Working at Centrelink is better than being a journalist
Today I had a first-hand experience how the media has no respect in Australia. Which is sad, but also a bit odd. Aussies seem to love bagging out journalists, but they also seem to love shows like A Current Affair and Today Tonight. They even assume these shows are trustworthy sources, unbiased, professional and the only proper news in this country. First time I saw an add for one of these bottom feeding programs I had to ask the missus if it was satire or if they were for real.
News is kind of like politics, people sadly get the news they deserve. If they don’t set the bar high, they shouldn’t be surprised if all they are served is oozing tabloid vomit on their screens. If you want better news, demand better news. Don’t complain you can’t get proper journalism in this country and later enjoy diarrhea inducing hour of Today Tonight or ACA and claim that is journalism. That is kind of like saying drugs are bad while you drink two bottles of wine a day. No one will take you serious.
The missus had to drop of some papers at Centrelink today and the lady that helped her— sounding a lot like Kath from Kath and Kim —she asked what were doing. When I said I was going to study journalism next year it was too obvious she forced herself to say: “That’s … good.” I respectfully lectured her— to avoid the missus suffer from rage —that there is no need for journalists or that it’s the worst job ever is a myth.
Because working at Centrelink is such a high aspiration. Who cares about what Hunter S. Thompson, Mark Twain and Christopher Hitchens has done? Centrelink is where it happens. That’s the organisation with the people who changes the world, right?
Bollocks!
I added that ‘the media needs more professional journalist’ and the missus added to that by saying: “Unlike Channels Seven which is just horrible.” Oddly enough when Channel Seven was mentioned she wasn’t interested in taking the debate further. Hmmm… Who would have thunk that?
Seems to be all too Common. Those who hate and criticise the media a bit too often here are religious followers of Channel Seven, Channel Nine and/or Channel Ten. I guess she hates the kind of journalism ABC and SBS produces and loath shows like Media Watch by Jonathan Holmes. How dare they try to be fair and balanced? And how dare they point out ethical and factual mistakes made by other news?
Glad I speak more than one language. Should make it easier for me to work abroad or for major international newspapers.
