[csaa-forum] ALP 101

[Vincent O'Donnell]

Further to Lisa Gunders' observation that 'for 8 years the government has encouraged
us to thing that it's ok to be rude and agressive to minorities and those
you don't agree with', take a look at the letters pages yesterday, especially The Australian.

The tone of the attacks on those who campaigned for a change of government, especially on figure like Alan Ramsey and
Phillip Adams, was particularly disturbing.  Just as Howard seized on the racist utterances of Pauline Hanson and One
Nation, and defended them as proof of free speech thus returning racism to public discourse, I am concerned that
facrication, angry assertions and decontextualised arguements will be more accepted as journalism because it is allowed
to appear in the media.

Certainly, if the cross media rules are eased , as is likely, the media as a forum for the democratic discourse
considered essential to our form of government may yet die. The thought of Murdoch buying into television and Packer
taking over John Fairfax raises immense questions of the promotion of the public good as the purpose of government. 



Vincent O'Donnell MA
School of Applied Communication, RMIT
GPO Box 2476V, Melbourne, Vic., 3001
Tel. 03 9925 3028  Fax. 03 9639 1685

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