Posted in Editorial, tagged Jack Robertson, press freedom, SMH on June 29, 2019| Leave a Comment »
Following recent attempts by ScoMo and his attack dog Dutton to intimidate journalists and whistleblowers with Federal police raids and legal action, we should rightfully clamour for better protections of ‘press freedom’ and journalist sources.
However, the sine qua non of that protection, and privilege, is that the Fourth Estate must exercise that freedom rigorously in the public interest. A letter to SMH editor (28 June) succinctly points out its failings:
Posted in Culture, Society, tagged Germaine Greer, Katinka & Jeremy Somers, objectification of women, SMH, The Female Eunuch, We Are Handsome on March 26, 2014| Leave a Comment »
Modern media and fashion have developed a sycophantic co-dependency, which can usually be passed over, but sometimes it can also get right up one’s nose or other orifice. Even while quietly minding my own business perusing sister news oracle, the SMH, this week.
Since our Germaine wrote about it back in 1970 the objectification of women’s bodies has increased exponentially. Well, I haven’t formulated a mathematical equation but we are surrounded by images of women’s bodies used to promote every kind of dodgy product. The original cover of ‘The Female Eunuch’ featuring the skin of a female torso hung up on a rail was disturbing enough.
At first glance the offending SMH promotion of a couple of fashion designers dressed up (pun intended) as news and its accompanying photo look banal. Naturally we process the photo first, and my reaction was to look for the explanation of the stunning-looking woman. But in the caption she is nameless and her presence is explained by the swimming costume she’s wearing. Of course she’s a model, but apparently we all understand that she is only a clothes horse. That is, tantamount to an object, as that horse is not alive.
No need of Roland Barthes, Levi-Strauss (the anthropologist not the jeans brand), semiotics and all that interesting French wankery, to understand the signification of this ingrained cultural norm. That woman’s identity has been stolen, suppressed and abused by the fashion and media industries, with the connivance of us punters, consumers and fashion victims. Her collaboration only makes it more tragic.
And frankly, what a tasteless, bogan design, particularly in the week of our worst aviation nightmare with flight MH370 getting all day news coverage.
Posted in Economy, Editorial, Environment, tagged carbon tax, Jessica Irvine, pollution abatement, pollution permits, SMH on September 29, 2011| Leave a Comment »
We’ve probably all had that uncanny experience, while roaming and pillaging through this over-stuffed media landscape, of reading an article, essay, opinion piece which expresses almost exactly what we have to say on that subject. A satisfying frisson of solidarity sparks those lonely synpases.
Such a moment happened to me recently with a column by Jessica Irvine (in SMH), which described simply and clearly how the proposed carbon, or more accurately pollution, tax will work and why it should:
‘Weasel words polluting clarity of scheme’ – by Jessica Irvine (SMH)
More power to her pen & keyboard – one of a handful of local ‘economics’ writers worthy of following.
