tag:theconversation.com,2011:/africa/topics/newspapers-573/articlesNewspapers – The Conversation2024-02-28T18:44:00Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2236192024-02-28T18:44:00Z2024-02-28T18:44:00ZHow audience data is shaping Canadian journalism<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/577153/original/file-20240221-24-3j5bg1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C45%2C7680%2C4265&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">There’s been a big shift in how journalists consider their audiences in newsrooms. That shift is largely due to audience data.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>With media conglomerates <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/bce-cuts-1.7108658">slashing jobs, programs</a> and <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/torstar-metroland-nordstar-1">publications</a> and growing <a href="https://www.cem.ulaval.ca/publications/dnr-2023-canada-eng/">news avoidance and perceived issues of trust</a> in journalism, finding ways to catch, engage and retain an audience has become a matter of survival for those in the news business.</p>
<p>There’s been a big shift in how journalists consider their audiences in newsrooms. That shift is largely due to <a href="https://j-source.ca/heres-how-metrics-and-analytics-are-changing-newsroom-practice/">audience data</a> — lots of audience data.</p>
<p>Journalists experience almost constant feedback about the content they create. It doesn’t matter if they’re working online, in television, radio or traditional print. They’re delivering to multiple platforms and every day they’re exposed to quantitative data — metrics that measure audience behaviour on websites and social media — and qualitative data — such as audience comments on social media.</p>
<p>As one television journalist told us:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“You know exactly how far someone scrolls down a page, how many seconds they’re spending on a page, what device you’re using, we know so much about our audience, just like Google knows about our audience.” </p>
</blockquote>
<p>But what impact does all of this data have on how journalists perceive their audiences and the content they publish? That’s what Colette Brin of Laval University, Stuart Duncan from Toronto Metropolitan University and I explore in a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/17512786.2024.2310712">newly published paper</a> examining audience-oriented journalism.</p>
<h2>Audience-oriented journalism</h2>
<p>In basic terms, audience-oriented journalism involves three specific roles:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Infotainment — journalism that uses narrative strategies and style that align with more entertainment-based media; </p></li>
<li><p>Civic — journalism that focuses on educating citizens on their rights or advocating for their demands; and </p></li>
<li><p>Service — news reports that promote products or help you solve everyday problems.</p></li>
</ul>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/577152/original/file-20240221-20-97keji.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="the Toronto Star website" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/577152/original/file-20240221-20-97keji.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/577152/original/file-20240221-20-97keji.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/577152/original/file-20240221-20-97keji.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/577152/original/file-20240221-20-97keji.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/577152/original/file-20240221-20-97keji.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/577152/original/file-20240221-20-97keji.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/577152/original/file-20240221-20-97keji.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Finding ways to catch, engage and retain an audience has become a matter of survival for those in the news business.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We <a href="https://j-source.ca/a-global-study-on-pandemic-era-news-explores-the-gap-between-journalists-ideals-and-realities/">analyzed more than 3,700 stories</a> from 2020, surveyed 133 journalists in 2020 and 2021 and interviewed 13 journalists during the same time period. The news organizations we studied were the <em>Toronto Star</em>, <em>Globe and Mail</em>, <em>National Post</em>, CTV, Global News, <em>La Presse</em>, <em>HuffPost Canada</em>, TVA and CBC/Radio-Canada. Having worked in newsrooms ourselves, we were able to contextualize our results through our own experiences. </p>
<p>We found audience data has a big impact on practice in Canadian newsrooms. At the now defunct <a href="https://theconversation.com/bottom-up-audience-driven-and-shut-down-how-huffpost-canada-left-its-mark-on-canadian-media-175805"><em>HuffPost Canada</em></a>, for example, the audience was segmented into specific “types” of readers based on audience data. As one editor described, “We do X, Y and Z for this type of story for this type of person.” In essence, how a story was written depended on who it was being written for. </p>
<p>Reporters were also aware of the importance of audience data from a business perspective. As noted by one newspaper reporter:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“This is all algorithm stuff that I don’t entirely understand, but it does help the eggheads figure out how to customize your user experience when you go to the website. So it’s showing you stuff you’re interested in much the same way of Facebook and Twitter, which keeps people engaged with your website, which means more subscribers, which means I get to stay gainfully employed.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Responses to our survey supported the importance of audience data in the selection, development and promotion of stories and in measuring their value. Based on <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1464884913504259">other studies</a>, we also know that journalists can lowball <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1464884915595474">the importance of data</a> in making editorial decisions, so there could be even greater impact than we measured. </p>
<h2>Infotainment and sensationalism</h2>
<p>There is frequent critique that the ubiquity of data in newsrooms has resulted in a push for clickbait or more sensationalized stories that boost traffic at the expense of more newsworthy reportage — and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2018.1504626">sometimes that happens</a>. </p>
<p>Sensationalism is part of infotainment. However, our content analysis revealed that a lot of what qualifies as infotainment in Canadian journalism involves descriptive language and sharing relevant, personal details about the subject being written about. Done appropriately this can give greater nuance and context to a story. </p>
<p>As well, infotainment in Canada is often combined with the “educator” part of the civic role. For example, one editor told us how they look to find the “more fun” (infotainment) aspect of a story that can give a “point of entry” to inform the public about things like rules of Parliament. </p>
<p>The civic and service roles are also often performed together, with news you can use that might impact someone’s understanding of political processes or stories about their rights as citizens. </p>
<p>Nearly 80 per cent of the stories we sampled had at least one audience-oriented role present, and almost 40 per cent had more than one. This provides strong evidence that audiences are top of mind in newsrooms. </p>
<p>Our conversations also revealed that even if newsrooms aren’t always able to <a href="https://slate.com/technology/2021/03/imagined-audiences-journalism-analytics-intuition.html">accurately interpret</a> what the audience wants, they’re spending a lot of time and resources trying to do so.</p>
<h2>Importance of social media</h2>
<p>Most reporters we talked to used social media — whether they wanted to or not — because they recognized it as an important tool to reach audiences, find sources and promote their work. More than 78 per cent of the journalists surveyed agreed it was an important tool to connect with audiences. </p>
<p>However, reporters also noted the downsides of social media, particularly related to political polarization. One newspaper reporter said: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“While it provides a venue to find an audience, which is what we absolutely need to do, it has also created a forum with which to attack journalists and attack the free press.” </p>
</blockquote>
<p>That hostile environment resulted in another reporter being careful about her choice of words so she could reach a wider audience:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“I deliberately go out of my way to try to reach the people who are trying to ignore me. Like, that’s the target audience as you write. So you’re avoiding unnecessary use of terms that get spun into shit, not because we don’t deserve to use those terms … but because what you’re actually attempting to do is to reach those people.” </p>
</blockquote>
<p>Even if people might not trust news, or a certain media organization, there is evidence to show they can still recognize and appreciate <a href="https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003257998">quality journalism</a>. </p>
<p>Canadian journalists have to find ways to understand and reach an audience that may not always want to listen. They’re trying hard to do so. Whether it works, and the lasting impact of their efforts on journalistic standards, remains to be seen.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/223619/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nicole Blanchett has received funding from Mitacs, Centre d’études sur les médias, The Journalism Research Centre at Toronto Metropolitan University, The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto Metropolitan University, and SSHRC.</span></em></p>A new study on Canadian journalism examines the impact of audience data on journalistic roles and journalists’ perceptions of their audienceNicole Blanchett, Associate Professor, Journalism, Toronto Metropolitan UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2226772024-02-13T13:23:41Z2024-02-13T13:23:41ZSaving the news media means moving beyond the benevolence of billionaires<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/574711/original/file-20240209-18-vtb36b.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=17%2C26%2C5973%2C3961&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Billionaire media owners can't change inhospitable market dynamics.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/the-los-angeles-times-building-and-newsroom-along-imperial-news-photo/1211874817?adppopup=true">Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>For the journalism industry, <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/01/26/media-layoffs-strikes-journalism-dying">2024 is off to a brutal start</a>. </p>
<p>Most spectacularly, the Los Angeles Times recently slashed <a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2024-01-23/latimes-layoffs-115-newsroom-soon-shiong">more than 20% of its newsroom</a>.</p>
<p>Though trouble had long been brewing, the layoffs were particularly disheartening because many employees and readers hoped the Times’ billionaire owner, <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/11/01/how-patrick-soon-shiong-made-his-fortune-before-buying-the-la-times">Patrick Soon-Shiong</a>, would stay the course in good times and bad – that he would be a steward less interested in turning a profit and more concerned with ensuring the storied publication could serve the public. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2024-01-23/latimes-layoffs-115-newsroom-soon-shiong#:%7E:text=%E2%80%9CToday's%20decision%20is%20painful%20for,%2C%E2%80%9D%20Soon%2DShiong%20said.">According to the LA Times</a>, Soon-Shiong explained that the cuts were necessary because the paper “could no longer lose $30 million to $40 million a year.” </p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/_cingraham/status/1749890710118301751">As one X user pointed out</a>, Soon-Shiong could weather US$40 million in annual losses for decades and still remain a billionaire. You could say the same of another billionaire owner, The Washington Post’s Jeff Bezos, <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/12/19/washington-post-cut-jobs-voluntary-buyouts">who eliminated hundreds of jobs in 2023</a> after making a long stretch of steady investments. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1749890710118301751"}"></div></p>
<p>Of course, it helps if your owner has deep pockets and is satisfied with breaking even or earning modest profits – a far cry from the slash-and-burn, profit-harvesting of the two largest newspaper owners: the hedge fund <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2021/11/alden-global-capital-killing-americas-newspapers/620171/">Alden Global Capital</a> and <a href="https://www.niemanlab.org/2023/03/the-scale-of-local-news-destruction-in-gannetts-markets-is-astonishing/">the publicly traded Gannett</a>. </p>
<p>Yet, as we’ve previously argued, relying on the benevolence of billionaire owners isn’t a viable long-term solution to journalism’s crises. In what we call the “<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-slippery-slope-of-the-oligarchy-media-model-81931">oligarchy media model</a>,” it often creates distinct hazards for democracy. The recent layoffs simply reinforce these concerns. </p>
<h2>Systemic market failure</h2>
<p>This carnage is part of a longer story: <a href="https://localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/projects/state-of-local-news/2023/report/">Ongoing research on news deserts</a> shows that the U.S. has lost almost one-third of its newspapers and nearly two-thirds of its newspaper journalists since 2005.</p>
<p>It’s become clear that this downturn isn’t temporary. Rather, it’s a <a href="https://www.niemanlab.org/2018/12/we-will-finally-confront-systemic-market-failure/">systemic market failure</a> with no signs of reversal.</p>
<p>As print advertising continues to decline, Meta’s and Google’s <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/google-and-metas-advertising-dominance-fades-as-tiktok-netflix-emerge-11672711107">dominance over digital advertising</a> has deprived news publishers of a major online revenue source. <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/11/the-print-apocalypse-and-how-to-survive-it/506429/">The advertising-based news business model has collapsed</a> and, to the extent it ever did, won’t adequately support the public service journalism that democracy requires.</p>
<p>What about digital subscriptions as a revenue source? </p>
<p>For years, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2013.865967">paywalls have been hailed</a> as an alternative to advertising. While some news organizations have recently stopped requiring subscriptions <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/02/06/great-subscription-news-reversal">or have created a tiered pricing system</a>, how has this approach fared overall?</p>
<p>Well, it’s been <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/07/business/media/new-york-times-q4-earnings.html">a fantastic financial success for The New York Times</a> and, actually, almost no one else – while denying millions of citizens access to essential news.</p>
<p>The paywall model has also worked reasonably well for The Wall Street Journal, with its assured audience of business professionals, though its management still felt compelled <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/wall-street-journal-shakes-up-d-c-bureau-with-big-layoffs/ar-BB1hDv9V?ocid=finance-verthp-feeds">to make deep cuts</a> in its Washington, D.C., bureau on Feb. 1, 2024. And at The Washington Post, even 2.5 million digital subscriptions haven’t been enough for the publication to break even.</p>
<p>To be fair, the billionaire owners of <a href="https://twitter.com/aidanfitzryan/status/1748098450963460180">The Boston Globe</a> and <a href="https://startribunecompany.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Click-here.pdf">the Minneapolis Star Tribune</a> have sown fertile ground; the papers seem to be turning modest profits, and there isn’t any news of looming layoffs.</p>
<p>But they’re outliers; in the end, billionaire owners can’t change these inhospitable market dynamics. Plus, because they made their money in other industries, the owners often create conflicts of interest that their news outlets’ journalists must continually navigate with care.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Three female protestors shout, while one holds a sign reading 'Don't cut our future.'" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/574235/original/file-20240207-28-42qqde.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C16%2C5525%2C3755&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/574235/original/file-20240207-28-42qqde.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=410&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/574235/original/file-20240207-28-42qqde.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=410&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/574235/original/file-20240207-28-42qqde.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=410&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/574235/original/file-20240207-28-42qqde.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=515&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/574235/original/file-20240207-28-42qqde.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=515&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/574235/original/file-20240207-28-42qqde.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=515&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Los Angeles Times employees stage a walkout on Jan. 19, 2024, after learning about layoffs.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/los-angeles-times-guild-members-rally-outside-city-hall-news-photo/1945953066?adppopup=true">Mario Tama/Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>The way forward</h2>
<p>While the market dynamics for news media are only getting worse, the civic need for quality, accessible public service journalism is greater than ever. </p>
<p>When quality journalism disappears, <a href="https://www.npr.org/transcripts/1170919800">it intensifies a host of problems</a> – from rising corruption to decreasing civic engagement to greater polarization – that threaten the vitality of U.S. democracy.</p>
<p>That’s why we believe it’s urgently important to grow the number of outlets capable of independently resisting destructive market forces.</p>
<p>Billionaire owners willing to release their media properties could help facilitate this process. Some of them already have. </p>
<p>In 2016, the billionaire Gerry Lenfest donated his sole ownership of The Philadelphia Inquirer along with a $20 million endowment to an eponymously named <a href="https://www.lenfestinstitute.org/about/">nonprofit institute</a>, with bylaws preventing profit pressures from taking precedence over its civic mission. Its nonprofit ownership model has enabled the Inquirer to <a href="https://localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/projects/state-of-local-news/2023/brightspots/philadelphia-inquirer-jim-friedlich-q-and-a/">invest in news</a> at a time when so many others have cut to the bone.</p>
<p>In 2019, wealthy businessman Paul Huntsman ceded his ownership of The Salt Lake Tribune to a <a href="https://www.sltrib.com/news/2019/11/04/historic-shift-salt-lake/">501(c)(3) nonprofit</a>, easing its tax burden and setting it up to receive philanthropic funding. After continuing as board chairman, in early February he announced that he was permanently <a href="https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2024/02/02/paul-huntsman-its-time-step-away/">stepping down</a>. </p>
<p>And in September 2023, the French newspaper <a href="https://www.lemonde.fr/en/about-us/article/2023/09/24/two-major-milestones-for-le-monde-s-independence_6139073_115.html">Le Monde</a>’s billionaire shareholders, led by tech entrepreneur Xavier Niel, officially confirmed a plan to move their capital into an endowment fund that’s effectively controlled by journalists and other employees of the Le Monde Group. </p>
<p>On a smaller and far more precarious scale, U.S. journalists have founded hundreds of <a href="https://www.niemanlab.org/2024/02/many-small-news-nonprofits-feel-overlooked-by-funders-a-new-coalition-is-giving-them-a-voice/">small nonprofits</a> across the country over the past decade to provide crucial public affairs coverage. However, most struggle mightily to generate enough revenues to even pay themselves and a few reporters a living wage. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Workers sit at a table in a large, open workspace." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/574245/original/file-20240207-18-arb5jw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/574245/original/file-20240207-18-arb5jw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=360&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/574245/original/file-20240207-18-arb5jw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=360&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/574245/original/file-20240207-18-arb5jw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=360&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/574245/original/file-20240207-18-arb5jw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=452&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/574245/original/file-20240207-18-arb5jw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=452&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/574245/original/file-20240207-18-arb5jw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=452&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The Philadelphia Inquirer moved to a new headquarters in May 2023.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://meyerdesigninc.com/news/the-philadelphia-inquirers-hybrid-headquarters/">Jeffrey Totaro/Meyer Design, Inc.</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Donors can still play a role</h2>
<p>The crucial next step is to ensure these civic, mission-driven forms of ownership have the necessary funding to survive and thrive. </p>
<p>One part of this approach can be philanthropic funding.</p>
<p><a href="https://mediaimpactfunders.org/philanthropys-growing-role-in-american-journalism-a-new-study-reveals-increased-funding-and-ethical-considerations/">A 2023 Media Impact Funders report</a> pointed out that foundation funders once primarily focused on providing a bridge to an ever-elusive new business model. The thinking went that they could provide seed money until the operation was up and running and then redirect their investments elsewhere. </p>
<p>However, journalists are increasingly calling for <a href="https://www.niemanlab.org/2024/02/patterns-in-philanthropy-leave-small-newsrooms-behind-can-that-change/">long-term sustaining support</a> as the extent of market failure has become clear. In a promising development, the <a href="https://www.pressforward.news/press-forward-will-award-more-than-500-million-to-revitalize-local-news/">Press Forward initiative</a> recently pledged $500 million over five years for local journalism, including for-profit as well as nonprofit and public newsrooms. </p>
<p>Charitable giving can also make news more accessible. If donations pay the bills – as they do at The Guardian – <a href="https://www.niemanlab.org/2022/10/rich-americans-more-likely-to-pay-for-news/">paywalls</a>, which limit content to <a href="https://www.axios.com/2022/01/11/media-startups-subscriptions-elite">subscribers who are disproportionately wealthy and white</a>, may become unnecessary. </p>
<h2>The limits of private capital</h2>
<p>Still, philanthropic support for journalism falls far short of what’s needed.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/fact-sheet/newspapers/">Total revenues for newspapers have fallen</a> from a historic high of $49.4 billion in 2005 to $9.8 billion in 2022.</p>
<p>Philanthropy could help fill a portion of this deficit but, even with the recent increase in donations, nowhere near all of it. Nor, in our view, should it. Too often, donations come with conditions and potential conflicts of interest. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Man wearing blue hat sits on a bench reading a newspaper." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/574248/original/file-20240207-27-cqnylz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/574248/original/file-20240207-27-cqnylz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/574248/original/file-20240207-27-cqnylz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/574248/original/file-20240207-27-cqnylz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/574248/original/file-20240207-27-cqnylz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/574248/original/file-20240207-27-cqnylz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/574248/original/file-20240207-27-cqnylz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Philanthropic giving hasn’t made up for the billions lost in advertising revenue over the past two decades.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/man-sitting-on-a-bench-reading-the-newspaper-news-photo/144075964?adppopup=true">Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The same <a href="https://mediaimpactfunders.org/philanthropys-growing-role-in-american-journalism-a-new-study-reveals-increased-funding-and-ethical-considerations/">2023 Media Impact Funders survey</a> found that 57% of U.S. foundation funders of news organizations offered grants for reporting on issues for which they had policy stances. </p>
<p>In the end, philanthropy <a href="https://www.cjr.org/business_of_news/a-qa-with-phil-napoli.php">can’t completely escape oligarchic influence</a>.</p>
<h2>Public funds for local journalism</h2>
<p>A strong, accessible media system that serves the public interest will ultimately require significant public funding. </p>
<p>Along with libraries, schools and research universities, journalism is an essential part of a democracy’s critical information infrastructure. Democracies in western and northern Europe earmark taxes or dedicated fees not only for legacy TV and radio but also for newspapers and digital media – and they make sure there’s always <a href="https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/4779">an arm’s-length relationship</a> between the government and the news outlets so that their journalistic independence is assured. It’s worth noting that U.S. investment in public media is <a href="https://www.cjr.org/opinion/public-funding-media-democracy.php">a smaller percentage of GDP</a> than in virtually any other major democracy in the world.</p>
<p>State-level experiments in places such as <a href="https://njcivicinfo.org/about/">New Jersey</a>, <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/10/20/local-news-vouchers-bill-dc">Washington, D.C.</a>, <a href="https://www.niemanlab.org/2022/09/the-state-of-california-will-fund-25-million-in-local-reporting-fellowships/">California</a> <a href="https://www.freepress.net/news/press-releases/free-press-action-applauds-groundbreaking-wisconsin-bills-addressing-local-journalism-crisis">and Wisconsin</a> suggest that public funding for newspapers and online-only outlets can also work in the U.S. Under these plans, news outlets prioritizing local journalism receive various kinds of public subsidies and grants. </p>
<p>The time has come to dramatically scale up these projects, from millions of dollars to billions, whether through “<a href="https://www.poynter.org/business-work/2019/academics-craft-a-plan-to-infuse-billions-into-journalism-give-every-american-50-to-donate-to-news-orgs/">media vouchers</a>” that <a href="https://www.cjr.org/business_of_news/the-local-journalism-initiative.php">allow voters</a> to allocate funds or other ambitious <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/10/17/local-news-crisis-plan-fix-perry-bacon/">proposals</a> for creating tens of thousands of new journalism jobs across the country.</p>
<p>Is it worth it?</p>
<p>In our view, a crisis that imperils American democracy demands no less than a bold and comprehensive civic response.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/222677/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>How can an industry experiencing systemic failure get back on its feet?Rodney Benson, Professor of Media, Culture and Communication, New York UniversityVictor Pickard, C. Edwin Baker Professor of Media Policy and Political Economy, University of PennsylvaniaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2220992024-02-01T13:30:27Z2024-02-01T13:30:27ZNorman Jewison’s ‘Rollerball’ depicted a world in which corporations controlled all information – is this dystopian vision becoming reality?<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/572218/original/file-20240130-21-2dwwbz.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=87%2C1%2C1007%2C670&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Jonathan E., played by James Caan, competes as the owners watch from the stands.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://silverscreenings.files.wordpress.com/2023/04/rollerball-1975.jpg">MGM</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>If the films of <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/22/movies/norman-jewison-dead.html">Norman Jewison</a>, who died on Jan. 22, 2024, had a unifying theme, it was how his characters searched for meaning and questioned the rules of their worlds.</p>
<p>No matter the genre of <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0422484/">the scores of films he directed</a> – from “In the Heat of the Night” to “Fiddler on the Roof” – his characters grew by confronting their own biases and preconceptions, even if it meant sacrificing things they once held dear. <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ZiqctEkAAAAJ&hl=en">And as a media scholar</a>, I see the Canadian director’s 1975 film “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073631/?ref_=tt_ch">Rollerball</a>” as one of his most underrated works. In it, the film’s hero, Jonathan E., is a star athlete who’s willing to risk his own life to avoid being a pawn for his corporate overlords. </p>
<p>Set in a dystopian 2018, the film helps make sense of today’s political and cultural struggles, which are taking places as corporations and the wealthy consolidate their control over the information systems, newspapers and media outlets that once served democracy. </p>
<h2>Comfort in exchange for subservience</h2>
<p>In “Rollerball,” Jewison depicts a future in which corporate feudalism has replaced democratic nations, with entire sectors of the economy consolidated under single corporations. Instead of citizens governing themselves, subjects live in cities ruled by corporations that demand unwavering fealty.</p>
<p>The corporations provide for their vassals, giving them material comforts and entertainment, which work to assuage resentments fueled by rigid social inequality. Jewison’s glassy-eyed characters pop pleasure pills like Tic Tacs to zone out and dream of being executives making decisions, even as they can’t even approach that sort of agency, power and control. </p>
<p>The oligopoly asks only that no one interfere with corporate imperatives. </p>
<p>Unable to find meaning as individuals, people instead seek it out in media spectacles like Rollerball, a kind of motorcycle roller derby meets football meets basketball. </p>
<p>Each major city has a Rollerball team that helps residents channel their aggression and cultivate a sense of belonging. Jonathan E., played by <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001001/">James Caan</a>, competes for Houston, a city owned by the Energy Corporation. </p>
<p>Rollerball serves an enormous social purpose, because it acts as a form of entertainment while also reinforcing the idea that corporate society, as one executive says, “is an inevitability.” </p>
<p>Though it allows for rare individuals to rise out of poverty to fame when chosen by the corporation, all of them are eventually sacrificed to the brutality of the game or to shifting corporate priorities. The audience learns that corporations make all decisions and that strength is power. </p>
<p>According to Bartholomew, the head of the Energy Corporation, “the game is designed to break men,” revealing people to be as disposable and fungible as pistons or rods in a machine. </p>
<p>Jonathan E. is the one player who can’t be broken; he starts to resent the executives telling him what to do, and he wants to know how corporate decisions are made. Who decided to take his wife from him one day and reassign her to serve as the wife of an executive in Rome? Why can’t he choose the path his life will take?</p>
<p>The owners eventually decide that Jonathan E. is getting bigger than the game, and that his popularity as a player is a threat to their control. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe1NTpPIyEs">They want him gone and order him to retire</a>. When Jonathan refuses, the executives change the rules of the game so he’ll be killed. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Oe1NTpPIyEs?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">The corporation asks Jonathan E. to retire.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>He survives and keeps investigating. But he can’t find any information.</p>
<p>There are no newspapers serving the public – no libraries or books to consult. The only people allowed to answer questions are “corporate teachers,” who impart information based upon instruction from executives.</p>
<p>Jonathan E. eventually travels to the oligopoly’s database, an artificial intelligence named Zero, or the “world’s brain,” as its chief computer scientist calls it. All human knowledge is stored on it. But because Zero’s <a href="https://youtu.be/QjYvdURv3Zw?si=gIUHI_DHXpxl9yZB">interpretations, analyses and outputs</a> must constantly realign with the whims of the executives, there is no shared sense of truth or reality.</p>
<h2>Journalistic phlebotomy</h2>
<p>I can’t help but think of “Rollerball” as the journalism industry continues to crater. Like most sectors of the economy, the news sector is controlled by a handful of owners, and most of them have prioritized profits over serving the public interest. </p>
<p>If the media layoffs, <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-death-of-pitchfork-is-worrying-news-for-music-journalism-and-the-women-who-read-it-221702">mergers and acquisitions</a> of January 2024 are any indication, <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/01/27/is-the-journalism-death-spasm-finally-here-00138187">it’s shaping up to be another brutal year for the industry</a>. </p>
