript and flash 9 required to view this link." href="rtmp://cp44823.edgefcs.net/ondemand/flash/tv/streams/mediawatch/20100726_abcnews.flv" style="background:#000000;color:#f09123;"><img src="http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/img/2010/ep25/abcnews.jpg" width="400" height="224" style="border:0px" alt="ABC News 24: Better Late Than Never" /></a></div> <noscript> <br /><span style="color:#ffffff">Flash Player 9 and JavaScript is required to view video in the page. Alternatively use the Windows Media links below.</span></noscript> <!-- // video block --> <small></small> <h1>ABC News 24: Better Late Than Never</h1> <!--br>Researcher: There are some things you'd think are reasonably predictable on a 24 hour news channel during an election campaign. ABC News 24's policy appears to be at odds with its hype. --> <div id="transcriptBody"> <p> And first, an item I really hoped I wouldn't find myself doing this week. <br /><br /><br /><q>Barack Obama: Yes we can.<br /><br />Zoe Daniel: We have to move, I'm sorry Juanita.<br /><br />Policeman: Ladies and gents, we need to clear now Russell Square.<br /><br />Scott Bevan: Hello, and welcome to ABC News 24, a new chapter in Australia's news media. I'm Scott Bevan.<br /><br />Ali Moore: And I'm Ali Moore.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; ABC News 24, 22nd July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Well, I'm personally not so keen on those two tiny figures stranded on what looks like an Antarctic icefloe. <br /><br />Still, the launch of ABC News 24 last Thursday evening, carried live on ABC1 as well as digital Channel 24, was slick, interesting, and technically flawless.<br /><br />Which was a huge relief. But as the endless promos have been reminding us, the real point of 24 hour news isn't to be slick and flawless, it's to be there when it happens.<br /><br /><br /><q>Whitney Fitzsimmons: When a big story breaks and you're on air it's really exciting actually.<br /><br />Ali Moore: It's exhilarating but it's enormously challenging.<br /><br />Voice over: Stay informed. Get the news mornings, afternoon and night.<br /><br />Jane Hutcheon: The best thing about live news is that things happen when they're not expected.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; ABC News 24, 23rd July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />But there are some things, you'd think, that are reasonably predictable. <br /><br />For example, that during a Federal Election campaign, the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition will front up for some kind of media event each day.<br /><br />Just before 12.15 Eastern Time on its first full day on air, the Midday Report's Ros Childs - broadcasting simultaneously on ABC1 and News 24 - interviewed News 24 morning host Joe O'Brien on how his first morning had gone...<br /><br /><br /><q>Joe O&rsquo;Brien: Ros, I'm exhausted. It's full on. You should come down and give this a go. A lot on account of how many live crosses, we went to Julia Gillard's speech, Christine Milne's press conference, Julia Gillard's press conference...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; ABC News 24, The Midday Report, 23rd July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />But what about Tony Abbott's press conference? <br /><br />Well he was over in Perth, two hours behind the eastern states, so his 10.15 press conference was beginning, right at that moment, on the docks at Fremantle.<br /><br />Over on Sky News, they were a wee bit slow to get there. <br /><br />It wasn't till nineteen minutes past the hour - some two or three minutes after Tony Abbott had begun - that they broke into their sports wrap...<br /><br /><br /><q>Sport Newsreader: With great apologies to Trent Barrett, that's all the sport.<br /><br />Jacinta Tynan: Yes we're going to interrupt there because we're going to go live now to a news conference with opposition leader Tony Abbott in Perth. <br /><br />Tony Abbott: ...government will restore that $58 million, we'll add $35 million. This is a $93 million boost to cargo screening. It's a $93 million boost to border security.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Sky News, 23rd July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Late, but just in time for the meat.<br /><br />Meanwhile, over on ABC News 24, not a skerrick about Tony Abbott. <br /><br />No live cross, no scroll, not even a mention before, more than ten minutes later, Ros Childs wrapped up the Midday Report...<br /><br /><br /><q>Ros Childs: That's the news for now, the ABC's continuous news service, News 24, is up and running on digital channel 24...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; ABC News 24, The Midday Report, 23rd July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Where, at 12.30, we got more promos about how up to the minute ABC News 24 is going to be...<br /><br /><br /><q>Virginia Trioli: We try and bring you information as quickly as we can but as accurately as we can.<br /><br />Voice over: Stay up to date with the best rolling news coverage across the day.<br /><br />Scott Bevan: This is what it's all about.<br /><br />Voice over: ABC News 24<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; ABC News 24, 23rd July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />By now, Tony Abbott had been speaking for 15 minutes. <br /><br />On Sky, he'd finished with border security and was getting stuck into Julia Gillard.<br /><br /><br /><q>Tony Abbott: Look the Prime Minister has today announced a community consultation process on climate change policy...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Sky News, 23rd July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />So surely, now, ABC News 24 would cross live to Tony Abbott - or perhaps, replay his press conference from the start?<br /><br />But no, it had more urgent matters at hand...<br /><br /><br /><q>Voice over: ABC News 24. Get the news now.<br /><br />LANDLINE TITLES MUSIC<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; ABC News 24, 23rd July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Look, Landline's a great program. But that episode had first aired five days earlier, and been rebroadcast since, on ABC1. You can watch it on iView any time you want. <br /><br />Was this really more urgent that the Leader of the Opposition on the campaign trail? <br /><br />The first we saw of Tony Abbott on ABC News 24 was on the next news bulletin, more than half an hour later. <br /><br />The ABC's Head of Continuous News, Gaven Morris, told Media Watch that it was all because the live link to Perth was established a few minutes late...<br /><br /><br /><q>Rather than crashing in to it and missing the key part of the announcement, we decided to record the full event and play it back in the proper context. <br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Response from Gaven Morris (Head, ABC Continuous News) to Media Watch, 23rd July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br /><a href="1025_morris.pdf">Read ABC News 24&rsquo;s response to Media Watch&rsquo;s questions</a><br /><br /><br />But News 24 didn't do that until much later in the day. <br /><br />Sky News' Angelos Frangopoulos has a different attitude...<br /><br /><br /><q>Our philosophy is just get it to air live and... even though we missed the start of the news conference, we managed to get the substantive part.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Statement from Angelos Frangopoulos (CEO, Sky News) to Media Watch, 23rd July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />ABC News 24 missed the main announcement, but that surely could have been summarised before crossing live to the rest.<br /><br />But Gaven Morris says it wasn't a mistake. <br /><br />ABC News 24 policy is that:<br /><br /><br /><q>...where live coverage of a key announcement by a significant political figure is not possible, we should record the event in full and replay all or the substantive part of it.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Response from Gaven Morris (Head, ABC Continuous News) to Media Watch, 23rd July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Well, Gaven, if that means we wait hours before we see those key announcements, it's a policy that sits very oddly with all the hype...<br /><br /><br /><q>ABC Correspondents: We'll bring you news as it breaks...<br />Big debates...<br />That divide the planet...<br />Political upheaval...<br />We're already there.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; ABC News 24 Promo, 23rd July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Well, not quite yet, perhaps.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>YOUR COMMENTS</h4> <div class="section" id="comments"> <h2>Comments (1)</h2> <p><a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;t=240&amp;tn=2964686&amp;dm=1&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d240%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Add your comment</a></p> <ul> <li> <a id="m_ucMessageDisplay2743_m_anchMessageAnchor" name="m2743"></a> <h3>hacksaw :</h3> <p class="date">26 Jul 2010 10:09:06pm</p> <p class="comment">Johnathan,<br />as much as I respect you and the professionalism you bring to media watch I think you missed the mark with your emphasis on this story. I kept waiting to hear of some horrendous gaffe and was surprised to learn that the so called unforgivable sin was nothing more than a late running news item on the Opposition Leader. I understand your mandate to keep the media industry honest and accountable and that even your own employer should not receive concessions, but give me a break. <br />Cut the new service some slack. <br />I for one applaud the ABC for providing a free service worthy of competing with its pay TV equivalents. <br />So what if they were a little tardy in their first week.<br />By all means go after them, but only when its warranted.</p> <p class="links"> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;t=240&amp;tn=&amp;dm=1&amp;m=2743&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d240%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Reply</a> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/Recommend.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2743&amp;tpa=&amp;h=-479246085&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d240%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Agree</a> (0) <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/AlertModerator.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2743&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d240%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Alert moderator</a> </p> <ul> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div><!-- end transcriptBody --> </div>http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2964686.htmMon, 26 Jul 2010 23:27:13 GMThttp://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2964324.htm<div id="mainContent"> <p><strong>Episode 25, 26 July 2010&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- // video --> <div id="video-player-single"><a class="singleClip" title="Javascript and flash 9 required to view this link." href="rtmp://cp44823.edgefcs.net/ondemand/flash/tv/streams/mediawatch/20100726_kurnell.flv" style="background:#000000;color:#f09123;"><img src="http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/img/2010/ep25/kurnell.jpg" width="400" height="224" style="border:0px" alt="A Dare Put To Air?" /></a></div> <noscript> <br /><span style="color:#ffffff">Flash Player 9 and JavaScript is required to view video in the page. Alternatively use the Windows Media links below.</span></noscript> <!-- // video block --> <small></small> <h1>A Dare Put To Air?