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TV news isn’t fake but too often it isn’t news

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There it was yesterday. A plethora of Australian journos standing mic in hand in front of the Champs Élysées or the Eiffel Tower reporting on the French presidential election.

The trouble was what they were doing was not reporting. Or to be more precise, they started with a little reporting and then moved quickly on to speculation and opinion.

Welcome to Australian media’s version of the Kon Tiki tour. With elections looming in the UK and the French National Assembly in June and elections in Germany in September, it’s all aboard the bus. When you get there, don’t worry so much about factual reporting. Tell us what you reckon.

On last night’s ABC News at 7.00pm, the ABC’s European correspondent, Lisa Millar, spent the first five seconds repeating the result and then moved full steam into divination. To be honest, it wasn’t her fault. She faced questions posed from the desk in Sydney from newsreader, Juanita Phillips, all of it demanding a “What do you reckon?” response.

Ms Millar spent the bulk of her report waxing on what might happen by Christmas and beyond.

Full column here.

 

456 Comments

  • Carl on the Coast says:

    Jean Baptiste says:
    May 17, 2017 at 9:06 pm

    “To be fair some of the photography back then was inexplicably good if it had been done on the moon, but obviously it wasn’t. Even the camera manufacturers were mystified by it.”

    We know you often get confused with the import of the detail in much of the material contained in your various selection of links JB, but you really should give them more attention before posting.

    Your above comment is a prime example.

    Everyone knows that the Apollo 11 astronauts took photographic shots on their ’69 moon landing using an Hasselblad 500 EL data camera with a Zeiss plannar f-2.8/80mm lens as well as a Ziess sonnar f-5.6/250mm telephota lens. They also used a modified Arisco Autoset 35mm Minolta.

    Best to read before you post me old mate, that’d be my advice

    • Henry Blofeld says:

      I put it to Mr Bapiste, Carl, that you would have to have a brain half the size of a pea not to recognise there wonderful raw uncut images as the authentic Project Apollo Archive in all its majesty. Neil Armstrong the 1st Man on the Moon, no argument from me, followed down the ladder next by Buzz Aldrin.
      http://tinyurl.com/o3mxxj5

    • Jean Baptiste says:

      Once again you’ve taken the wrong end of the stick. The manufacturers were mystified how thousands of pictures were taken with such precision and the film changed by astronauts wearing bulky gloves. I’ll find you a link when I get the time “Vell, I cannot explain this at all.”
      Yes, marvellous cameras Carl, operating where objects will be heated to of 300F + (hmmmf!) , but never used to photograph the Earth from the lunar surface, the suns corona, etc etc etc. Just a simple 360 pan with a movie camera would have made a difference to the credibility of the scam.
      Oddly it is still necessary to bring the Hubble scope back to low Earth orbit before working on it. But then the startling experience of astronauts venturing just eight hundred kilometres away from Earth in the shuttle with a hundred times more shielding than the Apollo vehicles indicates that it will be a long long time before humans will manage to land on the moon. I doubt humans will ever get there before they become effectively extinct. I doubt they will even be able to reach a manned geostationary position either.
      Best wishes. Your enquiries and chidings are always welcome.

      • Jean Baptiste says:

        PS Carl. You seem to have “gone off” talking about AGW? Don’t tell me theres a dim candle flickering to life. ?

  • Jean Baptiste says:

    Questions, anybody?
    Can a POTUS be impeached just for being an embarrassing cry baby?
    Can Vladimir Putin be regarded as a reliable witness in an impeachment?
    (I don’t think you’re helping Vlad!)

    Blofeld! Ha ha ha ha ha! I told you when Po faced personality bypass Pence was foisted on Dopey Donald what the establishment Republicans were up to. I have a sneaky feeling Vlad might be in on it too.
    To the forgotten deploring deplorables, “come in suckers.”
    Don’t worry Henry, President Pence will pardon the pillock. It’s the least he can do. Have you clocked the smirk on his dial. He’ll need that surgically removed before inauguration.

    Go Chelsea, you good thing! (Manning that is!)