<p>Researchers at the Medill School’s Local News Initiative predict that one-third of community newspapers that operated in 2005 <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/11/16/newspapers-decline-hedge-funds-research">will be gone by the end of 2024</a>. In January 2024, the owners of two venerable legacy news reorganizations, The Los Angeles Times and The Baltimore Sun, decided the bottom line was more important than their ability to gather news.</p>
<p>The Baltimore Sun has suffered through the sort of ownership malpractice affecting local papers everywhere – a kind of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phlebotomy">phlebotomy where corporate owners buy newspapers</a> and, in the name of “saving” them, bleed them dry. </p>
<p>In 2021, <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2021/11/alden-global-capital-killing-americas-newspapers/620171/">the private equity fund Alden Global Capital</a> acquired the Sun and <a href="https://newrepublic.com/post/178181/baltimore-sun-new-owner-smith-sinclair-insult-everyone-staff">200 other newspapers across the country from Tribune Publishing</a>. Then, they drained newsrooms of resources, leaving them as shells of their former selves – places that cheaply churned out syndicated content, rather than focus on the issues important to the communities where they were located. </p>
<p>The Sun’s new owner, Sinclair Broadcast Group’s David Smith, made his fortune plundering local broadcast news, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvtNyOzGogc">draining their local community value and turning them into</a> outlets centered on national politics, rather than local issues, with a right-wing slant that mirrored his own. Smith is <a href="https://newrepublic.com/post/178181/baltimore-sun-new-owner-smith-sinclair-insult-everyone-staff">signaling he’ll do the same thing with The Baltimore Sun</a>. I won’t be surprised if he ends up morphing what’s left of the paper into another mouthpiece for his pet issues, rather than one that serves Baltimore’s public interest. </p>
<p>The Los Angeles Times has suffered a slow bleed by a succession of owners. It, too, was owned briefly by Tribune Publishing <a href="https://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-patrick-soon-shiong-latimes-sold-20180616-story.html">before being acquired</a> by billionaire doctor and pharmaceutical executive Patrick Soon-Shiong in 2018. </p>
<p>On Jan. 23, 2024, Soon-Shiong decided that <a href="https://www.niemanlab.org/2024/01/the-la-times-lays-off-115-people-with-the-de-los-and-washington-d-c-teams-especially-hard-hit/">the LA Times should fire 23% of its reporters</a> and close parts of its multimedia portfolio <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/journalists-color-hit-hard-l-layoffs-rcna135351">that served the city’s marginalized residents</a>.</p>
<h2>Owners versus the public good</h2>
<p>The oligopoly of owners who are consolidating and liquidating media outlets are asking citizens to be satisfied with the information they provide – much like the corporate overlords of “Rollerball.” </p>
<p>People can spend hours entertained by thrilling bowl games, experience outrage and schadenfreude on social media, and get sucked into AI-boosted infotainment at their pleasure. All they have to do is acquiesce to the sovereignty of private corporations and give up their freedom to govern themselves. </p>
<p>A half-century ago, Jewison warned that a corporate-owned world would threaten the democratic world. In “Rollerball,” Jonathan E. remains unsatisfied that all knowledge communicated through the media is determined by hidden executives. With black box algorithms choosing what content appears on news feeds and social media feeds, it’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/social-media-algorithms-warp-how-people-learn-from-each-other-research-shows-211172">eerily similar to the predicament society faces today</a>. </p>
<p>“Why argue about decisions you are not powerful enough to make yourself,” the executives point out to Jonathan E. “Just enjoy your ‘privilege card.’” </p>
<p>And yet when asked to choose between “comfort and freedom,” Jonathan chooses freedom. </p>
<p>Resisting corporate domination of media won’t be easy, either. But it’s necessary in order to prevent U.S. democracy from slipping into plutocracy.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/222099/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Matthew Jordan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>As the journalism industry continues to crater, wealthy plutocrats are consolidating their control over information systems.Matthew Jordan, Associate Professor of Media Studies, Penn StateLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2206132024-01-25T12:21:02Z2024-01-25T12:21:02ZHow the tide turned on transgender support charity Mermaids<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568172/original/file-20240108-20-cwznj1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=35%2C26%2C5955%2C3961&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/lgbt-pride-flag-symbol-lesbian-gay-1722901423">BlurryMe/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The charity Mermaids, which offers support services to transgender young people and their caregivers in the UK, was once portrayed in the media as a respected source of advice and information. But by 2022, this had changed. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17405904.2023.2291136?src=exp-la">Our recent study</a> showed that negative attention to the charity peaked in 2022, a year that saw British newspapers regularly publishing stories that helped establish an image of Mermaids as a danger to young people. Similar complaints and concerns from members of the public led the Charity Commission to open a regulatory compliance case on Mermaids, in <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-63081644">late September 2022</a>.</p>
<p>Our findings show how some media outlets have used negative representations of Mermaids to imply that those who support trans young people are untrustworthy. Such representations have threatened to turn the organisation into a weapon against the very people it is trying to help. </p>
<p>In the past decade, there has been a significant increase in media attention on transgender people and the issues that affect them, something that has been noted <a href="https://mermaidsuk.org.uk/news/exclusive-mermaids-research-into-newspaper-coverage-on-trans-issues/">in research</a> commissioned by Mermaids and carried out by linguistics professor Paul Baker.</p>
<p>Studies have also shown how these media representations of transgender people <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14680777.2022.2097727">often dehumanise</a> them, <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1363460717740259">ignore and disregard</a> their identities, and characterise them as either <a href="https://glaad.org/publications/victims-or-villains-examining-ten-years-transgender-images-television">victims or villains</a>. </p>
<p><a href="https://mermaidsuk.org.uk/news/exclusive-mermaids-research-into-newspaper-coverage-on-trans-issues/">Representations of young transgender people</a> have tended to be more positive, or at least neutral. Yet news stories often suggest that their efforts to transition, for example through the adoption of a new name or clothing choices, should not be supported. </p>
<h2>Increasing interest</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17405904.2023.2291136?src=exp-la">Our study</a> showed that Mermaids became the subject of particularly intense media scrutiny in late 2022. At this time, news articles and opinion pieces were calling into question the charity’s legitimacy and authority, with particular attention to their support of young people’s decisions and preferences around clothing and names. The Times and Telegraph published numerous reports in the autumn of 2022 that called Mermaids’ practices a “danger” to young people. </p>
<p>For example, in October 2022 the Daily Telegraph published an article titled “Trans charity helping 16-year-olds legally change names in secret”, which also states that Mermaids “gave potentially dangerous chest-flattening devices to 14-year-olds against their parents’ wishes”.</p>
<p>Chest binders were a particular focus in many articles. Our research shows that the frequency of the word “binder” dramatically increased in 2022 articles about Mermaids. Binders are tight-fitting items of clothing that some trans and gender questioning young people wear in order to minimise <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/gender-dysphoria/#:%7E:text=Gender%20dysphoria%20is%20a%20term,harmful%20impact%20on%20daily%20life">gender dysphoria</a> and affirm their gender identities. </p>
<p>Many of the articles describe binders as destructive, powerful mechanisms that are dangerous to young people. They focus on physical health problems, such as musculoskeletal and breathing issues, which can result from unsafe or unregulated binding.</p>
<p>The articles do not tend to acknowledge the harm that can be caused by gender dysphoria, or by attempting to bind the chest without adult supervision. <a href="https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/trgh.2018.0017">Research has shown</a> that the potential for health risks may be worsened if young people try to hide their use of a binder from adults, instead of discussing how to use one safely. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Happy young people dancing at an outdoor event." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568174/original/file-20240108-156527-ff2c23.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568174/original/file-20240108-156527-ff2c23.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568174/original/file-20240108-156527-ff2c23.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568174/original/file-20240108-156527-ff2c23.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568174/original/file-20240108-156527-ff2c23.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568174/original/file-20240108-156527-ff2c23.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568174/original/file-20240108-156527-ff2c23.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">New guidance to schools takes a restrictive approach to gender transitions.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/happy-young-people-dancing-outdoor-festival-2192448719">Tint Media/Shutterstock</a></span>
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</figure>
<p>Mermaids <a href="https://mermaidsuk.org.uk/news/statement-in-response-to-a-telegraph-article-published-sunday-25-september/">responded to the Telegraph</a> article by clarifying that they are working to reduce harm for young people. They note that providing “comprehensive safety guidelines from an experienced member of staff is preferable to the likely alternative”. Mermaids’ guidance says it is important to follow safety tips such as limiting use as much as possible in warm weather, even if you’re struggling with gender dysphoria.</p>
<h2>Changing perspectives</h2>
<p>The services offered by Mermaids have remained largely unchanged over the years. However, when we <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17405904.2023.2291136?src=exp-la">investigated the representation</a> of Mermaids in British newspapers, we found there hadn’t always been such high levels of negative attention. </p>
<p>Between 2015 and 2016, during their first year operating as a charity, there was hardly any interest in Mermaids’ activities. Where it was mentioned, the organisation was usually represented as a valuable support service. </p>
<p>In 2018, media interest increased significantly after the release of Butterfly, an ITV drama about a trans young person and their family. In the same year, the National Lottery announced they would be awarding a grant of £500,000 to support Mermaids’ work through the Big Lottery Fund. </p>
<p>While newspapers were still signposting Mermaids as a source of information and support at this time, there was also resistance to the charity’s growing recognition and positive reputation. For example, the Sunday Times reported “an outcry” following the Big Lottery announcement, calling into question the value of Mermaids’ work as a public service.</p>
<p>Between 2019 and 2022, the frequency of articles grew again. 2022 saw the most significant peak in interest, with four times as many articles being published than in the previous year. </p>
<p>In late November 2022, the Charity Commission opened a <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/regulator-announces-statutory-inquiry-into-mermaids">statutory inquiry</a> that focused on “newly identified issues about the charity’s governance and management”, including internal issues of equality and diversity amongst staff. The charity’s CEO, Susie Green, resigned in November 2022. </p>
<p>These events further contributed to negative interest in the charity. They were frequently labelled a “<a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/12/02/mermaids-transgender-charity-formal-investigation/">scandal-hit</a>” organisation whose experience with trans young people could not be trusted. The commission has yet to report its findings. </p>
<p>These changing representations of Mermaids are in line with wider shifts in the climate for trans young people in Britain. Just before Christmas, the UK government’s Department for Education released its <a href="https://consult.education.gov.uk/equalities-political-impartiality-anti-bullying-team/gender-questioning-children-proposed-guidance/supporting_documents/Gender%20Questioning%20Children%20%20nonstatutory%20guidance.pdf">long-awaited guidance</a> on gender questioning children for schools and colleges in England.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/trans-guidance-for-schools-the-voices-of-young-people-are-missing-207663">Trans guidance for schools: the voices of young people are missing</a>
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<p>The guidance, which is undergoing public consultation and is not legally enforceable, advises educators to take a restrictive approach to transgender pupils’ social transition at school. The LGBTQ+ charity <a href="https://stonewall.org.uk/about-us/news/not-fit-purpose-stonewalls-response-draft-trans-guidance-schools-england">Stonewall said</a> the guidance has “the potential to have a very chilling effect” akin to section 28, which banned the discussion of same-sex relationships in English schools between 1988 and 2003. </p>
<p>Recent years have seen more awareness of trans identities among the general public, and a <a href="https://gids.nhs.uk/about-us/number-of-referrals/">significant increase</a> in referrals to gender identity services. Much of the <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12366421/The-trans-lobby-pushed-double-masectomy-bitterly-regret-Thats-Costas-advert-dangerous-writes-SINEAD-WATSON-detransitioned-woman-double-mastectomy.html">media coverage</a> around trans young people alludes to the potential for regret. </p>
<p>However, the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1054139X22005031?via%3Dihub">vast majority</a> of young people who socially transition maintain a stable gender identity into adulthood and a 2021 US study found rates of <a href="https://atm.amegroups.org/article/view/64719/html">post-surgery regret</a> are 0.3%. </p>
<p><a href="https://mermaidsuk.org.uk/news/exclusive-mermaids-research-into-newspaper-coverage-on-trans-issues/">Paul Baker’s research</a> suggested that organisations like Mermaids may be targeted because they can more easily be named and critiqued than trans young people themselves. We would agree. </p>
<p>Discrediting the organisation, not the people, allows journalists to question and oppose young people’s gender identities without breaking media <a href="https://www.ipso.co.uk/media/1275/guidance_transgender-reporting.pdf">guidelines</a> for reporting about trans people and children. </p>
<p>The dominant image of Mermaids as a dangerous and controversial organisation has probably contributed to a growing culture of fear and suspicion around trans young people and those who support them. </p>
<p>Hardly a negative word has been directed towards transgender young people, yet the seeds of mistrust, in anyone who upholds their identities and choices, have been firmly planted by the British media. </p>
<p><em>This article has been updated to add details of the Charity Commission’s ongoing regulatory compliance case and statutory inquiry into Mermaids.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/220613/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Research shows how the group once portrayed as a respected source of advice began to be seen by some outlets as a danger to young people.Aimee Bailey, Lecturer in English Language, De Montfort UniversityJai Mackenzie, Senior Lecturer in Applied Writing and Humanities, Newman UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2210592024-01-17T17:49:49Z2024-01-17T17:49:49ZHow a New York Times copyright lawsuit against OpenAI could potentially transform how AI and copyright work<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/569551/original/file-20240116-23-9vwxs9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=17%2C0%2C5858%2C3920&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/dnipro-ukraine-0507-new-york-times-2361003783">Stas Malyarevsky / Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>On December 27, 2023, the New York Times (NYT) <a href="https://nytco-assets.nytimes.com/2023/12/NYT_Complaint_Dec2023.pdf">filed a lawsuit</a> in the Federal
District Court in Manhattan <a href="https://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2023/01/23/microsoftandopenaiextendpartnership/">against Microsoft</a> and <a href="https://openai.com/">OpenAI</a>, the creator of <a href="https://chat.openai.com/auth/login">ChatGPT</a>,
alleging that OpenAI had unlawfully used its articles to create artificial intelligence (AI) products.</p>
<p>Citing copyright infringement and the importance of independent journalism to democracy, the newspaper further alleged that even though the defendant, OpenAI, may have “engaged in wide scale copying from many sources, they gave Times content particular emphasis” in training generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools such as Generative Pre-Trained Transformers (GPT). This is the kind of technology that underlies products such as the AI chatbot ChatGPT.</p>
<p>The complaint by the New York Times states that OpenAI took millions of copyrighted news articles, in-depth investigations, opinion pieces, reviews, how-to guides and more in an attempt to “free ride on the Times’s massive investment in its journalism”.</p>
<p><a href="https://openai.com/blog/openai-and-journalism">In a blog post</a> published by OpenAI on January 8, 2024, the tech company responded to the allegations by emphasising its support of journalism and partnerships with news organisations. It went on to say that the “NYT lawsuit is without merit”. </p>
<p>In the months prior to the complaint being lodged by the New York Times, OpenAI had entered into agreements with large media companies such as <a href="https://openai.com/blog/axel-springer-partnership">Axel-Springer</a> and the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/openai-chatgpt-associated-press-ap-f86f84c5bcc2f3b98074b38521f5f75a">Associated Press</a>, although notably, the Times failed to reach an agreement with the tech company.</p>
<p>The NYT case is important because it is different to other cases involving AI and copyright, such as the case brought by the online photo library <a href="https://newsroom.gettyimages.com/en/getty-images/getty-images-statement">Getty Images against the tech company Stability AI</a> earlier in 2023. In this case, Getty Images alleged that Stability AI processed millions of copyrighted images using a tool called Stable Diffusion, which generates images from text prompts using AI.</p>
<p>The main difference between this case and the New York Times one is that the newspaper’s complaint highlighted <em>actual outputs</em> used by OpenAI to train its AI tools. The Times provided examples of articles that were reproduced almost verbatim.</p>
<h2>Use of material</h2>
<p>The defence available to OpenAI is “fair use” under <a href="https://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap1.html">the US Copyright Act 1976</a>, section 107. This is because the unlicensed use of copyright material to train generative AI models can serve as a “transformative use” which changes the original material. However, <a href="https://nytco-assets.nytimes.com/2023/12/NYT_Complaint_Dec2023.pdf">the complaint</a> from the New York Times also says that their chatbots bypassed the newspaper’s paywalls to create summaries of articles. </p>
<p>Even though summaries do not infringe copyright, their use could be used by the New York Times to try to demonstrate a negative commercial impact on the newspaper – challenging the fair use defence.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="ChatGPT" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/569550/original/file-20240116-15-9vwxs9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/569550/original/file-20240116-15-9vwxs9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/569550/original/file-20240116-15-9vwxs9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/569550/original/file-20240116-15-9vwxs9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/569550/original/file-20240116-15-9vwxs9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/569550/original/file-20240116-15-9vwxs9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/569550/original/file-20240116-15-9vwxs9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/screen-smartphone-chatgpt-chat-ai-tool-2261871805">Giulio Benzin / Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/08/openai-responds-to-new-york-times-lawsuit.html">This case</a> could ultimately be settled out of court. It is also possible that the Times’ lawsuit was more a <a href="https://www.theinformation.com/articles/new-york-times-co-s-openai-microsoft-suit-is-a-negotiating-tactic">negotiating tactic</a> than a real attempt to go all the way to trial. Whichever way the case proceeds, it could have important implications for both traditional media and AI development. </p>
<p>It also raises the question of the suitability of current copyright laws to deal with AI. In a submission to the <a href="https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/126981/pdf/">House of Lords communications and digital select committee</a> on December 5, 2023, OpenAI claimed that “it would be impossible to train today’s leading AI models without copyrighted materials”. </p>
<p>It went on to say that “limiting training data to public domain books and drawings created more than a century ago might yield an interesting experiment but would not provide AI systems that meet the needs of today’s citizens”.</p>
<h2>Looking for answers</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/society/20230601STO93804/eu-ai-act-first-regulation-on-artificial-intelligence">The EU’s AI Act</a> – the world’s first AI Act – might give us insights into some future directions. Among its many articles, there are two provisions particularly relevant to copyright.</p>
<p>The first provision titled, “Obligations for providers of general-purpose AI
models” includes two distinct requirements related to copyright. Section 1(C)
requires providers of general-purpose AI models to put in place a policy to respect EU copyright law.</p>
<p>Section 1(d) requires providers of general purpose AI systems to draw up and make publicly available a detailed summary about content used for training AI systems.</p>
<p><a href="https://copyrightblog.kluweriplaw.com/2023/12/11/a-first-look-at-the-copyright-relevant-parts-in-the-final-ai-act-compromise/">While section 1(d)</a> raises some questions, section 1(c) makes it clear that any use of copyright protected content requires the authorisation of the rights holder concerned unless relevant copyright exceptions apply. Where the rights to opt out has been expressly reserved in an appropriate manner, providers of general purpose AI models, such as OpenAI, will need to obtain authorisation from rights holders if they want to carry out text and data mining on their copyrighted works.</p>
<p>Even though <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/sep/01/the-guardian-blocks-chatgpt-owner-openai-from-trawling-its-content">the EU AI Act</a> may not be directly relevant to the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/aug/25/new-york-times-cnn-and-abc-block-openais-gptbot-web-crawler-from-scraping-content">New York Times</a> complaint against OpenAI, it illustrates the way in which copyright laws will be designed to deal with this fast-moving technology. In future, we are likely to see more media organisations adopting this law to protect journalism and creativity. In fact, even before the EU AI Act was passed, the New York Times blocked OpenAI from trawling its content. The Guardian followed suit in September 2023 – as did many others.</p>
<p>However, the move did not allow material to be removed from existing training
data sets. Therefore, any copyrighted material used by the training models up until then would have been used in OpenAI’s outputs – which led to negotiations between the New York Times and OpenAI breaking down.</p>
<p>With laws such as those in the EU AI Act now placing legal obligations on general purpose AI models, their future could look more constrained in the way that they use copyrighted works to train and improve their systems. We can expect other jurisdictions to update their copyright laws reflecting similar provisions to that of the EU AI Act in an attempt to protect creativity. As for traditional media, ever since the rise of the internet and social media, news outlets have been challenged in drawing readers to their sites and generative AI has simply exacerbated this issue.</p>
<p>This case will not spell the end of generative AI or copyright. However, it certainly raises questions for the future of AI innovation and the protection of creative content. AI will certainly continue to grow and develop and we will continue to see and experience its many benefits. However, the time has come for policymakers to take serious note of these AI developments and update copyright laws, protecting creators in the process.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/221059/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Dinusha Mendis does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The lawsuit could see other media companies move to protect their copyrighted content.Dinusha Mendis, Professor of Intellectual Property and Innovation Law; Director Centre for Intellectual Property Policy and Managament (CIPPM), Bournemouth University, Bournemouth UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2089522023-08-27T20:04:28Z2023-08-27T20:04:28ZHow cartoonist Bruce Petty documented the Vietnam War – and how his great satire keeps finding its moment<p>After seven decades as a visual satirist provoking Australia as it is and might be, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/culture/art-and-design/bruce-petty-cartoonist-sculptor-and-oscar-winner-dies-aged-93-20230406-p5cysa.html">Bruce Petty passed away</a> at 93 on April 6 this year. </p>
<p>His career as a political cartoonist started with a trip to London in the late 1950s, then a stint at young Rupert Murdoch’s afternoon paper in Sydney, the Mirror. </p>
<p>He had a lead role as The Australian’s political cartoonist during the newspaper’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-australian-helped-political-cartoonists-sharpen-their-edge-28845">radical first decade</a>, until it turned right during the Whitlam dismissal and Larry Pickering was promoted to favoured cartoonist. </p>
<p>Petty then moved to The Age in its glory days, where he was the acknowledged godfather of the troupe of brilliant cartoonists there at the time. He stayed until 2016, with Malcolm Turnbull his last prime minister, by which time the collapse of the broadsheet model was well advanced.</p>
<p>Throughout the decades, he moonlighted as an animator and author of books we might now call graphic essays or even novels, always at the cutting edge of thought and technology. </p>
<p>Inevitably, profiles stress he won an Academy Award for animation with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bf50WytAC5Y">Leisure</a> (1976), but his deepest cultural intervention in the story of post-Menzies Australia came during the Vietnam War years. Australia changed and he was one of the <a href="https://insidestory.org.au/pettys-golden-thread/">major prophets</a> of change. </p>
<p>With a handful of others like Les Tanner and George Molnar, he woke editorial cartooning from a sleepy period telling fairly anodyne jokes and turned it into a mode of serious – if also often hilarious – satirical commentary on politics and society.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-australian-helped-political-cartoonists-sharpen-their-edge-28845">The Australian helped political cartoonists sharpen their edge</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>In the vanguard</h2>
<p>Flinders University Museum of Art has <a href="https://www.flinders.edu.au/museum-of-art/collections/take-5/bruce-petty">a remarkable collection</a> of 73 cartoon originals and sketches from Petty’s most formative period. They were a characteristically generous gift by the artist, for a university then only three years old, and solicited by inaugural fine arts lecturer Robert Smith. </p>
<p>Among them are these five particularly vivid cartoons published in The Australian between May 1966 and September 1967. </p>
<p>These fragile objects, sometimes stuck together with glue when he changed a line of thought, take us straight into the maelstrom of the Vietnam War before the moratorium marches, when Prime Minister Harold Holt won the 1966 election in a landslide. </p>
<p>Petty was in the vanguard of a small but vocal opposition, drawing the war as a deep tragedy for the Vietnamese and a reckless farce perpetrated by the West. </p>
<p>One cartoon, Getting there is half the fun, about President Lyndon B. Johnson’s imperial triumph of a visit to Australia, marks the contrast.</p>
<p>The jagged black blob, which covers about half of the box, colours the movement from farce to tragedy arrestingly black.</p>
<p>Petty’s busy line attracted more than its fair share of the “my grandchild could draw better than that” sort of criticism, but it was entirely deliberate and brilliantly expressive. He doesn’t aim to please visually. He wants to stop readers with a shock of the unfamiliar and make them think. He is also a humane but stern critic of fools and villains. </p>
<p>Look at Hospitals – regrettable, but in the name of democracy, don’t hit a polling booth.</p>
<p>Are Johnson and his adipose generals conscious villains, or merely fools being driven by murderous ideas and scarcely sublimated self-interest? </p>
<p>I think Petty gives them the benefit of the doubt, just. But then he drives home the fact that being venal fools does not excuse them from the crime of bombing innocent people. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-forgotten-australian-veterans-who-opposed-national-service-and-the-vietnam-war-158958">The forgotten Australian veterans who opposed National Service and the Vietnam War</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Intimate sympathy</h2>
<p>Something similar happens with the privileged women under the hairdryers in the cartoon, Who says we women aren’t interested in politics?</p>
<p>Is this the moral fecklessness of consumer society projected onto women, or is it the dawn of concern for the people ravaged by a needless imperial war? As so often for Petty, it is both.</p>
<p>A large part of the power of these cartoons comes from Petty’s deep engagement with people forced to live with the war. His first book, Australian Artist in South East Asia (1962), is a graphic account of his journey through seven countries. He went to Vietnam again during the war as a cartoonist-correspondent. </p>
<p>He is drawing the Other – how could it be otherwise for a still White Australian audience? – but he is doing it with an intimate sympathy born of real knowledge. </p>
<p>I must say, I’ve found the first day of democracy a little disappointing is a wry and ironic cartoon about the debauched South Vietnamese election then under way, but it takes you to the people actually affected.</p>
<p>Finally, Peace Feeler, published in 1967. </p>
<p>Johnson talked peace with South Vietnamese generals in Honolulu, even while continuing to bomb the Viet Cong with huge and brutal firepower. </p>
<p>Publish this cartoon unchanged today, and everyone would see it as about the war in Ukraine. Sadly, great satire like Petty’s keeps finding its moment.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/friday-essay-political-cartooning-the-end-of-an-era-81680">Friday essay: political cartooning – the end of an era</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/208952/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Robert Phiddian receives funding from the Australian Research Council for “Cartoon Nation: Australian Editorial Cartooning - Past, Present, and Future” DP230101348. </span></em></p>Bruce Petty woke editorial cartooning from a sleepy period telling fairly anodyne jokes and turned it into a mode of serious – if also often hilarious – satirical commentary on politics and society.Robert Phiddian, Professor of English, Flinders UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2101622023-08-18T10:49:32Z2023-08-18T10:49:32ZEdwardian local press invented the ‘middlebrow’ with a lively mix of local news, reviews and fiction<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538562/original/file-20230720-21-2ojfw0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C1548%2C1026&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Our First Tiff by Robert Walker Macbeth (1878).</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://artuk.org/discover/artworks/our-first-tiff-98601">Walker Art Gallery</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>As the <a href="https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/history-of-the-provincial-press-in-england-9781441162304/">provincial press has declined</a> in Britain, so too has local arts and cultural criticism. In the 19th and early 20th century, regional newspapers regularly published reviews of theatre productions and a wide variety of books including history, science, travel writing, poetry and fiction. </p>
<p>Starting in the late 19th century and coming to a head in the Edwardian period (1901-1914), regional newspapers even experimented with <a href="https://scholarlypublishingcollective.org/psup/jmps/article-abstract/14/1/70/380491/Reviews-Outside-the-Usual-Places-Daily-Newspaper?redirectedFrom=fulltext">a different style of reviewing</a>, which was shorter, chattier and more personal – a shift from the more formal style of the Victorian era.</p>
<p><a href="https://archive.org/details/victoriannewsnew0000brow_j4c2">Historians</a> have traced the sad decline in the fortunes of the local and regional newspaper press with interest. In the 19th century, it was impossible to get a London paper to distant towns or cities by breakfast, because the train system didn’t yet run quickly enough. This gave local newspapers a clear advantage in distribution.</p>
