Annotated Bibliography - Coal Seam Gas Mining in the Scenic Rim

Vines, J (2001). News values and country non-daily reporting. Asia Pacific Media Educator, 10, 38-48. Retrieved from http://search.informit.com.au.ezproxy.library.uq.edu.au/fullText;dn=200114456;res=APAFT

The author is an academic who has lectured in Journalism at Deakin University and the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, which demonstrates that she has a strong knowledge of the area. The article uses a range of sources including those who have knowledge of the country newspaper industry to back up the articles idea, however the reliability of the article is questionable due to the fact that it was written in 2001. Due to technological advancements since then one of the key ideas of country towns being isolated due to a lack of technology is outdated, however the key idea of country publications focusing on the community is still seen in country newspapers today. The article is well referenced, with the author citing sources from a variety of different perspectives, which helps to strengthen the article. The language used in the article is easy to understand, making it easy for the reader to comprehend the authors intended meaning. The article is quite helpful to understand the differences between reporting in a country publication and daily publication. One of the key ideas in the article is that country non-daily publications focus more on the ideals of the community instead of the typical ‘if it bleeds it leads’ news value.

Best, M. (Reporter). (2011, October 16). Channel Seven News [Television Broadcast]. Brisbane, QLD: Channel Seven

This clip from Channel Seven news illustrates the difference between the treatment of country news by large media organisations and local media organisations. While the local news organisations focus more on the effect on the local community, the channel seven story uses both facts and emotion and focuses on the bigger story. The story also gives background information to ensure that those who aren’t from the Scenic Rim can understand the story. As this story was a television story on a major network, the target audience was substantially larger than that of a local/regional newspaper. It is interesting to note that the story focused largely on the threat of the community losing its lifestyle as well as the ‘country’ values that exist within the Scenic Rim.  While this is central to the reason that many residents do not want Coal Seam Gas mining, the stories from the local papers focused more on the protest itself, not the effect of Coal Seam Gas mining.  The channel seven story also featured a balancing viewpoint from Arrow Energy who is responsible for the Coal Seam Gas exploration, and Alligence Coal, who are responsible for any future Coal Mining.  In many ways this demonstrates the way in which major news organisation will present an issue of conflict whereas local papers like the Fassifern Guardian and Beaudesert Times are more inclined to report about Community Development. Unlike the other articles, the author has no interest in the region or the impact of Coal Seam Gas mining, meaning a less biased viewpoint is presented.

Cunningham, C. (2011, 18 October) Anti-Mining Fight Reaches New Heights. Beaudesert Times. Retrieved from http://www.beaudeserttimes.com.au/beaudesert/150-anti-mining-fight-reaches-new-heights

The online version of the Beaudesert Times, also featured an article on Coal Seam Gas Mining in the Scenic Rim. The article appears to be originally intended for print, however adapted to feature on the website. Beaudesert and its surrounds are the most populated region of the Scenic Rim, however the paper still has a relatively small circulation. The viewpoint of the Beaudesert Times is quite similar to that of the Fassifern Guardian, and despite the article being almost two weeks old it was still the central focus of the homepage, illustrating that it is a major issue in the community. The article uses many of the same sources as the Fassifern Guardian, however like the Seven News report it gave more background details. One of the main differences found when looking at the articles from country/regional non-daily papers and other media sources is the fact that a balancing sources was not used in either the Beaudesert Times or the Fassifern Guardian, rather the opinion and groups consulted only seem to reflect the view of the wider community.  Amongst the community the paper is seen to be a quite reliable source of information on local issues, which reflects the fact that the paper is written almost entirely with its target audience of local residents in mind.

Battle for the Scenic Rim. (2011, October 19). The Fassifern Guardian, p. 6-7.

The Fassifern Guardian is the local paper in the Boonah-Fassifern Region of the Scenic Rim and has covered the issue of Coal Seam Gas mining and exploration in great detail over the past few years. The paper is thought to be a reliable source of information by many locals who purchase the paper to find out about the issues that affect them, which is one of the main values of country newspapers and reporting. Paper recently won, the Best The Best Newspaper (circulation less than 10,000) at the Queensland Country Press Association conference. The article focuses more on the impact of Coal Seam Gas mining on the locals instead of the facts and figures which are the focus of other articles on the issues, written by those not from the region. While the paper doesn’t present a evident bias in the article, the journalists have in previous articles expressed their concern about the Coal Seam Gas in the Scenic Rim. While some may believe that this impacts on the reliability of the source, the view shared by the paper is the shared by the wider community, adding to the community value of the source. The article, which got a full front page and a spread in the centre of the paper is definitely is in line with the news value ‘if it is local it leads’ a value which is central to Country news publications. 

