Journalism As A Tool For Change.

Demi McGregor, like many students, aims to tackle stereotypes and inequalities within the media.

Photograph: Kurtis Hughes

Journalism is omniscient.

It is a force present in all corners of the globe, providing the audience with a constant stream of information.

Information that not only shapes and informs the audience’s perceptions of their reality, but provides them with the capacity to facilitate change among the masses. Such a determination is compelling many students to channel this fortitude for change through their careers.

“I hope to achieve equality for woman in sport”

The question of gender has a firm standing at the head of Demi McGregor’s aspirations for Journalism. Demi, having been surrounded by the sporting world her entire life, is devoted to the advancement of the female role within this overly male-dominant branch of Journalism. “It is time for a shift. We need to focus on placing both men and woman on equal platforms” she stated with a sense of assertion indicative of her motivations.

Demi finds nothing more satisfying knowing that her advocacy for the promotion of equality between men and woman is contributing to the positive development of the media industry.

Demi is determined to appraise the notions of gender within journalism, feeling that any challenges that may pose itself as a threat to her attaining her dream position within ESPN as yet another barrier that needs demolishing.

“I want to hold institutions and people of power to account for their unjust actions”

As strong as her fortitude toward the equal treatment of woman within society, Caitlin Tomasella is determined to ensure that all woman within the media are not only treated fairly and justly, but that they will be represented in a way that is indicative of their hard work.

Caitlin’s resilience in her aim to reveal the gender inequalities within Journalism is driven by her contention with the entwinement of women with notions of appearance and capacity within our media.

Although Journalism would allow Caitlin to further extend the voice she is developing, the lack of assurance surrounding job security within the industry is highly disheartening. Caitlin states that on top of the gender imposed restraints, lack of job security could deter many young girls from the career path.

“Journalism unfortunately isn’t a stable career for many people”

Caitlin feels that her redefined future as a Secondary English teacher within the public education system will not only be more rewarding, but will not stand as a barrier toward her advocacy motives.

“If I work hard and have the capabilities, I am entitled to that job”

Madison Chatham is as determined, as she is head strong. Having recently developed a strong interest in PR and Marketing, Madison feels compelled to work hard in order to earn the position that she is placed in regardless of the obstacles in which she will inevitably face.

“I want a job that I can be proud of, knowing I worked hard and earned my position”

Although the stigma’s surrounding war correspondence and gender is a contentious issue for Madison she is mildly pleased with the increased coverage that woman have been receiving in the past few years.

“I have witnessed women reporting overseas in the midst of conflict, revealing a breakdown in the barriers that were once there”.

Even though Madison is confident in the current media climate in regards to the perpetuation of inequalities, she still believes that a lot can be done to improve it.

“Women and men must unite to be treated equally in order to live the life the way in which they intended. Dreams and all.”

“I want to bring awareness to unjust and unfair choices in the government”

Like many university students, Amy Livermore is undecided on which path she wishes to take with her degree. Her determination for the fair treatment of all humans however is the main catalyst for her passion for journalism.

Although Amy acknowledges that matters of gender, race, appearance and sexuality still play a heavy role in the media in which we consume, she will not compromise on the notion that her actions are futile.

“I feel with the right approach, people will turn around and realise the futility of fighting equality and freedom”.

Amy is a strong advocate for equality, and regardless of how people may perceive her “upfront and confronting answers”, she will continue to hold those responsible for the perpetuation of inequality to account.

More Than A Number

The day had been arduous, but routine.

Monika Samu, 28, was anticipating the comfort of home as she patrolled the streets of Penshurst at 11:30pm on June 20, 2012. As the radio mounted on the dash of the vehicle signalled in a distress call, Monika knew the night would pan out very different to the way she had intended.

Nearly 8 years ago Monika had joined the Police Force enthusiastically, driven by the ambition to seek the truth and help those in desperate need of assistance.

“I can actually remember the exact moment I wanted to become a police officer” Monika shares with me, her eyes illuminating with a genuine passion that seemed to have been long lost.

“I was just so bored of the office job I was in, and one day as I happened to be staring pointlessly out the window I witnessed a police woman engaging in quite a physical arrest with another woman”

“Something triggered in my head, I don’t know if it were the excitement or something more innate, but I was completely taken by this line of work” she recalls of that day, as she looks down pensively at her hands entwined within one another.

But she was naïve back then, compelled to join by the exhilaration that she had felt during that moment. Monika affirms to me that she did not realise that the event that she had witnessed was only a very brief and narrow glimpse into the world in which she was going to voluntarily throw her entire self into.

The reality of the situation was quite different.

The radio informed the two in the car of the situation unfolding. One hostage locked in their bathroom, and two perpetrators within the house. Both armed.

“I remember the panic setting in as I drove down to the address” she chuckled with an obvious unease that I’m sure mimicked her long held feelings of that night.

It was a frigid night Monika recalls, with an odd calm to the weather. The street lights which systematically lined the road lit up the suburban street with a translucent orange glow that put a slight strain on your eyes.