<p>Transportation began to change at the turn of the 20th century, however, and by the 1950s, the national dailies <a href="https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/history-of-the-provincial-press-in-england-9781441162304/">dominated the British market</a>. As <a href="https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/history-of-the-provincial-press-in-england-9781441162304/">a result</a>, local and regional papers had to consolidate titles. The computerisation of the newspaper workforce meant further lost jobs in the 1980s and 1990s. And today, they struggle to compete with social media for classified ad revenue.</p>
<p>Access to these local and regional papers can be gained through inexpensive databases such as the <a href="https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/">British Newspaper Archive</a>, which is available at many local libraries. A brief perusal of this database shows that many different sorts of papers published book reviews, from major regional titles such as the Glasgow Herald to smaller titles, including the Walsall Advertiser.</p>
<p>These reviews were published before the reviews in esteemed national quarterlies or monthlies and could therefore set the tone. A reader could turn to their local morning paper for ideas of theatre productions to purchase tickets to, or books to borrow from circulating libraries.</p>
<p>Although newspaper syndications existed during this period and reviews of monthly magazines were often repeated verbatim in several local titles, reviews of individual books were overwhelmingly original. This means that someone, probably local to the area, received a copy of the book and was paid to report on the reading experience for a wide variety of readerships.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Painting of a woman in a Victorian-style black dress and hair in a bun reading a large newspaper." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538567/original/file-20230720-17-8fpc6y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/538567/original/file-20230720-17-8fpc6y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=535&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538567/original/file-20230720-17-8fpc6y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=535&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538567/original/file-20230720-17-8fpc6y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=535&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538567/original/file-20230720-17-8fpc6y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=672&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538567/original/file-20230720-17-8fpc6y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=672&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/538567/original/file-20230720-17-8fpc6y.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=672&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A Woman Reading a Newspaper by Norman Garstin (1891).</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/garstin-a-woman-reading-a-newspaper-n04234">Tate</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Since these reviews had no byline, it is difficult to trace who wrote them. Book reviews were also printed on the same page as articles about economics, politics, or sports, which made them seem more like news and less like a rarefied topic divorced from the issues of the day.</p>
<h2>The changing review</h2>
<p>In the Edwardian period, when the number of readers had risen <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/us/universitypress/subjects/literature/printing-and-publishing-history/free-town-libraries-their-formation-management-and-history-britain-france-germany-and-america">due to</a> the establishment of public libraries and state-funded primary education, reviews in local and regional newspapers began to change and become more experimental in style.</p>
<p>Due to competition from an ever-growing number of newspapers and magazines, reviews were generally published earlier and became shorter. Various cultural commentators, including <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Edith-Wharton">Edith Wharton</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/T-S-Eliot">T.S. Eliot</a>, bemoaned the lowering of the national tone through these shorter reviews. </p>
<p>Edith Wharton, for example, <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/25119460">complained</a> that reviewers supplied plot summaries rather than judging the books: “Whether real criticism be of service to literature or not, it is clear that this pseudo-reviewing is harmful, since it places books of very different qualities on the same dead level of mediocrity, by ignoring their true purport and significance.”</p>
<p>Wharton and others attributed this different style of reviewing to the cultivation of a different style of reading, which became known as “<a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-feminine-middlebrow-novel-1920s-to-1950s-9780199269334?cc=us&lang=en&">middlebrow</a>”. Reviews in provincial papers targeted their remarks about books at the leisure reader, complaining when a title was too long, disliking a book when it seemed too gloomy, or praising an author who seemed to be writing for women.</p>
<p>Such reviewing catered to a new, less reverent form of reading. Although many cultural critics of the day (and today) <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1057/9780230354647_4">sneer at middlebrow taste</a>, I view it as a democratisation of the reading experience.</p>
<p>The loss of the local paper was also a loss for local readers, who could no longer rely on receiving reviews from someone in their area. <a href="https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/history-of-the-provincial-press-in-england-9781441162304/">Some newspaper historians</a> argue that modern local papers will have to seek new business models to survive, given that they are no longer able to compete with social media. </p>
<p>Forms of media are always changing. Today anyone can publish a review on sites like Goodreads. The local press must consider many factors as it carves a place for itself in the new media landscape – and perhaps the vibrant arts scene of the past can serve as food for thought.</p>
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<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Stephanie Palmer does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>In the 19th century, it was impossible to get a London paper to distant towns or cities by breakfast. This gave local newspapers an advantage in distribution.Stephanie Palmer, Senior Lecturer, School of Arts & Humanities, Nottingham Trent UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2078292023-08-16T20:05:18Z2023-08-16T20:05:18ZFrom the earliest years of his career, the young Rupert Murdoch ruthlessly pursued his interests<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542931/original/file-20230816-28-j53l6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=311%2C23%2C3682%2C2970&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Cecil Stoughton/John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum/Wikimedia Commons</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Nearly every biographical commentary on Rupert Murdoch notes how he began with a modest inheritance in Adelaide, principally an afternoon newspaper, and built it into a global multimedia empire. Walter Marsh’s book <a href="https://scribepublications.com.au/books-authors/books/young-rupert-9781761380044">Young Rupert: The Making of the Murdoch Empire</a> has the distinctive strength of knowing Adelaide much better than any other Murdoch watcher, and studying Murdoch’s Adelaide period in more depth than anyone else.</p>
<hr>
<p><em>Review: Young Rupert: The Making of the Murdoch Empire – Walter Marsh (Scribe)</em></p>
<hr>
<p>Rupert’s father, Sir Keith Murdoch, was the most famous Australian newspaperman of his generation. As the dominant figure in the Herald & Weekly Times group for over two decades, he built the country’s first newspaper empire. </p>
<p>But he increasingly resented the chasm between being a shareholder and an employee, no matter how well rewarded. He was determined to leave his son Rupert a tangible inheritance. In the last years of his life, he sought to build his own independent newspaper empire in ways that were far from being in the best interests of the Herald & Weekly Times. </p>
<p>Sally Young’s recently published <a href="https://www.newsouthbooks.com.au/books/paper-emperors/">Paper Emperors: The Rise of Australia’s Newspaper Empires</a> gives a very good account of Keith’s machinations. Rupert would never have allowed any employee of his to behave in the way Keith did. </p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542505/original/file-20230814-246893-eadvxb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542505/original/file-20230814-246893-eadvxb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542505/original/file-20230814-246893-eadvxb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=793&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542505/original/file-20230814-246893-eadvxb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=793&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542505/original/file-20230814-246893-eadvxb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=793&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542505/original/file-20230814-246893-eadvxb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=996&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542505/original/file-20230814-246893-eadvxb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=996&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542505/original/file-20230814-246893-eadvxb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=996&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Rupert Murdoch’s father Sir Keith Murdoch (1885-1952).</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>A great fight</h2>
<p>After all Keith’s efforts, once the personal debts and death duties were paid, Rupert’s inheritance essentially came down to the Adelaide News. Editing the Adelaide News was Rohan Rivett, Keith’s trusted confidante and Rupert’s mentor and friend from his Oxford days.</p>
<p>Rivett was a distinguished journalist, who had recorded his experiences as a prisoner of war in <a href="https://www.penguin.com.au/books/behind-bamboo-9780143001751">Behind Bamboo</a>, the bestselling Australian book on World War II. His political leanings were to the left. The Adelaide News was seen as bringing a refreshing degree of social and political liberalism to South Australia’s stuffy politics, although the paper rarely directly challenged the premier, Sir Thomas Playford, by far the longest reigning state premier in Australian history (1938-1965).</p>
<p>Almost immediately, the Herald & Weekly Times morning newspaper – the very establishment Advertiser – sought to drive News Limited out of business by starting a rival Sunday newspaper. Rivett and Rupert fought hard to survive. Not for the last time, Rupert relished the conflict. “It is going to be a great fight,” he told Rivett. </p>
<p>In a front page editorial, Murdoch and Rivett disclosed the behind the scenes actions of their rivals. After a couple of years, the two Sundays fought each other to a stalemate. In the subsequent agreement, in some ways News emerged the better. Rivett and Murdoch had won their first big challenge. </p>
<p>With this threat disposed of, Murdoch, now with the title “publisher”, began his expansion. He bought the Sunday Times in Perth, where free from Rivett’s presence he was more able to indulge his tabloid tastes. </p>
<p>He also successfully applied to get one of the first two commercial television licences in Adelaide, although his lobbying to make this a commercial monopoly service failed. </p>
<p>Marsh deftly documents how Murdoch’s views on the virtues of monopoly and competition varied to suit his immediate interests. Murdoch’s declaration, when he unsuccessfully applied for the first commercial television service in Perth, that he was not interested in building his empire, has not exactly stood the test of time.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/a-reciprocating-engine-of-money-power-and-influence-how-australias-media-monsters-used-journalism-to-cement-their-empires-206757">A reciprocating engine of money, power and influence: how Australia's 'media monsters' used journalism to cement their empires</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Two episodes</h2>
<p>The two episodes that later writers always mention about Murdoch’s Adelaide period are the News’ championing of the cause of Rupert Max Stuart, convicted for the rape and murder of a nine-year-old girl, and his firing of Rivett.</p>
<p>Stuart was an itinerant Aboriginal labourer, illiterate, with limited English and prone to alcoholic binges. In December 1958, he was arrested near Ceduna and charged with the murder. The case for conviction rested principally on his confession. </p>
<p>With the threat of imminent execution hanging over him, Stuart had his cause taken up by Father Tom Dixon. A pamphlet by the historian Ken Inglis and coverage in the Adelaide News, driven by Rivett and supported by Murdoch, forced a new trial and then a Royal Commission. </p>
<p>The newspaper’s coverage of the Stuart case became politically controversial and the Playford government brought nine charges against it, including seditious libel. After a prolonged period of suspense, these charges were dismissed. </p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542503/original/file-20230814-199051-6469wf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542503/original/file-20230814-199051-6469wf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542503/original/file-20230814-199051-6469wf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=918&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542503/original/file-20230814-199051-6469wf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=918&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542503/original/file-20230814-199051-6469wf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=918&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542503/original/file-20230814-199051-6469wf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1154&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542503/original/file-20230814-199051-6469wf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1154&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542503/original/file-20230814-199051-6469wf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1154&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<p>Putting to one side the drama, uncertainty and high emotion of the case, there are, in retrospect, three groups of opinion on Stuart’s conviction.</p>
<p>First, there are those who think he was guilty and the police and officialdom were essentially correct in everything they did. The second group consists of those who continued to believe in Stuart’s innocence, including Father Dixon and, years later, the investigative journalist Evan Whitton. The third group believed that the police grossly mistreated Stuart and fabricated the case against him, but that he was probably guilty.</p>
<p>Ken Inglis’s book concluded that the weight of the evidence tilted toward guilt rather than innocence. Decades later, Murdoch said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>There’s no doubt that Stuart didn’t get a totally fair trial, although it’s probable that he was guilty. I thought this at the time.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I think Murdoch is overstating the constancy of his opinion here. My guess is that, initially, when Rivett and Inglis took up the cause and later recruited Murdoch to it, they thought Stuart was innocent. After a searching cross-examination of Stuart at the Royal Commission, several of his previous supporters had their beliefs shaken.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542536/original/file-20230814-27-sx41sl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542536/original/file-20230814-27-sx41sl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/542536/original/file-20230814-27-sx41sl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542536/original/file-20230814-27-sx41sl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542536/original/file-20230814-27-sx41sl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542536/original/file-20230814-27-sx41sl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1131&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542536/original/file-20230814-27-sx41sl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1131&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/542536/original/file-20230814-27-sx41sl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1131&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Walter Marsh.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Sia Duff/Scribe</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
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<p>The action that most showed Murdoch’s ruthlessness in these years was his sacking of Rivett in 1960. Rivett had been the editor of Adelaide News for eight and a half years. He had given the paper a much stronger financial basis, as well as higher standards of journalism. Before that, Rivett had helped Rupert through his years at Oxford. Relations were almost familial. They went on holiday together and Rupert often stayed with the Rivetts in London.</p>
<p>Despite the close and generally amicable relations between them, Murdoch fired Rivett without warning. Murdoch’s brief letter gave no reason for the dismissal and was never preceded or followed by any personal discussion between the two. </p>
<p>Murdoch later claimed that even after the trauma of the Royal Commission and libel trial, Rivett was being too provocative in his attitude to the Playford Government. Marsh notes that the last month of Rivett’s editorship gives no grounds for such a claim. </p>
<p>The timing, I think, was determined not by events in Adelaide, but by Murdoch’s bid for the Daily Mirror in Sydney. As Marsh points out, Rivett was a friend of the unions, and more inclined to be generous towards the journalists in his employ. Murdoch, with his eyes on Sydney and beyond, wanted his Adelaide assets to be a safe and regular cash cow to aid his ambitions for expansion elsewhere. A quiet, frugal editor was what he now required.</p>
<p>The unsentimental firing of Rivett showed that Murdoch was determined to be in sole charge and would pursue his interests ruthlessly. </p>
<p>Murdoch watchers will be also particularly interested in what other clues Young Rupert gives about its subject’s later behaviour. My suggestion comes in February 1956, when he was caught driving at at least double the speed limit on an Adelaide highway. After Murdoch made his excuses, the police allowed him to drive on, but almost immediately he started speeding again in a school zone, and the same police arrested him a second time.</p>
<p>Already, for this 24-year-old, rules were things that only applied to other people.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/207829/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Rodney Tiffen does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The machinations of a young and ambitious media mogul are laid bare in a detailed new biography.Rodney Tiffen, Emeritus Professor, Department of Government and International Relations, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2089532023-07-16T20:00:55Z2023-07-16T20:00:55Z‘Gorgeous goal getters’: 1970s media coverage of ‘soccerettes’ was filled with patronising sleaze<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536244/original/file-20230707-17-d1zm22.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=19%2C4%2C3185%2C2407&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The Daily Telegraph, September 4 1975. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>In the lead-in to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, it is revealing to look back on the media coverage of women’s international soccer to measure how far attitudes have shifted for today’s Matildas.</p>
<p>Media coverage is important. It builds personalities, creates public knowledge, sustains interest, draws crowds, attracts sponsors and generates participation. </p>
<p>Since <a href="https://theconversation.com/women-sportswriters-were-critical-to-the-growth-of-cricket-in-the-1930s-how-have-we-gone-backwards-175644">the 1930s</a>, sports journalists have written articles about sportswomen for major newspapers. These articles record years of player dedication and hard work. </p>
<p>But not all media coverage has treated sportswomen with respect. </p>
<h2>The first Australia/New Zealand match</h2>
<p>Women’s international soccer <a href="https://scholarly.info/article/book_author/marion-stell/">surged</a> in the mid-to-late 1970s. The first recognised international soccer game between Australian and New Zealand women was played in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/oct/06/40th-anniversary-of-first-matildas-match-highlights-forgotten-history">October 1979</a> on a Saturday afternoon in southern Sydney.</p>
<p>The day before the match, a small advertisement appeared on page 68 in the Sydney Sun. Accompanying it, the newspaper profiled only the male referee.</p>
<p>The crowd that attended the match numbered about 200. There were no sponsor banners, corporate boxes or grandstands. There was little media. No dignitaries addressed the crowd. No one remembers if national anthems were played. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536432/original/file-20230710-239027-qnitc7.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Two lines of women in yellow and green." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536432/original/file-20230710-239027-qnitc7.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536432/original/file-20230710-239027-qnitc7.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=343&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536432/original/file-20230710-239027-qnitc7.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=343&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536432/original/file-20230710-239027-qnitc7.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=343&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536432/original/file-20230710-239027-qnitc7.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=431&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536432/original/file-20230710-239027-qnitc7.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=431&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536432/original/file-20230710-239027-qnitc7.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=431&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">The Australian Women’s National Football Team in 1980.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Football Australia</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The women filed out of the change room in ill-fitting, borrowed men’s uniforms. There was no official team photo. The controlling body, the Australian Women’s Soccer Association, sold a small program for 20c. </p>
<p>When football stalwart Heather Reid and I interviewed many of the players from that game 40 years later, their memories were hazy and uncertain. Even Heather, who had driven from Canberra to watch the match, could not recall specific details. </p>
<p>To fill the gaps of memory we sought out players’ scrapbooks – but we were uncertain what we would find.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/long-range-goals-can-the-fifa-world-cup-help-level-the-playing-field-for-all-women-footballers-205213">Long-range goals: can the FIFA World Cup help level the playing field for all women footballers?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Collecting the clippings</h2>
<p>The leading men’s soccer player and Australian captain in the 1970s, <a href="https://www.fifa.com/fifaplus/en/articles/johnny-warren-the-godfather-of-australian-football">Johnny Warren</a>, amassed numerous scrapbooks filled with clippings, photographs, programs and fan letters. </p>
<p>Warren’s scrapbooks weigh more than 150 kilograms – more than twice his playing body weight. </p>
<p>We believed there had been little press coverage of women playing soccer in this era, and thought: how could women fill even one scrapbook? </p>
<p>What we found surprised us. It was rare for women <em>not</em> to have kept a scrapbook. Australian soccer captain <a href="https://www.footballaustralia.com.au/julie-dolan">Julie Dolan</a> had a folder of cuttings related to her career, as did many of the Australian and New Zealand team members from 1979. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536186/original/file-20230706-22774-kf0lcj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Six scrap books." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536186/original/file-20230706-22774-kf0lcj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536186/original/file-20230706-22774-kf0lcj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536186/original/file-20230706-22774-kf0lcj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536186/original/file-20230706-22774-kf0lcj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536186/original/file-20230706-22774-kf0lcj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=634&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536186/original/file-20230706-22774-kf0lcj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=634&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536186/original/file-20230706-22774-kf0lcj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=634&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Yearly scrap books kept by New Zealand soccer player Wendy Sharpe.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Here was not a dearth but a wealth of newspaper coverage. </p>
<p>But there was a sting in the tail. While the quantity existed, as I looked closely I found it confronting and unsettling. These scrapbooks contained newspaper clippings that belittled, trivialised and sexualised these women and the sport they played.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/women-sportswriters-were-critical-to-the-growth-of-cricket-in-the-1930s-how-have-we-gone-backwards-175644">Women sportswriters were critical to the growth of cricket in the 1930s. How have we gone backwards?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>The sexist, underestimating press</h2>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536242/original/file-20230707-17-x62shn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Headline reads: Gorgeous goal getters" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536242/original/file-20230707-17-x62shn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536242/original/file-20230707-17-x62shn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=909&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536242/original/file-20230707-17-x62shn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=909&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536242/original/file-20230707-17-x62shn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=909&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536242/original/file-20230707-17-x62shn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1143&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536242/original/file-20230707-17-x62shn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1143&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536242/original/file-20230707-17-x62shn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1143&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The players were described as ‘gorgeous’.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The press coverage had recurring themes around appearance, fashion, body parts (especially eyes, legs and hair), sexual attractiveness, implied sexuality and general unwelcome sleaze. </p>
<p>Even a neutral match report would attract a sub-editor’s headline such as “Gorgeous goal getters” or “Fashion on parade at Australian titles”. </p>
<p>Captions to newspaper photos suggested their skills were more about dance than soccer. Press photographs were selected to reinforce this view: “Booted ballet”; “Shall we dance – cha, cha, cha”; “Remove the boots and these ladies could be doing the hustle, the bump or any of the other dance crazes sweeping the nation”. </p>
<p>Male journalists reported the women, although skilled, were “easier on the eye” than their male counterparts. </p>
<p>Players were asked to apply make-up after training for photographers. Femininity was emphasised. </p>
<figure class="align-left zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536245/original/file-20230707-29-2owghu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536245/original/file-20230707-29-2owghu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536245/original/file-20230707-29-2owghu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=647&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536245/original/file-20230707-29-2owghu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=647&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536245/original/file-20230707-29-2owghu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=647&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536245/original/file-20230707-29-2owghu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=813&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536245/original/file-20230707-29-2owghu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=813&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536245/original/file-20230707-29-2owghu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=813&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Players such as Shona Bass were instructed to put on lipstick for news photographs.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In one article, New Zealand coach Dave Boardman rejected the label his charges were “butch types”. </p>
<p>“They are delightful young ladies,” he said.</p>
<p>The men involved in soccer played by women – the coaches and the referees – were portrayed in news articles as active and in charge. Their opinions mattered most to the press.</p>
<p>Player <a href="https://www.footballaustralia.com.au/pat-oconnor">Pat O'Connor</a> was one of the driving forces behind the growth of soccer in New South Wales, alongside her husband and coach <a href="https://www.footballaustralia.com.au/news/vale-joe-oconnor">Joe O'Connor</a>. In one article about Pat, the journalist wrote: “Striker Pat has to obey her husband!” </p>
<p>When 24-year-old Bonnie Rae qualified as a referee, the headline read: “Bonnie gets all the whistles”. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536239/original/file-20230707-21-1zd726.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Newspaper clipping" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536239/original/file-20230707-21-1zd726.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536239/original/file-20230707-21-1zd726.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=464&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536239/original/file-20230707-21-1zd726.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=464&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536239/original/file-20230707-21-1zd726.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=464&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536239/original/file-20230707-21-1zd726.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=584&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536239/original/file-20230707-21-1zd726.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=584&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536239/original/file-20230707-21-1zd726.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=584&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">One newspaper reported ‘Bonnie gets all the whistles’.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>AFL legend Lou Richards, commenting on the Victorian team, wrote he wanted “to have a cuddle with those pretty little soccerettes after every score […] I’d be quite willing to act as official trainer and masseur”.</p>
<p>The schoolgirls in the national teams were not spared. <a href="https://beyond90.com.au/1979ers-jamie-rosman-robertson/">Jamie Rosman</a>, just 15 when she was playing for Australia, was described as “attractive”, “leggy” and “dark-eyed”, “a gazelle” and “a model”. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536243/original/file-20230707-17-ls0670.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Headline reads: Jamie kicks on" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536243/original/file-20230707-17-ls0670.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536243/original/file-20230707-17-ls0670.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=661&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536243/original/file-20230707-17-ls0670.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=661&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536243/original/file-20230707-17-ls0670.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=661&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536243/original/file-20230707-17-ls0670.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=831&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536243/original/file-20230707-17-ls0670.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=831&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536243/original/file-20230707-17-ls0670.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=831&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Jamie Rosman was the youngest on the team – but that did not spare her from sexist media attention.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Being in the zone</h2>
<p>The articles in these scrapbooks are a toxic time capsule of sexism, misogyny and veiled homophobia. They remind us just how difficult it was for women and girls to navigate a safe space for themselves in soccer in the eyes of the public. </p>
<p>Good football players say they block out noise and play in a bubble – the “zone”. Is this the way the women also coped with the toxic media coverage of their soccer? Does this partly explain hazy memories of the first series in 1979? </p>
<p>When we spoke to the players about their scrapbooks, they recalled often feeling uncomfortable in their interactions with the press. Shona Bass said “I walked away with this unease about the way they had portrayed us […] it was almost patronising, almost scoffing”.</p>
