Morgan BellYellow Journalism - Blue Peg
November 22nd 2008 17:42
Yellow journalism is biased opinion masquerading as objective fact, it involves sensationalism, distorted stories, and misleading images for the sole purpose of boosting newspaper sales and exciting public opinion.
The Sydney Morning Herald Online recently ran THIS really strange story about an unsolved murder that occurred over two years ago in Darlinghurst, Sydney.
A friend of mine pointed it out to me because I used to live in Darlinghurst, and also because it seemed to be lacking the professionalism that we usually expect from the major newspapers.
Take this paragraph for instance:
The "Mr Dillon" being quoted (or perhaps paraphrased) is Deputy State Coroner Hugh Dillon, who is a magistrate apparently.
Darlinghurst is an inner-city suburb of Sydney that is wedged between a notorious red-light district (William St/Kings Cross) and the gay night-life strip (Oxford St). It is also a business and up-market shopping district, and a fine-dining and cultural centre. I found these remarks about Darlinghurst to be quite prejudicial. If I did not know the area as well as I do, I would get the impression it was some lawless crazytown!
Check out how detailed the description of the murder victim was:
I guess when youre dead you are no longer entitled to privacy or respect?
Im also wondering about the ethics behind the disclosure of such information. Can the coroner and police department not allow the woman a little dignity?
Dignity? No, lets ridicule her a bit more and hang out all her dirty laundry . . .
The victim is referred to by her full name and age, Joyce Germain, 59, and identified as a recipient of affordable accomodation from The Department of Housing. I dont know what prompted this article but im just really surprised at the amount of personal information divulged for no real purpose.
Well only entertainment purposes I guess, but when did the details of a suspected murder become entertainment?
The article also identifies all of the "suspects" by name and affixes them an unflattering (slanderous) description.
It all seems a bit inappropriate to me! The language, the characterisations and stereotyping, and above all the timing. This isnt a current event, it was over two years ago, so I really have to question whether it is newsworthy?
I wonder about the legality of the content, and the ethics of the sources, the journalist, and the publication - I wonder, but I do not know the answers, is this an acceptable "news" story or is this yellow journalism?
Should this poor deceased woman have her name raked through the mud like this? Is she being treated with less respect by the media and law enforcement because of her sexuality and lifestyle? Was the underlying message here that the victim was scum, and socialised with scum, and lived in a scum area so it is fair to pry and ultimately depict her in a negative, insensitive fashion?
I didnt see any appeals for information to help solve the crime, or explanation as to why the intimate details of the crime were being released at this late stage. All I got from this article was "Its all so bizarre! Her life was a circus sideshow!"
If you were assigned to report on this story would have you delivered it differently?
The Sydney Morning Herald Online recently ran THIS really strange story about an unsolved murder that occurred over two years ago in Darlinghurst, Sydney.
A friend of mine pointed it out to me because I used to live in Darlinghurst, and also because it seemed to be lacking the professionalism that we usually expect from the major newspapers.
Take this paragraph for instance:
Mr Dillon said the area in which Ms Germain lived and died was a magnet for the young and bohemian, a haunt for the marginalised where drug users, prostitutes and their clients, the homeless, mentally ill and those dependent on drugs and alcohol would reside.
The "Mr Dillon" being quoted (or perhaps paraphrased) is Deputy State Coroner Hugh Dillon, who is a magistrate apparently.
Darlinghurst is an inner-city suburb of Sydney that is wedged between a notorious red-light district (William St/Kings Cross) and the gay night-life strip (Oxford St). It is also a business and up-market shopping district, and a fine-dining and cultural centre. I found these remarks about Darlinghurst to be quite prejudicial. If I did not know the area as well as I do, I would get the impression it was some lawless crazytown!
Check out how detailed the description of the murder victim was:
The cord of an iron was wrapped loosely around her neck, a toaster hung from the shower curtain above her head, a white hard hat had been positioned on her stomach while a blue plastic foot spa had been placed on her left breast.
A blue clothes peg was attached to her genitals and her pubic hair appeared to have been partially shaved. A knife was found under her shoulder.
A blue clothes peg was attached to her genitals and her pubic hair appeared to have been partially shaved. A knife was found under her shoulder.
I guess when youre dead you are no longer entitled to privacy or respect?
Im also wondering about the ethics behind the disclosure of such information. Can the coroner and police department not allow the woman a little dignity?
Dignity? No, lets ridicule her a bit more and hang out all her dirty laundry . . .
She had been disowned by her father and was contesting his will when she died.
A mother of two, she also had two siblings in the United States but she was estranged from her family and no relatives attended her Sydney funeral.
A mother of two, she also had two siblings in the United States but she was estranged from her family and no relatives attended her Sydney funeral.
The victim is referred to by her full name and age, Joyce Germain, 59, and identified as a recipient of affordable accomodation from The Department of Housing. I dont know what prompted this article but im just really surprised at the amount of personal information divulged for no real purpose.
Well only entertainment purposes I guess, but when did the details of a suspected murder become entertainment?
The article also identifies all of the "suspects" by name and affixes them an unflattering (slanderous) description.
Robert Kamminga, [resident of the apartment block] with whom it was alleged she had had a "kinky" sexual relationship
Kim Sharwood, a prostitute who had stayed with Ms Germain until they had a falling out two weeks before her death
John Marsh, a New Zealander from whom Ms Germain had been warned to stay away
Chady Wazir, an ice addict whose DNA had been found on several items in the bathroom including the hard hat and the knife
Kim Sharwood, a prostitute who had stayed with Ms Germain until they had a falling out two weeks before her death
John Marsh, a New Zealander from whom Ms Germain had been warned to stay away
Chady Wazir, an ice addict whose DNA had been found on several items in the bathroom including the hard hat and the knife
It all seems a bit inappropriate to me! The language, the characterisations and stereotyping, and above all the timing. This isnt a current event, it was over two years ago, so I really have to question whether it is newsworthy?