</h1> <!--br>Researcher: Sunrise's weather man looks like he's been dared to air this cheeky joke --> <div id="transcriptBody"> <p> <q>Mark Beretta: Grant Denyer has all your weather now from La Perouse in Sydney this morning.<br /><br />Grant Denyer: We sure do mate, just over the other side of the beautiful Port Botany and I think that's Kurnell over that side, yeah, far Kurnell, right down over there.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Seven, Sunrise, 22nd July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Did you see Grant's grin when he started? I reckon someone dared him to say 'far Kurnell'. <br /><br />Grant, it's a family show!<br /><br />Welcome to Media Watch, I'm Jonathan Holmes.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>YOUR COMMENTS</h4> <div class="section" id="comments"> <h2>Comments (0)</h2> <p><a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;t=242&amp;tn=2964324&amp;dm=1&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d242%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Add your comment</a></p> <ul> </ul> </div> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div><!-- end transcriptBody --> </div>http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2964324.htmMon, 26 Jul 2010 23:27:12 GMThttp://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2957706.htm<div id="mainContent"> <p><strong>Dog of the Week, 19 July 2010&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- // video --> <img src="http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/img/2010/dogs/071910_dog1.jpg" width="400" height="224" style="border:0px" alt="Ten Broadcasts a Spainful Error..." /> <!-- // video block --> <small></small> <h1>Ten Broadcasts a Spainful Error...</h1> <!--br>Researcher: Dog of the week --> <div id="transcriptIntro"><p>Today marks the 94th anniversary of the WW1 Battle of Fromelles, France.</p></div> <div id="transcriptBody"> <p> <cite>&#8212; Channel Ten Morning News, 19th July, 2010</cite></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div><!-- end transcriptBody --> </div>http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2957706.htmMon, 19 Jul 2010 22:23:53 GMThttp://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2951430.htm<div id="mainContent"> <p><strong>Episode 23, 12 July 2010&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- // video --> <div id="video-player-single"><a class="singleClip" title="Javascript and flash 9 required to view this link." href="rtmp://cp44823.edgefcs.net/ondemand/flash/tv/streams/mediawatch/20100712_overland.flv" style="background:#000000;color:#f09123;"><img src="http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/img/2010/ep23/overland.jpg" width="400" height="224" style="border:0px" alt="Overland Gets Paddy-whacked" /></a></div> <noscript> <br /><span style="color:#ffffff">Flash Player 9 and JavaScript is required to view video in the page. Alternatively use the Windows Media links below.</span></noscript> <!-- // video block --> <small></small> <h1>Overland Gets Paddy-whacked</h1> <!--br>Researcher: Seldom have Melbourne's vociferous talkback hosts been so united about a Herald Sun story. --> <div id="transcriptBody"> <p> And here's another front-page beat-up, this one in Melbourne's Herald Sun last Thursday:<br /><br /><br /><q>COP THAT<br />Padraic Murphy<br />Police Chief Commissioner Simon Overland will give a speech at a $100-a-head fundraiser night at the private school that educated his son.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; The Herald Sun, 8th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br /><a href="1023_copthat.pdf">Read the full online version published by The Herald Sun</a><br /><br /><br />Yes? And? What makes that front page news?<br /><br />Well according to someone from the Victorian Council of Schools Organisations, it's unfair, because...<br /><br /><br /><q>"...some schools are able to use their alumni network to raise funds... when those sorts of networks are not available to other schools..."<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; The Herald Sun, 8th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />And according to Clive Hamilton - a left-leaning Professor of Public Ethics whose views aren't usually endorsed by the Herald Sun - Mr Overland is encouraging... <br /><br /><br /><q>..."an entrenchment of privilege".<br />"I'd like him to be giving a speech at a western suburbs school,"...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; The Herald Sun, 8th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Seldom have Melbourne's vociferous talkback hosts been so united about a Herald Sun story. <br /><br />3AW's Derryn Hinch bagged it...<br /><br /><br /><q>Derryn Hinch: I think that the page one story in the Herald Sun today is a disgrace...<br />I can't see this as news. I can't see he's done anything wrong.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Radio 3AW, Drive with Derryn Hinch, 8th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />The ABC's Jon Faine and Red Symons bagged it...<br /><br /><br /><q>Jon Faine: I think it's completely ridiculous that it's on the front page but...<br /><br />Red Symons: Well it's a slow news day...<br /><br />Jon Faine: Well if nothing else I wanna know why they think it's a story.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; ABC Radio 774, Breakfast with Red Symons, 8th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />MTR's Steve Price bagged it...<br /><br /><br /><q>Steve Price: I mean it's ridiculous. There might be a lot of reasons to question how Simon Overland runs the police force. This story isn't one of them.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Radio MTR, Steven Price, 8th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />What about Clive Hamilton? Well, when he saw the story, he was ropeable too. <br /><br />He told us...<br /><br /><br /><q>I was apprehensive when approached for comment because I'm aware of The Australian's vendetta against Mr Overland.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Statement from Clive Hamilton (Centre for Applied Philosophy & Public Ethics) to Media Watch, 8th July, 2010</cite></q> <br /><br />The Australian's vendetta? What could he be talking about? <br /><br />Surely not just that The Australian has published at least 45 stories directly attacking Simon Overland in the past month?<br /><br />Well even if The Oz is running a campaign against the Chief Commissioner, until last week its News Ltd's stablemate, The Herald Sun had studiously ignored it. <br /><br />In fact, according to Clive Hamilton's account, when the Herald Sun's Paddy Murphy called, he...<br /><br /><q>...was critical of the Australian's campaign against Simon Overland and so I felt my comments would be used in their proper context...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Statement from Clive Hamilton (Centre for Applied Philosophy & Public Ethics) to Media Watch, 8th July, 2010</cite></q> <br /><br />What context? <br /><br />Well, says Dr Hamilton...<br /><br /><br /><q>...Paddy said to me, 'Can I have you saying you don't think there's much in it but it could be seen as an entrenchment of privilege?' That was the context...<br /><br />The more I think about it, the more I realise I've been shafted...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Statement from Clive Hamilton (Centre for Applied Philosophy & Public Ethics) to Media Watch, 8th July, 2010</cite></q> <br /><br />Well, no Clive. You're a seasoned media commentator. If you didn't think there was much in the story, why not just say, "no comment"?<br /><br />The one who's been shafted is Simon Overland. But he must be used to that, by now.<br /><br />We put various questions to the Herald Sun. It's declined to respond.<br /><br /><br /><i>Note: The Herald Sun responded to Media Watch after our recording deadline. <a href="1023_heraldsun.pdf">You can read their response here.</a></i><br /><br /><br />That's it for this week. Full responses from The Mercury and others on our website. <br /><br />Until next week, goodnight.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>YOUR COMMENTS</h4> <div id="content" class="section"> <div id="misc" class="section"> <p><div class="section" id="comments"> <h2>Comments (0)</h2> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;tn=2951430&amp;dm=1&amp;tpa=&amp;r=" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Add your comment</a> </div></p> </div> </div> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div><!-- end transcriptBody --> </div>http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2951430.htmMon, 12 Jul 2010 23:23:18 GMThttp://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2951429.htm<div id="mainContent"> <p><strong>Episode 23, 12 July 2010&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- // video --> <div id="video-player-single"><a class="singleClip" title="Javascript and flash 9 required to view this link." href="rtmp://cp44823.edgefcs.net/ondemand/flash/tv/streams/mediawatch/20100712_mercury.flv" style="background:#000000;color:#f09123;"><img src="http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/img/2010/ep23/mercury.jpg" width="400" height="224" style="border:0px" alt="The Tabloid Treatment" /></a></div> <noscript> <br /><span style="color:#ffffff">Flash Player 9 and JavaScript is required to view video in the page. Alternatively use the Windows Media links below.</span></noscript> <!-- // video block --> <small></small> <h1>The Tabloid Treatment</h1> <!--br>Researcher: The Mercury ran a front page scare story, against police advice, about a boy who thought he was being stalked. Within hours of the story being published it was revealed to be a false alarm. --> <div id="transcriptBody"> <p> And now to Hobart, where a couple of weeks back The Mercury worked itself and its readers into a lather of fear about a more serious threat to our kids.<br /><br /><br /><q>PRIMARY SCHOOL TERROR<br /><br />BOY FLEES STALKERS<br /><br />A primary school boy fled into the bush to escape the latest attempt of suspected child abduction in southern Tasmania.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; The Mercury, 23rd June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br /><a href="1023_mercury.pdf">Read the full story published in The Mercury</a><br /><br /><br />It was scary stuff: a blue car passed the boy three times as he rode his bike home from school, then stopped right in front of him. <br /><br />After he fled into the bush...<br /><br /><br /><q>He said a blonde woman got out of the car and pursued him, crawling in the park and hiding behind trees.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; The Mercury, 23rd June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Especially scary because, as The Mercury detailed on page one, there had been several reports in May of...<br /><br /><br /><q>...a couple in a blue station wagon acting suspiciously...<br /><br />May 15: Police issue stranger danger alert...<br /><br />May 18: Schools... issue a stranger danger alert to parents and students.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; The Mercury, 23rd June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />With so many warnings, it's perhaps not surprising that the boy was alarmed. <br /><br />But the police were playing this incident down:<br /><br /><br /><q>Acting Inspector Adam Stanwix... said there was no evidence to suggest there was a connection between the incident and several reports of a couple attempting to entice children into their car on Hobart's Eastern Shore last month.<br /><br />However, all reported incidents involve a blue car and a couple, including a female who pursues children.