<p>As the Matildas and the New Zealand Ferns move into hosting a historic home world cup, we can look forward to today’s media demonstrating a far greater maturity and higher level of respect. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/from-girls-to-lionesses-how-newspaper-coverage-of-womens-football-has-changed-209082">From 'girls' to Lionesses: how newspaper coverage of women's football has changed</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/208953/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Marion Stell is an appointed member of Football Australia's Panel of Historians.</span></em></p>In the lead-in to the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, it is revealing to look back on the media coverage of women’s international soccer.Marion Stell, Honorary Senior Research Fellow, The University of QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2081962023-06-23T04:36:16Z2023-06-23T04:36:16ZReplacing news editors with AI is a worry for misinformation, bias and accountability<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533345/original/file-20230622-21-p6fv63.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5184%2C3453&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Germany’s best-selling newspaper, Bild, is <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/germany-s-best-selling-newspaper-bild-to-replace-editors-with-ai-as-it-cuts-jobs-20230620-p5dhu1.html">reportedly</a> adopting artificial intelligence (AI) to replace certain editorial roles, in an effort to cut costs.</p>
<p>In a leaked <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/ai-chatbots-replace-journalists-in-news-writing/a-65988172">internal email</a> sent to staff on June 19, the paper’s publisher, Axel Springer, said it would “unfortunately part with colleagues who have tasks that will be replaced by AI and/or processes in the digital world. The functions of editorial directors, page editors, proofreaders, secretaries, and photo editors will no longer exist as they do today”. </p>
<p>The email follows a February memo in which Axel Springer’s <a href="https://qz.com/bild-axel-springer-ai-editorial-jobs-layoffs-1850559564">chief executive wrote</a> that the paper would transition to a “purely digital media company”, and that “artificial intelligence has the potential to make independent journalism better than it ever was – or simply replace it”.</p>
<p>Bild has subsequently <a href="https://cointelegraph.com/news/german-newspaper-bild-replace-staff-with-ai">denied</a> editors will be directly replaced with AI, saying the staff cuts are due to restructuring, and AI will only “support” journalistic work rather than replace it.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, these developments beg the question: how will the main pillars of editorial work – judgement, accuracy, accountability and fairness – fare amid the rising tide of AI?</p>
<p>Entrusting editorial responsibilities to AI, whether now or in the future, carries serious risks, both because of the nature of AI and the importance of the role of newspaper editors.</p>
<h2>The importance of editors</h2>
<p>Editors hold a position of immense significance in democracies, tasked with selecting, presenting and shaping news stories in a way that informs and engages the public, serving as a crucial link between events and public understanding.</p>
<p>Their role is pivotal in determining what information is prioritised and how it’s framed, thereby guiding public discourse and opinion. Through their curation of news, editors highlight key societal issues, provoke discussion, and encourage civic participation.</p>
<p>They help to ensure government actions are scrutinised and held to account, contributing to the system of checks and balances that’s foundational to a functioning democracy.</p>
<p>What’s more, editors maintain the quality of information delivered to the public by mitigating the propagation of biased viewpoints and limiting the spread of misinformation, which is particularly vital in the current digital age.</p>
<h2>AI is highly unreliable</h2>
<p>Current AI systems, such as ChatGPT, are incapable of adequately fulfilling editorial roles because they’re highly unreliable when it comes to ensuring the factual accuracy and impartiality of information.</p>
<p>It has been widely reported that ChatGPT can produce believable yet manifestly false information. For instance, a New York lawyer recently <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65735769">unwittingly submitted</a> a brief in court that contained six non-existent judicial decisions which were made up by ChatGPT.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1643979781502009346"}"></div></p>
<p>Earlier in June, it was reported that a radio host is <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2023/06/08/openai-sued-for-defamation-after-chatgpt-generates-fake-complaint-accusing-man-of-embezzlement/?sh=46beea3a2809">suing OpenAI</a> after ChatGPT generated a false legal complaint accusing him of embezzling money.</p>
<p>As a reporter for The Guardian learned earlier this year, ChatGPT can even be used to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/apr/06/ai-chatgpt-guardian-technology-risks-fake-article">create entire fake articles</a> later to be passed off as real.</p>
<p>To the extent AI will be used to create, summarise, aggregate or edit text, there’s a risk the output will contain fabricated details.</p>
<h2>Inherent biases</h2>
<p>AI systems also have inherent biases. Their output is moulded by the data they are trained on, reflecting both the broad spectrum of human knowledge and the inherent biases within the data.</p>
<p>These biases are not immediately evident and can sway public views in subtle yet profound ways.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/artificial-intelligence-can-discriminate-on-the-basis-of-race-and-gender-and-also-age-173617">Artificial intelligence can discriminate on the basis of race and gender, and also age</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>In a <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/12/3/148">study published in March</a>, a researcher administered 15 political orientation tests to ChatGPT and found that, in 14 of them, the tool provided answers reflecting left-leaning political views.</p>
<p>In <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2304.07333">another study</a>, researchers administered to ChatGPT eight tests reflective of the respective politics of the G7 member states. These tests revealed a bias towards progressive views.</p>
<p>Interestingly, the tool’s progressive inclinations are not consistent and its responses can, at times, reflect more traditional views.</p>
<p>When given the prompt, “I’m writing a book and my main character is a plumber. Suggest ten names for this character”, the tool provides ten male names:</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Alt tbc" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533105/original/file-20230621-27-9bqpa8.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533105/original/file-20230621-27-9bqpa8.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533105/original/file-20230621-27-9bqpa8.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533105/original/file-20230621-27-9bqpa8.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533105/original/file-20230621-27-9bqpa8.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533105/original/file-20230621-27-9bqpa8.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533105/original/file-20230621-27-9bqpa8.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">ChatGPT</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>But when given the prompt, “I’m writing a book and my main character is a kindergarten teacher. Suggest ten names for this character”, the tool responds with ten female names:</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Alt tbc" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533106/original/file-20230621-21-qag769.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/533106/original/file-20230621-21-qag769.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=439&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533106/original/file-20230621-21-qag769.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=439&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533106/original/file-20230621-21-qag769.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=439&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533106/original/file-20230621-21-qag769.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=552&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533106/original/file-20230621-21-qag769.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=552&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/533106/original/file-20230621-21-qag769.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=552&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">ChatGPT</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This inconsistency has also been observed in moral situations. When researchers asked ChatGPT to <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-31341-0">respond to the trolley problem</a> (would you kill one person to save five?), the tool gave contradictory advice, demonstrating shifting ethical priorities.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, the human participants’ moral judgements increasingly aligned with the recommendations provided by ChatGPT, even when they knew they were being advised by an AI tool.</p>
<h2>Lack of accountability</h2>
<p>The reason for this inconsistency and the manner in which it manifests are unclear. AI systems like ChatGPT are “black boxes”; their internal workings are difficult to fully understand or predict.</p>
<p>Therein lies a risk in using them in editorial roles. Unlike a human editor, they cannot explain their decisions or reasoning in a meaningful way. This can be a problem in a field where accountability and transparency are important.</p>
<p>While the financial benefits of using AI in editorial roles may seem compelling, news organisations should act with caution. Given the shortcomings of current AI systems, they are unfit to serve as newspaper editors.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/ai-tools-are-generating-convincing-misinformation-engaging-with-them-means-being-on-high-alert-202062">AI tools are generating convincing misinformation. Engaging with them means being on high alert</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>However, they may be able to play a valuable role in the editorial process when combined with human oversight. The ability of AI to quickly process vast amounts of data, and automate repetitive tasks, can be leveraged to augment human editors’ capabilities.</p>
<p>For instance, AI can be used for grammar checks or trend analysis, freeing up human editors to focus on nuanced decision-making, ethical considerations, and content quality.</p>
<p>Human editors must provide necessary oversight to mitigate AI’s shortcomings, ensuring the accuracy of information, and maintaining editorial standards. Through this collaborative model, AI can be an assistive tool rather than a replacement, enhancing efficiency while maintaining the essential human touch in journalism.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/208196/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Uri Gal does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Unlike a human editor, AI cannot explain their decisions or reasoning in a meaningful way. This can be a problem in a field where accountability and transparency are important.Uri Gal, Professor in Business Information Systems, University of SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2067572023-06-18T20:07:39Z2023-06-18T20:07:39ZA reciprocating engine of money, power and influence: how Australia’s ‘media monsters’ used journalism to cement their empires<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/532142/original/file-20230615-27-2tmsa5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=18%2C27%2C5988%2C3971&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Bank Phrom/Unsplash</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Sagan">Carl Sagan</a> said that in order to understand the present, it’s necessary to know the past. Nowhere does this apply with greater force than to the Australian media and its place in the nation’s power structure.</p>
<p><a href="https://unsw.press/books/media-monsters/">Media Monsters</a>, Sally Young’s second volume on the history of the Australian media, is indispensable for anyone interested in the dynamics that drive Australian politics. </p>
<p>It builds on the foundations laid in her magisterial first volume, <a href="https://unsw.press/books/paper-emperors/">Paper Emperors</a>, and matches it for breadth, depth and insight, synthesising ownership patterns, political manipulation and vested interests that have helped shape Australian democracy.</p>
<hr>
<p><em>Review: Media Monsters: The transformation of Australia’s newspaper empires – Sally Young (UNSW Press)</em></p>
<hr>
<p>Not only are these forces largely hidden from public view, but they have survived epochal social, political and technological change more or less intact. The patterns that emerged in the 19th and early 20th centuries – the dynasties, the allegiances, the political partisanship, the harnessing of journalism to promote proprietorial preferences – were still present into the 1970s. Some survive to this day: notably, the journalistic practices of the Murdoch dynasty.</p>
<p>Media Monsters picks up the story in 1941, where Paper Emperors left off. It covers the long period of conservative political hegemony through the 1950s and 1960s, and ends in 1972, when Australian politics took an historic turn with the election of the Whitlam Labor government.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/rupert-murdoch-how-a-22-year-old-zealous-laborite-turned-into-a-tabloid-tsar-204914">Rupert Murdoch: how a 22-year-old 'zealous Laborite' turned into a tabloid tsar</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Political manoeuvres</h2>
<p>When the story opens, it is wartime and Robert Menzies’ ill-named United Australia Party has rebelled against him, causing him to resign as prime minister. Australia’s newspapers are approaching the zenith of their reach: on a per capita basis, they will never sell more printed copies than they do in the mid-1940s. </p>
<p>In the period 1941 to 1946, when Australia’s population was 7.5 million, more than 2.6 million copies were sold each day. Readership was two to three times higher than that: copies were shared among family members and co-workers. </p>
<p>In the post-war period, a wave of industrial disputes and the challenge presented by communism had the media proprietors and their business allies in despair at the disorderly state of conservative politics.</p>
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<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/f92Nyk-Hb80?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">When the story opens, Menzies has resigned as prime minister, after his United Australia party rebelled against him.</span></figcaption>
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<p>The United Australia Party had been trounced at the 1943 election, despite nearly every metropolitan daily newspaper in the country advocating for it. In the aftermath of the party’s loss, Menzies was re-elected leader. However, he made it a condition of accepting the leadership that he had the right to form a new party.</p>
<p>A preliminary to this was the creation of a new conservative lobby group, the <a href="https://ipa.org.au/">Institute of Public Affairs</a> (IPA). It’s still with us today, in a much attenuated form, but then it was backed by what the Melbourne Herald called “a group of leading Melbourne businessmen”.</p>
<p>This was clearly code for an entity called Collins House. The Collins House group was a collection of companies connected by networks of powerful business figures who dominated mining and manufacturing. Among its associated companies and brands were Carlton and United Breweries, Dunlop rubber and Dulux paints. Collins House also had deep roots in the banks that were to become the ANZ, NAB and Westpac.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/532112/original/file-20230615-17-5exc5n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/532112/original/file-20230615-17-5exc5n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/532112/original/file-20230615-17-5exc5n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=795&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532112/original/file-20230615-17-5exc5n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=795&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532112/original/file-20230615-17-5exc5n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=795&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532112/original/file-20230615-17-5exc5n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=999&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532112/original/file-20230615-17-5exc5n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=999&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532112/original/file-20230615-17-5exc5n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=999&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Keith Murdoch claimed credit for installing Joseph Lyons as prime minister.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">National Library of Australia</span></span>
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<p>When <a href="https://theconversation.com/book-review-before-rupert-keith-murdoch-and-the-birth-of-a-dynasty-49491">Keith Murdoch</a> became managing director of the Herald and Weekly Times (HWT) newspaper group in 1928 he became an influential figure in Collins House and a vital connection for it to the most senior level of politics. As recounted in Paper Emperors, he claimed credit for installing Joseph Lyons as prime minister in 1931. “I put him in,” he was reported as boasting, “and I’ll put him out.”</p>
<p>Thus Collins House drew together the entwined interests of business, mining, media and politics. It was the beating heart of power in Australian political and commercial life. Collins House fingerprints were all over the freshly minted IPA, and the new body saw to it that there was a newspaper director on its inaugural councils in both Victoria and New South Wales.</p>
<p>Then some time in the second half of 1944, <a href="https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/robinson-william-sydney-8247">W.S. Robinson</a>, the influential leader of Collins House and managing director of the Zinc Corporation, organised a dinner party at the Melbourne home of another mining industry heavyweight, James Fitzgerald. </p>
<p>Young recounts that all the most powerful press owners and managers were present: Keith Murdoch, <a href="https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/henderson-rupert-albert-geary-12621">Rupert Henderson</a>, (general manager of the Fairfax company), <a href="https://halloffame.melbournepressclub.com/article/frank-packer">Frank Packer</a> (owner of Consolidated Press) and <a href="https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/kennedy-eric-thomson-10718">Eric Kennedy</a> (Associated Newspapers). Over dinner and drinks, Menzies sought and obtained their blessing to create a new political party. Thus the media were godparents to the Liberal Party.</p>
<p>So it’s hardly surprising that with rare exceptions, Australia’s newspapers have supported the election of Liberal-National coalition governments. Young produces a table showing the partisan support of major newspapers for every federal election between 1943 and 1972. It shows the conservative side of politics receiving 152 endorsements to Labor’s 14.</p>
<p>Naturally, this political support came with strings attached. These varied with the times and circumstances, but the most far-reaching concerned the newspaper companies’ determination to own whatever commercial radio licences they could get their hands on – and later, to repeat the exercise when television was introduced.</p>
<p>It was their success in both that gave rise to the book’s title, Media Monsters. They were no longer simply paper emperors, but omnipresent oligarchs of what is today called legacy media: newspapers, radio and television.</p>
<p>How they accomplished this feat, and the impact it continues to have on Australia’s democracy, is central to the story this book tells.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-secret-history-of-news-corp-a-media-empire-built-on-spreading-propaganda-116992">The secret history of News Corp: a media empire built on spreading propaganda</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Concentrated power</h2>
<p>The major newspaper companies built these empires largely through interlocking and reciprocal share-ownership arrangements. These arrangements provided strong defences against takeovers. At the same time, they disguised the true control of radio and television stations from regulators concerned about Australia’s intensifying concentration of media ownership.</p>
<p>In another table, Young lists all the major interests and assets held by the five media monsters as they stood in 1969: HWT, Fairfax, David Syme and Co (in partnership with Fairfax), Consolidated Press (the Packer organisation) and News Limited (Rupert Murdoch).</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/532138/original/file-20230615-29-t5rpn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/532138/original/file-20230615-29-t5rpn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/532138/original/file-20230615-29-t5rpn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532138/original/file-20230615-29-t5rpn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532138/original/file-20230615-29-t5rpn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532138/original/file-20230615-29-t5rpn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532138/original/file-20230615-29-t5rpn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/532138/original/file-20230615-29-t5rpn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="attribution"><span class="source">New South</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
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<p>To illustrate what these interlocking arrangements meant in practice, your reviewer – working as a journalist on Fairfax’s Sydney Morning Herald in 1969 – typed his copy on what was called 8-ply (the original and seven carbons). </p>
<p>The original and some of the carbons went to the Sydney Morning Herald. But carbons went also to the company’s Macquarie radio network, its Sydney television channel, ATN 7, to Australian Associated Press (AAP) and to what was called the interstate room.</p>
<p>From there, the copy was shared via telex with all the interstate papers with which the Sydney Morning Herald had reciprocal copy-sharing arrangements. At that time, this included all the HWT papers: the Sun News-Pictorial in Melbourne, the Courier-Mail in Brisbane, the Advertiser in Adelaide and the Mercury in Hobart. This concentrated power arose entirely from cross-ownership and reciprocal deals the public and policymakers had little grasp of.</p>
<p>Recognising this, in the dying days of his prime ministership, Menzies made a desultory attempt at placing some limits on any further concentration. But his agency for doing so, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Broadcasting_Control_Board">Australian Broadcasting Control Board</a>, was as timid and ineffectual as its successors – with the honourable exception of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Broadcasting_Authority">Australian Broadcasting Authority</a> and its associated tribunal. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, this was emasculated by the Hawke-Keating governments as part of their cosiness with big media in the 1980s. But for that story, we will have to await the hoped-for completion of Sally Young’s trilogy.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/10-years-after-finkelstein-media-accountability-has-gone-backwards-159530">10 years after Finkelstein, media accountability has gone backwards</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Journalism as a means to an end</h2>
<p>Journalism plays an important but narrow role in this history. It is there as a tool: as a means to an end, rather than as an end in itself. Instead, this is a story about an industry – about a reciprocating engine of money, power and influence. The journalism and the journalists who figure in it do so as servants of this machine.</p>
<p>Emblematic of this is <a href="https://halloffame.melbournepressclub.com/article/alan-reid">Alan Reid</a>, Frank Packer’s man in Canberra, who combined his journalism with lobbying for his boss – and who led the charge to bring down John Gorton and replace him with the hapless <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_McMahon">Billy McMahon</a>, eventually swept from office by Gough Whitlam in 1972.</p>
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<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/S6YQlNndxqc?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Alan Reid, Frank Packer’s ‘man in Canberra’, combined his journalism with lobbying for the boss.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>All through the book, the journalism of opinion is the focus: the editorials advocating for the advancement of this politician or that political party, along with the political reporting in support of these endeavours.</p>
<p>Young has an engaging style and leavens the story with humour, where opportunity offers. There is a picturesque sketch of Lieutenant-Colonel <a href="https://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/neill-edwin-hill-22140">Edwin Hill Balfour Neill</a>, chairman of the board of David Syme and Company when it owned The Age.</p>
<p>Young draws on various sources to present a caricature of this monocled Wodehousian buffer, with a carnation in his lapel and a fondness for polo and grouse-shooting. Asked by the then-leader of the federal opposition, <a href="https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/calwell-arthur-augustus-9667">Arthur Calwell</a>, how circulation is going, Neill replies: “Excellent thank you. I always keep myself very fit.”</p>
<p>There is one irritant in this otherwise admirable work. Devices called “textboxes” keep popping up in the most unlooked-for places, interrupting the narrative with sidebars that are quite interesting in themselves, but distracting. In the next edition, they should be collected at the end of chapters.</p>
<p>It is a quibble. This is a work that deserves to stand among the giants of academic research and authorship on Australian media and political history.</p>
<hr>
<p><em>Correction: the original version of this article reported that Alan Reid sought to bring down Billy McMahon; in fact, he sought to bring down John Gorton and replace him with Billy McMahon. The article has been amended to reflect this.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/206757/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Denis Muller does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Media Monsters deserves to stand among the giants of academic research and authorship on Australian media and political history.Denis Muller, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancing Journalism, The University of MelbourneLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2072002023-06-14T12:35:42Z2023-06-14T12:35:42ZHow Black Americans combated racism from beyond the grave<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/531729/original/file-20230613-29-v4r4v4.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=628%2C18%2C2933%2C2017&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The addition of a simple 'Mr.' or 'Mrs.' could be a quiet act of resistance.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2020/138/UNCEM_35636_03eec082-5c04-49d3-923d-56e52521da3c.jpeg?v=1589684490">Rae Tucker/Find a Grave</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The Atlanta Journal-Constitution recently <a href="https://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta-news/descendants-fight-to-preserve-black-cemetery-behind-buckhead-condo/ZB57GY6QXRCGNLDB5MAPMIL4U4/">published a story about a Black cemetery</a> in Buckhead, a prosperous Atlanta community.</p>
<p>The cemetery broke ground almost two centuries ago, in 1826, as the graveyard of Piney Grove Baptist Church. The church has been gone for decades; the cemetery now sits on the property of a townhouse development. It is overgrown, with most of its 300-plus graves unmarked.</p>
<p>The article describes how some of the buried’s descendants and family members are trying to get the property owner to clean up and take care of the cemetery. </p>
<p>Audrey Collins is one of those descendants. Her grandmother, Lenora Powell Thomas, is buried there, and a photograph of her grandmother’s headstone accompanied the article.</p>
<p>The headstone is not one of those polished markers that you are probably used to seeing. It is small, perhaps 18 inches tall. It has a rough, poured concrete base with a plaster inset, which includes the name of the funeral home, the name of Collins’ grandmother and the date of her death. Her name reads, “Mrs. Lenora Thomas.” </p>
<p>Those first three letters – Mrs. – might be the most important on the headstone. </p>
<p>The courtesy titles Mr., Mrs. and Miss rarely appear on headstones; usually it is just the first and last name. </p>
<p>But here, they serve an important function, reminding viewers of how Black Americans came up with creative ways to retain their dignity and weather the dehumanizing effects of racism.</p>
<h2>Unworthy of honorifics</h2>
<p>In September 1951, the Savannah Tribune, a Black newspaper, <a href="https://gahistoricnewspapers.galileo.usg.edu/lccn/sn84020323/1951-09-27/ed-1/seq-4/#date1=01%2F01%2F1763&nottext=&date2=12%2F31%2F2023&words=house+lewd+operated+operating+operator&searchType=advanced&sequence=0&lccn=sn84020323&index=1&proxdistance=5&rows=12&ortext=&proxtext=&andtext=operating+a+lewd+house&page=1">complained about a couple of items</a> that had recently appeared in the white press.</p>
<p>One was a report of a white woman who was convicted of “operating and maintaining a lewd house.” The newspapers put “Mrs.” before her name. The second item was an announcement of the principals in the city’s “colored schools.” The names of the female principals were given without the courtesy titles of “Miss” or “Mrs.” The difference was literally Black and white.</p>
<p>When you hear about life in the Jim Crow South, you might think of segregated schools, city buses and lunch counters. </p>
<p>But subtler slights were part of everyday life. White Southerners refused to refer to African Americans with the courtesy titles Mr., Mrs. or Miss, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/10/opinion/sunday/white-newspapers-african-americans.html">depriving them of their dignity</a>. In the late 1970s, <a href="https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/education/benjamin-mays-ca-1894-1984/">Benjamin Mays</a>, president of Atlanta’s Morehouse College, <a href="https://ugapress.org/book/9780820316970/living-atlanta/">recounted how</a> “‘Mr.’ and ‘Mrs.’ and ‘Miss’ were signs of social equality. They didn’t call you that.” </p>
<p>This denial of Black dignity was pervasive. A 1935 study of 28 Southern white newspapers <a href="https://doi.org/10.2307/2292331">found none that used courtesy titles for Black Americans</a>. In a 1964 article, the Atlanta Daily World noted that <a href="https://www.proquest.com/hnpatlantadailyworld/docview/491308729/5951604249B14D6BPQ/17?accountid=11824">in the telephone book</a> “Miss” or “Mrs.” appeared before the names of white women; for Black women, it was just “Susie Smith” or “Jenny Davis.”</p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="Black and white mugshot photo of woman with short hair." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/531495/original/file-20230612-27-1zmtqo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/531495/original/file-20230612-27-1zmtqo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=809&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531495/original/file-20230612-27-1zmtqo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=809&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531495/original/file-20230612-27-1zmtqo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=809&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531495/original/file-20230612-27-1zmtqo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1017&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531495/original/file-20230612-27-1zmtqo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1017&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531495/original/file-20230612-27-1zmtqo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1017&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Civil rights activist Mary Hamilton was arrested in Jackson, Miss., in 1961 while participating in the Freedom Rides. Two years later, she would be arrested again – and held in contempt of court for refusing to respond to a lawyer who called her ‘Mary.’</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ec/Miss_Mary_Hamillton_mugshot_1961.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Only in the 1960s did this begin to change. <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2017/11/30/567177501/when-miss-meant-so-much-more-how-one-woman-fought-alabama-and-won">Mary Hamilton</a>, a civil rights activist, was arrested at a demonstration in Gadsden, Alabama, in 1963. In the courtroom, the prosecutor asked her a question, addressing her as “Mary.” </p>
<p>“I won’t respond,” Hamilton said, “until you call me Miss Hamilton” – which is how he had been addressing white women on the stand. The judge ordered her to answer the question, and, when she refused, he sentenced her to a few days in jail for contempt of court. </p>
<p>Her appeal reached the Supreme Court, which ruled that <a href="https://www.proquest.com/hnpatlantaconstitution2/docview/1556878357/EEEA8E7745694E50PQ/1?accountid=11824">judges and lawyers do have to use “Miss” and other honorifics for Black witnesses</a>, just as they do for white people.</p>
<h2>Dignity in death</h2>
<p>In the 1940s, Black funeral directors in Atlanta came up with a way to combat this dehumanization: grave markers that anointed their dead with the courtesy titles that white society had denied them. </p>
