IF YOU have already visited my site you will know that I decided that I could call myself a citizen journalist and that I am a part time contributor to Independent Australia (IA), an independent news site – or, more properly, independent media or alternative media.
Hmm, I suppose then that would make this site “independent media” – I like that 🙂 . As for alternative, I have quite an alternative view on accepted history – on most matters. But that is another story.
On Independent Media.
There are many who speak of the importance of (modern) independent media, particularly the need for the public to source information through avenues other than just the main stream media (MSM), but also the opportunity given to “citizen journalists” by independent media.
As that opportunity was given to me by IA, I think it only fitting that my first post should introduce the reader to “independent media” with a short summary of articles sourced from IA – especially considering that people with far greater experience than I have spoken there on the issue.
Firstly, freelance journalist Alan Austin has a two part piece on IA where he discusses the rise/advantages of independent media;
‘…the first reason the old paper empires are crumbling and online outlets growing – immediate news. There are at least ten others’.
And gives a summary of;
‘…publications worth reading regularly. For those… serious about tracking events in Australia, following developments abroad and understanding Australia’s place in the world.’
Now I must say that I really wouldn’t call Alan Austin a “citizen journalist” – in any sense like myself. His IA bio reveals that he has;
‘…written for many media outlets and been published in most Australian newspapers and online publications. [And that he] …wrote the influential Uniting Church report on prisons in Victoria… which led directly to the jailing of prison officers…’
But then I think I would trust Austin’s assessments of matters – he is highly creditable – has written extensively for the MSM – knows the “demon” – and urgers us to look to independent media to better inform ourselves.
Next is a short piece from Peter Wicks which includes a video where he points out a problem with Murdoch’s control of the media and the importance of independent media;
‘…we saw the controversies of Ashbygate and Jacksonville… virtually ignored by the mainstream, despite the events that surrounded these controversies being two of the biggest stories in Australian political news for a decade. It is only now, years later, that the mainstream is finally catching up.’
Ashbygate refers to IA’s investigation (and book) of the Peter Slipper James Ashby affair that had the potential to topple the government. Jacksonville is IA’s investigation of the ongoing Kathy Jackson saga. All published well before the MSM decided to take them up.
Now consider this article by Christian Marx discussing the link between the MSM and big business;
‘Commercial media is owned and run for the benefit of big business and its profit driven interests. …it cannot be trusted to have the communities best interests at heart. It has vested interests that are diametrically in opposition to the wellbeing of the majority.’
‘Examples of the corruption and dishonesty of the media are legion’ – says Marx, following it up with samples of the MSM’s collusion with the corporate world in distorting facts and manipulating public opinion. According to Marx;
‘If the people want to have some transparency in government and the hard questions tackled, then mainstream media must be bypassed and alternative media embraced.’
Christian Marx’s article is a very good read indeed.
I will leave the final word to Julian Burnside, much maligned by the MSM and conservatives – but someone whose understanding of matters would far surpass mine and most people’s I know. Someone who I doubt would make up facts.
Burnside’s short piece also includes a video – though his most telling point is this;
‘In the area in which I am particularly interested, which is the treatment of asylum seekers, 70 per cent of people think asylum seekers are illegal and 70 per cent of people get their news from the Murdoch press. Now, that’s an interesting coincidence of numbers; they may not be the same cohort precisely, but they may be.’
An Interesting coincident indeed – considering that at the time (2015) it had been explained time and again that they are not “illegal”. While, if those numbers do correlate it would certainly suggest that the MSM has been sowing miss-information into the public discourse – controlling the narrative and constructing opinion.
Doesn’t it make you wonder? 😮
Like the lamb that goes to the slaughter,
The majority can be easily led,
Like the horse that’s been taken to water,
Blissfully ignorant on the rubbish they’re fed.
(John Maycock – around 2003)
Notes: The images within the article are sourced from the relevant articles and linked back to them. The Malcolm X image has its source on it (click on it for a bigger version) – the last image is linked to its origin.
Also – although the Ashbygate book image links to the IA “shop”, I do not receive payment for doing so. However I do have a copy of the book and it is an interesting read.