“I was in such a rush that I didn’t even grab my jacket and it was 7 degrees” she shudders. One could almost feel the icy winter breeze rolling up the surface of their exposed skin as she reaffirmed the lack of thermal gear she was wearing.

“It’s funny what you remember in times of hyper-sensitivity”.

Monika, gun drawn, set up in the next door neighbour’s backyard.

“It doesn’t feel real, it doesn’t sink in that the life of others literally can depend on your actions”

The night was long, cold and Monika was waiting on bated breath for any sign of movement or cause for alarm. Her arms, numb from the artic temperatures, struggled to hold her gun up. The weight of the metallic weapon seemed to resemble a tonne of bricks after quite some time she exclaimed to me.

“I’m not a robot; I get hungry, tired, scared and cold”

Monika was constantly at odds with this entwinement of identities. She was more than her role, and often struggled with this inner turmoil during her life. The constant battle between instinctual reactions and abidance with procedural guidelines was often a challenge that Monika had to face.

“I lost my identity, I became just another number”

In a job littered with dangerous scenarios and the worst of human nature, Monika soon became desensitised to these sights and this often manifested itself in her lack of emotion displayed to others.

“I’m a better person now for going through all this shit, but it is hard rebuilding myself and my identity- however, I’m slowly getting there”.

 

 

 

Storytelling Is Implied In The Name

Image: http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/technology/1403224/and-now-heres-the-news-from-facebook

May 13^th 2015 represents a significant date for both Facebook and the way in which audiences consume their news.

Facebook launched its Instant Articles Initiative, which allows news organisations to present their content on the social networking site. Facebook officially confirmed the launch via a blog post following months of speculation as to how such an entwinement of mediums would operate, especially in regards to the impact it could have on the relationship between Facebook and publishers.

Nine publishers have confirmed their participation within the initiative, including the Times, Buzzfeed and the BBC.

The same move can be seen with The Rockville Central, a community news site in the Washington D.C, which moved all of its news coverage and operations to the social networking site.

Both events highlight Facebook’s growing role as a platform for Journalists, and the public more broadly, to use for social storytelling and reporting.

Twitter, as a social media platform, has always been the go-to platform for Journalists in regards to real-time reporting, due to its accessible content and public status. However, Facebook has allowed Journalists an alternative destination for news dissemination and consumption beyond the 140 characters permissible by Twitter.

The Pew Research Centre revealed in a survey that Facebook may allow participant’s exposure to news items that were previously not accessible or encountered.

The survey revealed that 47% of individuals who do not actively pursue the news are exposed to it via Facebook. One participant stated that “if it were not for Facebook news, [they] wouldn’t know what was going on in the world”.

This evidence implies a massive shift in journalistic routine and storytelling. Facebook has provided a new layer of coverage and networking for many journalists. An example of which is National Public Radio, who’s 1.5 million-member Facebook community would prove to be highly conducive to finding contacts and increasing coverage on stories produced.

Ian Shapira, a staff writer of the Washington Post believes that ‘Facebook has dramatically changed the way in which journalists do their jobs’. Through Facebook, as a storytelling medium, journalists are able to further extend their networking basis, and further report quality content to a large number of interested, niche readers.

 

The Media Is Lying To You- Read On To Find Out More!

Image: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/news/commuters-motorists-warned-to-avoid-sydney-cbd-as-siege-causes-major-transport-disruptions/story-fngr8gwi-1227156498194

On December 15th 2014, the headline ‘Death Cult CBD Attack’ featured on the front page of the Sydney based newspaper, The Daily Telegraph. The title encapsulated the growing public fear that the ‘siege’ occurring within Martin Place was orchestrated by the IS military group. Regardless of public speculation, it was concluded that the group had no connection to the event that left many questioning their public safety.

According to Julie Posetti, Australian media academic, the above article is an example of the sensationalised stories that at times dominate our media, further perpetuating particular stereotypes within our society. Posetti writes that the story is full of ethical risks and issues regarding verification.

Posetti highlights that the relevance of an Islamic Flag constituted no right on behalf of the news outlet to forego intense fact-checking and to disseminate a highly inflammatory headline, stating that it was a ‘low point in media coverage’.

Such a title has the capacity to inflame tensions and societal paranoia surrounding particular issues and social groups, Dr Daniel Freeman from the psychiatry institute of Kings College London has told the ABC. In his work, ‘Paranoia: 20^th Century Fear’, Freeman argues that sensational media stories have caused a rise in social paranoia within society.

Although sensationalised media has particular adverse effects on the audience, NYU Journalism Professor Mitchell Stephens argues in his book ‘A History of News’ that sensationalism ‘is unavoidable in the news’ and has invariably been around since humans first started telling stories.

Tony Roberts, a journalism expert, argues that in today’s digital age, journalists are faced with the issue of developing their work in a way that forces people to take notice. Such a focus has seen a shift within our media towards notions of engagement and relevance. Such notions, if misapplied, can create sensationalist news stories which have the capacity to generate contempt and inflammatory reactions by the audience.