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; The Mercury, 23rd June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />That last sentence isn't what the police said. <br /><br />On the contrary, according to Inspector Stanwix, he told reporter Danielle McKay...<br /><br /><br /><q>The earlier matters involved a blue station wagon while the boy was positive the vehicle was a blue sedan...<br />I stressed that while the young boy had been frightened... there was no evidence to suggest that the occupants of the car had attempted to abduct or kidnap him.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Response from Acting Inspector Adam Stanwix to Media Watch, 8th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br /><a href="1023_stanwix1.pdf">Read Acting Inspector Adam Stanwix's response to Media Watch&rsquo;s questions</a><br /><br /><br />The Mercury's story claimed that after the incident...<br /><br /><br /><q>Kingston Police... issued a stranger danger warning to surrounding schools.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; The Mercury, 23rd June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />That, Inspector Stanwix told Media Watch, is flat out wrong:<br /><br /><br /><q>I advised the reporter that... police did not issue a stranger danger warning to surrounding schools.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Response from Acting Inspector Adam Stanwix to Media Watch, 8th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />In fact, within hours of The Mercury's report, the occupants of the car came forward. <br /><br />The police issued a media release:<br /><br /><br /><q>"This morning two women contacted Police... They were looking for the grandchild of one of the women who had not arrived home from school," said Acting Inspector Adam Stanwix. <br />"One of the women did enter the bush for a nature call..."<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Tasmania Police Media Release, 23rd June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br /><a href="1023_police.pdf">Read the full media release issued by Tasmania Police</a><br /><br /><br />The Mercury duly reported the false alarm next day...<br /><br /><br /><q>STALKER RELIEF<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; The Mercury, 24th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />It quoted the school principal as saying...<br /><br /><br /><q>"We have had a lot of concerned and panicked parents...<br />"Because of the hype it received it did cause alarm"<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; The Mercury, 24th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br /><a href="1023_mercury2.pdf">Read The Mercury's follow-up story</a><br /><br /><br />The 'hype', of course, came mainly from The Mercury. Inspector Stanwix was annoyed by its front page story. <br /><br />He was even more annoyed when The Mercury's acting editor, Keith Tremayne, told Media Watch last week...<br /><br /><br /><q>...before deciding to run the story we asked the reporter to go back to the police... even an off-the-record suggestion that it was not true would have been enough for us to rethink. No such suggestion was forthcoming.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Response from Keith Tremayne (Acting Editor, The Mercury) to Media Watch, 9th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br /><a href="1023_tremayne.pdf">Read The Mercury&rsquo;s full response to Media Watch&rsquo;s questions</a><br /><br /><br />Well, of course it was true that the boy had been genuinely scared. <br /><br />But, says Inspector Stanwix...<br /><br /><br /><q>I specifically advised that this matter should not be overstated in the paper as it would give rise to unnecessary public alarm given my firm belief, based on available evidence, that it was not an attempted abduction.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Response from Acting Inspector Adam Stanwix to Media Watch, 9th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br /><a href="1023_stanwix2.pdf">Read Acting Inspector Adam Stanwix's second response to Media Watch&rsquo;s questions</a><br /><br /><br />So who do you believe? Tough one, eh?</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>YOUR COMMENTS</h4> <div id="content" class="section"> <div id="misc" class="section"> <p><div class="section" id="comments"> <h2>Comments (0)</h2> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;tn=2951429&amp;dm=1&amp;tpa=&amp;r=" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Add your comment</a> </div></p> </div> </div> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div><!-- end transcriptBody --> </div>http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2951429.htmMon, 12 Jul 2010 23:23:18 GMThttp://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2951428.htm<div id="mainContent"> <p><strong>Episode 23, 12 July 2010&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- // video --> <div id="video-player-single"><a class="singleClip" title="Javascript and flash 9 required to view this link." href="rtmp://cp44823.edgefcs.net/ondemand/flash/tv/streams/mediawatch/20100712_texting.flv" style="background:#000000;color:#f09123;"><img src="http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/img/2010/ep23/texting.jpg" width="400" height="224" style="border:0px" alt="Diagnosis: Gullible" /></a></div> <noscript> <br /><span style="color:#ffffff">Flash Player 9 and JavaScript is required to view video in the page. Alternatively use the Windows Media links below.</span></noscript> <!-- // video block --> <small></small> <h1>Diagnosis: Gullible</h1> <!--br>Researcher: Two weeks ago, several media outlets ran an alarming story about the perils of mobile phones, and in particular, the threats posed by too much text messaging. They identified several new 'serious mental and physical disorders' - such as textiety, post traumatic text disorder and textophrenia &ndash; that young mobile phone users should be cautious of. However, these cute names were all part of a cynical online advertising campaign driven by a mobile phone company promoting 1 cent texts. --> <div id="transcriptBody"> <p> And now to a new peril threatening our kids... too much texting on their mobile phones.<br /><br /><br /><q>Sandra Sully: Texting has sparked at least four new physical and mental disorders. And growing numbers of Australian teenagers are being affected...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Ten Late News, 30th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br /><q>A MOBILE MONSTER<br />Australian teenagers are becoming "text addicts" suffering a range of serious mental and physical disorders from depression to "repetitive thumb syndrome".<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; The Daily Telegraph, 30th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br /><a href="1023_monster.pdf">Read the full article published in The Daily Telegraph</a><br /><br /><br /><q>Peter Overton: They're calling it textosis or post-traumatic text disorder. It's a new medical condition and it affects children almost exclusively. <br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Nine News, 30th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />They're calling it textosis? Who are 'they'? <br /><br />Doesn't sound like the sort of name the College of Psychiatry would come up with, does it? <br /><br />Well, here's who:<br /><br /><br /><q>MEDIA RELEASE<br />Textophrenia, Textiety, Post Traumatic Text Disorder, and Binge Texting... these are the four latest texting-related disorders to be identified by Boost Mobile.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Boost Mobile Media Release, 30th June, 2010</cite></q> <br /><br /><a href="1023_boost.pdf">Read Boost Mobile's full media release</a><br /><br /><br />And who or what is Boost Mobile? <br /><br />Well, it's...<br /><br /><br /><q>... a lifestyle-centric telecommunications company that focuses solely on... the youth market.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Boost Mobile Media Release, 30th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />So these 'serious mental and physical disorders' have been identified by a mobile phone company. And the nifty names were invented by a so-called 'digital strategy' outfit called - seriously - 'The Conscience Organisation', or TCO for short...<br /><br /><br /><q>Our key to success is our ability to cut through the clutter of the digital world and speak directly to your intended audience.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; The Conscience Organisation website</cite></q><br /><br />And boy, did TCO succeed! <br /><br />Those names proved irresistible...<br /><br /><br /><q>Andrew Moore: Take for instance textophrenia, hearing texts when they're not actually there.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Radio 2GB, Wake-Up Australia with Andrew Moore, 1st July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br /><q>Davina Smith: Binge texters send a message just to get one back so they can feel good.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Nine News, 30th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br /><q>Post-Traumatic Text Disorder<br />Physical and mental injuries sustained while texting<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; The Herald Sun, 30th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />But none of those reports told us that the cute names had been dreamt up by a marketing man. <br /><br />Perhaps because Boost Mobile claimed to be:<br /><br /><br /><q>Following research by two of Australia's foremost academics on mobile phone trends...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Boost Mobile Media Release, 30th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />The media release even cites an academic paper co-authored by one of those researchers, Dr Shari Walsh of the Queensland University of Technology:<br /><br /><br /><q>Over-connected?... Australian youth and their mobile phones<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Journal of Adolescence 31 (2008)</cite></q><br /><br /><a href="1023_research.pdf">Read the full study from the Queensland University of Technology</a><br /><br /><br />Problem is, the paper isn't all that new...<br /><br /><br /><q>Journal of Adolescence 31 (2008)<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Journal of Adolescence 31 (2008)</cite></q><br /><br />And, though it does conclude that some young mobile phone users are:<br /><br /><br /><q>... demonstrating symptoms of addictive behaviour.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Journal of Adolescence 31 (2008)</cite></q><br /><br />...it doesn't identify any physical or mental disorders associated with texting. <br /><br />In fact, Dr Walsh told Media Watch that...<br /><br /><br /><q>The terms coined by Boost are a marketing strategy. I am not interested in diagnosing 'texting disorders'. <br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Response from Dr Shari Walsh to Media Watch, 2nd July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br /><a href="1023_walsh.pdf">Read Dr Walsh's full response to Media Watch</a><br /><br /><br />Dr Walsh, you see, is a psychologist. She uses terms like 'disorder' very cautiously. But, she says, not a single journalist has contacted her since the Boost Mobile release.<br /><br />The other academic named by Boost Mobile, however, Associate Professor Jennie Carroll of RMIT University, has been all over the media like a... uh... skin disorder...<br /><br /><br /><q>Emily Barker: But Jennie knows there is a downside to this form of communication. She calls it Textiety<br /><br />Dr Jennie Carroll: That anxiety you know, I haven't got my phone or no one's texted me, what's wrong? No one loves me.