Kate McClymont: ‘New media doesn’t yet have the capacity to hold the powerful to account’
Kate McClymont
Sydney Morning Herald investigative journalist Kate McClymont believes that new media do not yet have the capacity to deliver robust investigate journalism.
Speaking at the St James Ethics Centre’s IQ2 debate on the proposition ‘Good riddance to the media dinosaurs’, McClymont said that “for a free and fearless press”, new and traditional media needed to “coexist”.
“The things we do, we do well. You don’t yet have the capacity to do that. You don’t yet have the capacity to hold the powerful to account,” she told the panel of new media experts.
This is a bit of an old-skool debate. What is the definition of “old media” vs “new media” anyway? The ability to hold people and institutions to account comes down to two or three things: Firstly audience /readership — this is a big part of what gives a media organisation real clout. Those being held to account care less about media outlets that have low readership than they do about those which have a large audience. Traditional media outlets are most certainly under pressure from newer players on this front (think buzzfeed, huffpo etc). Secondly its about having the resources- both in terms of money and expertise – to chase those stories, hold people/institutions to account – again some of the new media players are building large and experienced/skilled editorial teams while traditional media continues to cut, cut, cut. Much as I love what Kate does, I think her comments reek of the same sort of complacency about the role/importance of traditional media that got them into the dire spot they find themselves in now. (didn’t they say much the same sort of thing about classifieds 20 years ago?)
what year is this again?
This was the third IQ debate I have been to, and it was a good one. Interesting to see how the very largely undecided audience were swayed by the end of the night in the old media’s favour.
I felt a bit sorry for Tim Duggan who seemed to cop all the questions for the new media. Strong performances from all of the speakers, although the three from the old media were particularly strong.
Think it should be pointed out that it wasn’t only Sarrah Le Marquand who charitably spruiked the competition. Kate McCylmont made several kind references to News Ltd too. It was likely that sense of solidarity between Fairfax and News in staring down the new media that won the audience around.
Was there any forecasting discussed, in terms of when ‘new media’ will be able to swing elections…?
“McClymont countered that the Australian Press Council was one body that offered accountability and that traditional media was compelled to run apologies and corrections by them.”
With nowhere near the same prominence and profile as the original transgressions, she forgot to add. I love it when the holier-than-thou are prime transgressors.