One in Seven Billion

The worlds population is forecast to reach 7 Billion next Monday. What does this mean for the human population? While the growing population is set to have little affect on those who live in first world nations, its those in developing who will be impacted the most over the next 25 years.

The human population has already exceeded forecasts in terms of the population that the planet can sustain. Problems seem certain in the future however, with famines already affecting many in third world countries. It is only a matter of time before we see the stabilisation of the human population through one of the population controls identified by Thomas Malthus which included, war, famine and disease. 

They say that one man can change the world, but its time all 7 billion people worked together to ensure that we do have enough resources to cater for the worlds growth. 

Apparently the Burgers are No Longer Better at Hungry Jacks - But they're Organic

Hungry Jacks to Change Its Image

In a bid to change their image Hungry Jacks has ditched its current slogan, introduced vegetable sticks and put Calorie information on their menu board. They have also introduced 'country style' burgers made from Organic Beef all around the country. 

Are customers however really concerned about the nutritional value of their meal? Does anyone really go to a fast food chain to purchase salad sticks with the burger? People go to these places mainly out of convenience with knowing that it is not the healthiest food or most nutritional food. 

While customers always take to the new products in the long run, you only have to take a look at the Hungry Jacks Facebook page to see that many customers are upset over the removal of some burgers including the Aussie Burger as well as the changing of the slogan. 

In terms of their new 'Country' burgers is it just another example of companies tagging on the idea of the country or homestyle to simply sell more? The beef industry is full of labels from Angus to Grain Fed, to Organic. Terms which were once used only by beef producers, butchers and fine dining resturants are now common place in our supermarkets and fast food chains. 

Lecture Eleven - Investigative Journalism

Journalists don't just break the news, tell the stories that everyone quickly gets wind of, journalists also uncover the news, dig up the secrets left hidden.

Journalism is important to democracy, with Investigative Journalism particularly important to democracy, by keeping the government honest. One of the most famous investigative journalism pieces in Australian history, a story on Four Corners, "Moonlight State" in 1987 lead to the Fitzgerald Inquiry which investigated corruption amongst Queensland Police. Another more recent example of Investigative Journalism which had a major impact is the Four Corners report, "Code of Silence". The report destroyed the career of former footballer and entertainer Matthew Johns, as well as the integrity of the National Rugby League. 

The immense power of investigative journalism is most evident however when looking at the 'Watergate' scandal. Reporters for the Washington Post uncovered the fact that the Nixon adminstration had attempted to cover up a break at the Democratic National Committee Headquarters which they had involvement in. The uncovering of Watergate, brought down arguably the most powerful man in the world at the time.

Investigative Journalism isn't always as 'sensational', it exists even at a local level, where the aim isn't necessarily to bring down a government, but inform communities. Perhaps the most important thing when it comes to investigative journalism, is to check your facts.

Like all forms of journalism, investigative journalisms future is uncertain. More expensive than news journalism, for investigative journalism to continue, media companies need money to support it. While the media companies need money to continue, the general population and democracy will always need Investigative Journalism. 

Lecture Ten - News Values

"The degree of prominence a media outlet gives to a story, and the attention that is paid by the audience"


There are numerous news values with News Values in many ways being the 'newsworthiness' of the story. Different news organisations and countries will have different News Values. Two of the biggest news values that we see day to day are 'If it Bleeds it Leads' as well as local news leads.

Essentially if it 'bleeds it leads' refers to the idea that stories of crime, gore etc are the most newsworthy. A similar approach is seen with the idea that local news leads. This was particularly evident during the 2010/2011 Queensland Floods, when the media coverage was almost solely concentrated on this event.

There are several identified values which determine the newsworthiness of a story. This table from the lecture details some of the news values -

Some critics believe that by editors sticking to the newsworthy values they have neglected to report news which may be more important. News Values and picking what is newsworthy is difficult, after all everyone will find something more important. This evident when looking at publications and what they contain. A magazine like New Idea contains stories almost solely about celebrity gossip, a country newspaper will discuss the price of cattle or grain, a health magazine will have articles which relate to healthy living. The audience is aware of this when they pick up their publication.

