Wednesday 27 May 2009

We don't need no education

This morning, two Cairns Regional Council media releases arrived in my inbox.

The first one was from Council's media officer Sonja Anderson all about Pete the Sheep:-
  • Join the children in Cairns Libraries for National Simultaneous Storytime.

    In libraries around the country at the same time, thousands of children will listen to the story of Pete the Sheep written by Jackie French (with illustrations by Bruce Whatley).

    There will be prizes for the best dressed Aussie and craft activities will be included in the morning event.

Then minutes later, another one arrived, this time from Councillor Robert Pyne:-

  • Retirement Village Approved

    At today’s Council Meeting, Cairns Regional Council will approve a new retirement village in Progress Road, White Rock, filling a badly needed service in our community.

    This facility will provide 120 badly needed beds, and accommodate both mentally and physically disabled elderly people. It will be a great thing to provide accommodation to people who need a higher level of care, as well as those who are still able to actively participate in the community.

    I am also hopeful this development will be welcomed by local White Rock residents. Some of the long term locals love their semi-rural environment and are strongly against any ‘high density’ unit developments. In keeping their development to one-storey, I hope community concerns have been addressed and an important community need will be met.

Robert Pyne gave up using Council media unit as soon as the Cash for Comments scandal erupted. He was told that they didn't see anything wrong with paying for the Mayor to go on radio.

Robert now writes and distributes all his own press information. It's easy to see why. I've always wondered why a Council needs a number of staff pumping out media releases, when we've got grown-up Councillors who are more than able to put pen to paper themselves.

The other suggestion is for some JCU journalism students to write media releases. They'd do a decent job, and probably wouldn't try and undermine the Mayor, just tell the good story.

14 comments:

CBD Warrior said...

You take an extra dose of stupid pills today, Michael?

Some of these ideas are real stinkers.

nocturnal congress said...

Yes, given the literacy levels of some Councillors.........no names mentioned, of course....

Blogspotter said...

" I give you the real news..."
No you don't. You regurgitate councillors' homemade press releases. Press release = spin.

The real news was taking place at the Council meeting up in Mossman. Where were you? Where is the coverage online today? Or must we wait while you let the Cairns Post do the real journalism and print it, so you can then sit and snipe at it from your ivory tower?

This is how blogs are going to put newspapers out of business? God 'elp us if they do.
There is more solid information on talkback radio, and that is saying something.

Julian / Wendy S, Bungalow said...

Notice how the little chicken ALWAYS hide behide a fake name "Quickie", "Blogspotter","Pez" I mean.. there's the first signal to take them with a grain of salt. Delete!

COWARDS!!!!!!!!!

Noj Nedlaw said...

Actually Blogspotter – if you are to quote, please do it accurately. Look at the header of the blog – it reads “I give you real news”


For a sole operator who maintains this blog as well as holds down a full time position, I think Mr Moore does a pretty damn good job. You ask why he wasn’t at Mossman today. Doh! Most of us accept that he can’t be everywhere plus hold down a job. Plus be the CairnsBlog reporter, cameraman, editor, proof-reader, advertising director, marketing director, accountant, and publisher.


Blogs will not replace newspapers. There I have said it. I will repeat it again. Blogs will not replace newspapers.


Nor do I think that Mr Moore believes that they will in his wildest dreams.


What will replace the newspaper as we now know it is the emerging media forms which does include blogs, but is not limited just to blogs.


Look at the services being offered via Blackberry. Instant news updates via Twitter. And the incessant posting about trivia that appear on Facebook. Look around at our young men and women. They seem to have phones and PDA’s permanently attached to their hands ort their ear. Already this blog has mentioned the development locally of a breathalyser application for the iPhone.


Apart from the amount of CO2 produced by the print media, its other major drawback is the time delay between news and its reporting. New media can do this almost instantaneously, newspaper, well next day, next week, whenever.


Our society is becoming of one of immediacy; as a society we are increasingly unwilling to wait for the paper or for the evening TV news bulletin to see what is happenning. We need to communicate, to stay in touch.


And in this environment, the emerging media will hold increasing sway – and that includes blogs such as this one.

Syd Walker said...

Well said Noj.

Incidendatlly, there seem to be a few anonymous Cairns Post fans out and about these days. Have Post hacks been assigned trolling duties?

Hearing about children being read 'Pete the Sheep' stories reminded me of George Bush reading 'The Pet Goat' to kids on the morning of 9-11.

Are dark forces planning to drop the Rydges Esplanade Resort in a puff of smoke? The sheeple should be told! :-)

Blogspotter S of Manunda said...

Julian / Wendy S wrote:
"Notice how the little chicken ALWAYS hide behide a fake name "Quickie", "Blogspotter","Pez" I mean.. there's the first signal to take them with a grain of salt. Delete!"

Sorry, I should have more fully identified myself as Blogspotter S of Manunda. That apparently fully identifies one, by your logic, and therefore legitemises my comments.

Delete, you say? This is the way to deal with anyone who dares criticise the establishment? Thank goodness Mr Moore is more liberal in his views on censorship and the importance of a free media.
This kind of USSR mindframe of yours is what needs deleting.
Be a pretty dull old forum if only the approved appartachiks are allowed to comment.

Blogspotter from North Cairns said...

Blogspotter, spot on.

At least the previous "alternative' press in Cairns sent a stringer to the Council meetings.

This is just self-aggrandizement of the lowest order. He produces nothing, and backs away at the hint of legal sabre rattling. That shows how "accurate" these stories are.

nocturnal congress said...

Awwww, feeling a little THREATENED are we Blogspotter S and clone..???
Tsk, tsk. Bring it on!

Dutchie said...

To those who criticise Michael Moore, can you please explain why you read this blog?

Personally, I read this blog not so much for news, I read it to read different points of view on issues.

In addition, this blog provides a platform for people to express their views, something that doesn't happen in the Cairns Post.

Many of us had their submissions to the Cairns Post censored, edited or completely ignored. Many people have personally experienced the misrepresentation and failure of verification of news by the Cairns Post. This is why blogs such as this one have a raison d'etre.

And, Michael has the right to do whatever he pleases with his blog. If you don't like it, don't read it.

Jude Johnston said...

I would've attended the Council Meeting in Mossman yesterday too, but I have a responsibility to go to work. I often go to the Council Meetings in Cairns if there is something on the Agenda that is of interest to me. As there are lots of Developments going on in the Northern Beaches, then there is lots of Agenda items to interest me. I cannot rely on the Cairns Post to report young Kirsten putting Councillor Bonneau in his place. I particularly like to see how the Councillors vote on controversial issues. I admit to still buying the Cairns Post, I read it while eating my lunch, it also stops the crumbs falling on my desk.

Syd Walker said...

That's a very thoughtful use for the Post Jude.

I have a few old editions lying around. They're handy on those rare occasions when I paint a wall.

Lillian at Yorkeys said...

Another use for the Post - your local vet clinic, or YAPS/RSPCA are very happy (overjoyed in fact) to accept clean newspapers to line their animal cages.

Lillian at Yorkeys said...

PS. And how much are we paying the illustrious Ms. Anderson to enlighten us re Pete the Sheep? Perhaps that's all that she can be trusted with? Apparently, she's been in cahoots with Ms. Hull over past months. But perhaps Hull & Anderson had to toss over who got to write the Sheep Expose. God help us.
Erm - surely there's an erudite librarian out there who could write a few pars about Sheep Reading??