The BBC director of nations and regions has called for an end to "air-conditioned journalism", which, simply put, is related to "hotel journalism" and "mouse journalism."
Journalists should get out of the office. Reporting political and business leaders sprouting daily drivel may be what corporate media encourages, but this is not what journalism should be about. As John Pilger told me late last year:
"...Journalism is reporting from the bottom up, not from the top down. And it seems to me that once within the system, young journalists are groomed to report from the top down, not from the bottom up. Their scepticism is aimed not at power, but at people. You hear their contempt for readers, viewers and listeners; they call them apathetic and say they don't care and all they're interested in is the footy. They rarely disparage those at the top in the same way."
Journalists should get out of the office. Reporting political and business leaders sprouting daily drivel may be what corporate media encourages, but this is not what journalism should be about. As John Pilger told me late last year:
"...Journalism is reporting from the bottom up, not from the top down. And it seems to me that once within the system, young journalists are groomed to report from the top down, not from the bottom up. Their scepticism is aimed not at power, but at people. You hear their contempt for readers, viewers and listeners; they call them apathetic and say they don't care and all they're interested in is the footy. They rarely disparage those at the top in the same way."
6 Comments:
Indeed. The BBC is, with notable exceptions, the voice of the British establishment and always has been.
Wonder if Dahr Jamail will come to Australia. Perhaps I should try and organise it, now that I'm on the board of Macquarie Uni's Centre for Middle East Studies.
Food for thought...
Congratulations on your appointment Ant. Like Addamo, I believe it would be marvellous to hear the views of independent journos such as Dahr Jamail in Oz.
Thank.
I'm involved in organising a major event/conference in mid 2006 at Macquarie about the media and the Middle East. Hope to get some big guests.
Watch this space.
Onya AL!
I suggest you invite Professor Amin Saikal from ANU along.
He's a secular left Afghani-Aussie who knows all about Iran etc. In fact he was just publishing "The Fall of the Shah" just BEFORE the Shah actually fell in 1979.
I was appointed because I'm a journo. The board comprises many different sorts. They wanted someone young (ish!), involved with the media and bringing a different perspective on Mid East matters.
Goodonyou Ant
love to see someone like Amira Hass or Neve Gordon out here, perhaps to share a stage with Hanan Ashrawi or Saeb Erekat, so that people can see for themselves that the doom and gloom, busted arse ME paradigm we are fed (and which the trolls here retail furiously) is not the only story, and that in fact the personnel needed for a mature and respectful rapprochement already exist.
Merry Xmas, Happy Hanukah, a festive New Year etc to you Ant.
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