Lecture Nine - Agenda Setting

"Agenda setting is the process of the mass media presenting certain issues frequently and prominently with the result that large segments of the public come to perceive those issues as more important than othrs. Simply put, the more coverage an issue receives, the more important it is to the people" (Coleman, McCombs, Shaw, Weaver, 2008)

As soon as you open the paper, or turn the television on, the role of Agenda Setting is clear. The news that we receive and deem most important, is the news that the media choose to make us believe is the most important. The issues of Carbon Tax and 'Boat People' are in recent months, examples of the role of Agenda setting in Australia. The idea that the media shapes our view on these issues is also clearly evident. The media has been quite critical of the Carbon Tax in Australia and unsurprisingly the populatrity of the Gillard Government has dropped to record lows through their support of the Carbon Tax. 

The media doesn't just choose what we regard as important, they create our opinion in the issue. The biggest effect of Agenda Setting, is that we do not have a proper view of what is truly important. 

Agenda Setting Family - 

Media Gatekeeping - What issues the media reports on.

Media Advocacy - The way in which the media promotes issues such as smoking and skin cancer. 

Agenda Cutting - The way in which the media makes important issues seem unimportant by not reporting on them as much as other issues. 

Media Bandwagon - The idea that the media will get on the trends. 

The diffusion of news - The way in which important events/policies are announced. 

Portrayal of the Issue - The way which different media organisations portray an issue that in turn shape the publics perception of the reality. The idea of bias comes into this issue.

Media Dependance - People who use media more become more likely to see the news through the stories the media deems most important. 

The Agenda Setting theory does shape our view of the world. If the media talks about Coal Seam Gas mining every night or Carbon Tax we begin to see it as the most important. While some people will seek other outlets and find the news and important issues themselves, most people are susceptible to the Agenda Setting theory. 

Lecture Eight - Public Media

"The difference between commercial broadcasting and public broadcasting is the difference between consumers and citizens" - Nigel Milan (former Managing Director of SBS)

Public Media unlike media has the ultimate purpose to serve the public instead of making a profit. While we may associate Public Media with the ABC and SBS in Australia there are many other forms of Public Media which we engage with daily, including the Internet and Blogging.

What is the purpose of Public Media?
In many ways the purpose of Public Media is to provide more serious news to the public in a world that is increasingly becoming more tabloid like. Public media is also 'supportive for the democratic process'.

Some of the Historical Functions of the ABC public media include:

- Nation Building
- National Heritage
-National Identity
- National Conversations.

These functions are still relevant today, with the Australian identity often important us.

Just under half of Australians get their news from the ABC illustrating that despite the array of commercial media options Australians are still engaging with public media. One of the biggest challenges for the public media is to ensure that they are independent. The ABC has been criticised in the past of not being independent, with former treasurer Peter Costello believing that the news programs on the ABC tend to be more supportive of the policies of the Labor party and the Greens.

Public Media is important to inform and entertain with the people in mind. We are supposed to at the centre of Public Media, however just like Commercial Media there are still questions over the future of Public Media, with different financial models currently being investigated worldwide.

Lecture Seven - Commercial Media

Love it or hate it, commercial media impacts our lives. Even in our day to day lives the impact of commerical media is hard to deny.

Read the news on Ninemsn? Commercial Media.

Watch Sunrise in the morning? Commercial Media.

Watch the latest episode of Gossip Girl on Foxtel? Commercial Media.

Turn on a game of NRL? Commercial Media.

Open the Courier Mail? Commercial Media.

Despite the fact that Commercial Media plays such a huge role in our lives, do we all really know and understand what it is? Essentially Commercial Media is media that is not funded by the government, which is either paid for by the users or through advertising dollars.

With media and news seen as one of the pillars of democracy there is no denying the importance of Commercial Media in Australia. Some critics of commercial media believe that "Commercial = corrupt; lack of quality; profit over-rides social responsibility" - John McManus 1994

The media has a social responsibility to inform us. While we are still being informed, are we really being informed about the issues which actually concern us? Do we need to know which celebrities are dating? While we get more of these stories because we ask for me, Commercial media will not deliver the pressing issues until we become interested. After all, interest equals dollars.

The future of Commercial Media is up to us. We as media consumers along with business owners can to continue to fund commercial media, or move towards user generated public media like blogs or media produced by government subsidised organisations.

The Real News!

Water Released From Wivenhoe Dam

In fear of a repeat of last summer, water has been released from Wivenhoe Dam. After criticism of the Government last year for not releasing water from the Wivenhoe Dam to use as flood mitigation, SEQ water has decided this year to release water in what is described as their 'standard operational procedures'. The move however has caused criticism with some concerned it will supply problems if we don't have a big wet season.