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Nine, A Current Affair, 30th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Stephen Fenech of The Daily Telegraph also attributed the silly names to Dr Carroll...<br /><br /><br /><q>Ms Carroll's study identified four distinct disorders -- textaphrenia, textiety, post-traumatic text disorder and binge texting.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; The Daily Telegraph, 30th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Dr Carroll did tell ABC Hobart's Michael Veitch:<br /><br /><br /><q>Dr Jennie Carroll: Boost Mobile came up with terms for commonly observed behaviours...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; ABC Radio 936 Hobart, Breakfast with Michael Veitch, 2nd July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />But she was only too happy to endorse them...<br /><br /><br /><q>Dr Jennie Carroll: ...I think 'textiety' is a great term...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; ABC Radio 936 Hobart, Breakfast with Michael Veitch, 2nd July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Dr Carroll got a lot of exposure from the exercise. But she's an expert on the social effects of technology. She's not a psychologist or a psychiatrist. And she didn't use the term 'mental disorder'. <br /><br />Of course, addictive behaviour has its dangers, and no doubt Dr Carroll felt she was sending an important message...<br /><br /><br /><q>Dr Jennie Carroll: My suggestion is that you need to balance your technology related life with real world and face-to-face contact.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Radio 2GB, Wake-up Australia with Andrew Moore, 30th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Sensible advice. <br /><br />It's a pity that, whether she knew it or not, Dr Carroll was lending her name to a cynical online advertising campaign by Boost Mobile - and the mainstream media were accomplices too. <br /><br />Here's a Facebook page that's being virally marketed to Boost Mobile's tech-savvy 'youth market':<br /><br /><br /><q>Textaholics, Help is here...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; 'Textaholics' Facebook page</cite></q><br /><br />Click on the sign that says 'Binge Texting' and you get an actor pretending to be a textaholic...<br /><br /><br /><q>No-one can do it as fast, no one can do it as well, no one can do it as often...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Boost Mobile online advertisement</cite></q><br /><br />And what's the 'help' that Boost Mobile offers?<br /><br /><br /><q>One cent text to any of your friends...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Boost Mobile online advertisement</cite></q><br /><br />A hundred texts for a dollar. Some help. That little effort by The Conscience Organisation is, to my mind, simply unconscionable.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>YOUR COMMENTS</h4> <div id="content" class="section"> <div id="misc" class="section"> <p><div class="section" id="comments"> <h2>Comments (0)</h2> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;tn=2951428&amp;dm=1&amp;tpa=&amp;r=" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Add your comment</a> </div></p> </div> </div> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div><!-- end transcriptBody --> </div>http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2951428.htmMon, 12 Jul 2010 23:23:17 GMThttp://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2951426.htm<div id="mainContent"> <p><strong>Episode 23, 12 July 2010&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- // video --> <div id="video-player-single"><a class="singleClip" title="Javascript and flash 9 required to view this link." href="rtmp://cp44823.edgefcs.net/ondemand/flash/tv/streams/mediawatch/20100712_anzac.flv" style="background:#000000;color:#f09123;"><img src="http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/img/2010/ep23/anzac.jpg" width="400" height="224" style="border:0px" alt="Back To The History Books" /></a></div> <noscript> <br /><span style="color:#ffffff">Flash Player 9 and JavaScript is required to view video in the page. Alternatively use the Windows Media links below.</span></noscript> <!-- // video block --> <small></small> <h1>Back To The History Books</h1> <!--br>Researcher: According to the ABC, the last time Easter Monday and ANZAC Day clashed was in 1859... --> <div id="transcriptBody"> <p> And while Ten News was muddling its old sayings, ABC News in Adelaide was having problems with its old dates. <br /><br />Next year, reported Angelique Johnson, Easter Monday falls on ANZAC Day, the 25th of April. <br /><br /><br /><q>Angelique Johnson: The last time Easter Monday and ANZAC Day clashed was in 1859...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; ABC News, Adelaide, 8th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />In 1859, Angelique, there was no such thing as ANZAC Day. <br /><br />The ANZACs went ashore at Gallipoli on the 25th of April, 1915 - 56 years later.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>YOUR COMMENTS</h4> <div id="content" class="section"> <div id="misc" class="section"> <p><div class="section" id="comments"> <h2>Comments (0)</h2> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;tn=2951426&amp;dm=1&amp;tpa=&amp;r=" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Add your comment</a> </div></p> </div> </div> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div><!-- end transcriptBody --> </div>http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2951426.htmMon, 12 Jul 2010 23:23:16 GMThttp://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2951384.htm<div id="mainContent"> <p><strong>Episode 23, 12 July 2010&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- // video --> <div id="video-player-single"><a class="singleClip" title="Javascript and flash 9 required to view this link." href="rtmp://cp44823.edgefcs.net/ondemand/flash/tv/streams/mediawatch/20100712_sunrise.flv" style="background:#000000;color:#f09123;"><img src="http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/img/2010/ep23/sunrise.jpg" width="400" height="224" style="border:0px" alt="As The Old Saying Doesn't Go..." /></a></div> <noscript> <br /><span style="color:#ffffff">Flash Player 9 and JavaScript is required to view video in the page. Alternatively use the Windows Media links below.</span></noscript> <!-- // video block --> <small></small> <h1>As The Old Saying Doesn't Go...</h1> <!--br>Researcher: Red sky in the morning, Shepherd's warning. Sunrise in the morning... pretty normal? --> <div id="transcriptBody"> <p> <q>Tim Bailey: All right, from Graysville let's take you to Sunrise City, we're talking the weather photograph of the day, and the old saying... "Sunrise in the morning, shepherd's warning", have a look at that...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Ten News, 8th July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />It's a red sky in the morning that scares the shepherds, Tim. <br /><br />A sunrise in the morning is kind of normal isn't it? <br /><br />Welcome to Media Watch, I'm Jonathan Holmes.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>YOUR COMMENTS</h4> <div id="content" class="section"> <div id="misc" class="section"> <p><div class="section" id="comments"> <h2>Comments (0)</h2> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;tn=2951384&amp;dm=1&amp;tpa=&amp;r=" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Add your comment</a> </div></p> </div> </div> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div><!-- end transcriptBody --> </div>http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2951384.htmMon, 12 Jul 2010 23:23:14 GMThttp://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2945252.htm<div id="mainContent"> <p><strong>Episode 22, 5 July 2010&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- // video --> <div id="video-player-single"><a class="singleClip" title="Javascript and flash 9 required to view this link." href="rtmp://cp44823.edgefcs.net/ondemand/flash/tv/streams/mediawatch/20100705_canada.flv" style="background:#000000;color:#f09123;"><img src="http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/img/2010/ep22/canada.jpg" width="400" height="224" style="border:0px" alt="Nine Drops The Crystal Ball" /></a></div> <noscript> <br /><span style="color:#ffffff">Flash Player 9 and JavaScript is required to view video in the page. Alternatively use the Windows Media links below.</span></noscript> <!-- // video block --> <small></small> <h1>Nine Drops The Crystal Ball</h1> <!--br>Researcher: Channel Nine is under the misapprehension that Canada is a republic. --> <div id="transcriptBody"> <p> If we had an award to hand out for the stupidest error in a television news story, this week's winner, in a canter, would be Nine News (in Melbourne), for this: <br /><br /><br /><q>Tony Jones: Meanwhile the Queen has commenced a nine day tour of Canada. She arrived in Halifax to an official welcome from Prime Minister Stephen Harper and hundreds of locals who'd gathered for hours in steady rain. Although Canada is now a republic, Queen Elizabeth's silhouette still marks their coins.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Nine News, Victoria, 29th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Um, that's because Canada's not a republic. Maybe one day, but, like Australia, not yet. <br /><br />It's one thing to be first when it matters. But ideally news shouldn't be years ahead of its time.<br /><br />That's it for now. Don't forget to leave your tips and messages on our website, or download a vodcast. <br /><br />Until next week, goodnight.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>YOUR COMMENTS</h4> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div><!-- end transcriptBody --> </div>http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2945252.htmMon, 05 Jul 2010 23:14:57 GMThttp://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2945250.htm<div id="mainContent"> <p><strong>Episode 22, 5 July 2010&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- // video --> <div id="video-player-single"><a class="singleClip" title="Javascript and flash 9 required to view this link." href="rtmp://cp44823.edgefcs.net/ondemand/flash/tv/streams/mediawatch/20100705_phantom.flv" style="background:#000000;color:#f09123;"><img src="http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/img/2010/ep22/phantom.jpg" width="400" height="224" style="border:0px" alt="The Phantom Of The Internet Returns" /></a></div> <noscript> <br /><span style="color:#ffffff">Flash Player 9 and JavaScript is required to view video in the page. Alternatively use the Windows Media links below.</span></noscript> <!-- // video block --> <small></small> <h1>The Phantom Of The Internet Returns</h1> <!--br>Researcher: In March 2008, Media Watch awarded IT journalist David Richards the 'Phantom of the Internet' trophy for the most original explanation for apparent plagiarism. Richards is at it again, and the trophy is still his. --> <div id="transcriptBody"> <p> Now, here's a memory test for loyal Media Watch viewers. What is this?<br /><br />Well, it's the Phantom of the Internet trophy, <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2178689.htm">which back in March 2008</a> we awarded to IT journalist David Richards, owner of web publisher 4Square Media. <br /><br />It's for the most original explanation for apparent plagiarism.<br /><br />We'd identified some ten articles on Richards' websites: Smarthouse; SmarthouseNews and SmartOffice, that had clearly been lifted from elsewhere.