When did journalism go wrong?
From my research of the Canberra Times, my local paper, which began in
1926, editorial opinions starting entering their paper around the 1970s. So
editorial opinions have been with us for around 50 years. How this changed people's
views and ideas back then we can't know. But today opinions, views, and
commentary in newspapers have a major effect on the views of the people who
read them.
Opinion columns are one of the most popular parts of a newspaper today.
As I have said, I fail to understand the popularity of opinion columns, but it
is most likely that their popularity is due to the content of these opinions
reinforcing people’s views.
Regardless of whether these views are right, wrong, inaccurate or are
just outright lies pushed by editors who want to drive an issue, in my opinion,
they have no right being in a newspaper. Opinions are not news. Opinions are
cheap, facts are hard but rewarding.
I attended the 2019 Kenneth Myer Lecture on Thursday 15.08.2019 at the
National Library of Australia. The speaker was the well-known UNESCO Chair in
Journalism & Communication at the University of Queensland, author, and
journalist, Peter Greste.
Peter Greste
He spoke about Press Freedom in Australia: And why it is in Crisis.
He also talked about the need for a 'Press Freedom Act' and making sure it
contained an appropriate mix of rights for security agencies and the press.
I managed to get to ask him a question after his speech. My question was
"With the amount of comment, opinions, and views in newspapers today, do
you feel that this has pushed governments towards eroding press freedoms?"
His answer was yes. "This has indisputably helped to erode press
freedom around the world.", Greste said.
It does not look like that media outlets are looking at or even thinking
about curbing the commentary in their newspapers. So they can probably only
expect their press freedoms to be further eroded the more vocal and one-sided
they become.
It's clear that some editorials are balanced and probably do produce
positive outcomes. It's also clear that the rubbish that is purported to be
editorials and commentary by some is doing nothing but harm and further
disrupting a disjointed world.
I hope to one day get a job in a paper where I am allowed to report on
security, political and civil matters without hindrance from our government and
its agencies. But if newspapers continue to push out so much commentary, there
might be no journalists jobs available because governments might restrict their
activities to a point where no reporting of issues is possible.
Let's hope that media outlets find a balance and work with governments
and vice versa to maintain the continued reporting of the news, which we all
know is vital for a democracy.