    • Henry Blofeld says:

      Bless you dear sweet gullible Mr Baptiste, POTUS Trump wont be impeached. If you look closely its only the rabid nutter Left Wing Democrats who are going on silly. They are still smarting at the loss of the election when they fielded the dud Hilary. Cheers good friend, two full terms coming up for POTUS Trump, he is one tough savvy cookie!
      http://tinyurl.com/lvvqrvo

    • Mack the Knife says:

      “Po faced personality bypass Pence”, you are stealing my lines JB. Anywho, I didn’t know your favourite protege Dismayed had relatives in the U.S.

  • Milton says:

    Jean Baptiste – of all the people in 20th century with influence, if not power, Hitchens goes for Kissinger (plus Mother Theresa and God and his service and marketing crew). I know there was a plethora of mass murdering/starving tyrants in that busy century, but HK wasn’t one of them. You’re never going to be on the right side of history, Jean if you keep going down that safe and predictable populist path.

    • Henry Blofeld says:

      Bravo dear Milton, sadly as always dear Mr Baptiste is barking up the wrong tree. He idolises murderous tyrants like Fidel Castro, Kim Jong-un et al while paying out on other good people, mostly from the USA which he hates! He seems a nice chap but sadly I feel all is lost with the dear man. Cheers.

      • Jean Baptiste says:

        If I have so much hate for the USA henry, how is it that I hold so many Americans up as heroes and mostly link to US citizens works and essays. ? Do you think all of those people (1) Hate their country? (2) Care deeply for their nation country and care for decency and fairness?
        You have a very simplistic world view Henry.

        http://www.twainquotes.com/Patriotism.html

        Heard of him? An American I believe.

    • Jean Baptiste says:

      I doubt “Milton” will ever be regarded as the arbiter of the “right side” of history.
      Google “Kissinger mass murderer ” or “Kissinger war criminal” and see what you get. Here’s one.

      http://www.veteranstoday.com/2016/08/10/kissinger-backed-argentinas-1976-83-mass-killings/

      I’ll link to the rest over the next ten thousand years or so.

      • Kathy says:

        Honey you seem to have a denial of facts issues would you like to tell Aunty Kathy what’s brought this on sugar?

      • Milton says:

        From your link:
        “Kissinger even attended the 1978 World Cup in Argentina at the personal invitation of Jorge Videla, the general who oversaw the forced disappearance of up to 30,000 dissidents.”

        Well that’s it, i’m convinced, Jean the man is a monster!
        And to think of all the tyrants the Queen has supped with.

        • Jean Baptiste says:

          I don’t think you are convinced, and I will continue to post links if you continue with this.

          http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/does-henry-kissinger-have-a-conscience

          Kissinger is truly a monster but is not defined as such by the fact that he attended the World Cup, but by his monstrous actions. While the Queen is an ignorant figurehead, and probably wilfully ignorant who has supped with all sorts of tyrants and despots I doubt she has had any influence at all on British foreign policy.
          Not a very good try Milton. Flailing, even?

          • Jack The Insider says:

            Oh, yeah. Kissinger is a nasty piece of work. For the past two decades he has been very cautious about where he has travelled, fearing he may be put in the stainless steel bracelets and given a one way ticket to the Hague.

    • Trivalve says:

      I’m just amazed that he never dies. is he a zombie?

    • The Bow-Legged Swantoon says:

      The Henry Kissinger Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wej0nlDjkpo

  • Dwight says:

    Credit where credit is due; good advice from former PM Gillard:

    Here’s one tip on how to do so that worked for me — if the jibe comes in after midnight on twitter, it’s fuelled by alcohol not acumen,” she said.

  • Dwight says:

    I see in the news that a mobile home park back in Wisconsin got hit by a tornado. I shouldn’t, but:

    What do a tornado and a redneck divorce have in common?
    In the end, someone is going to lose a trailer.

    • Trivalve says:

      😛 Classic. I’m convinced that there’s something in trailer parks that actually attracts (or causes) tornadoes. Einstein’s cosmic constant perhaps. Brian Schmidt’s been looking in the wrong place.

    • Lou oTOD says:

      Ha Dwight, I thought it was one blow and it’s over!

