Thursday, November 22, 2012

Hype in bylines and headings keeps Wars going





Its hard to get a good balance with headlines  but the failure of Our ABC TV  to play down the predictable preaching angle of one group against another is totally unacceptable. Ho hum predictably predictable and unwatchable TV.
Some of the ABC journos must think we are stupid . We are not stupid  - we just switch off and are doing it more and more !
  1. In the recent Gaza / Israeli  conflict our ABC's  body rocket count myopia could well prolong the wars and the reason for keeping it going ( western outrage created by the media by apparent injustice ) ( Hamas's  preferred angle on the game is played out night after night)
    Its very easy to capitalize on the fact that at some time or other one group or another are creating the most impact , doing the most damage to innocents and "being the baddest"  . But, as  any kid knows that a lot depends on "who started the fight and who keeps it going " . The wiser kid  and the wisest observers try to ignore the first rocket ------ but eventually retaliation is necessary . Games ; Games even children usually grow out of 
  2. Tweet and bylines are too often provocative, adjective rich and totally unacceptable for a news service..    Almost every day .Q&A bylines have made theavaitor famous BUT  go quiet despite "1000's" to be edited???   
  3. "Long running disputes over tasmanian forests" (TODAY) should be more specific and not use the "Long running" and "disputes" tag . Which forests . Reports should less grandiose and straight to the point . You are wasting OUR time . 

For example Green group.named .".....".reject more logging plans  in the Tarkine , or Bob Brown complains that his fire wood source will be shut down ." The NFF spokesperosn ....... say that Canberra haven't explained credibly to the people in Mildura  what an environenatl flow is . Mr ........ said Mr..... only seems understand the idea of putting fences up to keep people out . Mr.....   said real biodivesity protection had to be more than 4 magic numbers "
Some much of this political stuff is represented as though the complaints are huge and new when they appear not to be. Like all news , the person,  the place, the time , the really new stuff  and the ownership ( public of private resources ) should be identified .

This is real switch off material and does the ABC's reputation a lot of eroded confidence damage. We listen but we listen less and less