Responsibilities of Media Outlets: Generating Awareness.

My last post looked at the shocking truths the media was revealing by interviewing those most affected by coal seam gas mining epidemic – the citizens living in the mined areas. The 60 Minutes program on Channel 9 also portrayed shocking stories of companies building gas extractors on land belonging to everyday people, much like you & me. Furthermore, it highlighted the fact that Government mining officials themselves do not even know the full effect that this new type of mining will have on the environment, which is one of many reasons that makes this issue so prevalent.

Since this issue hits members of society the hardest, I thought that it may be a good idea to seek opinions of local residents living in the Illawarra community, testing their knowledge, awareness and levels of concern of the issue. This led me to asking two of my family members what they knew about the issue, how they were made aware, and their opinion on the matter. Each person interviewed was from a different demographic, the first being my grandmother, aged 87. Generally, she did not know all that much about the issue, having only heard about local efforts protesting against the issue. However, when I informed her of other undertakings being carried out by coal seam gas miners, she felt it was an atrocious and despicable act. The second interviewee was a member of generation Y, and also a university student. This person was baffled when I poised the question as to how they felt about coal seam gas mining, and I had to first explain the process before they were able to voice their opinion on the matter.

Overall, I strongly think that it is the media who is at fault for the lack of awareness that I discovered when conducting my interviews. Increasingly more and more extraction stations are being constructed, and more families are being driven from their homes and properties. I think the media has a responsibility to be placing the issue under the media spotlight for a sufficient time period to generate enough awareness because horrors of the coal seam gas industry are creeping closer towards our doorsteps.

Coal Seam Gas: The Horrors of ‘Fracking’

This week, I’ve chosen to take a closer look at the television program 60 minutes Australia, broadcasted on the Nine News Network. In June 2011, 60 minutes aired a segment on their show named “The Coal Seam Gas Land Grab”. The report outlined the harsh realities of the booming industry all over the country. While this segment may be close to 8 months old, I still feel it holds dire relevance to the Coal Seam Gas Issue, as what some have called an epidemic, remains a currently contemporary news issue.

Unlike other news stories and pieces I have analysed, this particular one interviews residents, lawyers fighting the case and fat-cat mining executives trying to justify their reasoning for breaking onto people’s properties in order to mine this hazard gas. The report also reveals the devastating effect this is having on families in communities, and also impacts on health, such as cancer and neurological disorders.

Cases in Queensland of water supplies leaking gas, and wells bursting into flames in America were also being reported on. The program also sheds light on the hydro-fracturing process, which is something I was unaware of up until now in my research. Also known as ‘fracking’, it is a process where water, sand and millions of gallons of toxic chemicals are injected into the earth at high pressure, in order to extract the gas. It is also revealed how mining companies possess all of the power, as government legislation supports them in whatever they choose to do.

Overall the programme addresses the shocking truth about the issue and how little is known about the consequences of the process, in an informative non-bias manner.

 

References:

60 Minutes Australia, Fracking – The Coal Seam Gas Land Grab, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PELxZ3K2o0c, accessed 21/04/2012

The Internet – Stamping Out CSG?

This week my research once again focuses on the prevalent Coal Seam Gas issue both on a local and national scale.  As always I skimmed through the Mercury every day (handy having a roommate with a free subscription) this week, and I was quite surprised when I discovered no articles had been published regarding CSG and its effects on the environment.

With this in mind, I decided to take a closer look at the online website Coal Seam Gas News.  This website is quite similar to that of the STOP CSG Illawarra site, however it looks at CSG from a national scope, providing quick access to all things Coal Seam Gas related happening around the nation.

A more recent post on the website ‘Gas could be just as dirty as coal, study reveals’, sources an article from The Sydney Morning Herald, outlining how CSG could leave just as big as carbon footprint as coal unless world-class standards are employed during the extraction process. The article approaches the issue from a neutral standpoint, allowing for readers to independently form their opinions with factual and well-rounded information.  This style of reporting I think is embedded into the fibres of the website, which further elucidates their aim in raising awareness on the ever prevalent Coal Seam Gas issue.

Furthermore, the website even offers a live twitter feed #CoalSeamGas. Allowing for members of the community to interact and reflect in conversation, and have their opinions on key issues heard.

Coal Seam Gas In The Illawarra: The Mercury Scope.

This week, continuing to focus on the coal seem gas issue in the Illawarra, I decided to take a closer look at local newspaper The Illawarra Mercury, which is owned by Fairfax Media Corporation. Mainly I’ve mostly been concerned with the frequency at of the Mercury’s ability to report on the issue in general, also looking at how the issue itself is portrayed by the newspaper.

My findings revealed that the Mercury generally reports on the topic when there is a new development or issue that arises involving CSG on both a local and national level. However, whilst it is a prevalent issue in the Illawarra region, this does not necessarily mean it will find itself etched on the front page of a newspaper. While the Coal Seem Gas issue in the Illawarra could be considered to be quite a high-profile story, it is not unusual for stories such as these to somewhat fade into the latter pages of print media. This way be due to the fact that print media in many ways relies on new and exciting stories that have the ability to draw readers in.

The Illawarra Mercury has seemingly approached the CSG issue with an informative style of sanitised reporting, allowing readers to remain up to date on the issue both at local and national levels. However, members of the local community truly looking to stay in the fold, are much better off subscribing to the STOP CSG Illawarra website, as it is centralised around the issue entirely.

The Coal Seam Gas Rush

In a little more than a decade, coal seam gas mining has evolved into a major industry in Australia. However, I myself have only just recently been made aware of this industry. Whether that stems from the lack of coverage from the media, or my naivety is something I will be exploring through my research. Either way, the coal seam gas rush seems like it is definitely a cause for concern.

If you are unsure of what coal seam gas (CSG) is,  it is basically a methane found in underground coal seems, where it is trapped by natural water pressure.  It is then released by reducing pressure in the seam by drawing out contaminated water. CSG mining near populated areas is alarmingly problematic as it can threaten water systems and supplies, cause seismic activity, and can leave a permanent footprint on the land. Furthermore, the industry could produce as much greenhouse gas as all the cars on the road in Australia (ABC 2012)

Broadcasting corporations such as the ABC have maintained coverage of the issue since it first emerged on to the media scene, with regular articles being posted on their website.  They provide readers with an in-depth analysis, which highlights the key matters surrounding the issue. Their informative style of journalism portrays true projections and elucidates the harsh realities of the booming industry. The Coal Seam Gas: By The Numbers section of the ABC website, provides both maps and graphs that are interactive and informative. Ultimately,  I think this style of reporting enables readers to fully engage with the issue, as the information acts as a scope that viewers can utilise to easily and effectively understand the basic concepts of the issue that is coal seam gas mining.

Scouring around on the Internet, I was able easily find comprehensive amounts of information on CSG and all of its inherent and painfully obvious risks. Community based websites such as Stop-CSG-Illawarra  have been formed to keep locals in the Illawarra community informed and up to date.  Print media such as newspapers and news broadcasts on television does not seem to be as prominent as these news mediums mainly focus on shock headlines in order to draw their viewers in. Typically, stories such as the CSG one, tend to fade into the facets of every day life, and while communities may be aware of the issue, it will not be deemed as significant unless the media dictates it to be so.

 Reference list:

ABC 2012, accessed 13/3/2012, http://www.abc.net.au/news/specials/coal-seam-gas-by-the-numbers/