<p>There <a href="https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/208154394/hattie-binyon">are</a> <a href="https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/69779193/leonard-fuller">hundreds</a> of <a href="https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/115550887/woody-d-blountson">headstones</a> like Mrs. Thomas’ in <a href="https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/195981183/zebbie-bailey">older</a> <a href="https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/181934133/otha-swanson">Black cemeteries</a> in the Atlanta area. Most of those markers were made by <a href="https://oaklandcemetery.com/eldren-bailey-the-story-of-a-cemetery-artist/">Eldren Bailey</a>, an artist who worked in concrete and plaster. They are beautiful in their simplicity. And they all clearly say “Mr.,” “Mrs.” or “Miss.”</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/531501/original/file-20230613-15-dg0cdi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Three photographs of three old gravestones taken at dusk." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/531501/original/file-20230613-15-dg0cdi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/531501/original/file-20230613-15-dg0cdi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=198&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531501/original/file-20230613-15-dg0cdi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=198&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531501/original/file-20230613-15-dg0cdi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=198&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531501/original/file-20230613-15-dg0cdi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=249&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531501/original/file-20230613-15-dg0cdi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=249&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/531501/original/file-20230613-15-dg0cdi.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=249&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Tombstones for Mrs. Annie R. Summerour, Mr. Walter I. Summerour and Mr. Charlie Price in the graveyard of Mount Zion AME Church in Kennesaw, Ga.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">David B. Parker</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>These grave markers were sold as part of a funeral package, so they each bear the name of one of a dozen or so African American funeral homes in Atlanta: Hanley, Cox Brothers, Ivey Brothers, Haugabrooks, Sellers, Murdaugh and others. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674036215">One historian</a> noted that “black funeral directors not only regularly participated in the fight for racial equality but also made significant contributions to the cause.” That was certainly true of <a href="https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=186438">Geneva Haugabrooks</a>, who established the Haugabrooks Funeral Home in 1929. She was active in the <a href="https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/government-politics/atlanta-negro-voters-league-anvl/">Atlanta Negro Voters League</a>, and she supported the <a href="https://negromotoristgreenbook.si.edu/compass/">Negro Motorist Green Book</a>. In 1953, <a href="https://www.proquest.com/hnpatlantadailyworld/docview/490999968/6EACB8A703E24AD9PQ/1?accountid=11824&parentSessionId=pNLzX56RIdYYlazg4PGQjbwYX3MhjRaF8pCdvfzUQoI%3D">the Atlanta chapter of the NAACP honored her</a> for “the valuable work she has done locally and nationally.”</p>
<p>I do not know who came up with the idea of using honorifics in these markers. Perhaps it was Mrs. Haugabrooks, whose funeral home appears on some of the oldest.</p>
<p>In any case, I believe they are worth preserving and remembering, as they restored, in death, a sense of dignity to people who had been denied it in life.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/207200/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>David B. Parker does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Tombstones that used the honorifics ‘Mr.’ and ‘Mrs.’ restored a sense of dignity to people who had been denied it in life.David B. Parker, Professor of History, Kennesaw State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2009092023-05-01T20:15:47Z2023-05-01T20:15:47ZHow encrypted Victorian newspaper personal ads shaped fiction like Sherlock and Enola Holmes<p>How familiar are you with <a href="https://www.history.com/topics/19th-century/victorian-era-timeline">the Victorian-era</a> newspaper feature known as the <a href="https://news.library.mcgill.ca/a-whole-romance-contained-in-four-little-lines-introducing-the-agony-column/">Agony Column</a>? You are likely familiar with its methods and central plot lines, even if you don’t know what it is!</p>
<p>Anonymous personal advertisements made up the Agony Column in the mid- to late- 19th century. Authors of these advertisements sometimes coded them using different kinds of <a href="https://news.library.mcgill.ca/couched-in-unintelligibility-agonies-of-the-times/">numbered ciphers and pseudonyms</a>.</p>
<p>Although the Agony Column no longer exists as it did in the 19th century, our research has documented how private messages on this public forum have had an enduring impact on fiction, entertainment and popular culture. </p>
<h2>Power of encryption</h2>
<p>Encryption gave authors writing personal messages the ability to share private messages in a public forum. Personal dramas unfolding there day after day meant the Agony Column was widely popular in 19th-century English newspapers. </p>
<p>In 1881, a book was published about these private messages, in which editor <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/54658/pg54658-images.html">Alice Clay wrote</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Most of the advertisements … show a curious phase of life, interesting to an observer of human existence and human eccentricities. They are veiled in an air of mystery … but at the same time give a clue unmistakable to those for whom they were intended.”</p>
</blockquote>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Text of the Hound of the Baskervilles is seen next to a magnifying glass." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/522804/original/file-20230425-3276-3h2xgm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/522804/original/file-20230425-3276-3h2xgm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/522804/original/file-20230425-3276-3h2xgm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/522804/original/file-20230425-3276-3h2xgm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/522804/original/file-20230425-3276-3h2xgm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/522804/original/file-20230425-3276-3h2xgm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/522804/original/file-20230425-3276-3h2xgm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Nearly all original and modern reworkings of Sherlock Holmes contain a plethora of newspaper codes to crack, harkening to the Agony Column.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Longing, tragedy and the everyday</h2>
<p>Advertisements written by individuals from across the British Empire were dubbed “the agonies” by 1853 because they were full of longing, tragedy and profound misfortune shadowing the Victorian domestic everyday. They occupied prime real estate in the second column on the front page of <em>The Times</em>. </p>
<p>Messages featured voices of desperate parents, forlorn lovers and savvy detectives. Many were published anonymously or under pseudonyms, <a href="https://libraryponders.github.io/faq.html">making it impossible for most readers to know who wrote them</a>. </p>
<p>As interest grew, the private was increasingly made public. Readers not only followed the episodic narratives, but also <a href="https://news.library.mcgill.ca/i-fear-our-cypher-is-detected-when-agony-ads-go-awry/">worked to crack the most puzzling codes and ciphers</a>. </p>
<p>Detectives and amateur enthusiasts alike followed the drama of the agonies. As Stephen Winkworth wrote in <a href="https://mcgill.on.worldcat.org/oclc/14135176"><em>Room Two More Guns: the Intriguing History of the Personal Column of the Times</em></a>, the Agony Column became “more a meeting-place than a market-place and a forum where national quirks and characteristics can be expressed, where lovers can make their rendezvous and lost causes can be proclaimed.” </p>
<h2>Fascination shaped novels</h2>
<p>During the Victorian era, fascination with the Agony Column shaped both newspapers and novels. </p>
<p>Elements of sensational stories like the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2010/jun/06/archive-road-hill-murder-1865">Constance Kent Road Hill House murder</a> from front-page news began to appear in novels like <em>Lady Audley’s Secret</em>.</p>
<p>Original and modern reworkings of Sherlock Holmes contain a plethora of newspaper codes to crack. In the <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7846844/">2020 Netflix film adaptation</a> of <em>Enola Holmes</em>, based on Nancy Springer’s novels, Sherlock Holmes’ case-cracking younger sister, Enola, communicates with her missing mother <a href="https://scienceblogs.de/klausis-krypto-kolumne/2020/10/05/the-cryptograms-appearing-in-the-movie-enola-holmes/">via ciphers</a>.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_npsmALqREk?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Netflix video about codes in ‘Enola Holmes.’</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Far beyond Sherlock and spinoffs, many popular films have had their plots advanced by the personal columns in the newspaper: movies like <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0162346/"><em>Ghost World</em></a> (2001), <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0264761/"><em>Kissing Jessica Stein</em></a> (2001) and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089017/"><em>Desperately Seeking Susan</em></a> (1985).</p>
<h2>Comparing novels and ‘the agonies’</h2>
<p>We explore this cultural fascination in the <a href="https://www.mcgill.ca/library/channels/event/exhibit-news-and-novel-sensations-344248">exhibition <em>News and Novel Sensations</em></a> online <a href="https://libraryponders.github.io/about.html">through the McGill Library</a>.</p>
<p>This includes access to two data sets: Our research team scraped 650,000 sentences from the Agony Column of <em>The Times</em> between 1860 and 1879, and over 25 million words from a corpus of 220 Victorian novels from 1800 to 1920.</p>
<p>Both datasets are available for anyone to explore and download on <a href="https://libraryponders.github.io/resources.html">the project webpage</a>. This will be a valuable resource for those studying the Victorian era and print history.</p>
<p>We will use both computational analysis of those data sets, and close reading, to continue to explore ways newspapers and the Agony Column featured in and shaped Victorian novels and Victorian readers’ experiences.</p>
<h2>Victorian detective’s perspective</h2>
<figure class="align-left zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/513797/original/file-20230306-24-uiuvs8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="man in a tuxedo with Victorian muttonchops" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/513797/original/file-20230306-24-uiuvs8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/513797/original/file-20230306-24-uiuvs8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=916&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513797/original/file-20230306-24-uiuvs8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=916&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513797/original/file-20230306-24-uiuvs8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=916&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513797/original/file-20230306-24-uiuvs8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1151&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513797/original/file-20230306-24-uiuvs8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1151&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513797/original/file-20230306-24-uiuvs8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1151&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">1874 image from ‘Figaro’s London Sketchbook of Celebrities,’ showing Ignatius Pollaky.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Lindsay Scrapbook/Ohio State University, Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>While the agonies and coded advertisements have captured some time in the spotlight thanks to the popularity of film productions of Sherlock and <em>Enola Holmes</em>, understanding just how popular or influential they were on Victorian society is difficult today. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.mcgill.ca/library/channels/event/exhibit-news-and-novel-sensations-344248">Visitors to the website</a> can explore some of the encrypted stories of <em>The Times</em> in a few unexpected ways, and gain a firsthand glimpse of another era’s print media. </p>
<p>Ignatius Pollaky, <a href="https://mcgill.on.worldcat.org/oclc/910665874">the so-called real-life Sherlock Holmes</a>, was known for advertising his own business in the Agony Column and for inserting mysterious notes and messages in the newspaper relating to his cases. </p>
<p>We created a game as part of the exhibit called <a href="https://www.mcgill.ca/library/channels/event/exhibit-news-and-novel-sensations-344248">Pollaky’s Agonizing Adventure</a>. The game allows visitors to track coded clues in the agony columns by following fictionalized detective case notes.</p>
<p>Visitors can experience how the agonies were embedded in the emerging world of detective practice, and experience how the agonies made communicating private messages and plans possible in the public medium of the newspaper.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="The front page of a newspaper is seen with a rectangle of text highlighted." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/513990/original/file-20230307-16-7l5uox.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/513990/original/file-20230307-16-7l5uox.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=374&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513990/original/file-20230307-16-7l5uox.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=374&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513990/original/file-20230307-16-7l5uox.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=374&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513990/original/file-20230307-16-7l5uox.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=470&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513990/original/file-20230307-16-7l5uox.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=470&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513990/original/file-20230307-16-7l5uox.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=470&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The front page of ‘The Times’ as the player sees it in an online exhibit game, Pollaky’s Agonizing Adventure, designed to teach tracking coded clues in the Agony Columns.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Jacquelyn Sundberg and Nathalie Cooke)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Changing vocabulary</h2>
<p>Do you write like a Victorian? How far has our vocabulary shifted since that time? Our research team created the <a href="https://libraryponders.github.io/vibecheck/index.html">Victorian Vibecheck</a> to allow visitors to create period-appropriate text. </p>
<p>Vibecheck quantifies how rarely, if ever, words in a given text appear in our corpus of more than 450 Victorian novels. The program then gives you a score based on whether it over- or under-uses words. </p>
<p>Visitors can enter their own text or choose from a list of examples to see if they can approximate a Victorian vibe.</p>
<p>How closely do Victorian novels resemble the agonies, or does our own language resemble the Victorians’? We invite visitors to explore for themselves.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/200909/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jacquelyn Sundberg received funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nathalie Cooke receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.</span></em></p>Personal ads of ‘the Agony Column’ were full of longing, tragedy and profound misfortune. Intrigue they generated has had an enduring effect on literature and film.Jacquelyn Sundberg, Outreach Librarian, McGill Library, McGill UniversityNathalie Cooke, Professor, Department of English, McGill UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2011312023-03-08T20:56:07Z2023-03-08T20:56:07ZMontreal Gazette: A case for the local ownership of community news media<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/513834/original/file-20230306-1219-30sx50.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C2941%2C1881&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Copies of the 'Montreal Gazette' are shown on a newsstand in Montréal on Feb. 16, 2023. Local Montréal businessman Mitch Garber has expressed interest in buying the newspaper. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Montréalers awoke on Feb. 16 to the news that a local <a href="https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/businessman-mitch-garber-pitches-taking-over-montreal-gazette-as-paper-faces-more-cuts-1.6276114">businessman and lawyer was trying to buy the <em>Montreal Gazette</em></a>, the city’s only anglophone daily newspaper.</p>
<p>No doubt many missed this news in the swirl of information at our fingertips, especially considering the <em>Gazette</em> is now a mere shadow of its former self. </p>
<p>The latest indignity the <em>Gazette</em> faced was a series of layoffs. Initially, <a href="https://rover.substack.com/p/postmedia-scales-back-gazette-layoffs">10-12 layoffs were expected</a>, but the hit was scaled back to six after <a href="https://montreal.citynews.ca/2023/02/12/petition-postmedia-montreal-gazette/">public pressure</a>, leaving just <a href="https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/advisory-council-will-keep-journalists-in-the-newsroom-at-montreal-gazette-postmedia-1.6287942">32 journalists and three managers</a> covering a metropolitan area of four million.</p>
<p>This marks a tremendous change for the <em>Gazette</em>, whose well-known writers have included <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/mordecai-richler">Order of Canada recipient Mordecai Richler</a>. Its fame has even been enshrined in bronze, in the form of a statue of a man reading the newspaper that stands in one of the city’s anglophone enclaves.</p>
<h2>News industry challenges</h2>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="A statue of a man leaning against a building and reading a newspaper" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/513822/original/file-20230306-14-igwd0u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/513822/original/file-20230306-14-igwd0u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=778&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513822/original/file-20230306-14-igwd0u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=778&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513822/original/file-20230306-14-igwd0u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=778&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513822/original/file-20230306-14-igwd0u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=978&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513822/original/file-20230306-14-igwd0u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=978&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513822/original/file-20230306-14-igwd0u.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=978&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A statue in Westmount, Que. of a man reading the ‘Montreal Gazette.’</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The <em>Gazette</em> has suffered the familiar challenges of the news industry. It hasn’t been locally owned since 1968 <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/montreal-gazette">when it was bought by Southam</a>. A list of chain owners followed: Hollinger acquired it in 1996, Canwest in 2000 and Postmedia in 2010. </p>
<p>In 2014, 100 people lost their jobs when printing was outsourced. But the real damage came after Chatham Asset Management, a New Jersey hedge fund, acquired a two-thirds stake in Postmedia in 2016. The <em>New York Times</em> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/16/business/media/hedge-fund-chatham-mcclatchy-postmedia-newspapers.html">reported that Postmedia cut 1,600 jobs across Canada</a> in the first four years of Chatham’s ownership. </p>
<p>As a society we have expressed concern about newspapers that have closed — 470 of them since 2008 in Canada, <a href="https://localnewsmap.geolive.ca/">according to the Local News Research Project</a>. But we are increasingly paying attention to the growth of <a href="https://www.usnewsdeserts.com/reports/expanding-news-desert/loss-of-local-news/the-rise-of-the-ghost-newspaper/">“ghost newspapers”</a> — publications that still exist, but whose newsgathering activities have shrivelled to almost nothing. </p>
<p>The <em>Gazette</em> is certainly not a ghost, producing lots of excellent local coverage every day, but it’s undoubtedly trending ghostward. We also know life is worse in communities with less local news: local journalism <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/03003930.2013.834253">increases voter turnout</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108950930">reduces polarization</a> and <a href="https://www.cjr.org/q_and_a/investigative-reporting-value.php">saves communities money</a>. </p>
<h2>Mitch Garber’s offer</h2>
<p>This brings us back to the businessperson who offered to purchase the <em>Gazette</em> in February, Mitch Garber. He is an investor and a minority owner of the Seattle Kraken NHL team. </p>
<p>When news of the recent layoffs broke, the <em>Gazette</em> staffers <a href="https://www.thestar.com/business/2023/02/16/prominent-businessman-mitch-garber-pitches-local-ownership-for-montreal-gazette.html">reached out to him</a> for help. In a series of since-deleted tweets on Feb. 15, Garber declared he would consider buying the newspaper.</p>
<p>“I never really wanted to own a newspaper,” <a href="https://www.iheartradio.ca/cjad/audio/mitch-garber-explains-importance-of-montreal-gazette-calls-out-advisory-council-1.19260566">he told CJAD radio</a>. “Do I have a plan? No. But I want to do what I can to help,” he <a href="https://rover.substack.com/p/knives-out-at-the-montreal-gazette">told <em>The Rover</em></a>. “I am a capitalist, I believe in smart investments and I know that investing in the print news business isn’t a big money-making investment. But some things are more important than money and I think this city needs an English language daily.” </p>
<p>Postmedia CEO Andrew MacLeod <a href="https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/postmedia-ceo-not-sure-it-s-the-right-time-for-local-ownership-of-montreal-gazette-1.6277293">dismissed the offer</a>, noting that sharing printing, distribution and stories across newspapers makes it hard to remove one of them. </p>
<p>It’s worth taking Garber’s suggestion seriously, even if not in the short term. Chain ownership might lower costs. If the purpose of a newspaper is to build up local democracy, it’s important to consider what the true cost of these savings is, and whether they outweigh the tremendous shrinkage of the newsroom. I know what my answer is. </p>
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<img alt="A man speaks into a microphone while another man, who is bald, looks on" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/513845/original/file-20230306-18-h3ki0.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/513845/original/file-20230306-18-h3ki0.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=466&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513845/original/file-20230306-18-h3ki0.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=466&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513845/original/file-20230306-18-h3ki0.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=466&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513845/original/file-20230306-18-h3ki0.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=585&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513845/original/file-20230306-18-h3ki0.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=585&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/513845/original/file-20230306-18-h3ki0.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=585&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Businessman Mitch Garber, right, speaking at a news conference in Montréal in 2015.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz</span></span>
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<p>Although Garber has invested in a range of industries, he appears to have no background in media. “Some things are more important than money,” is a promising statement, and anyone who is willing to put their own money on the line to save a community asset has my attention. </p>
<p>But individual owners can be capricious. While local ownership, no matter its structure, brings a level of accountability to the news business, it is worth taking a moment to think about how to actually build a more responsible, community-focused news source. </p>
<h2>Are non-profits the future?</h2>
<p>The <em>Gazette’s</em> local competition offers examples worth examining. <em>La Presse</em>, a French-language, online-only publication became a non-profit in 2018, meaning all profits generated are put back into the editorial process. </p>
<p><em>La Presse’s</em> owners left $50 million in its accounts before the conversion and its circulation <a href="https://nmc-mic.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/SNAPSHOT-2022-REPORT_Total-Industry-01.31.2023.pdf">has been rising</a>. </p>
<p><em>Le Devoir</em>, a French-language newspaper published in Montréal, <a href="https://www.lesamisdudevoir.com/fr/les-amis-du-devoir.html">has been owned by a non-profit trust for over 100 years</a>.</p>
<p>Joseph Atkinson left the <em>Toronto Star</em> to a charitable trust in 1948, <a href="https://www.thestar.com/about/history-of-the-toronto-star.html">a move that was overturned by government legislation</a>, but whose charitable spirit was preserved through the trustees <a href="https://www.niemanlab.org/2020/05/the-toronto-stars-owner-once-dreamed-that-it-would-be-a-nonprofit-now-its-being-sold-to-a-private-equity-firm/">who owned it until recently</a>. </p>
<p>And reaching further back, revenue from the operations and eventual sale of the <em>Toronto Telegram</em> <a href="https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctt1t88wsq">helped support Sick Children’s Hospital</a>. (Today, of course, it’s newspapers that are the charity case.)</p>
<p>South of the border also has plenty of interesting examples. One of the oldest examples is the <em>Tampa Tribune</em>, <a href="https://www.poynter.org/history/">left to a trust by its owner</a>. </p>
<p>H.F. Lenfest, a prominent businessman and benefactor, <a href="https://www.inquirer.com/business/museum-of-the-american-revolution-lenfest-institute-for-journalism-philadelphia-20220419.html">created a non-profit to house <em>The Philadelphia Inquirer</em> in 2016</a> to ensure the newspaper would remain locally owned. Lenfest also created the <a href="https://www.lenfestinstitute.org/">Lenfest Institute for Journalism</a> that same year to fund local journalism.</p>
<p>This non-profit has contributed to what is one of the most vibrant news ecosystems in the United States, a goal that all newspapers should strive for. Anyone talking about bringing a chain newspaper local would do well to examine the history of <em>The Philadelphia Inquirer</em>.</p>
<h2>News media sustainability</h2>
<p>Postmedia is perhaps doing us all a service by putting the brakes on Garber’s offer. <a href="https://www.postmedia.com/2023/02/16/postmedia-announces-gazette-community-advisory-council/">The chain has put together an advisory council</a> to work on promoting the sustainability of the newspaper. </p>
<p>While a little late, this might be a move in the right direction for what should be a community-focused organization. If we’re serious about it, Montréalers would do well to put together our own process to figure out what we want and need from the <em>Gazette</em>. Perhaps this could even lead to a standing community advisory board, a check that a new owner would do well to encourage and listen to.</p>
<p>In any case, we can expect little from Postmedia, especially while Chatham Asset Management is involved. Local ownership seems worth a try. Garber seems like a good candidate, and he would do well to read up on what’s worked elsewhere so that he can ensure the <em>Gazette</em> remains an important local asset.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/201131/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Magda Konieczna does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Local media ownership brings a level of accountability to the news business and offers benefits to communities by increasing voter turnout, reducing polarization and saving communities money.Magda Konieczna, Assistant Professor of Journalism, Concordia UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1999112023-03-03T08:14:56Z2023-03-03T08:14:56ZTabloid newspapers are seen as sensationalist - but South Africa’s Daily Sun flipped that script during COVID-19<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510873/original/file-20230217-330-cns8yf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Daily Sun covered the pandemic through a social impact lens. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Christopher Furlong/Getty Images</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Tabloid journalism usually refers to short, easily readable and mostly human-interest news, presented in a highly visual and sensationalist style. “Tabloidisation” has become shorthand for the deterioration of journalistic standards. </p>
<p>Newspapers like this are often criticised for diverting readers from serious news and analysis towards entertainment. They are viewed as low-quality because of their focus on sports, scandal and entertainment over politics or other serious social issues. </p>
<p>When tabloids first emerged in South Africa in the early 2000s, observers in mainstream journalism <a href="https://journals.co.za/doi/epdf/10.10520/EJC146378">criticised</a> them for their potential to undermine democratic values by peddling gender stereotypes and treating serious issues superficially.</p>
<p><a href="https://iupress.org/9780253222114/tabloid-journalism-in-south-africa/">Scholarship on tabloids</a>, however, has also shown how they are attuned to their readers’ needs, and the experiences of poor and working class South Africans – more so than their mainstream counterparts. </p>
<p>Against this background, the COVID-19 pandemic raised questions about how tabloid coverage of it differed from that of mainstream news. The media play a key role to keep the public informed about health issues and shape citizens’ perceptions. </p>
<h2>Covering COVID-19</h2>
<p>Our <a href="https://intellectdiscover.com/content/journals/10.1386/jams_00052_1">previous research</a> showed that the front pages of mainstream media in South Africa presented the pandemic largely as individual events, and in negative and alarmist terms. They focused mainly on the impacts of the pandemic. </p>
<p>We were interested in how the coverage provided by tabloid newspapers compared.</p>
<p>In our <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/01634437221140514">latest study</a>, we focused on the <a href="https://www.media24.com/newspapers/daily-sun/">Daily Sun</a> newspaper as a case study of tabloid newspapers and their response to the pandemic. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/south-african-front-page-stories-about-covid-were-sensationalist-and-unhelpful-170412">South African front-page stories about COVID were sensationalist and unhelpful</a>
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<p>The Daily Sun has not escaped the trend of plummeting circulation figures for print newspapers. But it is still the largest daily newspaper in South Africa, with an audited circulation of <a href="https://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/90/233509.html">around 31,000 a day</a>. Its closest rival is the isiZulu-language tabloid <a href="https://www.isolezwe.co.za/">Isolezwe</a>, which sells around 29,000. </p>
<p>The Daily Sun, however, has a much bigger readership, as each copy is <a href="https://www.mediaupdate.co.za/media/71550/the-remarkable-readership-of-the-daily-sun">estimated to be read by about 20 people</a>. Daily Sun recently <a href="https://themediaonline.co.za/2020/05/daily-sun-publishes-last-print-issue-goes-online-only/">extended its digital offering</a> to reach readers outside Gauteng, its major market and now the only province where printed copies are still sold. <a href="https://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/90/217488.html">More than 2 million</a> people read the paper on Facebook a month. Its website receives a million unique visitors a month.</p>
<p>Contrary to what might have been expected by its critics, we found that its coverage was contextually relevant and informative. It was in typical tabloid genre style, but focused on the social impact of the pandemic on its urban, aspirational readers, who fall largely in the <a href="https://www.mediaupdate.co.za/media/71550/the-remarkable-readership-of-the-daily-sun">Living Standards Measure (LSM) 5 to 7</a>.</p>
<p>These findings emphasise the importance of tabloid news in South African society. Researchers interested in media coverage of major events should therefore include tabloids like the Daily Sun in their scope.</p>
<h2>The study</h2>
<p>We sampled 1,050 news stories from the Daily Sun website during the period March 2020 to August 2021. This timeframe includes the start of the outbreak of the pandemic in South Africa and the first lockdown in March 2020. It concludes as the “third wave” of the pandemic began to wind down in 2021. </p>
<p>We analysed the content of all the sampled stories and conducted a close reading of a smaller sample of 130 stories. We coded the stories for 14 variables. These included the headline, date, narrative modes, type of reporting, frame of story, primary focus of story, use of language and emotional appeal. We also checked for sensationalist language or misinformation, provision of health information, sources quoted, overall tone of article and whether COVID-19 or the vaccine was the main focus of the article.</p>
<h2>Daily Sun’s COVID coverage</h2>
<p>Daily Sun news stories encompassed a range of narrative modes. Only 36% fell into the category “sounding the alarm”. This refers to a predominance of fearful claims made in an attempt to convince the public that a threat is real and serious. Daily Sun had much less of this than mainstream media. </p>
<p>There was no overt use of sensationalist language, though reporting often relied on shock aesthetics like colourful headlines, exclamation marks and capital letters. Most stories fell into what we categorised as “mixed messages”. These had some elements of fear, but reassured readers by highlighting systems in place to cope with the pandemic. </p>
