Category Archives: Uncategorized
Reflecting on the Media’s portrayal: The Coal Seam Gas Epidemic
The media is a very powerful device that has be ability to place issues and events that occur in society under the media spotlight, whether it be on a local, national, or global scale. The media acts as a transmitter, whether it is printed, published online, or broadcasted on television; information is relayed to the public that they then decode themselves. However, practices of the media can result in certain issues and events having greater significance placed upon them, meaning they are perceived to be of greater importance. Examples of this are front page stories in newspapers, and breaking news stories on primetime broadcast news programs. This method of supply consequently diverts attention away from other stories, and they are then deemed to be of less importance by the institutions relaying them, therefore altering societal opinion in relation to the level of importance.
This can be quite problematic, as companies such as Fairfax and News Corp in Australia. Between these two institutions, they own the majority of newspapers, radio stations, and magazines in circulation. This enables them to infect the public with their own bias ideologies across many news mediums and communication streams. As a result, public opinion can be swayed at a more prolific rate, as they are able to correlate their own bias stances on news via multiple media mediums – however this is not always the case. Throughout my following of the Coal Seam Gas issue I have looked at many different types of media, in an attempt to gauge just exactly how the media is communicating the issue to the public. Certain broadcasting corporations such as the ABC have maintained coverage of the coal seam gas issue, since the story initially surfaced onto the media scene. In my first post The Coal Seam Gas Rush, I draw attention to the fact that the corporation has an entire section of their website dedicated to the Coal Seam Gas (CSG) issue, which lists factual data and is constantly updated whenever new stories surface, giving readers a heightened understanding of the issue. Furthermore, an article in the Australian, reports how the ABC was recently forced by the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association to take down content from their website. This example clearly underlines how significant the ABC considers the issue to be.
My second post focused on Coal Seam Gas in the Illawarra, closely examining the region’s newspaper The Illawarra Mercury, and how the issue was reported on. My research for this blog post found that while the newspaper generally reported on new developments regarding the issue, both on national and local levels. However, I also discovered that even though it is considered to be quite a high-profile story within the region, updates and developments on the issue commonly find themselves placed in latter pages of the newspaper. Consequently this can result in a lack of significance being placed on the issue by the readers. Furthermore, the post highlighted that this also may be a result of print media heavily relying on shocking headlines such as “Grandmother’s body in wardrobe: man pleads guilty” to draw readers into purchasing the paper. Predominately this trend was quite common all of the print publications I looked at; however other forms of media such as websites on the Internet had much more freedom, as the webpages were exclusively devoted to putting the issue under the media spotlight.
Online media websites such as Coal Seam Gas News which I talked about in my blog post “The Internet – Stamping Out CSG?”, is a prime example of online media exclusively focusing on one issue continuously. My research found that the website features regular updates and also runs a live twitter feed to further keep members of the public up to date on the issue. This online publication approaches the CSG issue from a fairly neutral standpoint, stating factual information, allowing for readers to independently form opinions on the matter. The main aim of this website is to raise awareness about the issue, rather than bellowing out bias opinions like traditional media outlets may seek to do.
Overall I found that the media, depending on how the outlet and style of reporting, generally dictates how audiences will react and decode the information given to them. Reputable companies such as the ABC and companies owned by larger corporations such as Fairfax Media and News Limited play crucial roles in drawing attention to these issues and keeping them under the media spotlight long enough to have the issue deemed significant by the public. However, significance of local issues reported on by local media outlets can sometimes see a lack of significance placed on the issues as there is a distinct lack of coverage, meaning that important contemporary issues such as the CSG one may be overlooked by members in the community.
Citizen Journalism: Giving Power To The People.
Prior to the digital age, mainstream media and news outlets were almost exclusively regarded as the only form of acceptable and informative sources of information. The media was streamlined, both through print and television, and a very sanitized method of reporting was used, however there has been an apparent shift in the balance of news dissemination within traditional news media outlets.
Today, in the midst of the digital age, we are seeing more and more news reports (especially world news), being reported on with the aid of citizen journalism. I have previously blogged about the powers of citizen journalism, and its ability to give the voiceless. Raw, unedited footage has the power to allow viewers to engage with the content more, and to focus less on the bias little spin whichever news corporation is trying to spurt out with the story. This type of media is referred to as Civic Media, as it increases public participation enabling the exchange of meaningful information, and increases the agency of a citizen (Mitew, 2012).
This new style of journalism in the digital age is challenging the practices of old, and I think it is a very positive step towards a more transparent relay of contemporary information within society. Gatekeeping is the practice I refer to, and it has been defined as basically the manipulation of information in order to make it appropriate for the news media realm (Lewis et. al. 2010, pp. 164-165). I also feel that there is a correlation between gatekeeping and sanitized reporting, as they both share similar principles.
When thinking about citizen journalism, while it has become increasingly more prevalent with online media outlets and television, the world of print media remains just as rigid as it previously was. Overall, citizen journalism, aided with technology has created a gateway for those who were once considered to be the audience, to wield the powers of the media, relaying news to fellow citizens, at their own volition.
References
Lewis, C 2010, ‘Thinking about citizen journalism: the philosophical and practical challenges of user generated content for community newspapers’, Journalism Practice, Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 163-179, accessed 01/05/2012.
Mitew, T 2012, Citizen Journalism, BCM112, Convergent Media Practices, University of Wollongong, delivered 02 May 2012.
Edited 10/05/2012
Internet Browsers: A Part of You, & Me.
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/
Introductory Blog Post
So the Subject Outline for BCM 112 has forced my hand, and I now feel somewhat obligated to post an introductory post to my blog.
Anyway, I’m Daniel Barrett. I’m 23 and am half way through my first year of a Bachelor of Media Communication studies undergraduate degree at the University of Wollongong, Australia. However, I have also just picked up numerous Public Health: Nutrition subjects as I am hoping to graduate with a minor in this field. Health publication is the field I ‘think’ I am looking to go into, but then again, who knows what it is I really want. I’m an avid traveller, and spent most of 2009 and 2010 as a nomad travelling around the globe. I’m a competitive sprinter, have more musical knowledge than I know what to do with and I love to cook. I’m interested in social media, sociology, nutrition and physiology, and there’s never a dull moment in my life.
But getting right down to it. This blog will primarily focus on my research and subject material for my BCM 110 & 112 subjects!
– Daniel
The Internet, An Abyss 