Many people may be unaware that currently we have another Dam ready to be connected to the SEQ water grid, however the government will not commit to connecting it to the system until 2014/2015.  The Wyaralong Dam, situated west of Brisbane between Boonah and Beaudesert is currently sitting in our backyard, 75% full not being used. The Dam is situated in a rural/farming area with the LNP calling for the water to be made available for Rural usage.

Bali Boy to Be Returned to Parents?

The Chief Prosecutor in Bali has said that the 14 year old boy at the centre of the drug charges will spend minimal time in prison and will be returned to his parents custody after the trial. While the whole story is causing outrage here in Australia it reinforces the fact that no matter where we travel we should follow the laws of the country we are in.

A Day of Unusual Headlines

It is evident that it is a slow news day when a one-eyed shark, a mummified man and a man with a 50kg Scrotum make the headlines.

To read about everything unusual take a look at these stories -

Shark Not A Hoax

Mummification Documentary To Air

The Price of Normality? One Million Dollars

Carbon Tax, Dirty Laundry and the Super League all over again?

Independent Commission Boycott?

With the Independent Commission in the National Rugby League set to be rolled out this November, there are now fears that that Independent Commission may not eventuate. For fans this may not have a major impact, however for those involved in the game, an Independent Commission is generally thought to be a positive step for the game. Fans however should be worried, with all sixteen of the NRL clubs threatening to break away from the NRL and form their own competition if News Limited and the ARL do not meet the demands of the NRL clubs. For those with short memories, the NRL was formed to unite the clubs after the Super-League war between ARL and News Limited. The difference this time? All sixteen clubs are threatening to form one competition instead of the two competitions which divided the fans and players in 1997. If the NRL is truly concerned about winning the territory war, they need to ensure that they can all work together to achieve what is best for the game. 

Carbon Tax Passed With a Kiss

It's official, the Carbon Tax has been passed through the Lower House, with Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd even sharing a kiss to celebrate. Whether the kiss was for show or not, one thing is for certain, tonight many Labor voting Australians will be sitting in their lounge rooms disappointed by the fact that they voted the Gillard Government into power on the back of a lie, regardless of whether they support the Carbon Tax. 

 Labor's Dirty Secrets to be Aired

While Campbell Newman likes to think the only mud slinging he has done was during the 2011 Floods, the Liberal Nationals are getting down and dirty, with it revealed they paid for a dossier of pros, cons and dirty secrets to be produced about the Labor Government. Newman is standing behind the staffers responsible, and has asked the Courier Mail not to publish the file, however it is set to go ahead in tomorrow's paper. This well and truly sets the tone for the next state election campaign. 

News of the Day and One Rumour

Let's start off with the rumour, Jonathon Thurston a Bronco?

According to some sources on twitter, the Brisbane Broncos have made a major signing however they cannot announce it until the player is released from their club. Many people are speculating that the signing is in fact Jonathon Thurston who will be released when they sign-up a replacement. Whether its fact or fiction, its sure to keep the sports media in a flurry, hungry for a story to tell in the long off season. 

Fat Nation, Fat Tax

With the cost of living rising, and Australians already tightening their belts at the thought of a carbon tax, do we really need a tax on un-healthy foods? Education is the key to Australia's obesity epidemic, not a tax, after all, you can lead a horse to water, you just can't make it drink. You can tax people all you like, but if they're ill informed they will still eat unhealthily. 

No Iphone 5 Just Yet

Apple has disappointed loyal fans by releasing the Iphone 4s instead of a new Iphone 5. The power of the Apple brand is stronger than ever however, illustrated by the fact that one little phone has the ability to be a news story world-wide. 

And just for fun for all the Harry Potter fans - 

Invisability Cloak not so Magical

Now I know I can get an Invisibility cloak, all I need now is my entrance letter to Hogwarts. Although there is a scientific explanation, i'm just going to pretend that it is magic. 

RANT TIME!

There is nothing that frustrates me more than people who wrongly report or manipulate statistics to suit themselves. This letter to the editor clearly contains statistics that cannot be corroborated by any other reputable sources.

Just like they call for the media to be honest and report suicide, they should be honest and give the public real facts and real figures.

Here are the statistics on suicide, as compiled by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Products/3303.0~2009~Chapter~Suicides?OpenDocument