<br /><br />For example, a David Richards story about the imminent launch of Google's Android phones, was taken directly from the website of Britain's Telegraph newspaper:<br /><br /><table border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="10"><br /><tr><td width="50%" valign="top"><q>The sophisticated handsets will make it easier to browse the web and bring some of the programs and features usually found on home computers to mobiles. Some of the world's leading phone manufacturers are expected to reveal prototypes of devices&hellip;<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Telegraph.co.uk, 8th February, 2008</cite></q></td><td width="50%" valign="top"><q>The sophisticated handsets will make it easier to browse the web and bring some of the programs and features usually found on home computers to mobiles. Some of the world's leading phone manufacturers are expected to reveal prototypes of devices&hellip;<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Smarthouse website, 10th February, 2008</cite></q></td></tr></table><br /><br /><q>Jonathan Holmes: And so on, and so on, for five hundred and fifty three identical words.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Media Watch, Episode 3, 3rd March, 2008</cite></q><br /><br />Other articles were lifted from American websites like PC World, which specialise, as Richards' do, in electronic consumer gadgetry. <br /><br />At first, David Richards claimed that he had licenses that allowed him to use this material. <br /><br />When we showed that wasn't so, he came up with this:<br /><br /><br /><q>We believe that a former employee who had access to our content engine has changed bylines, dates on stories and posted stories without our knowledge in an effort to discredit us.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Media Watch, Episode 3, 3rd March, 2008</cite></q><br /><br />It was all the fault of a mystery hacker - or, as we dubbed him then, the Phantom of the Internet.<br /><br />Well, a couple of weeks ago a viewer tipped us off about this article on the website IT Journo...<br /><br /><br /><q>4Square Media is at the centre of another copyright controversy, with IDG demanding that the Smarthouse website take down content it believes was copied from the PC World website.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; IT Journo website, 10th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />PC World recently reviewed a new desktop computer from European company Medion - and was incensed to see chunks of its review reprinted on Smarthouse.<br /><br /><br /><q>Medion... Shows Up HP & Dell<br />By David Richards<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Smarthouse Website</cite></q><br /><table border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="10"><br /><tr><td width="50%" valign="top"><q>...WorldBench 6 on the PC it recorded a score of 112. This is a significant jump from Medion's older P4010 which we reviewed last year it also out performed HP and Dell's all-in-one PC offerings.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Smarthouse, 3rd June, 2010</cite></q></td><td width="50%" valign="top"><q>...WorldBench 6 on the Medion AKOYA P4020 D it recorded a score of 112. This is a significant jump from Medion's older P4010 touchscreen PC as well as HP's and Dell's all-in-one PC offerings.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; PC World, 3rd June, 2010</cite></q></td></tr></table><br /><br />And what about the audio quality?<br /><br /><table border="0" width="100%" cellpadding="10"><br /><tr><td width="50%" valign="top"><q>...internal stereo speakers perform well, with good treble and reasonable mid-range sound reproduction at low to moderate volume levels.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Smarthouse, 3rd June, 2010</cite></q></td><td width="50%" valign="top"><q>...internal stereo speakers perform well, with good treble and reasonable mid-range sound reproduction at low to moderate volume levels.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; PC World, 3rd June, 2010</cite></q></td></tr></table><br /><br />The owners of PC World, IDG, sent a firm email to David Richards about the apparent plagiarism.<br /><br />But the dreaded Phantom must have wormed his way into Smarthouse's email system, because Richards told IT Journo that he hadn't received any email from IDG. <br /><br />In any case, he went on...<br /><br /><br /><q>"It's all crap... Basically they can all go and get f#%ked. This is bullshit".<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; IT Journo website, 10th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />We assumed those must be technical terms understood only by geeks.<br /><br />So we got onto David Richards ourselves. <br /><br />He explained that, though he had taken the odd sentence from PC World, it didn't amount to breach of copyright.<br /><br /><br /><q>The copy you refer to is not substantial, is not novel and is basically a technical reference to a product which is available.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Response from David Richards to Media Watch, 17th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br /><a href="1022_richards.pdf">Read David Richard&rsquo;s full response to Media Watch&rsquo;s questions</a><br /><br /><br />Richards fired off an email to IDG, making the same legalistic points, and claiming that he was:<br /><br /><br /><q>...more than happy to defend a Copyright claim in the Supreme Court...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Email from David Richards to Davy Adams (Managing Director, IDG Communications), 18th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />He then made a threat of his own:<br /><br /><br /><q>I believe that your claims to IT Journo are defamatory based on current copyright laws in Australia and as such I demand an apology.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Email from David Richards to Davy Adams (Managing Director, IDG Communications), 18th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />To which IDG responded drily:<br /><br /><br /><q>Given that you have confirmed that you are doing what was covered in the IT Journo article, you might find winning a defamation case a bit of a slog. Your time and effort would probably be better spent writing good original content.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Email from Davy Adams (Managing Director, IDG Communications) to David Richards, 18th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Ah, it's all smiles and good fellowship out there in techno-geek land! <br /><br />As for the Phantom of the Internet trophy - well, Mr Richards, it's still yours.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>YOUR COMMENTS</h4> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div><!-- end transcriptBody --> </div>http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2945250.htmMon, 05 Jul 2010 23:14:57 GMThttp://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2945249.htm<div id="mainContent"> <p><strong>Episode 22, 5 July 2010&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- // video --> <div id="video-player-single"><a class="singleClip" title="Javascript and flash 9 required to view this link." href="rtmp://cp44823.edgefcs.net/ondemand/flash/tv/streams/mediawatch/20100705_verdict.flv" style="background:#000000;color:#f09123;"><img src="http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/img/2010/ep22/verdict.jpg" width="400" height="224" style="border:0px" alt="Seven v Nine: Promo Wars" /></a></div> <noscript> <br /><span style="color:#ffffff">Flash Player 9 and JavaScript is required to view video in the page. Alternatively use the Windows Media links below.</span></noscript> <!-- // video block --> <small></small> <h1>Seven v Nine: Promo Wars</h1> <!--br>Researcher: Channel Seven and Channel Nine in Brisbane have both gone to great pains to convince their viewers that they were the first to break the news of Jayant Patel's verdict. Seven was first, by a hundred seconds. But do viewers really care? After all, speed has its risks. --> <div id="transcriptBody"> <p> Last week in Brisbane, Seven and Nine were arguing about a lot less than five minutes.<br /><br />Last Thursday, Nine News ran this promo...<br /><br /><br /><q>Voice over: When the Patel Jury returned to give their verdict, Nine News broke the story first. <br /><br />Melissa Mallet: The Jury have reached a verdict.<br /><br />Voice over: Breaking into live programming whenever you need to know.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Nine News Promo, Qld, 30th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Well, that really got up the noses of the lads and lasses at Seven. <br /><br />They'd gone to a lot of trouble to break the news of the Jayant Patel verdict. <br /><br />A producer was watching the live TV feed from the courtroom, and relaying the verdicts on her mobile to reporter Kim Skubris right outside.<br /><br /><br /><q>Kim Skubris: As we speak Dr Jayant Patel has been found guilty of three counts of manslaughter.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Seven News, Qld, 29th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />So who got the news first? <br /><br /><br /><q>Kay McGrath: You're with Seven News and we're crossing now back to the Supreme Court for a verdict...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Seven web video, 30th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Well, Seven went to the trouble of putting these simultaneous recordings on its website, complete with digital clock, to prove that Kim Skubris was reading out the verdicts...<br /><br /><br /><q>Kim Skubris: As we speak Dr Jayant Patel has been found guilty...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Seven web video, 30th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />at 18 minutes and 37 seconds past 6. Whereas Nine didn't get around to its item...<br /><br /><br /><q>Andrew Lofthouse: And there's more breaking news now in the Jayant Patel case...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Seven web video, 30th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />until well over a minute later...<br /><br /><br /><q>Seven News, first when it matters.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Seven web video, 30th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />But does it matter? Do viewers really care who beat whom by a hundred seconds? <br /><br />My bet is, most of you couldn't give a toss. <br /><br />And speed has its risks. As Kim Skubris ad-libbed live on air, she got the verdicts right first time around. <br /><br />But then she summed up:<br /><br /><br /><q>Kim Skubris: We have four verdicts that have been handed down right now. The first one, manslaughter. Guilty. The second one, manslaughter. Guilty. The third one, manslaughter. Guilty. And the fourth, grievous bodily harm, manslaughter. Guilty. Kay.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Seven News, Qld, 29th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />'Grievous bodily harm, manslaughter'? I don't think so, Kim. That fourth patient is still alive. An easy slip to make, just one extra word - but it was wrong. <br /><br />If Seven had given her a couple more minutes, no doubt she'd have got it right. But then, Nine might have been 'first, when it matters'.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>YOUR COMMENTS</h4> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div><!