What Is News?

The Press Council held a Public Forum in Launceston in November. Deborah Kirkman reports on what was said.

A free press is vital to any effective democracy. I don't share some of the ill-will or suspicion of reporting that some of my political colleagues have.

Senator Nick Sherry

Honour, truth, integrity, ethics and responsibility in reporting.

Margaret Bartkevicius, reader.

There is no such thing as an objective journalist. The best we can be is fair.

Rod Scott, editor of the Launceston Examiner.

What is News?

Mr Scott put it this way, "at the Examiner we unashamedly regard ourselves as a local newspaper. Local news is what people are talking about. There is also the important issue of perceptions. Our readers have a view about what makes a 'proper' newspaper." And he added, "we may be the storytellers entrusted with a person's version of events and expected to relay it to thousands, but in the telling we make choices".

"We make choices about which facts and quotes to use, and we make choices about the order in which we use them. We make choices of emphasis. We make choices in the layout about which stories get prominence and which stories get length. Those choices are based on our training and our experience and our individual views of the world."

Commenting on political reporting, Senator Sherry remarked that, "in elected public life there will always be intense public scrutiny and my contention is that is as it should be." Ms Bartkevicius expanded on the theme, "I expect that my newspaper, as reporters of protests and as critics of governments themselves, will play a crucial role." She also expects her newspaper "to be responsible to its readers, even if that means to pass over what could make a good news story from their point of view." She gave an example.

"Some time ago a secondary school in Launceston was receiving phone calls claiming that a bomb had been planted in the school. As the calls were nearly a daily event, it was believed that they were hoax calls. The Regional Director contacted the newspaper requesting that no publicity was given to this nuisance event for obvious reasons of reinforcement of obnoxious behaviour, or of the worry of copycat behaviour." The outcome was positive. The newspaper "responded with discretion, and the behaviour ceased".

Journalists and politicians

Journalists are human beings who, Ms Bartkevicius points out, "can beat up stories, can be intrusive, and sometimes create the news rather than reporting it". Moreover, as Mr Scott sees it, there is the added problem for political journalists who, unless they have "lives outside newspapers, can become insular and out of touch. They mix in the heady world of parliament and MPs and it becomes the centre of the universe". As a player in that universe, Senator Sherry remarked on many politicians who "wrap themselves in so-called traditional family values" then spoil their image by "exhibiting through other behaviour an element of hypocrisy in public life". They are then legitimate news. "You can't have it both ways." He noted, however, an area of news reporting that has traditionally been out of bounds, but seemingly no longer.

"I don't accept in public life that the children of politicians should be subject to any greater media, i.e. being in the news, than any other general member of the public." Speaking as the son of a politician, Senator Sherry believes that, "it is often difficult enough for a child of a politician to put up with the particular difficulties that they confront without having their own struggles with life magnified in the media ... it is the politician that is elected to public position and is open to public scrutiny, not the child".

The anecdotes

Naturally, parents are protective of their children. Mr Scott contrasted the reaction of two sets of parents to the reporting by the Examiner of a car accident, "where a car load of young men from a small country town lost control and crashed head-on into another car. Two of the young men were killed and the occupants of the other car badly hurt". The story made the front page the next day, and was followed up with another "highlighting the deep affection the people in that town felt for the dead young men. It was an emotive story of a small community in grief".

Then came the reaction: "that morning the mother of the people in the other car was in tears in our office accusing us of painting those young men as heroes, when they had caused so much grief to her family. On the other side of the same story, we received a call from the father of one of the dead boys. He was so moved with our coverage".

Similarly moved was Ms Bartkevicius. She told the story of her son and daughter-in-law being in Kuwait when Saddam Hussein invaded. During this time, the Examiner, she recalled, "reported the news of the war as it proceeded but sensitively left me alone in my agony for a time, until a young woman reporter rang my husband to let him know that she must report on the two Launcestonians who were trapped in Kuwait. She retold my story accurately, precisely and with dignity". Then she heard that her loved ones had escaped.

Handing a bouquet to the reporter, Ms Bartkevicius acknowledged that, "she knew what I didn't, that I would be catapulted into instant fame, and told me clearly what to expect and how I may handle that. It happened exactly as she had forewarned. That sensitive and ethical young journalist taught me that I could expect from my local newspaper nurture, support, and protection in the form of advice and knowledge in my hour of need".

Recalling the events surrounding his suicide attempt, Senator Sherry praised the media, who "were extremely respectful of myself and my family's privacy". Since his return to public duties, some in the media "have raised the issue with me from time to time. And I regard that as perfectly legitimate. Of course, I have the right to make a comment or to respond as I so wish, and I have done that from time to time. But, any person who is elected to public office and who makes decisions about our society, it is perfectly valid to make comment and enquire about their health when they return to public office."

To Sum Up

What is News? Mr Scott has the final word:

"I can't answer really the question of what is news, but if you read tomorrow's Examiner you'll see what our news team thought was news today."

DEBORAH KIRKMAN

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