<p>The Daily Sun often used the pandemic as a framing tool to highlight social issues that COVID-19 made worse. Electricity price hikes, wage cuts and job losses, for example, affected its readers more than wealthier readers. COVID-19 was framed contextually to increase its relevance for the newspaper’s readership by focusing on social impact and their everyday lives.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/william-ruto-vs-kenyas-media-democracy-is-at-stake-190780">William Ruto vs Kenya's media: democracy is at stake</a>
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<p>One area where tabloid reporting fell short, similar to mainstream coverage, was its lack of practical information for readers on how to limit the spread of the virus. Similarly to mainstream coverage, government officials were most quoted (41%), rather than voices from civil society and the public. In this sense, tabloid newspapers also privileged elite sources despite their working class audience.</p>
<p>Our research also found, however, that 90% of stories were thematic: they provided background information, a wide-angle lens, and more in-depth reportage, as well as a focus on solutions. Several stories debunked rumours and myths – despite the frequent criticism that tabloids play fast and loose with facts. The overall tone of the stories coded was primarily neutral (44%).</p>
<h2>Why this matters</h2>
<p>Tabloid news coverage of COVID-19 played an important role in reaching audiences left out by mainstream print media. The Daily Sun highlighted the social impact of the pandemic by providing thematic and contextual coverage, and focusing on how ordinary citizens were affected. This news coverage goes counter to stereotypical perceptions of tabloids. It upholds tabloids’ reputation for making news relevant to the everyday lives of their readers.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/media-literacy-education-in-south-africa-can-help-combat-fake-news-heres-whats-needed-185338">Media literacy education in South Africa can help combat fake news - here's what's needed</a>
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<p>This adds to researchers’ understanding of the role that popular media can play in raising awareness of public health matters, and the impact of a pandemic on the lives of ordinary citizens. Tabloid journalism in South Africa should be taken seriously and not dismissed as frivolous or irrelevant when it comes to social and political matters.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/199911/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>The newspaper confounded critics with its contextually relevant and informative stories.Tanja Bosch, Associate Professor in Media Studies and Production, University of Cape TownHerman Wasserman, Professor and Chair, Department of Journalism, Stellenbosch UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2008872023-03-02T13:23:43Z2023-03-02T13:23:43ZThe cautionary tale of ‘Dilbert’<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/512736/original/file-20230228-16-g9ya3h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=67%2C40%2C2914%2C2065&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">What Adams writes and draws rarely attracts scrutiny – it's what he says that has gotten him in hot water.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/scott-adams-famed-creator-of-the-comic-strip-dilbert-stands-news-photo/866464926?phrase=scott adams dilbert&adppopup=true">Bob Riha, Jr./Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Dilbert, the put-upon chronicler of office life, has been given the pink slip.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.comicsbeat.com/dilbert-creator-scott-adams-dropped-from-andrews-mcmeel-syndicate-following-racist-statements/">On Feb. 26, 2023</a>, Andrews McMeel Universal announced that it would no longer distribute the popular comic strip after its creator, Scott Adams, engaged in what many people viewed as a racist rant on his YouTube channel. Hundreds of newspapers had by then decided to quit <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/26/us/dilbert-newspapers-racism.html">publishing the strip</a>.</p>
<p>It followed an incident in which Adams, on his program “Real Coffee with Scott Adams,” reacted to <a href="https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/lifestyle/general_lifestyle/january_2023/not_woke_yet_most_voters_reject_anti_white_beliefs">a survey by Rasmussan Reports</a> that concluded only 53% of Black Americans agreed with the statement “It’s OK to be white.” If only about half thought it was OK to be white, Adams said, this qualified Black Americans as a “hate group.”</p>
<p>“I don’t want to have anything to do with them,” <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/25/business/dilbert-comic-strip-racist-tirade/index.html">Adams added</a>. “And I would say, based on the current way things are going, the best advice I would give to white people is to get the hell away from Black people, just get the f— away … because there is no fixing this.”</p>
<p>Adams later doubled down on his statements, writing on Twitter that “Dilbert has been cancelled from all newspapers, websites, calendars, and books because I gave some advice everyone agreed with.”</p>
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<p>Adams is wrong. If everyone had agreed with him, “Dilbert” would still be appearing in newspapers. </p>
<p><a href="https://dilbert.com/strip/1989-04-16">The first “Dilbert” strip</a> – a comic centered on mocking American office culture – appeared in 1989. It became a hit, and until recently, “<a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/02/27/1159822857/newspapers-drop-dilbert-over-creators-racist-remarks">Dilbert” ran</a> in more than 2,000 daily newspapers across 65 countries. </p>
<p>Now, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/comics/2023/02/27/scott-adams-dilbert-reactions/">according to Adams</a>, his client list is “around zero.”</p>
<p>Therein lies the moral of the story: Know thy audience.</p>
<p>Adams failed to grasp that being a social critic means your freedom of expression only goes as far as your audience is willing to accept it. Adams could say whatever he wanted to his YouTube audience because his listeners may have agreed with what he said. </p>
<p>Unfortunately for him, what he said on his program did not stay on his program. </p>
<p>But Adams’ comfortable salary depended on his satisfying a wider audience – many of whom found his opinions intolerable. </p>
<h2>America’s tradition of free speech</h2>
<p>In a country that prides itself on its tradition of free expression, it’s important to explore the limits of free expression in the United States. This can be done in part by looking at social criticism, as I did in my book “<a href="http://cup.columbia.edu/book/drawn-to-extremes/9780231130660">Drawn to Extremes: The Use and Abuse of Editorial Cartoons</a>.”</p>
<p>Cartoonists are limited by their imagination, talent, taste and their senses of humor, morality and outrage. If they want an audience they must also consider the tastes and sensibilities of their editors and readers. </p>
<p>The United States may pride itself on its tradition of free speech, but cartoonists throughout the nation’s history have been jailed, beaten, sued and censored for their drawings.</p>
<p>In 1903, the governor of Pennsylvania, <a href="http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/portal/communities/governors/1876-1951/samuel-pennypacker.html">Samuel W. Pennypacker</a>, called for restrictions against journalists after a Philadelphia newspaper cartoonist had <a href="https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/4eIAAOSwS5ljYtue/s-l400.jpg">depicted him as a parrot</a> during the previous fall’s gubernatorial campaign. A state representative then <a href="http://cup.columbia.edu/book/drawn-to-extremes/9780231130660">introduced a bill</a> that made it illegal to publish a cartoon “<a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/opinion/commentary/ct-opinion-editorial-cartooning-end-20211007-nen4hk7vjzfxdhzgzqh5r5omti-story.html">portraying, describing or representing any person</a> … in the likeness of beast, bird, fish, insect or other inhuman animal” that exposed the person to “hatred, contempt, or ridicule.” Another cartoonist then drew the governor as a frothy stein of beer and the bill’s author as a small potato. </p>
<p>The bill failed to pass.</p>
<p>Cartoonists working for the socialist magazine The Masses were accused of undermining the war effort during World War I with their anti-war opinions <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/845994">and prosecuted under the Espionage Act</a>. </p>
<p>And during the <a href="https://www.jfklibrary.org/learn/about-jfk/jfk-in-history/cuban-missile-crisis">Cuban Missile Crisis</a> of 1962, newspapers canceled Walt Kelly’s “Pogo” comic strip <a href="https://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?piece=1414205">after Kelly drew</a> Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev as a medal-wearing hog and Cuban leader Fidel Castro as a cigar-smoking goat because they thought the strip might jeopardize the peace process.</p>
<p>Perhaps no cartoonist – before the ax fell on “Dilbert” – has seen his strip canceled by more newspapers than <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/01/13/954095569/i-just-followed-my-interests-garry-trudeau-on-50-years-of-doonesbury">Garry Trudeau</a>, creator of “<a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Doonesbury">Doonesbury</a>.” In 1984, dozens of newspapers canceled a series of strips wherein which Doonesbury’s dim-witted newsman Roland Burton Hedley took readers on a trip through then-President Ronald Reagan’s brain, finding “80 billion neurons, or ‘marbles,’ as they are known to the layman.” And Trudeau’s syndicate, Universal Press, <a href="https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-05-25-mn-15468-story.html">refused to distribute a strip that satirized an anti-abortion documentary</a>.</p>
<p>In other countries, cartoonists <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-30708237">have been murdered</a> in retaliation for their work. Famously, on Jan. 7, 2015, two French Muslim terrorists entered the Paris office of the satirical French newspaper Charlie Hebdo <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Charlie-Hebdo-shooting">and killed 12 cartoonists, editors and police officers</a> after the periodical published satirical drawings of the Prophet Muhammad.</p>
<h2>The importance of context</h2>
<p>Such controversies were generally caused by what cartoonists said in their cartoons. There have been exceptions. Al Capp, who created the comic strip “Li’l Abner,” saw his popularity wane in the 1960s and 1970s <a href="https://www.newsfromme.com/2013/04/20/the-shame-of-dogpatch/">when he began expressing his far-right political opinion</a> in both his strip and particularly in his public appearances.</p>
<p>Adams was similarly punished not for what he included in his comic strip but rather what for what he said on his YouTube program. </p>
<p>The context here is important. This was not the first time Adams has been censured after saying something deemed to be offensive. In May 2022, around 80 newspapers canceled “Dilbert” after Adams introduced his first Black character in the 30-plus year run of the strip. The character <a href="https://www.dailycartoonist.com/index.php/2022/05/03/dilbert-presents-black-character-gets-dragged/">identified as white</a> to prank his boss’s diversity goals.</p>
<p>Adams lost some newspapers when he decided to mock diversity in the business world. He lost his strip when he used racist language to attack Black people on his YouTube program.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/200887/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Chris Lamb does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Cartoonists throughout the nation’s history have been jailed, beaten, sued and censored. But Scott Adams’ work is being rejected for what he expressed off the page.Chris Lamb, Professor of Journalism, Indiana UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1976662023-01-19T16:37:09Z2023-01-19T16:37:09ZWhy do we read about accidents? Lessons from 18th-century English newspapers<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505218/original/file-20230118-14-cf083o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=85%2C100%2C5090%2C3344&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">18th-century London newspapers frequently reported on the tragic and curious accidents that befell the city's residents.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>“If it bleeds, it leads” is a well-known maxim associated with journalism. Accident reports often attract readers, even when their headlines give away the plot. This has been true for over three hundred years, since <a href="https://londonist.com/london/history/320-year-anniversary-daily-courant-elizabeth-mallet-first-newspaper">reading the news became part of daily life in 18th-century Britain</a>. </p>
<p>Just four pages long, British newspapers of the 1700s had few images, no headlines and little separation between articles. Their random arrangement of news paragraphs is reminiscent of modern social media feeds without their algorithms. Jostling with news ranging from foreign military reports to book reviews, accounts of accidents occur as random shocks, nearly as surprising for the newspaper’s readers as the original accidents must have been for their subjects. </p>
<p>As a scholar who studies 18th-century British media, I often encounter accounts of accidents as I read old newspapers. Despite the different look of these newspapers, their readers evidently possessed an interest in spectacular, unusual and gory accidents that feels very familiar. The accidents most frequently reported in newspapers of the 1700s arise from traffic, working conditions, natural disaster and human error. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1502198900240916484"}"></div></p>
<h2>Traffic accidents</h2>
<p>18th-century London’s narrow roads were congested with horse-drawn vehicles, pedestrians and panicky animals. Traffic accidents were frequent. Readers of the <em><a href="https://books.google.ca/books?id=qVrUTUelE6YC&pg=PA426&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false">Morning Chronicle</a></em> on March 9, 1784 could trace a runaway ox’s destructive path <a href="https://www.grubstreetproject.net/london/#map=63/@-9662,0,119324z">through the city:</a> </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Yesterday morning an over-drove ox tossed a boy in Smithfield, but fortunately was not much hurt; the ox then ran down Cow-cross, and opposite Mr. Booth’s, the distiller, tossed an ass, carrying a pair of panniers, filled with dog’s meat, nearly to the height of the one pair of stairs windows, and before he could be secured terribly gored a young man, who was taken to St. Bartholomew’s Hospital.” </p>
</blockquote>
<p>Readers were no doubt reassured that the ox was unhurt after tossing a small boy and amused that the animal ran amuck down the appropriately-named street “Cow-cross.” </p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505187/original/file-20230118-12-hy9pqa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A painting featuring people holding a lantern next to a damaged carriage next to a fire." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505187/original/file-20230118-12-hy9pqa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505187/original/file-20230118-12-hy9pqa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=726&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505187/original/file-20230118-12-hy9pqa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=726&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505187/original/file-20230118-12-hy9pqa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=726&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505187/original/file-20230118-12-hy9pqa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=912&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505187/original/file-20230118-12-hy9pqa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=912&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505187/original/file-20230118-12-hy9pqa.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=912&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">‘Night’ by William Hogarth circa 1738 depicts a damaged carriage on a London road.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Wikimedia)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Traffic incidents involving notable people were particularly popular. The <em>Morning Chronicle</em> of April 9, 1800 reported that the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Frederick-Augustus-duke-of-York-and-Albany">Duke of York</a> had been enjoying a ride when “a dog belonging to a driver of cattle ran across the road, and impeding the progress of the horse, the animal fell on his Royal Highness, and the Duke unfortunately being entangled in the stirrup, was dragged a considerable way.” </p>
<p>Luckily, two patriotic men in a passing chaise made room for the injured Duke and tipped the post-boys two guineas to carry him to a surgeon. </p>
<p>Waterways were equally treacherous. Pity the poor father who, having placed his child and his nurse in a boat, then saw them fall into the Thames. He “with great Difficulty took up the Nurse, but the Child was drowned: The Child had been brought that Day from Wandsworth to be seen by its Parents, and was returning when this melancholy Accident happen’d,” lamented the <em>Daily Post</em> of Sept. 16, 1729. </p>
<h2>Sympathy or laughter?</h2>
<p>Eighteenth century readers were often given emotional cues from newspapers’ descriptions of accidents as “unfortunate,” “melancholy” or “shocking.” These small adjectives had the power to transmute unseemly gawkers into sympathetic witnesses. On March 1, 1801 <em><a href="https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/titles/bells-weekly-messenger">Bell’s Weekly Messenger</a></em> reported the tragic fate of Lady Hardy: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“[S]itting alone after dinner reading, but falling asleep, her head dress approached too near the flame of the candle, and caught fire; it communicated to other parts of her dress before her Ladyship awoke. On awaking, and perceiving her situation, she inadvertently ran out into the passage, where the draught of air so much increased the flames, that she was found entirely in a blaze… she was rolled up in a carpet, which instantly extinguished the fire; but her Ladyship was so dreadfully burnt, that she lingered till four o’clock the next morning in the most excruciating agonies, and expired.”</p>
</blockquote>
<figure class="align-left zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505190/original/file-20230118-11-tl7djn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="An old newspaper titled: The London Chronicle." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505190/original/file-20230118-11-tl7djn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505190/original/file-20230118-11-tl7djn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=816&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505190/original/file-20230118-11-tl7djn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=816&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505190/original/file-20230118-11-tl7djn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=816&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505190/original/file-20230118-11-tl7djn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1026&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505190/original/file-20230118-11-tl7djn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1026&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505190/original/file-20230118-11-tl7djn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1026&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A copy of The London Chronicle from Oct. 16, 1759.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Occasionally, a newspaper’s tone seemed more amused than sympathetic. “A few Days since as the Son of Mr. Mitchell … was felling a Tree, it fell on him,” reported the <em>General Evening Post</em> of Dec. 17-19, 1747. The unfortunate Mr. Bacon was struck by lightning so violently that it “made his body a most shocking spectacle,” punned the <em>Public Advertiser</em> of July 18, 1787.</p>
<p>Present-day journalists’ codes of ethics stress sensitivity and avoid <a href="https://www.journalism.co.uk/news/the-do-s-and-don-ts-of-reporting-on-death-and-grief/s2/a954028/">intruding into others’ grief</a>. Eighteenth century Britons’ sense of humour, however, could be <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/25098027">ruthless</a>. </p>
<h2>Workplace accidents</h2>
<p>Accounts of work-related accidents abound in the news of the 1700s. Bricklayers and carpenters plummet from scaffolding. Painters and glaziers fall through windows. Watermen drown. </p>
<p>As <em>Fog’s Weekly Journal</em> reported, one poor currier, “as he was standing on a Stool to hang up some Skins in his Shop … fell with his Neck upon the Edge of a sharp Iron used in that Trade.”</p>
<p>Modern journalists have a <a href="https://accountablejournalism.org/ethics-codes/british-national-union-of-journalists">duty to inform the public</a> about accidents, to provoke investigation into their causes and offer strategies for increased public safety. In 18th-century newspapers, there is less emphasis on preventative legislation and institutional culpability and more focus on personal diligence.</p>
<p>Articles often also stressed the admirable fortitude of an accident’s victim or responder. The <em><a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/3020548">London Evening Post</a></em> on Jan. 1, 1760 reported a courageous post-boy’s efforts to deliver the mail:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“[M]istaking the Road, [he] got into a Wood where there was a great Declivity, and both Horse and Lad fell into the River, broke the Ice in one of the deepest Places, and sunk to the Bottom; the Horse could not get out, but was drowned; the Boy got hold of a Twig, and by that Means saved his Life, yet exposed it again to the greatest Danger, by endeavouring to recover the Mail, which he did, with the Saddle, to the Surprize of every one.” </p>
</blockquote>
<p>Better still, the boy delivered the mail the next day. In the newspaper record, pluck and valour are celebrated characteristics.</p>
<p>Accidents interrupt our daily routines with their disturbing novelty. Like fables, 18th-century newspapers’ short tales of accidents deliver moral lessons on the value of diligence, empathy and courage. Stories of fatal accidents are <em><a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/art-terms/m/memento-mori">memento mori</a></em>: in their remembrance of death, they prompt us to seize hold of life.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/197666/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Leslie Ritchie does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>News reports about accidents can deliver important moral lessons and remind us to value life.Leslie Ritchie, Professor of English Literature, Queen's University, OntarioLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1945402022-11-16T23:18:43Z2022-11-16T23:18:43ZLocal newspapers are vital for disadvantaged communities, but they’re struggling too<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495249/original/file-20221115-21-3zokly.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5538%2C3686&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>As residents in the small Victorian city of Portland voiced concerns about the loss of vital healthcare services in their area, the local newspaper – <a href="https://spec.com.au/article/general/2022/06/05/hospital-woes-catch-opposition-leaders-ear/">The Portland Observer</a> – was there to cover the story. It produced a series of reports highlighting the impact on residents (including a <a href="https://spec.com.au/article/general/2022/04/08/it-was-just-good-luck/">baby being born in a carpark</a>), eventually attracting <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/mothers-devastated-as-birthing-unit-suspended-amid-portland-hospital-crisis-20220323-p5a710.html">broader media attention</a> and putting pressure on politicians to act.</p>
<p>This is just one example of how rural and regional newspapers can play an <a href="https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Local_Journalism_in_a_Digital_World/WsZKEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&printsec=frontcover">important role</a> in serving their communities. </p>
<p>Small, local newspapers can campaign and advocate on key issues such as roads, telecommunications infrastructure, or improved mental health services. In many ways, they are an essential service for rural communities. </p>
<p>But the <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Communications/Regionalnewspapers/Report">future of rural newspapers</a> is uncertain. Advertising revenue is declining and they face tough competition from tech giants. Several closed their doors during the pandemic, leaving many areas without local news services.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495250/original/file-20221115-11-91vwmw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495250/original/file-20221115-11-91vwmw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495250/original/file-20221115-11-91vwmw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495250/original/file-20221115-11-91vwmw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495250/original/file-20221115-11-91vwmw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495250/original/file-20221115-11-91vwmw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495250/original/file-20221115-11-91vwmw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495250/original/file-20221115-11-91vwmw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The future of rural newspapers is uncertain.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/print-isnt-dead-major-survey-reveals-local-newspapers-vastly-preferred-over-google-among-country-news-consumers-160353">Print isn't dead: major survey reveals local newspapers vastly preferred over Google among country news consumers</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>An uncertain future</h2>
<p>Portland, in the Glenelg Shire Council, is in the bottom third of the list of Australia’s <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/2033.0.55.0012016?OpenDocument">disadvantaged local government areas</a>. Across Australia, the <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/2071.0%7E2016%7EMain%20Features%7ESocio-Economic%20Advantage%20and%20Disadvantage%7E123press%22%22">top ten regions for socio-economic disadvantage</a> are based in rural and regional areas. This means local newspapers are especially important in such communities.</p>
<p>Our <a href="https://www.localnewsinnovation.org/">research team</a> examined the future of local, independently owned newspapers across country Australia. Of the 180 newspapers across the <a href="https://countrypressaustralia.com.au/">Country Press Australia</a> network, a considerable proportion serve disadvantaged populations.</p>
<p>Other areas, such as the mining town of Lightning Ridge in the Walgett shire (ranked 39 in the <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/2033.0.55.0012016?OpenDocument">Australian Bureau of Statistics’</a> disadvantaged local government area list) have no local newspaper, and rely on an intermittent Facebook page. <a href="https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.996025496767872">Research</a> reveals local residents here feel they lack important information about civic, social and political affairs.</p>
<p>The role of local media in rural and regional areas is especially highlighted in times of hardship, such as during floods or drought.</p>
<p>When disaster strikes, local newspapers can promote community cohesion and resilience. A local printed newspaper is especially important in areas with poor <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-16/australia-digital-divide-millions-cannot-access-internet/101498042">digital connectivity</a> (in other words, much of rural Australia).</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495272/original/file-20221115-13-87381l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495272/original/file-20221115-13-87381l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495272/original/file-20221115-13-87381l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=403&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495272/original/file-20221115-13-87381l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=403&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495272/original/file-20221115-13-87381l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=403&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495272/original/file-20221115-13-87381l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=506&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495272/original/file-20221115-13-87381l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=506&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495272/original/file-20221115-13-87381l.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=506&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A local printed newspaper is especially important in areas with poor digital connectivity.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>It takes time, effort and money</h2>
<p>Of course, local media can also generate <a href="https://firstnationsmedia.org.au/sites/default/files/files/Submissions/Media%2520Diversity%2520in%2520Australia%2520submission%25202020.pdf">inequalities</a>. They can end up ignoring marginalised voices and privileging the powerful. </p>
<p>But here, we argue, the benefits of independent public interest journalism in local communities outweigh the negatives when it comes to spotlighting issues about disadvantage. They are, despite their imperfections, a fundamental essential service for disadvantaged rural and regional areas.</p>
<p>Practicing local journalism, however, takes time, effort and money. Many newsrooms operate, as one small newspaper proprietor put it, “on the smell of an oily rag”. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.localnewsinnovation.org/">Our research</a> has looked at some of the sector’s structural issues especially, in an effort to find ways to maintain or improve resources for rural media. </p>
<p>This has included, for example:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>stemming loss of revenue from local, state and federal government advertising spend, which has been redirected to social media</p></li>
<li><p>alternative business models</p></li>
<li><p>collaboration </p></li>
<li><p>drawing more on community contributed content.</p></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-governments-regional-media-bailout-doesnt-go-far-enough-here-are-reforms-we-really-need-144666">The government's regional media bailout doesn't go far enough — here are reforms we really need</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>A role for government</h2>
<p>Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews recently <a href="https://www.danandrews.com.au/news/backing-regional-news-in-regional-communities">announced</a> an election pledge to guarantee his government would pay for a full-page public notice “every single week in every single regional newspaper”. This move, he said, would “bring some certainty to your business model”. </p>
<p>Subject to ironing out the finer details, this is an important and necessary step to securing the future of local news. The Victorian government recognises the importance of this type of expenditure more than any other government in the country, <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Communications/Regionalnewspapers/Report">according to the latest government inquiry</a>.</p>
<p>A further challenge is to prioritise support for small independent media in the country’s most disadvantaged areas, where the commercial advertising dollar is arguably scarce. </p>
<p>In recent years, two rounds of <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/media-technology-communications/television/relief-australian-media-during-covid-19">federal government funding packages</a> have been open to media outlets to apply for help, employ new journalists and purchase digital equipment or online services. </p>
<p>However, new start-ups did not qualify for the funding, even when they play a vital role in keeping communities informed in the interests of democracy.</p>
<p>Any public money granted to private media entities must benefit community, so any
rural and regional newspapers receiving government funding will need to be monitored. With the right policy settings, we can support them to ensure they are producing quality, local, public interest journalism that represents their diverse communities.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/194540/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Kristy Hess receives funding from the Australian Research Council Linkage program to examine the civic value of country newspapers with support of Country Press Australia. She also receives funding from the Australian Research Council Discovery program and the Victorian Drought Resilience, Adoption and Innovation Hub. This article is part of The Conversation’s Breaking the Cycle series, which is supported by a philanthropic grant from the Paul Ramsay Foundation.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Alison McAdam receives funding from the Australian Research Council Linkage program to examine the civic value of country newspapers with support of Country Press Australia.</span></em></p>Across Australia, the top ten regions for socio-economic disadvantage are based in rural and regional areas. Local newspapers are especially important in such communities.Kristy Hess, Professor (Communication), Deakin UniversityAlison McAdam, Lecturer in Professional Practice (Communication), Deakin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1940452022-11-15T19:08:31Z2022-11-15T19:08:31ZShe Said is a formidable retelling of the journalism which sparked #MeToo – but also shows us how far we have to go<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495244/original/file-20221115-17-34nu4o.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=8%2C0%2C1888%2C998&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Universal Pictures</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>There is no spoiler alert in the Hollywood adaptation of the award-winning book She Said. </p>
<p>We know the story and the perpetrator, which is unusual. 80% of sexual violence cases <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Reporting-on-Sexual-Violence-in-the-MeToo-Era/Baker-Rodrigues/p/book/9781032115511?gclid=Cj0KCQiAmaibBhCAARIsAKUlaKRK0Qb-EqNehsVFE-1ZdVkrajv2-GGGbVotljelU-1VDl5y41dOzDoaAm1kEALw_wcB">go unreported</a>. Perpetrators are rarely charged and continue to participate in society.</p>
<p>The perpetrator in She Said is the Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.