-- end transcriptBody --> </div>http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2945249.htmMon, 05 Jul 2010 23:14:56 GMThttp://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2945247.htm<div id="mainContent"> <p><strong>Episode 22, 5 July 2010&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- // video --> <div id="video-player-single"><a class="singleClip" title="Javascript and flash 9 required to view this link." href="rtmp://cp44823.edgefcs.net/ondemand/flash/tv/streams/mediawatch/20100705_mediahub.flv" style="background:#000000;color:#f09123;"><img src="http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/img/2010/ep22/mediahub.jpg" width="400" height="224" style="border:0px" alt="State Of The Art Bungles" /></a></div> <noscript> <br /><span style="color:#ffffff">Flash Player 9 and JavaScript is required to view video in the page. Alternatively use the Windows Media links below.</span></noscript> <!-- // video block --> <small></small> <h1>State Of The Art Bungles</h1> <!--br>Researcher: When Media Watch looked at the technical difficulties experienced by the ABC on the night the Labor Party moved against Kevin Rudd, viewers in Eastern states suddenly found themselves watching the Q&A panel talking amongst themselves. No, it wasn&rsquo;t a deliberate prank by Media Watch, nor was it a technician&rsquo;s act of revenge. We take another look at the problems that continue to beset the ABC, most of which are due to the brand new national switching centre, MediaHub. --> <div id="transcriptBody"> <p> And last week, one of the weirdest things I've seen in 30 years in television. <br /><br />There I was, explaining the series of technical stuff-ups that had plagued ABC TV on the evening that the Labor Party moved against Kevin Rudd. They were due to a recent switch to a central national control room called MediaHub. <br /><br />The ABC's Director of Resources had written to us that:<br /><br /><br /><q>There were some technical problems encountered. Regrettably, these do occur sometimes in such fast moving situations. MediaHub operators are experienced and trained rigorously in structured training programs...<br /><br />Jonathan Holmes: Well...<br /><br />Barnaby Joyce: We've got all the ones with laryngitis together...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Media Watch, Episode 21, 28th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />And suddenly viewers in the Eastern states found themselves in the Q&A; studio, and Q&A;'s guests, without knowing it, were live on Media Watch. <br /><br /><br /><q>Magda Szubanski: We're talking the same language here.<br /><br />Harold Mitchell: Barnaby is a drug.<br /><br />Jonathan Holmes: Just more teething problems.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Media Watch, Episode 21, 28th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />It was so neat, wasn't it? So perfectly apposite! <br /><br />No wonder most of you thought it was a deliberate prank by Media Watch. But it wasn't. <br /><br />It was yet another genuine stuff-up - though as the ABC explains, this one originated in Master Control in Sydney.<br /><br /><br /><q>An experienced ABC operator made a mistake while setting up feeds for the following program, Q and A. This was an unfortunate and rare mistake...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Response from David Cruttenden (Director, ABC Resources), 2nd July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Viewers in other time zones will forgive us if we replay the segment that the Eastern states missed:<br /><br /><br /><q>There were some technical problems encountered. Regrettably, these do occur sometimes in such fast moving situations. MediaHub operators are experienced and trained rigorously in structured training programs...<br /><br />Jonathan Holmes: Well whoop de doo! Mr Cruttenden adds re-assuringly that MediaHub's only been operational for two weeks, and that:<br /><br />As a facility of MediaHub's complexity is bedded down and operations refined, such glitches will become less frequent. <br /><br />Jonathan Holmes: Just more teething problems. I'll bet that's a relief to the ABC's producers and journalists, especially those preparing for the launch of its new 24 Hour News channel.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Media Watch, Episode 21 (sans glich), 28th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br /><a href="http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2939110.htm">Watch last week's Media Watch story 'Breaking News Is Hard To Do</a><br /><br /><br />So that's what we meant you to see. <br /><br />OK, you probably preferred the version you did see. But in any case, it raises the issue of ABC News24, due to be launched soon. How soon? <br /><br />Well according to Thursday's Daily Telegraph, the new channel is:<br /><br /><br /><q>....ON HOLD FOR A BUNGLE CLEAN-UP<br /><br />Initially tipped for a "mid-year" take-off, it's understood the launch has been pushed back to enable engineers to fix the glitches in the network and at its out-sourced presentation control centre, MediaHub.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; The Daily Telegraph, 1st July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br /><a href="1022_bungle.pdf">Read the full editorial published by The Daily Telegraph</a><br /><br /><br />The ABC responds that the launch date for News24 hasn't yet been decided, though it says it will happen 'in the coming weeks'. <br /><br />But the official launch of MediaHub took place last week. <br /><br />Managing Director Mark Scott conceded to an ABC reporter that:<br /><br /><br /><q>I think inevitably with a 24 hour news channel we will have some teething problems. And on a big new piece of technology like this we're going to have teething problems. We've had some already. <br /><br /><cite>&#8212; ABC reporter interview with Mark Scott (Managing Director, ABC), 30th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Sure have. <br /><br />And the teething problems have been many, varied - and sometimes awesome.<br /><br />For example, two days after the stuff-ups on the night of the spill, as the Midday Report was going to air in South Australia...<br /><br /><br /><q>Ros Childs: Well time to check now with the markets, and here's Rebecca Hyam. So Rebecca, have the miners been able to hang on to yesterday's gains?<br /><br />Rebecca Hyam: Not so far, Ros, but that's pretty...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; ABC Midday Report, South Australia, 25th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Yes... pretty what? We never discovered. The picture remained frozen not for six seconds, but for six and a half minutes...<br /><br />Six minutes! - while someone from Adelaide called MediaHub, who didn't know how to fix it.<br /><br />In the end, ABC Adelaide re-fed the stored program back to MediaHub in Sydney, and from there they sent it back to South Australia.<br /><br />There was a similar problem in Western Australia last Thursday...<br /><br /><br /><q>Don't miss this half hour special on Fatherhood.<br /><br />Jonica Newby: This is truly amazing.<br /><br />Catalyst, 8 o'clock tonight, ABC 1.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; ABC Catalyst promo, Western Australia, 1st July, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />This freeze lasted for over five minutes.<br /><br />And believe me, there have been plenty more on-air bungles. No doubt the system will settle down in the end. <br /><br />No doubt eventually, as MediaHub's press release puts it...<br /><br /><br /><q>...the brand new, state of the art technology facility will transform the capability and capacity for delivering television programming to audiences...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; MediaHub Media Release, 30th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br /><a href="1022_mediahub.pdf">Read the full media release issued by MediaHub</a><br /><br /><br />But people who should know tell us that MediaHub's been brought on line too quickly. If I were Mark Scott, with a new channel and a general election just around the corner, I'd be afraid. Very afraid.<br /><br />But at least, as ABC News has been keen to remind us in the past twelve days, it did break the story of the move against Kevin Rudd...<br /><br /><br /><q>Laurie Ferguson: I don't know who they are but I think the ABC knows more than the rest of the Parliamentary caucus.<br /><br />Voice over: ABC News. Where politicians get their news.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; ABC News Promo</cite></q><br /><br />Well, the ABC was first. <br /><br />But as we showed last week, it took Sky News about five minutes to catch up.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>YOUR COMMENTS</h4> <div id="content" class="section"> <div id="misc" class="section"> <p><div class="section" id="comments"> <h2>Comments (0)</h2> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;tn=2945247&amp;dm=1&amp;tpa=&amp;r=" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Add your comment</a> </div></p> </div> </div> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div><!-- end transcriptBody --> </div>http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2945247.htmMon, 05 Jul 2010 23:14:55 GMThttp://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2944874.htm<div id="mainContent"> <p><strong>Episode 22, 5 July 2010&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- // video --> <div id="video-player-single"><a class="singleClip" title="Javascript and flash 9 required to view this link." href="rtmp://cp44823.edgefcs.net/ondemand/flash/tv/streams/mediawatch/20100705_mouses.flv" style="background:#000000;color:#f09123;"><img src="http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/img/2010/ep22/mouses.jpg" width="400" height="224" style="border:0px" alt="Of Mouse And Men" /></a></div> <noscript> <br /><span style="color:#ffffff">Flash Player 9 and JavaScript is required to view video in the page. Alternatively use the Windows Media links below.</span></noscript> <!-- // video block --> <small></small> <h1>Of Mouse And Men</h1> <!--br>Researcher: It&rsquo;s hard to remember plurals when you&rsquo;re dealing with mice on surfboards --> <div id="transcriptBody"> <p> <q>'Snowy': And what he started doing years ago is actually training these little mouses to surf the beaches of the Gold Coast... This is the third generation of mouses that are actually now surfing on the beaches of the Gold Coast so he's been doing this for a while now. How amazing are they, just surfing away, these little mouses?<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Channel Nine, Mornings with Kerri-Anne, 30th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Aah, the cute little mouses! <br /><br />And when they've finished surfing, they dry off and go to bed in their little mouse hice. <br /><br />Welcome to Media Watch. I'm Jonathan Holmes.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>YOUR COMMENTS</h4> <div id="content" class="section"> <div id="misc" class="section"> <p><div class="section" id="comments"> <h2>Comments (0)</h2> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;tn=2944874&amp;dm=1&amp;tpa=&amp;r=" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Add your comment</a> </div></p> </div> </div> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div><!-- end transcriptBody --> </div>http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2944874.htmMon, 05 Jul 2010 23:13:50 GMThttp://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2939110.htm<div id="mainContent"> <p><strong>Episode 21, 28 June 2010&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- // video --> <div id="video-player-single"><a class="singleClip" title="Javascript and flash 9 required to view this link." href="rtmp://cp44823.edgefcs.net/ondemand/flash/tv/streams/mediawatch/20100628_breaking.flv" style="background:#000000;color:#f09123;"><img src="http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/img/2010/ep21/breakingnews.jpg" width="400" height="224" style="border:0px" alt="Breaking News Is Hard To Do..." /></a></div> <noscript> <br /><span style="color:#ffffff">Flash Player 9 and JavaScript is required to view video in the page. Alternatively use the Windows Media links below.