Gutter journalism

September 13, 2010 6:31 PM

Victoria (Australia) had moderate flooding last week, which journalists were keen to report. Perhaps too keen. Full story here.
posted by wilful (27 comments total)

I saw that on Media Watch.

Not as good as the canoe in shallow water.
posted by antiquark at 6:41 PM on September 13, 2010 [1 favorite]

CONTAINS 100% OF THE RECOMMENDED DAILY ALLOWANCE FOR SILLY WORDPLAY.
posted by not_on_display at 6:44 PM on September 13, 2010

I thought the "too keen" photo was of a reporter standing in a gutter saying "Hey, check out this flood!" I'm a little disappointed that it's not.
posted by zerbinetta at 7:08 PM on September 13, 2010

I did catch an ABC evening news report, where ABC reporter #1 spent most of her time talking about how ABC reporter #2 normally would have been covering the floods, except her own home was flooded! So she visited ABC reporter #2 and had a chat on her flooded lawn. ABC reporter #1 looked as if her usual beat was reporting on the latest fashions at the Melbourne Cup.
posted by Jimbob at 7:21 PM on September 13, 2010

Perspective.
posted by awfurby at 7:26 PM on September 13, 2010

I love Media Watch, especially considering the ocean of crap that is Australian television journalism.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 7:29 PM on September 13, 2010

It's such a shame you can't do supercilious sneering in text. There should be an emoticon for the Mediawatch Half Smile.

        _____________________
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      :)

posted by Fiasco da Gama at 7:41 PM on September 13, 2010 [2 favorites]

I read the text first, and was very confused how the 2nd guy got two paddles into one story without even talking about boats. The video cleared it up, but left me with all sorts of questions about the lack of boats in the reports.....
posted by ish__ at 7:50 PM on September 13, 2010

I think it would have been more effective if she had been kneeling so the water came up to her shoulders. Then the camera could have cut to a shot of a teddy bear and some broken china lying in the mud.
posted by Joe in Australia at 7:53 PM on September 13, 2010 [1 favorite]

Media Watch used to be great, and then it got stupid and I stopped watching. Is it great again?
posted by turgid dahlia at 8:21 PM on September 13, 2010

the program on before Media Watch was also about floods
posted by the noob at 8:25 PM on September 13, 2010

Media Watch used to be great, and then it got stupid and I stopped watching. Is it great again?

Yes, it has Paul Barry hosting.
posted by the noob at 8:37 PM on September 13, 2010

Also: the next host of mediawatch once Jonathan Holmes gets bored should be Andrew Bolt.

Let me explain. He's unpleasant, sneering, foully tempered and obnoxious---all the qualities that have made the most entertaining and incisive hosts yet. He's also not really interested in sucking up to anybody so once he's off the News Limited payroll he'd be quite happy sticking the boot into them as happily as anyone. Give him the resources of the research staff at MW and he'd be fantastic.

If you thought MW were vicious getting stuck into Alan Jones and John Laws for cash-for-comment can you imagine Bolta lining up editors for the full treatment?

Dear ABC Board:
Hire Bolt.
Sincerely
FdG
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 8:59 PM on September 13, 2010

No.

Actually, hang on, putting Bolt on may cause His Legion to tune into the ABC. They might catch some of Four Corners and accidentally learn something.
posted by Jimbob at 9:13 PM on September 13, 2010 [2 favorites]

Unfortunately, I suspect the insurmountable hurdle with employing Bolt for MW would be stopping him from turning it into another of his bully pulpits for crazed ranting on his own opinions.

But if you could distract him from that for long enough, watching him skewer everyone else for their own minor and major mistakes (and our enlightenment and amusement) would be a bloody ripper of a show.

Or somebody with bigger balls than me could gift him an account here…
posted by Pinback at 10:46 PM on September 13, 2010

Bolt is paid to appear on the Insiders program. Something Bolt would NEVER admit to the old dears that actually read his drivel. (he may have admitted it, but I doubt it)

I like watching David Marr slice him off at the knees. Good times.
posted by the noob at 10:57 PM on September 13, 2010

"And the flood waters could rise again, up to 30 millimetres of rain is expected to fall here in the next 24 hours. It will be another test for residents but there's no questioning their resilience."

For the metrically challenged: 30mm = 3cm = 1.2 inches. OMG! Better get building that ark!
posted by Sys Rq at 11:52 PM on September 13, 2010

Andrew Bolt? He left journalism behind a long time ago and exists now as some kind of a doorway to a reality where people are thrilled to have a commentator who "Says what everyone is really thinking". A hell-realm where people have weirdly similar evil fantasies about outsiders, insiders, 'elites' and 'lowlifes'. I'm kind of stunned that anyone who uses metafilter would give this maggot the time of day. Even as a joke.
posted by Gamien Boffenburg at 12:15 AM on September 14, 2010

I believe the duck and the oboe has already given us a satisfying description of Bolt.

Anyway, I'm glad to see some people are calling out the ridiculous attempts of our reporters to over-dramatise everything. The floods in Victoria are serious business, but they're nothing compared to what's happening now in Pakistan and in other places that get frequent flooding.
posted by harriet vane at 1:01 AM on September 14, 2010

For the metrically challenged: 30mm = 3cm = 1.2 inches. OMG! Better get building that ark!

For the hydroponically challenged, 30mm of rain falling in a catchment can equate to much more when it drains down to the valley.
posted by Jimbob at 1:37 AM on September 14, 2010

Erm...hydrologically that is. What is with iPhone spellchecker?
posted by Jimbob at 1:39 AM on September 14, 2010

Driving home one evening last week I caught part a discussion on ABC Radio 774. I'm not sure exactly who I was listening too - SES spokesperson perhaps? - but someone (talkback caller, I think) mentioned this phenomenon of TV reporters stupidly standing in the flood water to demonstrate "OH HEY! LOOK AT THIS WATER!" The expert/spokesperson sounded quite exasperated at the time and effort the put in warning the public to STAY OUT of floodwater due to the various dangers it poses, but yet you turn on the TV and there's reporters standing up to waist deep in water potentially containing dangerous debris, sewage and other possibly infectious contaminants.

Perhaps the TV shows with the daredevil reporters need to run a disclaimer under such footage saying THESE PEOPLE ARE PROFESSIONAL REPORTERS! VIEWERS ARE ADVISED: DO NOT STAND IN THE SHITTY WATER!!
posted by goshling at 1:58 AM on September 14, 2010

Jimbob: it's a comedian, that's what's with it.
posted by goshling at 2:18 AM on September 14, 2010

My favorite thing about Australia is that is reminds me that things that are fucked up in the United States are fucked up elsewhere, too.

Thanks, Australia!
posted by Aizkolari at 2:41 AM on September 14, 2010

stopping him from turning it into another of his bully pulpits for crazed ranting on his own opinions

Counterpoint: David Marr, no stranger to crazed rantings or bully pulpits, did suprisingly well (for certain values of "well").
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 4:09 AM on September 14, 2010

Erm...hydrologically that is. What is with iPhone spellchecker?

I don't know about you but I have fond memories of the days I used to spend hydroponically challenged.
posted by A Thousand Baited Hooks at 4:52 AM on September 14, 2010 [1 favorite]

Wow, that second picture looks like a place I used to live any time it had rained in the last two or three months. The first one looks like an honest to god flood, though. Kinda stupid to be out there standing in it, though. That's a great way to break something.
posted by wierdo at 7:21 AM on September 14, 2010