The Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics states that “professional integrity is the cornerstone of a journalist’s credibility” (SPJ Code of Ethics, 1996). How else is it possible to determine a journalist’s ‘professional integrity’ than through the practice of scholarly criticism? Thus, critical evaluation of the communication discipline is an essential skill to gain in journalistic education. This assessment is comprised of four annotations which test this skill. The currently ardent debate of legalising same-sex marriage in Australia acts as the framework for this investigation.
Pullen, C. (2009). Gay Identity, New Storytelling and the Media. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
The book, ‘Gay Identity, New Storytelling and the Media’, written by Christopher Pullen initially focuses on the representation of homosexuality in the media. Pullen, a homosexual himself, promotes the idea of communal understanding and acceptance in reporting on issues of homosexuality. Although heavily and credibly referenced, the author’s sexual orientation immediately sets up a bias in his argument for positive media representation. At one point, he analyses the BBC’s 1963 radio program The Male Homosexual, which acted as a trail blazer for positive media representation in a characteristically repressive society. He emphasises the importance for the media to understand that homosexuals are “typical citizen[s] who just happen to be gay” (Pullen 2009, p.35). Pullen sees responsible reporting as “political possibility” which can “bond individuals and groups” (Pullen 2009, p.11). He also delves into media scrutiny of homosexual public figures such as comedian Ellen Degeneres in an attempt to link social justice and individuality. While this book can be criticised as too “ambitious” (Christian, 2011) and one-sided in its exploration of homosexuality and the media, it provides a framework for the responsibilities journalists have in the ongoing same-sex marriage debate facing Australia today.
Cardinal Pell argues against gay marriage. (2012, April 4). The Australian, p. 23.
The article, ‘Cardinal Pell argues against gay marriage’ appeared in The Australian on April 4th, 2012 amid national ardent debates on the hot topic of gay marriage. The subject of this piece is George Pell, an Australian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and current Archbishop of Sydney. His deep religious affiliations create an immediate bias regarding his stance on the issue of same-sex marriage. This bias is directly conveyed in the article which, in an effort to remain objective, presents a one-sided report solely privileging Pell’s standpoint. His view that gay marriages “undermine”(Cardinal Pell argues, 2012) the traditional understanding of what constitutes a ‘family’ aligns with his pre-existing religious beliefs. These views marginalise the homosexual population thereby opposing Christopher Pullen’s declaration that homosexuals are “typical citizens”(Pullen, 2009). The article goes on to recognise the legal underpinnings of Pell’s argument which lie in a child’s right “to understand their biological heritage” (Cardinal Pell argues, 2012) as enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which Australia is a signatory. The publication itself was established by News Limited, which is one of Australia’s leading media conglomerate companies. Its great influence is cemented in its large readership, thus its content must appeal to readers, especially considering its enactment of a paywall. Readers will not pay for dull or generic journalism. This article, in its raw portrayal of Pell’s controversial and extremist opinion, adheres to public interest, despite its unbalanced content.
Gerber, P. (2012, May 15). Marriage equality, myths and misconceptions. The Drum Opinion. Retrieved from http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/4010980.html
Dr Paula Gerber, author of ‘Marriage equality, myths and misconceptions’, uses both her legal and human-rights background to great effect in framing this piece published on The Drum Opinion. Despite it being explicitly opinionated, Gerber supports every claim made with a piece of relevant law or evidence from a highly regarded scientific study, including the notable ‘National Lesbian Longitudinal Family Study’, giving the article extreme credibility. In this, she responds to The Herald Sun’s report that Victorian doctors are expressing anti-gay marriage views rooted in ‘medical evidence’ combating this “prejudicial” and “misconceived” (Gerber, 2012) assertion with well-researched, scholarly evidence, which is lacking in both the article from The Australian and Francis Tapim’s ABC piece. An ABC publication, The Drum is consistent with the principles of public media in representing the views of the nation. This evidences itself in the 801 comments left below ‘Marriage equality, myths and misconceptions’ on The Drum Opinion’s site. The Australian public responded in overwhelming praise for this opinion piece, largely agreeing with Gerber’s standpoint and commending her probing, credible investigations. Thus, Dr Gerber’s view that children of same-sex marriages are not in any way harmed by their situation finds its feet in comprehensive research and appeals to the majority.
Tapim, F. (2012, March 12). Angry backlash over Katter gay marriage ad. ABC. Retrieved from http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-03-12/angry-backlash-over-katter-gay-marriage-ad/3882850
ABC journalist Francis Tapim wrote the article, ‘Angry backlash over Katter gay marriage ad’ which appeared on the network’s online news site on March 12, 2012. ABC’s choice to publish this story online gives it an interactive element, characteristic of Internet journalism. The reader is able to watch the embedded advertisement itself as well as a related radio interview podcast which is linked off to the side. This supporting journalism acts as a precursor to the piece’s ideological standpoint, which tends to support the backlash, favouring the opinions of those who oppose Katter’s unabashed political conservativeness. It is a quotation-heavy article, the majority of which further privilege the pro same-sex marriage stance, including the view of gay-rights activist Tony Robertson who “says the ad is a disgrace” (Tapim, 2012). However, it does voice the opinion of the Queensland leader of Katter’s Australian party, which provides balance. One of the two main public media outlets, the ABC strives to be of public-service, having been founded as a nation building project. The Broadcasting Research Unit in its definition of public service journalism included the element of “special provision for minorities” and a “special relationship to the sense of national identity and community”(Wessels, 2005). In the article’s privileging of the homosexual standpoint, ‘Angry blacklash over Katter gay marriage ad’ epitomises the network’s public service intentions.
External References
Christian, Aymar Jean. (February, 2011). ‘Review: Gay Identity, New Storytelling, and the Media’. Communication, Culture and Critique, 4, 118-120.
SPJ Code of Ethics. (1996). Retrieved May 20, 2012 from http://www.spj.org/ethicscode.asp
Wessels, Bridgette. (December, 2005). 'A new public service communication evironment? Public service broadcasting calues in the reconfiguring media'. New Media & Society, 7, 834-853.
No comments:
Post a Comment