</span></noscript> <!-- // video block --> <small></small> <h1>Breaking News Is Hard To Do...</h1> <!--br>Researcher: Last Wednesday night, one of the most extraordinary nights in Australia's political history, the ABC got there first, and its brand spanking new technology... came last. --> <div id="transcriptBody"> <p> <q>Deborah Cameron: In the Labor Party jungle, the highest and the hungriest in the food chain is the right wing. This morning Canberra is the Serengeti, Rudd is the orphaned gazelle, the lions and the hyenas have scent in their nostrils...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; ABC Radio 702, Mornings with Deborah Cameron, 24th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />And I'm a Serengeti vulture, scouring the plains - or should that be the jungle? - for the rotting corpses of old news, in search of the juiciest titbits.<br /><br />Welcome to Media Watch, I'm Jonathan Holmes. <br /><br />And tonight, I'll be picking over just one evening's entrails - the coverage of one of the most extraordinary nights in Australia's political history.<br /><br />On Friday, ABC Managing Director Mark Scott sent a congratulatory email to his troops:<br /><br /><br /><q>As you know, the story was broken by our team in Canberra... From Wednesday night we were able to showcase the very best of the ABC in action - on radio, television and online.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Email to staff from Mark Scott (Managing Director, ABC), 25th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br /><a href="1021_scottemail.pdf">Read Mark Scott's full comments regarding the ABC's coverage</a><br /><br /><br />Well, frankly, Mr Scott, if Wednesday night's effort is the best the ABC can do, it's in trouble.<br /><br />Yet it started so well, with a genuine scoop by ABC political correspondents Chris Uhlmann and Mark Simkin on the 7 o'clock news:<br /><br /><br /><q>Mark Simkin: Several Government sources have told the ABC that MPs are being sounded out about a possible move against the Prime Minister. Ministers have been asked for their support and the push is apparently coming from Victoria...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; ABC 7pm News, 23rd June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />For about five minutes, the ABC was on its own with the story - and many even in the Labor caucus thought it was wrong. But by 6 minutes past 7, Sky News' Kieran Gilbert had joined in...<br /><br /><br /><q>Kieran Gilbert: It looks like it's very serious according to what we're hearing from, as I say, a cabinet source, who suggests that this push is coming from the Victorian right of the Labor Party...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Sky News, 23rd June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Half an hour later, Sky News was beating the ABC to the punch:<br /><br /><br /><q>Kieran Gilbert: Sources have just told me during the last minute or so via the text message that Julia Gillard is in Kevin Rudd's office as we speak, so...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Sky News, 7.35pm, 23rd June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />The 7.30 Report's Heather Ewart was only minutes behind. <br /><br /><br /><q>Heather Ewart: ...she is in fact, as I understand it, in the Prime Minister's office right now, discussing this situation.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; ABC, 7.30 Report, 23rd June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />But from eight o'clock until 9.30, ABC viewers got one twenty-second update on the huge story it had broken. <br /><br />Over on Nine, at around a quarter past eight, the heavyweight of the Canberra Press Gallery, Laurie Oakes, had broken live into Hey Hey It's Saturday, and taken the story further...<br /><br /><br /><q>Laurie Oakes: The leaders of the right wing faction in NSW and Victoria, Mark Arbib from NSW, David Feeney from Victoria and I think Bill Shorten also from Victoria, told Julia Gillard earlier today they've lost confidence in Kevin Rudd as Prime Minister...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Nine News Update, 8.13pm, 23rd June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Not that Nine managed all its live crosses so seamlessly. <br /><br />Forty minutes later, it tried for another update from the great man...<br /><br /><br /><q>Kellie Connolly: We cross straight to Nine's chief political editor Laurie Oakes. Laurie, what are you hearing? <br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Nine News Update, 8.54pm, 23rd June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />But Laurie wasn't hearing a thing...<br /><br />Never mind. The real political junkies had long since tuned to Sky News - they were riveted by three hours of pundits comparing text messages...<br /><br /><br /><q>David Speers: We're not sharing sources here, but just a few minutes after your source mentioned the AWU, I've just heard the same thing.<br /><br />Peter van Onselen: Okay.<br /><br />David Speers: Paul Howes and Bill Ludwig, are now backing Gillard, is the source, is the message I've just received.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Sky News, 8.42pm, 23rd June, 2010</cite></q> <br /><br />But it's not exactly a visual feast, is it? Might as well follow the drama on ABC NewsRadio. <br /><br />After all, according to its website, it's:<br /><br /><br /><q>...still Australia's only national, continuous news network...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; ABC NewsRadio website</cite></q><br /><br />Except, that is, when it's legally required to run the proceedings of Parliament, which it was doing until just after twenty to nine that night. <br /><br />And then?<br /><br /><br /><q>Announcer: Right now we return you to ABC NewsRadio...<br /><br />BBC Reporter: ...they have to have access to borrowing, and many in Europe complain that they can't get it from the banks.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; ABC NewsRadio, 8.42pm, 23rd June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Well, actually, we were pitched straight into the middle of the BBC World Service's Business Daily. And NewsRadio stayed with the BBC until the 10pm news. <br /><br />Over on Sydney's 2GB, they were treating the crisis in Canberra as THE story from 8 until well after 11.<br /><br />Ross Greenwood was working overtime, in concert with:<br /><br /><br /><q>Ross Greenwood: ...the drive host Jason Morrison who's raced back in to help to take us through this. And Jason you'd have to imagine this is fairly spectacular times...<br /><br />Jason Morrison: Extraordinary...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Radio 2GB, 8.19pm, 23rd June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />As early as twenty to nine, when NewsRadio was still re-broadcasting Parliamentary Question Time, The Australian's Dennis Shanahan was predicting on 2GB that...<br /><br /><br /><q>Dennis Shanahan: ...whatever happens tonight, the Rudd era is over. <br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Radio 2GB, 8.39pm, 23rd June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Melbourne's 3AW wasn't so on the ball. Fortunately for the station, morning host Neil Mitchell couldn't stay off air. <br /><br />He called in just after 9 o'clock to give Bruce Mansfield's listeners the benefit of his thoughts...<br /><br /><br /><q>Neil Mitchell: The biggest problem of all is Kevin Rudd, and that is the biggest problem the government has. All the polls are showing it. A very senior person in the Labor party said to me this week 'He has trashed our brand, we are finished'.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Radio 3AW, Nightline with Phil and Bruce, 9.10pm, 23rd June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Of course, a lot of commercial talk stations have been attacking the Rudd government for months. But it wasn't just their relish; it was their sheer excitement that was missing from ABC local radio. <br /><br />The stations we've monitored ran the occasional interview with Canberra reporters like Chris Uhlmann...<br /><br /><br /><q>Chris Uhlmann: So there is no challenge if a challenger refuses to run. What is clear is that serious people in the party now are making a serious attempt to knock over a sitting Prime Minister and that is an extraordinary thing.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; ABC Radio 774, Evenings with Derek Guille, 8.29pm, 23rd June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />But somehow their urgency just didn't convey itself to the ABC's evening hosts. <br /><br />The most somnolent of all was 891 Adelaide's Peter Goers, who interrupted an interview about an Australian War Memorial exhibition at 8 minutes to 10 South Australian time with...<br /><br /><br /><q>Peter Goers: Good heavens, news to hand. Kevin Rudd has just stood down as Prime Minister. Julia Gillard will take on the leadership... Extraordinary. There you are.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; ABC 891 Adelaide, Evenings with Peter Goers, 9.52pm, 23rd June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Good heavens! Extraordinary. <br /><br />Not extraordinary enough, mind you, to warrant crossing to the press conference in Parliament House, where Kevin Rudd was about to announce that he would not stand down. In fact, Goers went on getting it wrong for another eight minutes.<br /><br />Not that he was alone. <br /><br />Moments earlier, Seven's Mark Riley had got egg on his face on national television:<br /><br /><br /><q>Mark Riley: Chris, he's on his way to a press conference to tell Australia that he is standing down as the Prime Minister - extraordinary turn of events this evening in Canberra.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Seven News Update, 10.16pm, 23rd June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Just five minutes later, Kevin Rudd declared...<br /><br /><br /><q>Kevin Rudd: I was elected by the people of Australia as Prime Minister of Australia. I was elected to do a job. I intend to continue doing that job...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Seven News Update, 10.21pm, 23rd June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Whoops! It took Seven thirty seconds to take down its banner headline.<br /><br />But Seven had managed to interrupt its normal programming in plenty of time for the press conference. So did Ten.<br /><br />Nine managed to miss the start...<br /><br /><br /><q>Kellie Connolly: Good evening, breaking news from Canberra, we cross straight to Kevin Rudd who is holding a press conference on his future...<br /><br />Kevin Rudd: ...of the caucus to convene a special meeting of the caucus at nine o'clock in the morning.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Nine News Update, 10.22pm, 23rd June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />But at least its viewers knew what was going on. Over on the ABC, many were left baffled.<br /><br />Lateline had been given permission to go to air live around the nation as soon as possible after 10pm eastern time. <br /><br />But in New South Wales, weird things were happening. <br /><br />First, in the middle of At The Movies...<br /><br /><br /><q>Judith Erlich: ...and it wasn't just the New York Times and it wasn't just the Washington Post who stood up to the injunction, the Supreme Court injunction, but it was...