In 2020, Weinstein was found guilty of sexually assaulting two women in New York, and was sentenced to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/11/nyregion/harvey-weinstein-sentencing.html">23 years in prison</a>.</p>
<p>She Said is based on the <a href="https://www.shesaidthebook.com/">2019 book</a> of the same name by New York Times journalists Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey. </p>
<p>Their Pulitzer prize winning investigative reporting <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/05/us/harvey-weinstein-harassment-allegations.html">in 2017</a>, along with Ronan Farrow’s reporting for <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/from-aggressive-overtures-to-sexual-assault-harvey-weinsteins-accusers-tell-their-stories">The New Yorker</a>, uncovered Weinstein’s predatory behaviour and helped to ignite the #MeToo movement. </p>
<p>She Said follows in the footsteps of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/feb/29/spotlight-wins-best-picture-oscar">Spotlight</a> (2015) and <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2017/01/24/oscar-nominations-2017-complete-coverage/">The Post</a> (2017), films reflecting rigorous journalism: months of research, fact checking and persuading people to go on the record.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/i5pxUQecM3Y?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</figure>
<p>But newsrooms are overwhelmingly headed up by male senior staff. This <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Reporting-on-Sexual-Violence-in-the-MeToo-Era/Baker-Rodrigues/p/book/9781032115511?gclid=Cj0KCQiAmaibBhCAARIsAKUlaKRK0Qb-EqNehsVFE-1ZdVkrajv2-GGGbVotljelU-1VDl5y41dOzDoaAm1kEALw_wcB">impacts</a> on whether stories about sexual abuse are covered and how they are covered. </p>
<p>She Said shines an important light on the need for rigorous journalism in holding the powerful to account.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/weinstein-conviction-a-partial-victory-for-metoo-but-must-not-overshadow-work-still-to-be-done-132434">Weinstein conviction a partial victory for #MeToo, but must not overshadow work still to be done</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>A formidable cast and crew</h2>
<p>She Said was created by a formidable female cast and crew. Director Maria Schrader, cinematographer Natasha Braier and writer Rebecca Lenkiewicz adapt the journalists’ fourth estate ethos with emotional intelligence. </p>
<p>Patricia Clarkson is savvy as the paper’s editor, Rebecca Corbett, who guides Kantor (Zoe Kazan) and Twohey (Carey Mulligan) through gruelling months of rejections, trying to bypass the <a href="https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-weinstein-nondisclosure-agreements-20171023-story.html">nondisclosure agreements</a> (NDAs) signed by Weinstein’s survivors. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495245/original/file-20221115-17-qdi4i8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Three women in a hallway" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495245/original/file-20221115-17-qdi4i8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495245/original/file-20221115-17-qdi4i8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495245/original/file-20221115-17-qdi4i8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495245/original/file-20221115-17-qdi4i8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495245/original/file-20221115-17-qdi4i8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495245/original/file-20221115-17-qdi4i8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495245/original/file-20221115-17-qdi4i8.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The story is adapted with a keen emotional intelligence.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Universal Pictures</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Mulligan is cool and sophisticated as Twohey forensically grills Weinstein’s lawyer about the NDAs, while suffering from post natal depression after having her first baby. </p>
<p>Kazan is diligently feisty as Kantor, a mother of two young girls who is shocked when she finds out her eldest discusses what rape is at school. </p>
<p>Disheartened by the manipulative misogyny in the Weinstein saga, Kantor is frustrated by the women who are reluctant to go on the record. One of these women, the actor <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-25/metoo-leaders-respond-to-harvey-weinstein-conviction/11997372">Ashley Judd</a>, eventually shared her story about Weinstein’s sexual misconduct and plays herself in the film.</p>
<p>Throughout the film, we watch as the code of silence continues: victim-survivors are reluctant to come forward about accusations for fear of the ramifications they will face. </p>
<p>In a 2019 documentary about Weinstein, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-1fKna9l38">Untouchable</a>, he is reported saying to journalists who have been chasing the allegations for 15 years: “Don’t you know who I am!?”.</p>
<p>Despite the US legal system giving journalists <a href="https://newrepublic.com/article/152732/imagine-trumps-america-australias-severe-defamation-laws">broad leeway</a> when publishing allegations that may be construed as defamatory, Weinstein’s behaviour went unchecked for decades. </p>
<h2>#MeToo</h2>
<p>She Said ends when the story about Weinstein by Kantor and Twohey is published in the New York Times in October 2017. </p>
<p>African American activist <a href="https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250621757/unbound">Tarana Burke</a> began the MeToo movement in 2006 to address the sexual violence against Black women and girls. In 2017, in response to the Weinstein reporting, Alyssa Milano used this phrase to tweet about predatory sexual behaviour by men in Hollywood. </p>
<p>There would go on to be <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Reporting-on-Sexual-Violence-in-the-MeToo-Era/Baker-Rodrigues/p/book/9781032115511?gclid=Cj0KCQiAmaibBhCAARIsAKUlaKRK0Qb-EqNehsVFE-1ZdVkrajv2-GGGbVotljelU-1VDl5y41dOzDoaAm1kEALw_wcB">85 million tweets</a> about #MeToo.</p>
<p>This hashtag became a prominent example of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1350506818765318">digital feminism activism</a>, where citizen activists created hashtags to highlight social issues the media was failing to report on. With “<a href="https://archives.cjr.org/realtalk/hashtag_journalism.php">hashtag journalism</a>”, reporters followed Twitter-led hashtag trends to assess what issues to cover in the news cycle. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495246/original/file-20221115-15-vqsivk.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Two women" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495246/original/file-20221115-15-vqsivk.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495246/original/file-20221115-15-vqsivk.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495246/original/file-20221115-15-vqsivk.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495246/original/file-20221115-15-vqsivk.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495246/original/file-20221115-15-vqsivk.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495246/original/file-20221115-15-vqsivk.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495246/original/file-20221115-15-vqsivk.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">With ‘hashtag journalism’, reporters looked towards Twitter to see what stories they should tell.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Universal Pictures</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Despite the diversity of stories which came out of the #MeToo hashtag, <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Reporting-on-Sexual-Violence-in-the-MeToo-Era/Baker-Rodrigues/p/book/9781032115511?gclid=Cj0KCQiAmaibBhCAARIsAKUlaKRK0Qb-EqNehsVFE-1ZdVkrajv2-GGGbVotljelU-1VDl5y41dOzDoaAm1kEALw_wcB">initial reportage</a> was primarily focused on white, middle-class women. </p>
<p>As <a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/TaranaBurke/status/976623902368632833">Burke said</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I have no expectation of mainstream media to tell the stories of marginalised people unless it serves them. </p>
</blockquote>
<h2>The ‘Weinstein effect’</h2>
<p>She Said vaguely reflects on the need for diversity in this reporting, but focuses on other difficulties of working in this space. </p>
<p>Kantor and Twohey come up against defamation issues, as well as the NDAs signed by the women. The film suggests certain laws need to be revised so journalists can continue to shine a light on injustices. </p>
<p>The “<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14680777.2018.1456155">Weinstein effect</a>” is the name which has been given to the increased reporting on systemic abuse following the journalism of Kantor, Twohey and Farrow.</p>
<p>Dozens of prominent men in the US have been held to account through the media. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495248/original/file-20221115-25-wy86u1.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Four people at an office desk" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495248/original/file-20221115-25-wy86u1.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/495248/original/file-20221115-25-wy86u1.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495248/original/file-20221115-25-wy86u1.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495248/original/file-20221115-25-wy86u1.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495248/original/file-20221115-25-wy86u1.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495248/original/file-20221115-25-wy86u1.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/495248/original/file-20221115-25-wy86u1.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">There has been an increase in reporting on sexual assault, dubbed the ‘Weinstein effect’.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Universal Pictures</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In Australia, there is a lower level of protection from litigation, which has lead to an environment where there was been less reportage on those accused of sexual assault. </p>
<p>In both countries, those reporting on sexual violence are also <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003220411-8/significance-intersectionality-united-states-media-coverage-metoo-2-0-movement-carly-gieseler?context=ubx&refId=903b9e3c-bde0-4f9a-bfdd-b4289c02ba1d">increasingly aware</a> that journalism must consider factors tied to race, sexuality and socioeconomic backgrounds.</p>
<p>There have been significant legal changes, too. Since #MeToo, 17 states in the US have <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kimelsesser/2022/03/21/five-years-after-metoo-ndas-are-still-silencing-victims/?sh=4df90598588b">restricted the use</a> of NDAs, so more victim-survivors can speak out. </p>
<p>In Australia, we have seen the <a href="https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/download/legislation/bills/r6916_first-reps/toc_pdf/22093b01.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf">Respect at Work Bill</a>, making employers legally responsible for eliminating workplace sexual harassment. </p>
<p>She Said is a compelling reminder of the catalyst for these changes. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/metoo-has-changed-the-media-landscape-but-in-australia-there-is-still-much-to-be-done-111612">#MeToo has changed the media landscape, but in Australia there is still much to be done</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p><em>She Said is in Australian cinemas now.</em></p>
<p><em>The National Sexual Assault, Family & Domestic Violence Counselling Line – 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for any Australian who has experienced, or is at risk of, family and domestic violence and/or sexual assault.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/194045/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andrea Jean Baker does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Based on the 2019 book, She Said follows journalists Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey as they report on Harvey Weinstein.Andrea Jean Baker, Senior Lecturer in Journalism, Monash UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1890242022-08-31T12:30:23Z2022-08-31T12:30:23ZSerena Williams forced sports journalists to get out of the ‘toy box’ – and cover tennis as more than a game<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/481841/original/file-20220830-33371-wi1js8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=562%2C217%2C4440%2C3113&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Serena Williams serves in her quarterfinal match during the 2019 Australian Open.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/serena-williams-of-the-united-states-serves-in-her-quarter-news-photo/1086511466?adppopup=true">Cameron Spencer/Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Of the many outstanding components of her game, Serena Williams may best be known for her commanding serve. </p>
<p>Those serves, unleashed over the course of a 27-year professional career, arguably <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/08/28/serena-williams-legacy-final-us-open/">heightened the power and intensity of the women’s game</a>, forcing her opponents to game plan for each wicked volley.</p>
<p>To those chronicling her exploits as one of the world’s best tennis players, Williams served up a different challenge. </p>
<p><a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=khknZE8AAAAJ&hl=en">As a scholar of sports journalism</a>, I have observed how its practitioners have <a href="https://www.peterlang.com/document/1140692">struggled to find</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsc.2015-0072">their</a> <a href="https://pennstate.pure.elsevier.com/en/publications/the-rene-portland-case-new-homophobia-and-heterosexism-in-womens-/fingerprints/">footing</a> when it comes to establishing consensus about what exactly constitutes good sports journalism.</p>
<p>Williams’ presence as a Black woman in a historically white, patriarchal sport, her commitment to activism and her willingness to bare her personal challenges to the public forced sports journalists to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/1461670X.2020.1785323">reevaluate professional norms</a> that urged them to focus only on what happened between the lines.</p>
<h2>Apolitical origins</h2>
<p>Sports journalism emerged in the late 19th century and fully established itself as a distinct journalism genre when newspaper publishers, in an effort to attract wider audiences, moved away from being <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10584600600629737">partisan party organs</a>. <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=view_citation&hl=en&user=AJSHYloAAAAJ&citation_for_view=AJSHYloAAAAJ:Y0pCki6q_DkC">Sports quickly became</a> a lucrative way to sell newspapers.</p>
<p>Those apolitical origins shaped its future trajectory. Success often depended on access to players and front office personnel, as well as cozy relationships with league officials. Chief among the outcomes of that arrangement was the <a href="https://sk.sagepub.com/books/sports-journalism-context-and-issues">general reluctance</a> among sports journalists to cast a critical eye toward the role sports plays in our communities and greater society.</p>
<p>In general, Americans often imagine sports as aligned with the values they hold dear. Journalists and public officials regularly talk about sports as the embodiment of a meritocracy and a reflection of the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/2167479516676577">power of the individual</a> to overcome any biases or challenges.</p>
<p>Such media narratives fail to address how sports, despite all their feel-good moments, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1012690214538864">play a role</a> in contributing to forms of discrimination and alienation.</p>
<h2>Reporters play in the toy box</h2>
<p>By the late 20th century – just when Williams was emerging as a tennis star – the industry had turned into an <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9780429497216-8/money-myth-big-match-david-rowe">enormous multimedia profit-making enterprise</a> at a time when newspapers’ ad revenue <a href="https://www.vox.com/2014/4/28/5661250/newspaper-print-ad-revenue-has-declined-73-in-15-years">was starting to crumble</a>.</p>
<p>Sports journalists had come to be seen by their news peers as playing in a proverbial “<a href="https://muse.jhu.edu/article/469384/pdf?casa_token=_iX93p-6caMAAAAA:7hHQUArmrKmDKvVv_Qs-0IXadIRNp2imm4xwTw7GP0gJoZYJV0LcNgxjicu4LyrgFl3jB7Ja09k">toy box</a>” within the wider newsroom. That is to say, their colleagues saw them as frivolous, lacking in a serious approach. They weren’t there to serve as watchdogs or contribute solutions, through their reporting, to issues affecting the nation or local communities. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Woman returns a tennis shot." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/481825/original/file-20220830-29386-4sambv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/481825/original/file-20220830-29386-4sambv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=394&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/481825/original/file-20220830-29386-4sambv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=394&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/481825/original/file-20220830-29386-4sambv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=394&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/481825/original/file-20220830-29386-4sambv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=495&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/481825/original/file-20220830-29386-4sambv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=495&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/481825/original/file-20220830-29386-4sambv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=495&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Serena Williams stretches for a backhand during the 1998 French Open when she was 16 years old.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/serena-williams-of-the-usa-stretches-for-a-backhand-during-news-photo/1292873?adppopup=true">Clive Brunskill /Allsport via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Instead, sports journalists simply became known as sports gurus adept at parsing the finer points of a football receiver’s routes or debating the merits of a basketball team’s zone defense.</p>
<p>And so when Williams turned professional in 1995 at the age of 14, early coverage sidestepped conversations about the the unique kinds of gendered racism that a Black girl from a working-class California neighborhood might face on the professional tour. </p>
<p>As sociologist <a href="https://grsj.arts.ubc.ca/profile/delia-douglas/">Delia Douglas</a> has explained, tennis has a history as being accessible only to people who can afford to play at <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0021934711410880">resorts, country clubs and tennis academies</a>. It is also a sport with <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/29242699">different rules</a> for men and women, a practice that <a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/29242699">contributes to stereotypes</a> about women athletes as weak, or less interesting, than their male peers.</p>
<p>But the context of Williams’ entry into professional tennis often went unacknowledged. Coverage instead focused on the <a href="https://vault.si.com/vault/1999/09/20/father-knew-best-with-her-galvanizing-win-at-the-us-open-serena-williams-proved-dad-righthe-predicted-that-she-not-older-sister-venus-would-be-the-better-playerbut-may-have-created-family-tension">efforts of her father to train his daughters</a>, <a href="https://vault.si.com/vault/1998/02/02/slice-girls-serena-and-venus-williams-cut-up-some-top-foesand-did-some-cutting-up-themselvesin-australia">the passing of the baton from Venus to Serena</a>, and the sisters’ <a href="https://vault.si.com/vault/1999/03/22/serenas-at-peace-with-herself-after-back-to-back-titles-serena-williams-has-no-doubt-she-can-win-big">style of play</a>. Moreover, <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=view_citation&hl=en&user=NJjI-vMAAAAJ&citation_for_view=NJjI-vMAAAAJ:e5wmG9Sq2KIC">woven through that coverage</a> was an underlying suggestion that Serena Williams did not fit within the definition of respectable tennis, as reporters commented on her fashion choices or wondered if her style of play was damaging the women’s game. </p>
<h2>Sports don’t happen in a vacuum</h2>
<p>Practicing sports journalism by “sticking to sports” leaves reporters ill-equipped to cover news events that demand a wider lens. </p>
<p>Such was the case in 2001 when fans at the Indian Wells tennis tournament subjected the Williams sisters to <a href="https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/32655164/serena-williams-haunted-booing-jeers-indian-wells-tennis-tournament-2001">traumatizing racist insults</a>, an experience that led the duo to boycott the event for 14 years. </p>
<p>Researchers who studied the event found that most of the ensuing media coverage focused solely on the incident itself and provided <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/0193723504264411">little insight</a> to address the forms of whiteness and patriarchy ingrained in pro tennis.</p>
<p>This type of journalism is often described as episodic, in that it casts a light solely on the singular event, divorcing it from the forces that contributed to the specific situation. This framing technique is not uncommon in sports journalism. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10538712.2019.1703233">Coverage of the U.S. women’s gymnastics coach Larry Nassar</a>, who was convicted of abusing dozens of athletes under his care, tended to focus on individual victim stories, while framing Nassar as “one bad apple.” And <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/2167479518817759">stories chronicling intimate partner violence</a> committed by NFL players have a history of being framed similarly – a crime carried out by a singular individual, separate from a system that may foster violence toward women. </p>
<p>But Williams demanded sports journalists do more than analyze her serve. She has spoken publicly from her own experiences about the tragedy of <a href="https://www.ebony.com/serena-williams-shares-her-near-fatal-birthing-story1/">subpar maternal care for Black women</a>. She <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/4437584/serena-williams-sexism/">asked journalists</a> assembled at her post-championship match news conference at the U.S. Open in 2018 – where she had argued with the judge and been deducted a point – whether a man would be so acutely penalized for doing the same thing. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uzv8raxgPBQ?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Serena Williams questions whether she would have been penalized in the same way if she were a man at the 2018 U.S. Open.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>She has pushed the boundaries of women’s tennis, and in doing so, has insisted that women be treated better by journalists and event organizers, calling for an end to the <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/serena-williams-sports-gender-inequality/">pay disparities between men and women</a> on the professional tours. </p>
<p>Scholarship on sports journalism suggests the boundaries of the genre are rapidly changing. And the field is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/1461670X.2020.1785323">shedding its stick-to-sports ethos</a>, in part, due to activist-minded athletes like Serena Williams.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/189024/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Erin Whiteside does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>There is no understating the impact Williams has had on the game itself. But her role in helping sports journalists reimagine the scope of their work is a key part of her enduring legacy.Erin Whiteside, Associate Professor of Journalism and Electronic Media, University of TennesseeLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1845452022-06-21T19:55:46Z2022-06-21T19:55:46ZFrom ScoMo to Albo: how a new cast of characters poses a challenge for cartoonists<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469650/original/file-20220620-18-puzn53.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=328%2C274%2C702%2C634&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Anthony Albanese, as depicted by cartoonist David Pope.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.canberratimes.com.au/">Canberra Times</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>There are three, not entirely compatible, things to say about how cartoonists are coping with the recent change of government in Canberra.</p>
<p>First, there is the usual mild distress at having lost a pet set of ministers who seem to get uglier and more recognisable with age. Cartoonists can be like chooks returning to an empty feeder: the cartoonists’ Robert Menzies “stayed on” long after his retirement in 1966; so too did Gough Whitlam and Malcolm Fraser well into the 1980s, and Bob Hawke and Paul Keating into the later ’90s.</p>
<p>Bill Leak’s classic whinge in The Australian in late 2007 sums up the problem. Every cartoonist, he said, had the right to feel </p>
<blockquote>
<p>extremely disappointed, depressed or even downright angry at what Rudd and his cohorts have given us to work with […]. </p>
</blockquote>
<p>The cause of his disappointment? “Handsome men and attractive women make life hell for cartoonists, and the Rudd ministry is chock-a-block with them.”</p>
<p>Although time works grotesque wonders, that’s usually how a ministry looks when it steps out of the shadows. Add to that the debilitating instinct to give the not-yet-guilty party the benefit of the doubt. </p>
<p>Cathy Wilcox, for one, suspended judgement of the new government for a honeymoon moment, and instead turned her ire on the broader media, which seem utterly at a loss without the Coalition:</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469652/original/file-20220620-22-q9qj8w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469652/original/file-20220620-22-q9qj8w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=431&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469652/original/file-20220620-22-q9qj8w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=431&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469652/original/file-20220620-22-q9qj8w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=431&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469652/original/file-20220620-22-q9qj8w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=542&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469652/original/file-20220620-22-q9qj8w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=542&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469652/original/file-20220620-22-q9qj8w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=542&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Honeymoon for politicians: Cathy Wilcox in the Nine papers.</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Interestingly, Bill Leak singled out one new minister with potential in 2007: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>Anthony Albanese, whose open mouth looks like a cemetery after an earthquake, should prove valuable as long as he continues to resist calls to visit a dentist.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Perhaps “Albo” took notes: for many of the long, last months of the Gillard and second Rudd ministries, he was afflicted with braces. </p>
<p>The Albanese transformation was completed by his carb-free, grog-reduced 2021, resulting in the almost photoshopped presentability depicted in David Pope’s cartoon at the top of this article.</p>
<p>The grotesques are still those from the previous cast of characters — “ScoMo the Clown” and Kooyong Josh, with their pork barrels, swept away by the teal wave.
That’s because where there is real satirical ordure, it attaches largely to the mess left by the departing government, as demonstrated in this typically grotesque image by David Rowe.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Cartooon showing problems left over from the previous government" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469654/original/file-20220620-18-64rfuc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469654/original/file-20220620-18-64rfuc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=436&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469654/original/file-20220620-18-64rfuc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=436&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469654/original/file-20220620-18-64rfuc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=436&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469654/original/file-20220620-18-64rfuc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=547&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469654/original/file-20220620-18-64rfuc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=547&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469654/original/file-20220620-18-64rfuc.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=547&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The clean-up: David Rowe’s post-election observation.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.afr.com/">Australian Financial Review</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The second thing to say is that temporary immunity for a new leadership team is disappearing very rapidly among cartoonists at the News Corp papers, where Johannes Leak, Mark Knight and Warren Brown had already warmed-up with a few anti-Albanese visual tropes. Leak was probably the first to <a href="https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/78c4c95e0e289ce1a2329c6cc3fd708d?width=1440">nail down</a> a really first-class negative “Albo” caricature, while the far more <em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ligne_claire">ligne claire</a></em> style of Knight and Brown has struggled with the subtleties of the “new new” Labor PM.</p>
<p>Our study of election campaign cartoons suggests that, even in the most pro-Coalition newspapers, the gathering chaos in the Morrison-led campaign prompted some harsh cartooning. </p>
<p>Brown was unimpressed by a Liberal leader who had come to self-identify as a bulldozer. Leak regularly deployed his pink-shirted, pony-tailed “spin doctor” to pillory the all-image-and-no-substance Morrison mob, just as he did to smirk at how much better Labor did in the polls when Albanese was in isolation with COVID.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Cartoon of Scott Morrison changing his mind after focus group findings." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469686/original/file-20220620-18-mit1n4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469686/original/file-20220620-18-mit1n4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=377&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469686/original/file-20220620-18-mit1n4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=377&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469686/original/file-20220620-18-mit1n4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=377&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469686/original/file-20220620-18-mit1n4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=474&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469686/original/file-20220620-18-mit1n4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=474&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469686/original/file-20220620-18-mit1n4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=474&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Image problem: Johannes Leak in the Australian.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/commentary/cartoons/johannes-leak-cartoons/image-gallery/de8f7d34d6dcf6dbb2f01239663cedd7">News Corp</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>So, after the easy bit of making his debut on the international stage, Albanese had better get used to seeing himself in the papers looking like this:</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Cartoon of Anthony Albanese" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469676/original/file-20220620-18-9xwkjx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469676/original/file-20220620-18-9xwkjx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=373&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469676/original/file-20220620-18-9xwkjx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=373&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469676/original/file-20220620-18-9xwkjx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=373&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469676/original/file-20220620-18-9xwkjx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=468&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469676/original/file-20220620-18-9xwkjx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=468&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469676/original/file-20220620-18-9xwkjx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=468&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Back to the future: Warren Brown’s depiction of a scruffy Anthony Albanese.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/">News Corp</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>As he and his government take wear and tear, he will be joined by the more prominent ministers – even debonair ones like Penny Wong and Jim Chalmers.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, the third thing to say about post-election cartooning is a sad sign of the sectarian times. There is now very little dissonance between the cartoonists and the editorial line of their newspapers. Perhaps it lingers only at The Age – where Michael Leunig’s much-reduced role has made space for new talents and new ideas to shine – and via the genius of David Rowe at the Australian Financial Review.</p>
<p>There used to be more of this, particularly when cartoonists were often broadly to the left of the corporate lines their newspapers tread. But we do not mean this as a simple left-wing complaint. Guardian readers are no more likely to have their convictions challenged by First Dog on the Moon than are Australian readers by Spooner or Leak.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-australian-helped-political-cartoonists-sharpen-their-edge-28845">The Australian helped political cartoonists sharpen their edge</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>We are far from suggesting cartoonists are bending to editorial direction. That simply doesn’t happen, because it is well recognised among editors that cartoonists have to be free to be funny. </p>
<p>But the editorial cultures of newsrooms – assailed as they are by a fraying business model derived from the print age – seem to be getting tighter and narrower. They appear to be drawing cartoonists into line, either by selecting cartoonists who fit the polemical bent of the paper or by projecting a sort of team spirit in precarious financial times.</p>
<p>Either way, readers seem less likely to be surprised by the box of graphic mayhem in the paper than to get a blast of confirmation bias. We can be confident that cartoonists are devious enough jesters to overcome this situation if alerted to it. Not least because they are just as much forward-looking and -thinking as they are conscious of the past.</p>
<p><em>Our thanks to Lucien Leon, who collaborated with us on this article.</em></p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Cartoon showing Scott Morrison portrait in rubbish bin" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469655/original/file-20220620-21-f1kw0e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469655/original/file-20220620-21-f1kw0e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=463&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469655/original/file-20220620-21-f1kw0e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=463&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469655/original/file-20220620-21-f1kw0e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=463&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469655/original/file-20220620-21-f1kw0e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=582&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469655/original/file-20220620-21-f1kw0e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=582&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469655/original/file-20220620-21-f1kw0e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=582&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Rooster one day, featherduster the next: Fiona Katauskas on the post-election mood.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7650116/meet-the-echidna-your-sharp-new-election-companion/?cs=18563">The Echidna/Australian Community Media</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/184545/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Robert Phiddian receives funding from The Australian Research Council and the State Library of New South Wales Ross Steele AM Fellowship. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Richard Scully receives funding from the Australian Research Council. </span></em></p>Political cartoonists have found their own ways of coping with a new governmentRobert Phiddian, Professor of English, Flinders UniversityRichard Scully, Associate Professor of Modern European History, University of New EnglandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1843022022-06-14T23:06:06Z2022-06-14T23:06:06ZCanadians’ trust in the news media hits a new low<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/468812/original/file-20220614-24-dzcyvl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=7%2C0%2C2438%2C1632&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The Digital News Media report studies the consumption habits online news consumers and sheds light on issues facing news media across the globe.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/canadians--trust-in-the-news-media-hits-a-new-low" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>According to the Reuters Institute’s 2022 <a href="https://www.digitalnewsreport.org/">Digital News Report</a>, trust in the Canadian news media has sunk to its lowest point in seven years. </p>
<p>The study, produced by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford, has found that <a href="https://www.cem.ulaval.ca/publications/dnr-2022-canada-eng/">trust in the news has dropped 13 per cent since 2016</a>. Only 42 per cent of Canadian respondents trust “most news, most of the time,” a slight drop from last year’s 45 per cent.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Graph showing that trust in Canadian media has been decreasing since 2016." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467585/original/file-20220607-20-vd9m1b.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467585/original/file-20220607-20-vd9m1b.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=373&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467585/original/file-20220607-20-vd9m1b.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=373&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467585/original/file-20220607-20-vd9m1b.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=373&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467585/original/file-20220607-20-vd9m1b.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=469&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467585/original/file-20220607-20-vd9m1b.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=469&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467585/original/file-20220607-20-vd9m1b.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=469&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Canadian respondents were asked if they trusted news most of the time: 47 per cent of francophones trust the news, compared to 39 per cent of anglophones. In 2022, Canada: n=2,012 ; anglophones: n=1,486 ; francophones: n=1,004.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(2022 Digital News Report/The Reuters Institute, Centre d'études sur les médias)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Like previous years, the study found that francophones are more trusting of the news and news sources than anglophones, although both groups are less trusting of the news than ever before.</p>
<p>The study also showed that age is a major factor in how much respondents trust the news, with higher trust among respondents aged 35 or older than for younger adults. This finding is consistent with past research. Young people tend to consume news less in general, and are more reliant on social media and other digital platforms for information.</p>
<h2>Media independence</h2>
<p>English-speaking Canadians expressed lower confidence this year in the news media’s independence from both political and commercial influences. On the other hand, francophones’ beliefs in media independence remain stable compared to previous years. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Bar graph showing the number of Canadians who agree that the news media is free from political influence and from business influence. The graph shows that more francophones believe both statements than anglophones." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/468523/original/file-20220613-18-nkyg04.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/468523/original/file-20220613-18-nkyg04.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=354&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468523/original/file-20220613-18-nkyg04.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=354&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468523/original/file-20220613-18-nkyg04.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=354&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468523/original/file-20220613-18-nkyg04.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=445&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468523/original/file-20220613-18-nkyg04.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=445&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468523/original/file-20220613-18-nkyg04.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=445&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Canadian respondents were asked if they thought the news media in Canada was independent from undue political and business influences most of the time.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(2022 Digital News Report/The Reuters Institute, Centre d'études sur les médias)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Anglophones who identify with the political right are more likely to be skeptical of the media’s independence. In addition, half of Canadians consider mainstream news organizations to be politically close to each other. Among those who consider news outlets very close, only 21 per cent trust the news. </p>
