In TV, radio and print, local news is dying. Let’s do something about it
Ahead of tonight’s Walkley Awards, former winner Brian Johnson argues that news is no longer local – and it is time that the journalists’ union The Media Alliance exposed it.
There are many reasons (and culprits) that have brought us to this place where the bean counter mantra of digital delivery short changes almost everyone, bar the immediate shareholders, and threatens to become fool’s gold.
And as our media networks creak and crumble, the key journalist union seems to be presiding over an expansionist Walkley industry. A burgeoning array of categories, including a separate range of trophies for junior journos.
Thankfully these gongs remain recognised as the ultimate accolade for those at the peak of the profession. And so they should be. But lately the Walkley Awards have felt like a borderline Logies-on-steroids extravaganza (complete with a TV show and the occasional drunken antic). The main event is now preceded by Oscar-wannabe finalist announcements held concurrently in various cities.
This article is too long for an online site – it would be better suited in print. It needs to be a 1/4 of the length and then I will read it. Short, succinct, hit the point and then let the comments begin. Sorry.
Oh, regarding local. Digital networks have created worldwide mass niches. Local doesn’t exist anymore does it?
Hmm…I’m sure there is a reasonable point being made here but hidden underneath the hyperbole and easily disputed sweeping statements. Isn’t fact checking an important aspect of journalism?
I agree with you that news is being centralized to ‘hubs’, but you aren’t watching the news if you think that it is local news which is suffering the most in the digital age of journalism.
Turn on any broadcast, of commercial radio, television or (to a lesser extent) front page of a newspaper, and you find story after story filled with journalistic garbage and populist trash which has no or very little newsworthy benefit.
That is the biggest problem. Get the way they are doing it now right first, then work on their regional and local broadcasts.
,
For example, I find it shameful that a “news” program, namely Channel 9, on the 15th of November crossed to America to cover a cat parade in New Mexico (perhaps not exactly this, but something alike) – when hours before, a major train accident had killed 4 veterans and injured 16 more in a bus collision one state down in Texas.
It isn’t the fact that they failed to cover this story – as sad as it is train accidents occur around the world/Australia every hour – but the fact that they crossed to America, they obviously had some free time, and instead of covering what was by then National News to Americans, covered something as fluffy and fickle as a cat parade just one state up.
What we need are better EPs, APs and Management who will actually aim to seek quality news programing. News shouldn’t be a ratings grab.
I agree in principle with what you have said, but there are bigger issues in the current Australian “news” network than centralisation/de-localisation.
Warren Buffet , the investor extraordinaire has bought 66 Local community papers in the US ( and accumultaing more )
Does he know something we don’t ?
Perhaps Print is in a mid term cyclical downward phase and he suspects there will be a rebound and buying at bargain prices when Print is King again is the smartest option ever.
I thinkt this says something about staying power and resilience
Excellent article (albeit slightly long). Not sure that localisation is the solution but certainly am getting depressed to read of the constant downsizing in Australian media. Anything that helps reverse that should be supported for the sake of democracy.
Excellent article, trust the negative nellies to take the opportunity to bag it. Complaining that an article is too long reeks of laziness. I work in regional media and our readers/stakeholders demand local content online & in print. And they really want newspapers to stick around. Try telling that to the inner-city Print Is Dead naysayers
@ local person, it is long isn’t it. Did you find your lips got tired reading it?
hush, critics, this man has won a walkley. this article tells me so, as does his website
@Groucho
I am a ‘big chunker’. My attention span is, oh look a bird! Online, I scan, summarise, take in the bullets and move on.
Publishing for personalities is a goer and dishing up content that offers; full, medium and short versions of the same article is a winner.
Are any publishers doing this? Great engagement if they did.
Not knocking the author and the points raised are very valid. I do feel for a site like Mumbrella that the article was a little long. perhaps the longest I have seen on the site?
What a bunch of sniping so and sos some of you are – yet again. Mumbrella is starting to get a name for the bitchiest readers around – just tearing your media colleagues apart for sport…the article was long, because it needed to be long…do you need to have all your news delivered in tweets these days?…if print is dying and we are all moving to digital, does that mean we will lose quality too because everything is so dumbed down to take into consideration readers’ ADHD? This piece raised some great points, in a good detailed way!
Well said Brian and not too long. It shows that someone gives a damn.
The industry has been leaking credibility for far too long . Newsrooms are shrinking , tv camera crews are increasingly being asked to pool , radio stations who were once bitter rivals share audio ( more due to on-road mateships and respect for the ultimate story) and the print journos who are able to devote time to investigate a story for the sake of all are but a recognisable handful.