Mood:
caffeinatedTopic: election Oz 2007
Author’s general introductory note (skip this if you know this regular weekly column):
This is not a well packaged story. It’s a contemporaneous traverse of the Sunday television free to air political talkies indicating the agenda of Establishment interests: Better to know ones rivals and allies in Big Politics and Big Media.
Indeed it’s the tv version monitoring task similar to what Nelson Mandela refers to here in his book Long Walk to Freedom (1994, Abacus) written in Robben Island prison (where he was meant to die like other African resister chiefs of history in the 19C), at page 208
“..newspapers are only a shadow of reality; their information is important to a freedom fighter not because it reveals the truth, but because it discloses the biases and perceptions of both those who produce the paper and those who read it.”
Just substitute ‘Sunday tv political talkie shows’ for "newspapers" in the quote above.
For actual transcripts go to web sites quoted below except with Riley Diary on 7. And note transcripts don’t really give you the image content value.
Media backgrounder
- Incredible theme of dangerous climate change concern, perhaps metaphorically symbolised by the Sculpture by the sea above, blue man and people looking one way, the turbo liesure cruiser and follower going the 'wrong way' on energy policy:
- Fabulous half page colour advert in The Australian shown in penultimate post, paid for by The Wilderness Society.
- Fair bit on regional rorts on quality media as per National Audit Office
- Cricket national radio coverage will have zoned out alot of the voting public reprising a Garrett quote - sport is the opiate of the masses while big companies rip the guts out of the planet. Howard knows that too, ever the sportsman and big company sell out.
- national launch speeches on abc tv prime time. Didn't bother watching either as tedious rhetoric. Both did "well" by press reaction but the ALP is defending a structural lead.
- commentators note Insiders pissed with Rudd 'who prefers Rove' or is it posturing so Rudd turns up?
- Marian Wilkinson, serious, talented, sticks by George Newhouse campaign last Friday in Sydney Morning Herald noting ALP "doubling" efforts.
- lots of attack adverts on unions on commercial free to air. Also noticed a few flyers in Wentworth beachside suburbs - Labor 'can't manage money' vibe based on States debt but ignores reality of Commonwealth disproportionate financial resource.
- Last quarter of football match metaphor of Rudd and to don't let up at all.
Picture: Rudd supporters coincidentally (really) drop by our information stall about forests, raising the implication with the polls in the major Sunday press next day favouring their side, that the public are indeed thinking of Kevin 'the cuddly koala' this weekend, but will they next weekend when it counts? And given ALP support for the pulp mill, is it even justified the weekend before? ALP too slick for their own good?
10 Meet the Press
Steven Smith looked hard worked. Good line about Howard experience led to climate Iraq water non policies.
Tuned out on other work for rest of it, but mostly standard rhetoric.
Nicholson animation about excessive bidding on Kirribili House thow in Harbour Bridge con artistry. Funny, sad all in one.
Get Up advert about fearmonngering in empty box.
Second half with panel Steve Lewis, Jennifer Hewitt both of News Ltd, tabloid, broadsheet respectively both sharp and tough.
Transcript in due course www.ten.com.au/meetthepress ,
Myspace web address: www.myspace.com/meetthepeople
7 Weekend Sunrise, 8.35-40 am Riley Diary -
Missed start but Gene Wilder side kick afro american comedy artist buying votes theme like Nicholson animation on MTP. Funny. Long Q & A with Mark Riley but deferred to 9 early coverage of politics especially Greenwood feature on Rupert Murdoch interview.
New attack ad re Howard on diverse stuff "won't" but "will" build reactors at 9.15 am.
http://www.seven.com.au/sunrise/weekend
Insiders 2
Laurie Oakes on 9 with treasurer set against intro by Cassidy: Final show before election: ALP looking at historic lead.
Grumpy BC notes Julia Gillard as stand in, Rudd won't appear first leader in 3 elections.
Gillard against Treasurer on 9 in the ratings at 9.10 am. Looking very goomed and hard worked too.
Gillard uses union slang - "chop out" ie to help a MUA campaign back in waterfront days of lawyer Josh Borshman, a good friend.
Home page is http://www.abc.net.au/insiders/
Sunday 9
Pre 9 am Peter Van Onselan (spelling wrong) and quick talker ALP snot nose like out of West Wing from Qld on political panel.
Ross Greenwood has brief footage of Rupert Murdoch in Australia saying Australian's too highly taxed (which is why we are actually fairer and more stable you nitwit), both sides of politics are making people too dependent on the state which means less aspirational , and commercially no difference obvious between ALP and Coalition, which in itself damages Howard's case really.
Longer sit down with John Hartigan of News Ltd. - look to their website for transcript probably - upshot is that nationally News Ltd will play it 'straight' - no leaning on editors who will exercise their own readership discretion. That is agnostic.
Given that News Ltd is notoriously conservative this shows that Rudd is very conservative and also that Howard has lots of traditional advantage and thus the green light to News Ltd papers to editorialise for Rudd.
Laurie Oakes on 9 with treasurer set against intro by Cassidy. Peter Costello looking upbeat, maybe lost a bit of weight too.
Gillard against Treasurer on 9 in the ratings at 9.10 am.
Oakes bowls up toughie about hospitals boards not in the Govt costings. PC sledges Rudd not following schedule of Budget Honesty - is it true?
Laurie gets very riled about differentials on Julia Gillard as union lawyer when PC was a bosses lawyer.
Feature on flight safety in south east asia
Feature about corruption implied in Victorian Police involing "people's lives".
http://sunday.ninemsn.com.au/sunday/default.asp
