On Wednesday, we referred in this column to Tony Abbott’s piece on the journalists’ curious obsession with republicanism.
Several readers have sent us an example of this . When The Queen addressed a dinner in Canberra this month ,the 8.30 AM news the following morning on the ABC’s Radio National reported this astounding item:"The Queen has come out in favour of a republic after lengthy discussions with John Howard."
Probably realising the stupidity of inventing the news, this was not repeated on the 9AM news.Similar stories went around the world . I heard and read The Queen’s speech. Only those on drugs or otherwise demented could find this news in the speech. It seems some journalists are quite willing to make themselves laughing stocks in an endeavour to promote republicanism.
One subscriber referred me to Margaret Throsby’s interview on ABC Classic Radio on Wednesday, 29 March 2002. This was with Gideon Haigh, the author of a book "Asbestos House", and was on the asbestos industry and the company James Hardie Industries. Mr. Haigh is scathing about modern journalism, and rejects the view that it is not possible to be objective. Some of his observations included :"Journalists write down from a headline, gathering in what facts will fit the headline"; "Journalism is not a profession, or craft, it is a trade";" Never trust what you read in a newspaper" and , "Journalists don’t read." The interview is available on line for a week on the ABC site.