<br /><br />LATELINE CREDITS ROLLER<br /><br />Judith Erlich: ...the papers, I mean they were being told by...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; ABC, At The Movies, 23rd June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />And a few seconds later...<br /><br /><br /><q>Judith Erlich: And I feel strongly about that<br /><br />FLASH CAPTION<br /><br />Judith Erlich: &hellip;and I hope this film...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; ABC, At The Movies, 23rd June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />But at least, when At The Movies was finally interrupted intentionally, New South Wales viewers were told why...<br /><br /><br /><q>David Stratton: ...until he receives the information channelled through Pierre...<br /><br />NEWS FLASH STING<br /><br />Chris Uhlmann: We interrupt this regular broadcast to bring you breaking news for (sic) Canberra. <br /><br /><cite>&#8212; ABC, NSW, 23rd June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />But in Victoria and the ACT viewers were treated to this...<br /><br /><br /><q>David Stratton: ...and supporting players including Willem Dafoe are all sound. Moscow, which...<br /><br />TAPE REWINDS<br />FRAME FREEZES<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; ABC, ACT and Victoria, 23rd June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />That freeze frame lasted an excruciating minute and a half, before ACT viewers - those who were left - found themselves hearing this...<br /><br /><br /><q>Chris Uhlmann: ...as this unfolds. There are ministers now sitting in their offices this evening wondering about what's going on...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; ABC, ACT, 23rd June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />There would have been plenty of ABC viewers doing the same thing. <br /><br />So why can't the ABC manage what every other network could?<br /><br />Well two weeks ago the ABC transferred many of the functions of its presentation suites around the country to a spanking new national switching centre in Sydney called MediaHub. It's a company jointly owned and run by the ABC and the commercial regional operator, WIN TV.<br /><br />But it seems that switching eight different signals to Canberra simultaneously was simply too complicated for the newly-hired technicians at MediaHub.<br /><br />Not that the ABC's Director of Resources seemed too troubled. <br /><br />He told Media Watch:<br /><br /><br /><q>There were some technical problems encountered. Regrettably, these do occur sometimes in such fast moving situations. MediaHub operators are experienced and trained rigorously in structured training programs...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Response from David Cruttenden (Director of ABC Resources) to Media Watch, 25th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Well whoop de doo! <br /><br />Mr Cruttenden adds re-assuringly that MediaHub's only been operational for two weeks, and that:<br /><br /><br /><q>As a facility of MediaHub's complexity is bedded down and operations refined, such glitches will become less frequent. <br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Response from David Cruttenden (Director of ABC Resources) to Media Watch, 25th June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br /><a href="1021_cruttenden.pdf">Read David Cruttenden&rsquo;s full response to Media Watch&rsquo;s questions</a><br /><br /><br />Just more teething problems. <br /><br />I'll bet that's a relief to the ABC's producers and journalists, especially those preparing for the launch of its new 24 Hour News channel.<br /><br />Meanwhile, ABC News Radio was doing no better. At twenty-two past ten eastern time, we were still with Radio Australia's Asia Pacific, discussing the performance of Solomon Islands Prime Minister Derek Sikua...<br /><br /><br /><q>Campbell Cooney: Any feelings on the way that he has performed as Prime Minister and the way that his government has done their job?<br /><br />Program Guest: If you mess with the performance...<br /><br />Kevin Rudd: As Prime Minister of Australia. I was elected to do a job.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; ABC News Radio, 10.22pm, 23rd June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />That sounds like Kevin Rudd to me! <br /><br />NewsRadio had switched, without warning, to Local Radio's coverage, and stayed there for the next fifty minutes. <br /><br />But the prize for sheer insouciance surely goes to Radio National's Late Night Live. Yes, it was live on air from ten to eleven eastern time, and Phillip Adams mentioned the Canberra goings on as the program opened. <br /><br />But then he turned to...<br /><br /><br /><q>Phillip Adams: ...the latest news from the central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan...<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; ABC Radio National, 10.08pm, 23rd June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />which was dissected for twenty minutes. <br /><br />Afterwhich Adams blithely told his listeners...<br /><br /><br /><q>Phillip Adams: And yes, the ABC is now reporting that Julia Gillard has challenged Rudd for the Prime Ministership and Rudd said at a press conference moments ago that he will convene a special meeting of caucus in the morning... Music, maestro, and then we're going to talk to Richard Wrangham about how cooking made us human.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; ABC Radio National, 10.28pm, 23rd June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />So much more vital than the overthrow of the Prime Minister. <br /><br />If that's the best you can do, Phillip, why on earth bother to go live at all?<br /><br />An hour earlier, ABC Managing Director Mark Scott had tweeted:<br /><br /><br /><q>Conclusive proof why free-to-air TV needs a news channel. ABC News 24 almost here. Sorry it is not ready tonight.<br /><br /><cite>&#8212; Tweet from Mark Scott (Managing Director, ABC), 9.43pm, 23rd June, 2010</cite></q><br /><br />Well, no doubt a dedicated news channel would have done better. But the worry is that the ABC already has a cheap and instant medium that could have told us everything we learnt from Sky News, and more.<br /><br />It's called radio. And it didn't do the job.<br /><br />To be fair, the next day, ABC television and radio performed far better. <br /><br />But on Wednesday night we saw the best of the ABC in action. And the worst as well. Or as Deb Cameron might put it, the speed of a cheetah and grace of a warthog. <br /><br />Great Scott! Time to go. For responses from more ABC people, see the transcript on our website.<br /><br />We'll be back to our normal format next week. Join me then.<br /><br /><br /><i>Read responses to Media Watch's questions from <a href="1021_local.pdf">ABC Local Radio</a> and <a href="1021_national.pdf">ABC Radio National</a></i></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h4>YOUR COMMENTS</h4> <div class="section" id="comments"> <h2>Comments (2)</h2> <p><a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;t=226&amp;tn=2939110&amp;dm=1&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d226%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Add your comment</a></p> <ul> <li> <a id="m_ucMessageDisplay2635_m_anchMessageAnchor" name="m2635"></a> <h3>and then 2 hours later :</h3> <p class="date">28 Jun 2010 11:54:45pm</p> <p class="comment">Spare a thought for us in the West. We also had the Chris Uhlmann story break in through the Movie Show as first news of the events from Canberra. However we get it two hours later than the East. So the first ABC TV coverage in Western Australia was after midnight EST.<br />MediaHub or not, we just go the recording. <br /></p> <p class="links"> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;t=226&amp;tn=&amp;dm=1&amp;m=2635&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d226%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Reply</a> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/Recommend.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2635&amp;tpa=&amp;h=-480394021&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d226%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Agree</a> (0) <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/AlertModerator.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2635&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d226%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Alert moderator</a> </p> <ul> </ul> </li> <li> <a id="m_ucMessageDisplay2634_m_anchMessageAnchor" name="m2634"></a> <h3>akdor1154 &#174;:</h3> <p class="date">28 Jun 2010 10:46:37pm</p> <p class="comment">Personally, I agree with Local Radio's comments: &quot;Indeed, from a rolling coverage point of view there was very little to sustain continuous coverage outside of the basic points...&quot;<br /><br />I too don't believe a rolling commentary was necessary - the facts were given and programming continued as normal. Interrupting programming to milk out a full commentary for hours, though perhaps useful for viewers tuning in at a later time, would otherwise be unneeded - and as said, the caucus meeting did not even occur until the morning.<br /><br />On the other hand the TV issues regarding MediaHub are quite valid complaints raised by your program.<br /><br />The ABC broke the story first, and beyond the P.M's press conference which God forbid was a completely unforgivable TEN MINUTES LATE (!!) (sorry if my sarcasm is not coming across in this text) there was very little else to report. Though there were a couple of issues, I was largely satisfied with the overall coverage given across the ABC's various media.</p> <p class="links"> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/NewMessage.aspx?b=138&amp;t=226&amp;tn=&amp;dm=1&amp;m=2634&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d226%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Reply</a> <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/Recommend.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2634&amp;tpa=&amp;h=-480397158&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d226%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Agree</a> (0) <a href="http://www2b.abc.net.au/tmb/View/AlertModerator.aspx?b=138&amp;m=2634&amp;tpa=&amp;r=%2ftmb%2fView%2fMessage.aspx%3fb%3d138%26t%3d226%26a%3d0%26ps%3d50%26tpa%3d%26uto%3d1%26dm%3d4%26ci%3d0%26pd%3d1%26so%3dDateTime%26soa%3dFalse%26p%3d1%26p2%3d0" onclick="return popup(this.href);">Alert moderator</a> </p> <ul> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div><!-- end transcriptBody --> </div>http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2939110.htmTue, 29 Jun 2010 00:31:26 GMThttp://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2939247.htm<div id="mainContent"> <p><strong>Dog of the Week, 28 June 2010&nbsp;</strong></p> <!-- // video --> <img src="http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/img/2010/dogs/062810_dog1.jpg" width="400" height="224" style="border:0px" alt="WHEN GOOD IDEAS GO BAD..." /> <!-- // video block --> <small></small> <h1>WHEN GOOD IDEAS GO BAD...</h1> <!--br>Researcher: Dog of the week --> <div id="transcriptBody"> <p> <cite>&#8212; Illawarra Mercury, 25th June, 2010</cite><br /><br /></p><p><center><img src="http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/img/2010/dogs/062810_dog2.jpg" /></center></p><br /><cite>&#8212; Adelaide Advertiser e-Edition, 24th June, 2010</cite> <p>&nbsp;</p> </div><!-- end transcriptBody --> </div>http://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/transcripts/s2939247.htmTue, 29 Jun 2010 00:31:25 GMT