“An independent inquiry has found that the way media is regulated in Australia is not rigorous enough to ensure accountability and transparency.” (Healey 2013)
Do we have a real understanding of what is going on in the world? In Australia? Did we ever have an opinion that was not clouded by bias, swing or half-truths told by the media? I watch reports on criminal trials and wonder whether the reason I believe the prosecuted to be guilty is because the position of the camera, the background music or the voice, telling me that the accused had the same cruel eyes as Ivan Millat. Is the reason that I believe feminism to be hysterical and over emotional because the media is telling me there is no need for it anymore?
Media ownership has almost killed the ability to compare and contrast opinions. With Fairfax owning over 90% of Australia’s daily newspapers how can I know that my opinion, is my own?
According to the Finkelstein Inquiry (Carson 2012), the number of independent voices, particularly in country towns, is limited. As such, the inquiry proposed that an independent body be formed ‘taxpayer funded’ as a ‘super regulator’. Large media proprietors would no longer have the ability to withdraw their participation.
With further discussion, myself and a group agreed that something must be done about media ownership and the lack of alternate voices. We agreed that there should be consequences for when codes of ethics are breached. And with media growing at such an exponential rate, crossing borders and seas, large businesses need to be accountable and transparent, just as parliament is to the judiciary. Without accountability, the owners of the media have free reign and are ironically, controlling our notions of equality and diversity, shaping our views and philosophies, fueling our passions and fears.
Carson, A 2012, Finkelstein Inquiry report case for ‘cautious optimism’, University of Melbourne
Healey, J 2013, Media, Ethics and Regulation, Issues in Society, Spinney Press, Thirroul
Pre-cooked Thinking 