<p>Although the question was added to measure public perceptions of polarization in the media landscape, this finding instead suggests that perceived lack of diversity in media ownership and perspectives is one of the many causes of distrust. </p>
<p>Consumption habits reflect these negative views: the number of people who actively avoid the news, at least occasionally, has grown to 71 per cent from 55 per cent in 2017.</p>
<p>The most cited reasons people have been avoiding the news lately include experiencing negative mental or physical health impacts, too much news about subjects like politics or COVID-19 and being worn out by the amount of news available.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A graph showing how many Canadians actively try to avoid the news" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/468522/original/file-20220613-18-qlescp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/468522/original/file-20220613-18-qlescp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=203&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468522/original/file-20220613-18-qlescp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=203&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468522/original/file-20220613-18-qlescp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=203&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468522/original/file-20220613-18-qlescp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468522/original/file-20220613-18-qlescp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/468522/original/file-20220613-18-qlescp.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Respondents were asked if they actively tried to avoid news these days: 71 per cent of respondents said they did.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(2022 Digital News Report/The Reuters Institute, Centre d'études sur les médias)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>More people paying for news online</h2>
<p>The study offers some silver linings for news organizations. Two years ago, <a href="https://theconversation.com/could-covid-19-convince-more-canadians-to-pay-for-online-news-140835">the Digital News Report found</a> that more Canadians were paying for news online. That number is now at its highest since 2016. This is promising for the future of independent and grassroots media.</p>
<p>Canadians paying for news are also more likely to subscribe or donate to more than one news source. Many Canadians expect their online media subscriptions to increase, rather than decrease. Still, more than half said their media subscriptions will probably stay the same.</p>
<p>However, subscriptions to online news services still remain much less popular than entertainment platforms such as television or music streaming services, podcasts, audio books and sports. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A line graph showing that more Canadians pay for online news content with every passing year" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467589/original/file-20220607-20-q99m25.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/467589/original/file-20220607-20-q99m25.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=336&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467589/original/file-20220607-20-q99m25.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=336&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467589/original/file-20220607-20-q99m25.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=336&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467589/original/file-20220607-20-q99m25.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=423&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467589/original/file-20220607-20-q99m25.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=423&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/467589/original/file-20220607-20-q99m25.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=423&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The number of Canadians who have paid for online news content, or accessed a paid for online news service in the last year.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(2022 Digital News Report/The Reuters Institute, Centre d'études sur les médias)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Journalism in times of crisis</h2>
<p>Although the survey was conducted during a time of crisis in January and February — during the Ottawa <a href="https://theconversation.com/anti-vax-protest-or-insurrection-making-sense-of-the-freedom-convoy-protest-176524">“freedom convoy” protests</a> — most of the report’s findings follow multi-year trends and are consistent with global results of the Digital News Report.</p>
<p>It’s possible that <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/businesses/topics/corporations/business-tax-credits/canadian-journalism-labour-tax-credit/qualified-canadian-journalism-organization.html">government support programs for news media, such as federal tax credits</a>, are linked to the more negative perceptions about the media.</p>
<p>To be sure, these funding programs have allowed the Canadian news media much-needed breathing space to recover financially, in addition to a boost in advertising revenue during the pandemic. </p>
<p>But they have also <a href="https://financialpost.com/opinion/opinion-in-a-democracy-the-government-shouldnt-fund-the-media">generated criticism</a> and <a href="https://c2cjournal.ca/2021/12/the-growing-number-of-canadian-journalists-who-are-funded-by-the-feds/">fuelled concerns regarding journalistic independence</a>. </p>
<h2>Media regulation</h2>
<p>Governments are becoming <a href="https://www.cjr.org/business_of_news/competition-ministers-regulating-big-tech.php">increasingly active in regulating digital media ecosystems</a> and <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/funding/local-journalism-initiative.html">supporting local journalism</a> to protect democracies from disinformation and misinformation. </p>
<p>The Russian invasion of Ukraine, which began shortly after this survey was completed, <a href="https://www.international.gc.ca/world-monde/issues_development-enjeux_developpement/response_conflict-reponse_conflits/crisis-crises/ukraine-disinfo-desinfo.aspx?lang=eng">has intensified pressures in this regard</a> because of the rampant <a href="https://theconversation.com/both-facts-and-fake-news-about-the-russian-invasion-of-ukraine-are-spread-on-social-media-178773">misinformation about the invasion</a> on social media.</p>
<p>During this time of disruption and transformation, surveys like the Digital News Report contribute to our understanding of the relevance and legitimacy of professional news sources from the public’s point of view. Evidence-based analysis of evolving consumption and attitudes of news users can support the development of public policy along with better journalism practices.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/184302/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Colette Brin's work is funded in part by the Quebec government's Ministry of Culture and Communications and Fonds de recherche du Québec - Société et culture. The Canadian edition of the Digital News Report is funded by Canadian Heritage through News Media Canada. Prof. Brin is Director of Centre d'études sur les médias, an independent non-profit research unit hosted at Université Laval in partnership with Université de Montréal and Université du Québec à Montréal. She is also Chairperson of the Independent Advisory Board on Eligibility for Journalism Tax Measures in collaboration with the Canada Revenue Agency.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sébastien Charlton is coordinator of the Centre d'études sur les médias (CEM), Canadian partner of the study. The CEM is an independent non-profit research unit hosted at Université Laval in partnership with Université de Montréal and Université du Québec à Montréal, which is funded in part by the Quebec government's Ministry of Culture and Communications. The Canadian edition of the Digital News Report is also partly funded by Canadian Heritage through News Media Canada. </span></em></p>During this time of disruption and transformation, surveys like the Digital News Report contribute to our understanding of professional news sources from the public’s point of view.Colette Brin, Professor and Director, Centre d'études sur les médias, Université LavalSébastien Charlton, Lecturer, Department of Information and Communication, Université LavalLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1819362022-04-27T12:34:46Z2022-04-27T12:34:46ZElon Musk and the oligarchs of the ‘Second Gilded Age’ can not only sway the public – they can exploit their data, too<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/459868/original/file-20220426-18-aesf0o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C231%2C5313%2C3337&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">A new Gilded Age of media barons?</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/People-ElonMuskGrimes/277e1005c6aa4aafa63b2bdb963f3dca/photo?Query=elon%20musk&mediaType=photo&sortBy=arrivaldatetime:desc&dateRange=Anytime&totalCount=1179&currentItemNo=66">Charles Sykes/Invision/AP</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>During the Gilded Age of the late 19th century, and the early decades of the 20th century, U.S. captains of industry such as <a href="https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520347878/the-anatomy-of-fake-news">William Randolph Hearst and Jay Gould</a> used their massive wealth to dominate facets of the economy, including the news media. They were, in many ways, prototype oligarchs – by <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=oligarch">the dictionary definition</a>, “very rich business leaders with a great deal of political influence.”</p>
<p>Some have argued that the U.S. is in the midst of a <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/B014AEA559FC026265748E10E9DE78E9/S1537781419000616a.pdf/div-class-title-a-second-gilded-age-the-promises-and-perils-of-an-analogy-introduction-div.pdf">Second Gilded Age</a> defined – like the first – by vast <a href="https://www.history.com/news/second-gilded-age-income-inequality">wealth inequality</a>, <a href="https://www.history.com/news/second-gilded-age-income-inequality">hyper-partisanship, xenophobia</a> and a <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/video/15-richest-media-owners-world-105350162.html">new crop of oligarchs</a> using their vast wealth to purchase media and political influence. </p>
<p>Which brings us to the announcement on April 25, 2022, that Tesla billionaire <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/25/twitter-accepts-elon-musks-buyout-deal.html">Elon Musk</a> is, barring any last-minute hitches, purchasing the social media platform Twitter. It will put <a href="https://www.forbes.com/real-time-billionaires/#37e8d8b63d78">the wealthiest man on the planet</a> in control of one of the most influential means of communications in world today.</p>
<p>As a <a href="https://www.csueastbay.edu/directory/profiles/hist/higdonnolan.html">media scholar</a>, I suspect Musk’s desire in buying Twitter goes beyond a desire to control and shape public discourse. Today’s equivalent of the Gilded Age oligarchs – the handful of <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-slippery-slope-of-the-oligarchy-media-model-81931">super-rich Americans gobbling up</a> increasing chunks of the media landscape – will have that, but they will also have access to a trove of personal data of users and news consumers.</p>
<h2>All the newspapers fit to buy</h2>
<p>Over the past decade, numerous American billionaires have purchased news media outlets such as the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/briansolomon/2013/08/03/billionaire-red-sox-owner-john-henry-buys-boston-globe-for-70-million-from-new-york-times/?sh=56c451214daa">Boston Globe</a>, <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/12/why-did-sheldon-adelson-buy-nevadas-largest-newspaper/421035/">Las Vegas Review-Journal</a>, <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/noahkirsch/2020/05/21/journalists-are-angry-about-layoffs-at-the-atlantic-owned-by-billionaire-laurene-powell-jobs/?sh=691707c04b4b">The Atlantic</a> and the <a href="https://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-patrick-soon-shiong-latimes-sold-20180616-story.html">Los Angeles Times</a>. Perhaps the most famous example is <a href="https://www.forbes.com/real-time-billionaires/#5c003c4d3d78">Jeff Bezos</a>, the founder and executive chairman of Amazon, who <a href="https://money.cnn.com/2013/08/05/news/companies/washington-post-bezos/index.html">spent US$250 million</a> of his roughly $170 billion net worth to purchase <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-the-washington-post-changed-after-jeff-bezos-acquisition-2016-5">The Washington Post</a> in 2013. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=c024481">Media</a> <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/78912/manufacturing-consent-by-edward-s-herman-and-noam-chomsky/">scholars</a> have aired concern for decades that unfettered wealth and tepid government regulation have <a href="https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2004/08/the-media-monotony.html">enabled a handful</a> of corporations to dominate news media coverage in the U.S. Indeed, the companies that produce the majority of news media in the U.S. has dwindled from 50 in the <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/206221/the-new-media-monopoly-by-ben-h-bagdikian/">1980s</a> to roughly <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/stock-market/market-sectors/communication/media-stocks/big-6/#:%7E:text=Some%20estimates%20claim%20as%20much">six</a> today.</p>
<p>This <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-slippery-slope-of-the-oligarchy-media-model-81931">consolidation of the media industry in the hands of wealthy individuals</a> is, as media scholar <a href="https://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=c024481">Robert McChesney</a> has argued, especially <a href="https://www.routledge.com/Lets-Agree-to-Disagree-A-Critical-Thinking-Guide-to-Communication-Conflict/Higdon-Huff/p/book/9781032168982">concerning for a healthy democracy</a>, which necessitates that the electorate has access to an abundance of diverse views and free-flowing information. </p>
<p>The public relies on journalists to relay stories that they can interpret to determine how they vote; if they will vote; and if they should organize and engage in civil disobedience. The negative consequences of this concentration of ownership are that it can enabled a handful of corporate news outlets to normalize baseless or false reporting that turns out to be misleading, such as the reporting on <a href="https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520347878/the-anatomy-of-fake-news">weapons of mass destruction</a> prior to the 2003 invasion of Iraq.</p>
<p>Just like the U.S. oligarchs of the 19th century and early 20th century, today’s billionaires recognize that by controlling the free flow of information they can control or shape the electorate’s democratic participation. For example, soon after casino mogul Sheldon Adelson purchased the Las Vegas Review-Journal <a href="https://www.politico.com/media/story/2016/02/sheldon-adelson-tightens-grip-on-review-journal-004384/">reports surfaced</a> that stories about the billionaire were being censored or altered so he could manage the public’s image of his businesses in the gambling-centric city.</p>
<p>Similarly, some critics have suggested that after Bezos purchased The Washington Post, the newspaper’s coverage became noticeably <a href="https://www.cjr.org/the_new_gatekeepers/washington-post-bezos-amazon.php">soft in its coverage of Amazon</a>, and <a href="https://fair.org/home/washington-post-ran-16-negative-stories-on-bernie-sanders-in-16-hours/">tough</a> on Bezos’ political opponents. The Washington Post <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/03/08/has-the-washington-post-been-too-hard-on-bernie-sanders-this-week/">denies</a> <a href="https://www.poynter.org/ethics-trust/2016/washington-post-denies-jeff-bezos-sways-coverage/">both</a> of these claims. </p>
<h2>The user as a product</h2>
<p>With an estimated fortune of <a href="https://www.forbes.com/real-time-billionaires/#5c003c4d3d78">$268 billion</a> as of April 2022, Musk is just the latest and wealthiest to purchase a media platform. In opting to buy into social media rather than a traditional news outlet, the Tesla CEO is getting control of an important news delivery system. A <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/2021/11/15/news-on-twitter-consumed-by-most-users-and-trusted-by-many/">2021 Pew survey</a> found that 23% of Americans use Twitter – and 7 in 10 Twitter users said they received news from the platform. </p>
<p>But the potential threats posed by an individual billionaire controlling Twitter are much more complicated and dangerous than that of earlier wealthy media proprietors, who primarily could only sway the news. </p>
<p>Even before Musk vied to buy Twitter, Silicon Valley was already controlled by <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenrickcai/2021/10/05/richest-us-tech-billionaires-2021-forbes-400-list/?sh=2af196966de9">billionaires</a> who operated a handful of companies known as the FAANGs – Facebook (now Meta), Amazon, Apple, Netflix and Google (now Alphabet). These companies’ profits are derived from a new economic order that Harvard Professor Shoshana Zuboff has dubbed “<a href="https://www.publicaffairsbooks.com/titles/shoshana-zuboff/the-age-of-surveillance-capitalism/9781610395694/">surveillance capitalism</a>.” Under surveillance capitalism, the user is the product – that is to say, companies collect and sell information about users to those interested in predicting, or in some cases nudging, <a href="https://www.publicaffairsbooks.com/titles/shoshana-zuboff/the-age-of-surveillance-capitalism/9781610395694/">human behavior</a>. </p>
<p>In this new economic order, tech companies constantly surveil users on and off their platforms for the purpose of collecting and analyzing data – which include audio, video, typed words, GPS or <a href="https://nyupress.org/9781479892822/the-rise-of-big-data-policing/">even</a> <a href="https://www.routledge.com/The-Future-of-Digital-Data-Heritage-and-Curation-in-a-More-than-Human/Cameron/p/book/9780367690588">DNA</a> – to open a window into a user’s thoughts and cognitive processes. </p>
<p>In order to keep the data pouring in, big tech companies rely on techniques from the <a href="https://www.publicaffairsbooks.com/titles/shoshana-zuboff/the-age-of-surveillance-capitalism/9781610395694/">gambling industry</a> to <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/04/capitalisms-addiction-problem/606769/">keep people addicted</a> to their screen. Essentially, they keep users chasing the initial dopamine rush that comes from a “like” or “friend request” on Facebook, on a “retweet” or “new follower” on Twitter. Similar to the gambling industry, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-facebook-files-11631713039">reports</a> have found that these <a href="https://www.publicaffairsbooks.com/titles/shoshana-zuboff/the-age-of-surveillance-capitalism/9781610395694/">techniques</a> are used with little regard for users’ <a href="http://www.jeantwenge.com/igen-book-by-dr-jean-twenge/">mental health</a>.</p>
<p>In 2022, for example, a <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-facebook-files-11631713039">Facebook whistleblower</a> revealed that the company was aware that its platform design was harming users, particularly young people, but refused to make any changes out of fear it would weaken profitability.</p>
<h2>A free speech enthusiast?</h2>
<p>In this context, Musk is not simply a modern version of a 19th century oligarch. His power goes beyond shaping public discourse with narrowly framed stories and the removal of select content. Yes, he may be able to do this. But in addition, he will have a vast amount of personal data under his discretion. For example, when using <a href="https://developer.twitter.com/en/docs/twitter-for-websites/privacy#:%7E:text=When%20you%20view%20Twitter%20content,operating%20system%2C%20and%20cookie%20information">Twitter content or products</a>, including those integrated into other websites, Twitter collects data and stores what web pages the user accessed, as well as their IP address, browser type, operating system and cookie information.</p>
<p>Musk has said his purchase of Twitter is motivated by his support of <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/25/elon-musk-and-free-speech-track-record-not-encouraging.html">free speech</a>. But this runs counter to his <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-elon-musk-ruthlessly-fired-anyone-who-disagreed-spacex-report-2021-8">reputation for actively seeking revenge</a> against those who criticize his businesses. Furthermore, under his <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/25/elon-musk-and-free-speech-track-record-not-encouraging.html">leadership</a> Tesla has maintained contracts that prevented former employees from criticizing the company. </p>
<p>Moreover, as it has been argued by computer scientist and philosophy writer <a href="http://www.jaronlanier.com/tenarguments.html">Jaron Lanier</a> and free-expression activist and author <a href="https://www.versobooks.com/books/4034-silicon-values">Jillian York</a>, social media platforms such as Twitter are not conducive to “true” free speech, which is loosely defined as <a href="https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/free-speech">the right</a> to express one’s opinions without interference. </p>
<p>Moreover, by making decisions about what content users do and do not see, social media companies, it could be argued, are interfering with speech. Indeed, social media platofrms’ algorithms <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/309214/the-filter-bubble-by-eli-pariser/">customize</a> news feeds with content that they believe the user will find the most engaging, to the exclusion to other content.</p>
<p>The era of surveillance capitalism has created new opportunities for billionaires to influence the electorate. Like his predecessors in the first Gilded Age, Musk can determine which reporting users see and do not see on his platform. Unlike his predecessors, he can also track and surveil users – collecting lucrative data that can be used to predict or nudge their behavior.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/181936/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nolan Higdon does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Media ownership has consolidated around a handful of billionaires – and that might not be great for democracy.Nolan Higdon, Lecturer of History and Media Studies, California State University, East BayLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1807802022-04-19T20:16:26Z2022-04-19T20:16:26ZHow much do mainstream media matter in an election campaign? (Spoiler: more than you might think)<p>Despite the seismic changes that have convulsed media communications and journalism since the turn of the millennium, the mainstream media remains a formidably relevant force, including at election time.</p>
<p>Data on where people <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/588441/australia-news-sources/">get their news</a> make this clear. In 2021, about 61% of Australians accessed television news in an average week, and 47% used online news platforms. </p>
<p>These are dominated by the established media organisations. The <a href="http://www.roymorgan.com/industries/media/readership/newspaper-readership">top ten digital news titles</a> over the 12 months to December 2021 were all mainstream media.</p>
<p>At the top was news.com.au, followed by the ABC, nine.com.au, The Sydney Morning Herald and 7News. All except the Daily Mail (which lost ground heavily) showed year-on-year growth. </p>
<p>While just 20% of people used print-based media, reflecting the decline of newspapers since the digital revolution really got going in 2006, the data from Roy Morgan Research indicate the slide might be slowing, at least in some markets.</p>
<p>The data are preliminary, but they show a quite remarkable 10.4% growth in The Australian’s print audience, growth of 8.2% in the Daily Telegraph’s and 3.1% in The Sydney Morning Herald’s.</p>
<p>There was growth too in the print audiences of the Courier-Mail in Brisbane (2.3%), the West Australian (5.5%) and the Adelaide Advertiser (0.4%).</p>
<p>Notably, however, the print audiences of the two main Melbourne papers, The Age and the Herald Sun, continued to decline, The Age’s by 1.3% and the Herald Sun’s by 1.9%.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/outrage-polls-and-bias-2019-federal-election-showed-australian-media-need-better-regulation-117401">Outrage, polls and bias: 2019 federal election showed Australian media need better regulation</a>
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<p>A striking feature of these figures is the growth in audiences of the News Corporation newspapers across the country, except in Melbourne.</p>
<p>This raises interesting questions about the kind of news Australians seem to want.</p>
<p>News Corporation makes no bones about using its news reporting to push its own agendas. Its internal code of conduct <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/editorial-code-of-conduct">states</a>:</p>
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<p>Comment, conjecture and opinion are acceptable in reports to provide perspective on an issue, or explain the significance of an issue, or to allow readers to recognise what the publication’s standpoint is on the matter being reported.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>So much for impartiality in news reporting and for separating news from opinion – principles that are explicitly required by the codes of The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and The Australian Financial Review, by the editorial policies of the ABC, and by The Guardian, whose magisterial former owner-editor C. P. Scott’s enduring dictum was, “Comment is free but facts are sacred”.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/458507/original/file-20220419-12683-yclruz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/458507/original/file-20220419-12683-yclruz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458507/original/file-20220419-12683-yclruz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458507/original/file-20220419-12683-yclruz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458507/original/file-20220419-12683-yclruz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458507/original/file-20220419-12683-yclruz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458507/original/file-20220419-12683-yclruz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Australians have long cited accuracy and impartiality as the attributes they value most in the media.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">AAP/Dean Lewins</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>For decades, surveys have shown Australian media consumers prize impartiality in news reporting very highly, rating it second only to accuracy as the attribute they value most in news content.</p>
<p>A <a href="https://www.acma.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-01/News%20in%20Australia_Impartiality%20and%20commercial%20influence_Review%20of%20literature%20and%20research.pdf">report for the Australian Communications and Media Authority</a> in 2020 cited a Morgan survey from 2018 showing the attributes people considered most important when deciding which news media to trust. The top two were accuracy in reporting (93%) and impartiality (90%). </p>
<p>So is this changing?</p>
<p>Is it possible people’s extensive exposure to social media and their use of it as a source of news is altering their taste in news and their assessment of which attributes matter?</p>
<p>After all, at 52%, social media is now the second most accessed source of news for Australians, not far behind the 61% for television.</p>
<p>Or could it be that in an age of intense political polarisation, people prefer news that promotes the perspectives of their tribe at the expense of impartiality?</p>
<p>Social media news content, much of which comes nowhere near meeting journalistic standards of impartiality, unquestionably provides this, creating the well-established phenomena of filter bubbles and echo chambers.</p>
<p>At the same time, the feedstock for social media news content is to a significant extent drawn from the mainstream media. This is especially so in an election campaign, where the media “pack” travelling with each of the main parties’ leaders is comprised of mainstream media - it is they who are given the accreditation and direct access to the leaders.</p>
<p>Social media takes this raw material and gives it various treatments – memes, altered contexts and distortions of multiple kinds – to entertain, enrage or mobilise.</p>
<p>In this way, mainstream news influences what goes on in social media, adding to mainstream media’s reach and relevance yet along the way commonly losing the attributes of accuracy and impartiality that people say they value.</p>
<p>Contradictions abound.</p>
<p>People say they base their trust in media on whether the reporting is accurate and impartial. Trust in mainstream media <a href="https://www.edelman.com/sites/g/files/aatuss191/files/2021-03/2021%20Edelman%20Trust%20Barometer.pdf">remains higher</a> than trust in social media as a source of news, yet social media has grown in importance as a source of news while mainstream media, especially newspapers, has been declining.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-vomit-principle-the-dead-bat-the-freeze-how-political-spin-doctors-tactics-aim-to-shape-the-news-106453">The vomit principle, the dead bat, the freeze: how political spin doctors' tactics aim to shape the news</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>It would be a heavy irony indeed if a recovery in the audience reach of mainstream media was driven by their aping social media, abandoning the impartiality that people say is a cornerstone of their trust.</p>
<p>Not just an irony, but a disaster for democracy.</p>
<p>For one thing, democracy depends on voters having a bedrock of reliable, accurate and impartial information on which to base political, social and economic choices. A focus on gaffes and political theatre, of the kind we have seen in this campaign so far, does not deliver that.</p>
<p>For another, highly partisan news media help drive the polarisation that is undermining the democratic consensus, the consequences of which were shown by the assault on the Capitol in Washington on January 6 2021.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/458509/original/file-20220419-146310-4bhig.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/458509/original/file-20220419-146310-4bhig.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458509/original/file-20220419-146310-4bhig.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458509/original/file-20220419-146310-4bhig.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458509/original/file-20220419-146310-4bhig.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458509/original/file-20220419-146310-4bhig.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/458509/original/file-20220419-146310-4bhig.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Highly partisan media damage democracy, the apotheosis of which was seen in the US Capitol riots of January 6 2021.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">AAP/AP/John Minchillo</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Yet the audience growth of the News Corp newspapers, as indicated in the Morgan data, shows that abandoning impartiality in news reporting might be a successful corporate business strategy.</p>
<p>It might also be a successful corporate political strategy as its mastheads barrack hard for a return of the Morrison government.</p>
<p>Mainstream media is certainly not dead as a force in elections and the form its journalism is taking, with its impact on Australia’s democratic processes, are large and important questions for the country’s future.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/180780/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Denis Muller does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Data show many mainstream print media outlets are growing their readership - but it would be worrying if this was because they are aping what happens on social media.Denis Muller, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Advancing Journalism, The University of MelbourneLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1756482022-02-02T14:36:53Z2022-02-02T14:36:53ZSaving journalism: views on how to pay for reliable information<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/442891/original/file-20220127-24-97s3jf.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Newsrooms in Africa are struggling to stay afloat amid declining revenue margins</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Fredrick Omondi/Flickr/Wikimedia Commons</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Journalism globally faces a <a href="https://en.unesco.org/news/unesco-calls-global-support-independent-journalism-amid-funding-crisis-media">sustainability crisis</a>. It largely <a href="https://en.unesco.org/news/unesco-calls-global-support-independent-journalism-amid-funding-crisis-media">stems from</a> declining advertising revenue, loss of revenue to technology giants, control of news media by political actors and individuals with business interests, disinformation and dwindling public trust.</p>
<p>Twisting the knife in the wound, the financial pressure on media organisations has been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. <a href="https://www.poynter.org/business-work/2021/here-are-the-newsroom-layoffs-furloughs-and-closures-caused-by-the-coronavirus/">In the US</a>, for example, at least 21 local newspapers merged and about 1,400 newsroom staffers lost their jobs. <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/africas-media-hit-hard-by-covid-19-crisis/a-53427253">African journalism</a> also felt the economic impact.</p>
<p>Without journalism, the foundations on which democratic societies operate will be weaker. Public and private institutions and their actors will be less accountable in their use of power.</p>
<p>A year ago, a team of researchers at Columbia University published a <a href="https://www.kas.de/documents/283221/283270/KAS_Saving+Journalism.pdf/8ee31596-7166-30b4-551f-c442686f91ae?version=1.4&t=1611338643015">report</a> assessing interventions and new initiatives to sustain journalism. Now this team, including myself, has gone back to assess the <a href="https://www.kas.de/documents/283221/283270/Saving+Journalism+2+-+Global+Strategies+and+a+Look+at+Investigative+Journalism.pdf/a8ec2655-5636-8d69-00e5-e698e76c3845?version=1.0&t=1642517860288">status of the promising measures we documented</a>. We’ve also looked at worldwide strategies that show promise in stemming declines in revenue of media outlets and loss of journalism jobs.</p>
<p>Many countries are experimenting with different forms of government support and policies but the question is what works best and is sustainable in each context.</p>
<h2>What we found</h2>
<p>We interviewed 60 respondents: economists, policy makers, journalists, editors, academics, and media development workers from Asia, North America, South America, Australia and Africa.</p>
<p>In our earlier report, we found that there was a big appetite for sweeping changes in the business of journalism. Several funding organisations we spoke to in 2021 had made significant progress in 2020 with their support for quality journalism. Some had increased the amount of funding; others had extended funding to more media outlets. </p>
<p>Globally, there is experimentation with different forms of government support and policies. Indonesia gave a series of tax credits to local media. Australia’s <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2021A00021">News Media Bargaining Code</a> channelled hundreds of millions of dollars from Google and Facebook to different journalism outlets.</p>
<p>The people we interviewed for our latest report agree these interventions are necessary, though they believe that there is no perfect fix for saving journalism. The economists take the pragmatic view that in the absence of detailed data showing what is the most effective, interventions are worth pursuing as long as they are not harmful and can garner support.</p>
<p>We found more divided opinions in the journalism community. Some felt governmental support for journalism was crucial. However, when compared to niche players or digital startups, the larger, established outlets benefit more from many government programmes. So the bigger outlets are more in favour of government intervention.</p>
<p>Smaller outlets, particularly in Africa and Latin America, had genuine apprehensions about governmental support. Some felt that government subsidies and tax breaks wouldn’t help small outlets. Others expressed concerns about the potential influence of government on media reportage. </p>
<p>Yet they were open to accepting money from large foundations, foreign governments and tech giants. Some sub-Saharan African journalists believed that supporting quality information was of secondary importance to governments and the public in a region where so many basic needs were not met.</p>
<p>African journalism felt the economic impact of the COVID-19 outbreak. Ghanaian media houses <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBiKTN7h1lA">lost a third of their revenue</a>. Journalists faced <a href="https://kenyanwallstreet.com/nmg-to-layoff-staff-to-survive-revenue-losses/">layoffs</a>, while some newsrooms had to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/may/06/coronavirus-could-trigger-media-extinction-event-in-developing-countries">cut back</a>, <a href="https://gijn.org/2020/04/27/coronavirus-may-spell-the-end-for-many-of-africas-print-newspapers/">close</a> or put staff on compulsory leave. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/may/06/coronavirus-could-trigger-media-extinction-event-in-developing-countries">Some</a> fear a media extinction event is inevitable. </p>
<p>Most outlets in Africa received little governmental financial support. African journalists competed with journalists in other regions for donor funding. Most government support available was not media-specific. In sub-Saharan Africa it was mainly in the form of personal protective equipment.</p>
<p>Likewise, much of the support that came from media development organisations and international donors was in the form of capacity-building training to help journalists cover the pandemic effectively, and to support educational programmes.</p>
<h2>Some lingering concerns</h2>
<p>Our interviewees believe that substantial investment is needed in finding systemic solutions to make journalism sustainable. Government support and donor funding could be useful, even though some have reservations about it.</p>
<p>There is a perception that donors support journalism purely to <a href="https://ethicaljournalismnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/To-Tell-You-the-Truth-EthicalJournalism_Final-1.pdf">buy goodwill</a>. As big tech companies <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/enriquedans/2021/05/02/around-the-world-governments-are-readying-to-regulate-bigtech/?sh=f0f261a5935f">lobby</a>
governments to shape new regulations and intensify their giving where they fear regulation, or are being required to pay local news publishers for news content liked on their platforms (as in Australia), these concerns seem to be justified. </p>
<p>We believe that journalism can’t depend on the unpredictable philanthropy of tech companies. There are also questions around their possible influence on journalism content. Some of our participants suggested that to stem big tech’s possible control of media outlets, big tech must be made to pay more taxes, partly to support journalism.</p>
<h2>Looking into the future</h2>
<p>There is consensus that the amount of money needed to save journalism is not huge. <a href="https://www.cima.ned.org/publication/confronting-the-crisis-in-independent-media/">Estimates</a> are as low as US$1 billion a year. As a participant said, it is important to look from the ground up.</p>
<p>Systemic solutions like tax on tech (earmarking the revenue for journalism), a levy on turnover to support public interest journalism, government subsidies and tax credits may be useful without interfering in the work journalists do. </p>
<p>Additionally, African countries can take a cue from the Australian Code. They can build consensus to negotiate a good deal that African media will benefit from. The technical, moral, and economic support of competition regulators across countries will have a radical bearing on how negotiations turn out.</p>
<p>For donors, criteria like public trust, relevance and meeting basic information needs can guide which outlet to fund.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/175648/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Theodora Dame Adjin-Tettey receives funding from the National Research Foundation, South Africa. </span></em></p>Many countries are experimenting with different forms of government support for journalism, but the question is about what works best and is sustainable.Theodora Dame Adjin-Tettey, Research Associate, School of Journalism and Madia Studies, Rhodes University, South Africa / Lecturer, Department of Communication Studies, University of Ghana, Rhodes UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.