Annotated Bibliography
McNair,
B. (2011) ‘Journalists in Film: Heroes and Villains’, Australian Journalism
Review, v.33, no.1, PP. 133-138.
The
author, Brian McNair, is a Professor of Journalism, Media and Communications
in the Creative Industries faculty at the Queensland
University of Technology.
In his book, ‘Journalists in Film’ (McNair 2010), he analyses the varying
portrayals of journalists in film. McNair questions why journalism has been a
source of inspiration for filmmakers and why portrayals of journalists are both
‘heroic’ and ‘villainous’. McNair explores the cultural duality of societies’
love and hate relationship with journalists.
He sees heroic journalism as maintaining the role of journalists in a liberal democracy; to scrutinise,
tell
truth to
power
and make
authority accountable.
McNair looks at film as a Fifth Estate or watchdog to hold the fourth estate
accountable. He cites the confrontation
that occurs between truth and authority, as seen most recently in the Wikileaks
affair, as the theme that captures film maker’s attention. Cited below are
three pieces of media coverage on Julian Assange and Wikileaks. Coverage of
Julian Assange looks at whether he is an advocate of truth telling and holding
authority accountable or if his whistleblowing is reckless and fame-seeking.
They each vary in their portrayal of Assange as a hero or villain according to
popular media.
Milne S, (2012)
‘Don't lose sight of why the US is out to get Julian Assange’, The Guardian: Tuesday 21 August 2012
In this article Seamus Milne follows
developments in the charges against Julian Assange, his asylum in the
Ecuadorian Embassy and the motives behind Sweden and the US’s attempts to
extradite him. The Guardian is a British national daily newspaper that
identifies with Social Liberalism but is widely regarded as unbiased and
trustworthy by its readers. However much of British media coverage of Assange,
including coverage by The Guardian, is hostile and consistently negative with
much of the British press claiming Assange is a bail jumper and an
exhibitionist (Milne 2012). However this article differs as it indirectly
supports Assange through highlighting the ulterior motives of The US and Sweden. Consequently this article sustains the
opinion that The Guardian presents considered and balanced coverage of news
events and strays from popular journalism that is buys in to the ‘hero’ or
‘villain’ spin. The Guardian differs from other British newspapers, for example
The Sun who support the British press’ attempt to smear Assange on the basis of
sexual assault allegations rather than reporting on any other agendas. In this
article The Guardian acts as a mirror to the British press, government, and
public to highlight their villainizing of Assange and to hold them accountable,
therefore upholding the role of the fourth estate.
ABC
Radio National: Breakfast, Presented by Fran Kelly
(2012), ‘Interview with Julian Assange’s US lawyer, Michael Ratner’: Monday 20
August
Fran Kelly for ABC Radio National
interviewed Michael Ratner, Julian Assange’s US Lawyer, following Assange’s speech
from the Ecuadorian Embassy. The ABC is
a public media outlet and does not represent agendas from outside power
players. During this interview the presenter informs the audience of recent
developments in the Assange case and quotes verbatim the speech given by
Assange. Radio National identify themselves as playing a vital role in
developing the relationship between Australians and the media, therefore this
interview does not conform to an agenda of celebrating or discrediting Assange,
and rather reports on Assange’s current situation involving the other major
players; that being the UK, the US and Sweden. This interview differs from the
piece in The Guardian as the ABC does not challenge the views of their
government but focuses on their ideal to enable national conversations centred
on knowledge and accurate information.
This interview showed no reflection of a culturally determined idea of
the ‘good’ or ‘bad’ journalist Assange is painted to be, which is a result of
the ABC being part of the Public media opposed to Commercial media that follows
that popular social trend.
The author of this piece, Matt Wilkinson, maintains the characteristics of tabloid journalism, which is the style of the British tabloid, The Sun. This article, as suggested by the title 'Above the law, Assange emerges at last', sensationalises the negative view of Assange in the British press. The article is written with a tone of sarcasm that delivers the anecdotes that their audience looks for in a tabloid. The Sun has taken part in the 'villainizing' of the journalist by painting Assange as a dangerous media force who does not uphold the 'heroic' values of journalism. This is ironic considering The Sun has a bad track record for upholding ethics or presenting fair and accurate coverage, as seen during the investigations into corruption at The Sun; a paper owned by Rupert Murdoch (Gallagher, I. 2012). The focus put on Assange as the 'villain' fulfills expectations that The Sun propagates the most dramatized and thrilling spin of a story, even if the values that are questioned, are not values upheld by this tabloid. This correlates with the public scrutiny of journalism's capacity to "manufacture reality, to manipulate and mould events for the purpose not of enlightening or informing citizens, but to sell newspapers, without regard to the interests of the people involved" (McNair 2011).
Word Count: 805 Lauren Binns s43011478
References
McNair, I. (2011) ‘Journalists in Film: Heroes and Villains’, Australian Journalism Review, Volume 33:
Issue 1, PP 133-138
Milne
S, (2012) ‘Don't lose sight of why the US is out to get
Julian Assange’, The
Guardian: Tuesday
August 21th
Fran Kelly
(2012), ‘Interview with Julian Assange’s US lawyer Michael Ratner’, ABC Radio National – Breakfast: Monday August 20th
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