I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I’m approaching 40 years as a reporter. 

If I could count writing a few stories for the original R. M. Williams magazine, Hoof and Horns, it is closer to 45 years.

As much as I love my job, there are elements that I find a tad soul destroying. 

And it’s all about politics and media spin. Cliched perhaps, but it’s dramatically changed how journalists do their jobs and, in my view, not for the better.

The obvious change has been the speed of the news cycle and the death of a thousand cuts to some sectors of the media. 

Take regional newspapers as an example. I spent three years as editor of a regional paper and had four staff and a manager. When editors of papers under the same ownership went on leave, I’d have to edit two weekly papers. Now, the one editor is responsible for three weekly papers with half the staff. 

This plays right into the hands of the spin doctors who put out a media release that is pretty much printed verbatim.

It’s far more serious than that though. It’s become undemocratic. 

Political media releases are churned out with the usual blurb, followed by ‘quotes from the minister’. 

Print journalists at least have a quote. For a radio program like Country Today it means we can’t do the story other than a minor mention. 

I’ll give you an example – a media release last week quoting the Victorian Minister for Agriculture and Carers and Volunteers.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Carers and Volunteers Ros Spence: “We’re enabling collaboration between food relief providers right across Victoria, to reduce duplication, increase efficiency, pool resources, and ultimately – get more food to people in need.” 

I duly emailed the media contact on the release, suggesting perhaps it might be time the audience heard from the Agriculture Minister for the first time, and no response. Ros Spence has been ag minister for 12 months and she has never been on Country Today.

Federally, it’s not much better. The previous Agriculture Minister Murray Watt was usually quite obliging, but not his replacement. 

Do you know her name? You could be forgiven for not knowing as she seems to be media shy. She’s only been in the job since July, but her media minders ignore interview requests, and on the day of the ‘Keep and Sheep’ campaign in Canberra, she was at an organic farming conference.

I can remember working in radio current affairs in the 1990s and being rather bored having to go to the weekly Premier’s media conference at Parliament House in Melbourne. 

The late John Cain knew just about every single one of us by name, and always answered questions with honesty and respect. 

I’d say the same about former Prime Minister John Howard. A decade after I’d interviewed him as leader of the opposition, as Prime Minister he remembered my name and again, responded with honesty and respect. Those were the days.

The entire October 30, 2024 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!

The entire October, 30, 2024 edition of AgLife is available online. READ IT HERE!