Tuesday 27 October 2009

Tablewd does what a tabloid is

The Cairns Post has done it again with another sickening front page.
Doesn’t editor Andrew Webster just love exploiting human misery and tragedy? He revels in it, just like a pig in shit.

This is on top of his equally exploitative, sensationalised coverage of the two young people on abortion charges, not to menton the humiliated toilet prank story. The question is, what is he going to do next?

We should be genuinely worried, because it is apparent that there is no end to the commercial depravity that he will stoop to. The only reason Webster runs this sickening stuff is because he can, and because it will make money for Rupert Murdoch and therefore keep him in a job.

Tuesday's front page story has no redeeming features whatsoever. Its reporting of this incident is not newsworthy at all. Publication of this is the product of a sick mind.

It used to be that an editor who crossed the boundary of community standards and common decency would be tarred and feathered and horse-whipped out of town.

Maybe we reinstate flogging with rotten tomatoes in the town square at dawn.

13 comments:

nocturnal congress said...

I was particularly sickened by the slavering, grisly media coverage of this dreadful tragedy. Will the woman receive a fair trial now?
Will we ever hear what her circumstances were which led to the baby's death? Did she deliver the baby at home? If so, was she of sound mind immediately after?
Once again, I doubt if the public will ever read the full story, the "Cairns Post" cherry picks the goriest, most damaging bits and sensationalises them.

Journalist said...

How is a quest to find justice for a mutilated infant NOT newsworthy? Making sure the perpetrator of this crime is brought to justice is surely of the highest community importance.

It seems to me you're using this as yet another excuse to have a go at The Cairns Post. Leveraging off this issue is more a reflection of YOUR character than that of the Editor of The Cairns Post.

nocturnal congress said...

Ever hear the phrase "innocent until proven guilty" journalist? Hmm? Does that resonate somewhere within the dark recesses of your obviously very messy mind? What right do journalists have to be trial, judge and jury? Does "seeking justice" as you put it, have the right to cherry pick the information you feed to the public?
Some of us mate remember the Lindy Chamberlain case all too bloody well.

Journalist said...

Nocturnal congress, I'm not sure how you jumped to the conclusion that my mind is "messy".

It isn't The Cairns Post that is seeking justice for the infant, but the judicial system. The Cairns Post and other media are acting as a conduit for the courts to inform the public about these proceedings.

From what I can tell from The Cairns Post's website they've been pretty fair to this woman, reporting that she was initially ruled out as a suspect before the advent of more modern forensic techniques.

If you had any knowledge on the subject, you'd know that it's actually the legal system that "cherry picks" the facts the media are allowed to report. Have you ever had to report on a court case? Are you aware of "sub judice" restrictions on the reporting of court proceedings? Were you present during these proceedings? I'd say the answer to each of those questions is "no".

Why don't you and others educate yourselves before you jump on the media-bashing bandwagon? It's pretty crowded on there as it is, and doesn't need more venomous and ignorant folk like yourself giving it momentum.

Unknown said...

nocturnal, spot on.

no wonder journalism is such a reviled occupation when we have moronic cairns post staffers such as journalist posting nonsensical self-justifications.

no one is saying the case should not be reported.

what we are saying is that it should be reported responsibly and sensibly.

cases such as this should not be exploited simply to boost circulation or to appeal to the lowest common denominator.

cairns post journalist, there is no justification for this repugnant sensationalism.

although what else are we to expect from the cairns post.
it has no comprehension of the words ethics, responsible, honesty, public interest, truth, decency, community standards, etc etc.

this slimebag webster is the worst editor we have had yet. he is a disgrace to far north queensland.

It's not that he revels in human misery, he wallows in it.

the worst thing about this sleazy gutter rag is that it is the public face of cairns.

god knows what the rest of the world thinks of us when they see vicious, exploitative sensationalism like this.

nocturnal congress said...

"Journalist", how relevant to this case was mentioning the wall covered in cockroaches in "The Cairns Post" coverage 27/10/2009? Or "the smell about the house"? Huh? Gratuitous sensationalism like this isn't responsible journalism. It smacks of the "spooky" music the media insisted on playing during initial coverage of the Lindy Chamberlain case all those years ago.

Tony Hillier said...

The "Journalist" who doesn't have the intestinal fortitude to use his own name should be thoroughly ashamed of his profession, especially by the lurid and low level at which the ComPost operates. The Murdoch tabloids have dragged what used to be a noble profession into the gutter! Small wonder, Fleet St tagged him "the dirty digger".

hungry said...

Well done Journo!!!
Nice post.

Journalist said...

Ho ho, your moral indignation only makes me stronger! I find it inspiring.

that's my space said...

and the journo walks into the lion den......

I like this journo person...

SPARTA!!!!!

Tony Hillier said...

Oh yeh, Sparta, the "Journalist" walks into the "lion den" with the chain mail protection of anonymity. That's cowardice in my book.

Frankenstein's biggest fan said...

Why would journo publish their name in this forum? You'd probably all be outside their house with pitch forks and flaming torches at dusk.

Jim said...

Tony what difference does it make if he publishes his name or not? Does it make his points any more or less valid? Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet?

I couldn't care less if he was Warrick Cappa, Mr T, or that midget from Fantasy Island. Spend your energy discussing the points he made, not trying to find out his name and address so you can go wee on his Gerberas.... I dont post under my real name for fear of that, i like my Gerberas urine free.

As for the points he/she made, i'll just say this, the news coverage on 10, 9, 7 + abc local radio all discussed the same information as the newspaper story, a couple were verbatim.