Contrary to what can be seen in the ‘National Times’ and an extraordinary press
conference on the ABC the other day to announce a
Journalist (yes a Journalist) changing jobs, the average punter
has no bloody idea who Michelle Grattan is, nor do they
care... I now know because of Twitter & other articles
that Ms Grattan is a Journalist who is obviously very well
respected by her colleagues and due to the length of her career
has helped and mentored many journalists early in their careers,
with a career spanning 43 years, this does not surprise me.
All this is very laudable and if you read “A warrior and a worrier, the woman who
broke the mould”, an article written in the Age this morning
more akin to an obituary than a ‘goodbye’ to an esteemed
colleague, that an end of an era has arrived.
Even though Journalists are becoming more like celebrities with
their appearances on Sunrise, ABC opinion shows etc., when it
comes to actually reading the news, we at home, don’t normally
care ‘who’ the journalist is, more about what they are saying and
the information they are imparting to us, though as I have found,
we should be concerned. I wonder if like a lot of
professions, the Canberra Press Gallery is too insular, only deal
& discuss issues with each other, and the cardinal sin from a
punters view, they ‘assume’ we know background information that
in reality, we do not know, therefore are not actually informing
us, the public, as they should be? Often I have questioned
someone on twitter, to be informed, “Oh but didn’t you know
they were a Labor Speech Writer” or “Didn’t you know, so
& so has an ‘in’ with Liberals
because...” Umm no I didn’t’!
Now, I am not an expert on anything, though I am not by any means
a moron, so imagine my horror when I find out that the misleading
title of ‘Fellow’ given to the IPA (Institute of
Public Affairs) regulars on the ABC’s The Drum, are not
academics as the name suggests, nor are their expert opinions
without an agenda. This means that the last bastion of
supposedly balanced news & opinion, the ABC, also cannot be
taken at face value any more.
So where does this state of the media leave someone like me who
actively tries to educate myself,, asks questions, attempts to
understand what is actually happening politically? I have
started to follow a number of Blogs & Online only media
organisations. One that I thoroughly enjoy, am educated by,
or at the very least provides thought provoking discussion for
meThe
Conversation. What is comforting to me as a
punter who is not in the ‘know’ about particular organisations,
journalists etc., agendas or political affiliations is that every
article I read on this site is ascribed to an author (never an
anonymous opinion, comment, or editorial), these authors are
usually Academics, always clearly stated at the top of the page
who they are, where they work, what their expertise. I may
not always fully agree with what a particular article may be
discussing, reporting or hypothesising about, but at least I know
they truly are academics & experts.
This is where I come back to Ms Michelle Grattan, who will be
taking on the role of Chief Political Correspondent and
Associate Editor (Politics) with The Conversation. This
concerns me greatly as I personally have not found her reporting
to be very balanced at all in recent times, in fact often
wondering if this lady has a bit of a crush on Tony Abbot &
Kevin Rudd? I am not an expert in politics so maybe I am
not ‘getting’ what Ms Grattan is trying to impart in her
‘opinion’ pieces and therefore can let my perception of her bias
slide to a certain degree? What I can’t let slide,
and yes, I know I will sound like a cranky old lady here, is the
disrespect consistently shown to our Prime Minister by Ms
Grattan. I cannot respect a writer that consistently refers
to our Prime Minister as “Gillard”. Please, if you have the
time, check out her past articles, particularly the titles and
you will see what I mean... Particularly the tone and
manner Ms Grattan uses on ABC Radio National Breakfast is not the
manner that I would be encouraging the youth of today to
use? I don’t care if our Prime Minister is Julia Gillard,
Tony Abbott or Jill Dill down the road, high public office should
always be accorded respect. With the experience Ms Grattan
so obviously has, she must be aware of the subtle effect on the
reader this use of ‘Gillard’ has to denigrate the Prime
Minister, a habit that is becoming unfortunately more common in
our print & televised media. Though I would
expect better form from a journalist who is supposedly so
experienced and universally respected?
I sincerely hope that this disdain for the current Government and
certain politicians that Ms Grattan obviously has little time
for, does not extend to her input in The Conversation with her
new role? A number of ex-Journalists who I respect on
Twitter seem to think that this move to The Conversation will be
wonderful, though I am sceptical of how someone who has been
living in a Canberra Press Gallery bubble who is moving to a
Canberra Academic bubble can really invigorate, drive or
focus the academic talent on The Conversation, (an assertion
from an ex Journalist on Twitter)?
Judging from the accolades Ms Grattan is getting, they are many
and varied, I assume she is a lovely hard-working lady, I don’t
know her obviously, only her writing, so I sincerely hope that my
scepticism in regard to Ms Grattan’s bias and tone is unwarranted
and The Conversation continues in it’s up front and generally
unbiased political reporting, we the punter, are running out of
those reputable resources and cannot afford to lose another
one.
Noely @YaThinkN
Then again, as usual, I am just a punter so the political opinion
& reporting that Ms Grattan is famous for is just beyond my
limited experience or intellect? Though, considering the
public is the audience the media are supposed to be catering for,
maybe there is a bigger issue here...
Other Articles of interest...
February 4, 2013 - Daniel Hurst - Grattan quits Age with call for
diversity
06 February 2013 - Andrew Elder - The impact of Michelle Grattan
Feb 04, 2013 10:04AM - Matthew Knott - Grattan, the professor, quits The Age
for new Conversation
