Comments on: Bias http://brainsnorkel.com/2005/11/28/bias/ Manifesto-driven development. Eclectic thoughts. Fri, 21 Nov 2008 23:42:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Chris http://brainsnorkel.com/2005/11/28/bias/#comment-4780 Chris Mon, 28 Nov 2005 20:39:16 +0000 http://brainsnorkel.com/2005/11/28/bias/#comment-4780 That's certainly a different perspective to the one that was put to me. If the Government is the cause of the editorial policy, and the main critic of it, that would be tragi-comic. Syndication is a concern, but as I understand it syndication of ABC content is quite defined. The media in question were current affairs programs, which tend not to be syndicated and when they are, they're stamped with contextual information. That’s certainly a different perspective to the one that was put to me. If the Government is the cause of the editorial policy, and the main critic of it, that would be tragi-comic.

Syndication is a concern, but as I understand it syndication of ABC content is quite defined. The media in question were current affairs programs, which tend not to be syndicated and when they are, they’re stamped with contextual information.

]]> By: Alastair http://brainsnorkel.com/2005/11/28/bias/#comment-4776 Alastair Mon, 28 Nov 2005 04:08:14 +0000 http://brainsnorkel.com/2005/11/28/bias/#comment-4776 This was discussed in Crikey recently. AFAIK it originates with Queensland Liberal senator Santo Santoro who is taking (who else) the ABC to task for "overwhelmingly anti-conservative" institutional bias. One of the reasons he cited was an ABC editorial policy which apparently restricted use of the term "our troops". This is all straight out of the Dick Alston playbook. An anonymous journo responded to the allegations by saying that it is common practice for "us", "we" and "our" to be off limits in reporting. As he put it: <blockquote>Remember the old joke. The Lone Ranger and Tonto are surrounded by hordes of Indian warriors. The Lone Ranger turns to Tonto and says “Look's like we're in trouble," to which Tonto replies “What do you mean ‘we' pale face?”</blockquote> There are many other good reasons not to use these terms, not the least of which is that the content is syndicated to other news agencies around the world. This was discussed in Crikey recently. AFAIK it originates with Queensland Liberal senator Santo Santoro who is taking (who else) the ABC to task for “overwhelmingly anti-conservative” institutional bias. One of the reasons he cited was an ABC editorial policy which apparently restricted use of the term “our troops”.

This is all straight out of the Dick Alston playbook. An anonymous journo responded to the allegations by saying that it is common practice for “us”, “we” and “our” to be off limits in reporting. As he put it:

Remember the old joke. The Lone Ranger and Tonto are surrounded by hordes of Indian warriors. The Lone Ranger turns to Tonto and says “Look’s like we’re in trouble,” to which Tonto replies “What do you mean ‘we’ pale face?”

There are many other good reasons not to use these terms, not the least of which is that the content is syndicated to other news agencies around the world.

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