We are the World

I took a class last semester called 'Journalism Cultures' and it is one of the best classes I've taken at uni, not so much for the content of the course but more for the professor who inspired and encouraged free thinking debate. Unlike the other classes at uni, Journalism Cultures was less about practical skills and more about thinking about the news and journalism and its influence on society and culture. And vice versa.

Anyway, the reason I bring this up is because I read this article on a site a friend has recently launched. It reminded me of a very heated debate I had in one of my Journalism Cultures classes. I can't remember exactly how the debate started but it was about the Australian media and its lack of reportage of world issues (USA does not count). I believe the mainstream Australian media is creating incredibly insular Australians. News is seldom news unless it has an Australian angle to it.

I remember a guy in class said he did not think there was anything wrong with it. He said he would not be interested in world issues otherwise. He said, for example, that he was not interested in the Middle East and the war because it did not concern him in any way. The only way he would be interested was if it was related to Australian soldiers. Yes. Pause for shock.

Whether media influences cultures or vice versa is like arguing the chicken and the egg question so we won't go into that. But there is no denying that the mainstream media plays a huge role in influencing the people consuming the media. My classmate's argument proved my point didn't it? Scarily enough, this is one of Australia's future journalists.

An important lesson in journalism is localising the news so it is relevant to the public reading/ watching/ listening to it. But, this in no way means that important world issues should be ignored just because the story has no Australian angle to it. As world citizens, Australians need to know what is going on in the world and the journalists (creators of the media) need to responsibly report the news to its public (consumers of the media).

From the shootings in Mumbai, the earthquakes in Samoa to the blasts in Indonesia - none of these were reported in the Australian media for the magnitude of the news. The news was reported in the Australian media but it mainly talked about how many Australians were affected or if Australians died overseas. Is that really all that matters? News of this magnitude is STILL news irrespective of whether it affects Australians or not.

The Australian media needs to take a more proactive approach as far as it world news reportage is concerned. Since the media plays an important role in influencing the public it needs to do more in creating less ignorant and insular Australians. The Australian media needs to get its head out of the sandbox and take a look around... maybe there is more important news than yet another NRL player getting arrested for drunk driving?