  • Henry Blofeld says:

    Big Rodney Culleton, Mr Insider, who hasn’t had a win since 3rd Class Primary School when he tripped and fell across the line to win the Egg and Spoon race, now faces paying back all his former Salary and Expenses as a former Senator, having just received a letter of demand from the Commonwealth. Strewth surely Rod can soon crack it for a placing at least!
    http://tinyurl.com/mw7ovjo

  • Carl on the Coast says:

    Jean Baptiste says:
    May 16, 2017 at 11:03 am

    “What a marvelous talent you have for imagining contradictions.”

    Thanks for that JB, and also for your link to the wide selection of NASA’s pretty pics of icebergs, etc.

    I must say NASA”s photography skills appear to have improved since their grainy shots of their “phoney” moon landing in ’69 me old mate, eh?

  • The Plumber says:

    Belated happy Mother’s Day to all the special ladies, and Jean. Jean what did Dismaid give you?
    Seriously, Dismaid I believe you have procreated. Congrats. Don’t forget to put the Private Schooling enrolment in.

    • Razor says:

      Welcome back!

    • Trivalve says:

      Been wondering if we’d ever hear from you again Jim-Bob. How you travelling?

    • Jean Baptiste says:

      Dismayed continually gives me hope that at least some of the younger generation have more intelligence and awareness than the idiotic selfish baby boomers.
      Thanks for asking TP, how are you travelling?

      • Dismayed says:

        JB Give em heaps. I have been exercising and improving my neuro linguistic programming techniques and will continue to open the minds of the young liberals on St Georges tce and even up into wild western QLD. Much harder over there have to talk so slow it loses its effectiveness. Plus cant quite get the side of the mouth drawl (or it that drool) right. eh?

    • Dismayed says:

      You still hanging around Pin head? It seems the oldies get free swings around here.

      • JackSprat says:

        How’s Peppa Pig going?
        Too hard?
        Discovered whole new series for you.
        Jemima Puddle-Duck Numbers, Jemima Puddle-Duck Words etc.
        Should be right up your alley.

  • JackSprat says:

    For non-NSW people, a fire levy used to be put on contents and house insurance. This was to pay for the fire services.
    “This was unfair because people who did not insure their properties evaded the tax.” – percentage was never disclosed.
    So a new tax is coming in based on the value of one’s property and paid with one’s rates.
    Sounds very fair.
    Now the NSW Libs seem to be split as to whether NSW should introduce an ACT Property tax where everybody pays a tax based on the value of one’s land. The current Treasurer loves the idea – the former Treasurer, current Premier, does not.
    I cannot help thinking that the new fire levy is a trial run for a universal land tax.
    A tax based on the value of one’s house is a nasty little wealth tax and does not take into account the ability to pay.
    The value of my “unimproved” land has doubled in the last 4 years – been no infrastructure improvements in the neighborhood so it is all based on recent housing prices.
    Am I any richer – nope – I still need a place to live. The only people who will benefit are the kids when I kark it because they already have a place to live.

    • Tracy says:

      My insurance isn’t due for renewal until January so they’re getting an extra slug out of me, plus the rates will go up to bring us into line with Pittwater and Manly after the amalgamation.
      Don’t get me going on the green slip, getting harder to find one that you don’t have to rob a bank for

      • JackSprat says:

        Geez Tracy, only 9% and it was going to happen anyway = merger or not.
        Bollocks!
        Rates up, health insurance up, doctors up, medicare levy up, petrol up — nah there is no inflation.

    • Carl on the Coast says:

      JS, I understand the tax “fire levy” becomes effective on council rates commencing 1 july this year. So those home insurance policy holders whose renewal comes up in late December will have been slugged twice for the six month period.

      What’s the chances of a refund to cover any overhang?

    • Dismayed says:

      SA has an emergency services levy similar to what you mention. I have always considered council rates as land tax.

      • Razor says:

        Well if you consider it a tax a tax it is!

      • JackSprat says:

        In general one does not get the discrepancy of land values within a rate-able area as one does across a state.
        It has been labelled a Sydney tax because of the high land values in Sydney.
        It’s a very unfair way to levy a tax and the fear is the pollies will not leave it alone.

  • Henry Blofeld says:

    On a lighter side, Mr Insider, a fav moment of mine in The Life Of Brian and its the “Jerusalem Address” so bloody funny imho.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlADJpNtS_s

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