I wonder about the legality of the content, and the ethics of the sources, the journalist, and the publication - I wonder, but I do not know the answers, is this an acceptable "news" story or is this yellow journalism?
Should this poor deceased woman have her name raked through the mud like this? Is she being treated with less respect by the media and law enforcement because of her sexuality and lifestyle? Was the underlying message here that the victim was scum, and socialised with scum, and lived in a scum area so it is fair to pry and ultimately depict her in a negative, insensitive fashion?
I didnt see any appeals for information to help solve the crime, or explanation as to why the intimate details of the crime were being released at this late stage. All I got from this article was "Its all so bizarre! Her life was a circus sideshow!"
If you were assigned to report on this story would have you delivered it differently?
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Comment by alt_ed
Alted Opinion
ArtCombat
The Inner Saintdom
Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
Current Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
geez theres so many pests around here!
i dont think blogs (well Orble blogs anyway) would be classified as "journalism", its pretty informal around here, not like a big publisher!
thanks for the comment!
Comment by Lilla
Enviro Warrior
An Extra Ordinary Life
Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop
Hence the reason I am not employed, using my impressive bits of paper, which in todays media translates to nothing more than the above.
Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
Current Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
im surprised publications arent clambering for your writing, you always provide the most extensive research and put forward your ideas in a positive way!
Comment by Lilla
Enviro Warrior
An Extra Ordinary Life
Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop
they do and I write a fair bit of freelance under various nom de plumes... however, most mainstream stuff eventually ends up having to tow some party line to perpetuate the myths... and quite frankly I have grown tired of it. I have moved on to authoring books now, the first of which is due and I cannot get it finished because I keep getting sucked into the nosense here on orble... *shaking my head* you think a gal would have learnt by now.
I have promised myself some serious stuff in December and look forward to keeping my date with myself and (hopefully) my destiny.
Thank you so much for the encouraging compliment, rare these days in here. Lets face it orble just gets you down lately with its endless bile, hard for anyone to stay positive.
Lilla ...
Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
Current Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
i think your enviro blog was the first blog i ever subscribed to when i first joined Orble, and im still subscribed today - i like it, i actually learn things there!
that is interesting what you say about journalism having to "tow party lines", i guess on the whole we dont really have much in the way of independant media in Australia . . . articles that threaten big business by exposing environmental issues may be edited or re-written or watered down to please commercial interests?
if you offend one person (with no powerful friends) its encouraged, but if if you offend the timber industry, or the coal industry they pull the plug on you . . .
good luck with the books, you really do have a wonderful way with words!
Comment by Lilla
Enviro Warrior
An Extra Ordinary Life
Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop
Absolutely. or worse, you dissapear overnight! I have a couple freinds who have vanished.
I guess its much the same as what Damo says about scientists finding answers to questions the people with their paychecks, want to hear.
Writing the truth about the environment today is very, very VERY hard, because of this fact and why I first came to orble. I am not in it for the pay, but for the truth and my love of words and my need to keep writing them.
Thank you for the compliment and good wishes Morgan, I will make a grand announcement in my Journal blog (ordinary Life) when and if it makes it to the shelves. Meanwhile I will continue to post on Envirowarrior as time permits, as I do enjoy the research (and learning) more than anything, although sometimes the truth is so daunting, it disturbs people, especially those who fear apocoplytic endings to humanity .. and ironically that disturbs me (robbing people of their peace).
Lilla ...
Comment by Janet Collins
The Social Critic
Janet Collins Blog
Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
Current Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
yes, i was thinking much the same thing!
i guess we are to assume these details are open as public record, but im still surprised
Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
Speaking of Yellow Journalism, for the last two weeks The Sunday Age has featured front page stories with the word 'bitch' in the headline. Last week it was St Kilda Bitch haha very funny, a play on St Kilda Beach and this week it was a story about backyard dog breeders waiting for 'the next bitch on heat".
Hmmm.
Comment by Wilson Pon
Health 2 Know
Techno Stuffs
I'm sured that many of us here were still a little bit blur about Yellowjournalism, including me as well lol
Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
Current Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
nothing like calling someone a "bitch" to grab attention!
many of the details of this case seemed like the kind of gossip you would get from your next door neighbour or the good ol' grapevine - it didnt sound like what you would expect a coroner to give out in an official capacity
hi Wilson,
wow thats a real site!
thanks for pointing it out!
apparently before the term "Yellow Journalism" became a slur describing general unethical reporting it meant something much more specific
... the genre was more complex than merely sensational; its "distinguishing techniques," Mott said, included the use or appearance of:
1) prominent headlines that "screamed excitement, often about comparatively unimportant news."
"lavish use of pictures, many of them without significance."
2) "impostors and frauds of various kinds," including "faked's interviews and stories."
3) a Sunday supplement and color comics.
4) "more or less ostentatious sympathy with the underdog,'s with campaigns against abuses suffered by the common people."
Comment by Norm
Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
Comment by Chris Champion
moneywhither
Vyoos
Zoomies
Bloggercises
NewlyOld
The Blog of Lists
You pose interesting and valid points. One point I would make, however, is that I think there is a blurring of lines here. When you ask if this is an acceptable news story, I would say that it is not in fact a news story. It is a feature article, and as such has different rules of legitimacy (regarding immediacy, for example).
Feature articles remain open to scrutiny, however, in terms of bias, sensationalism, distortion and misleading images.
Different people will see different degrees of one or more of these things in the article - arguably there is some evidence of all of them. On sensationalism, I agree with you entirely that the description of Darlinghurst was a B-grade beat-up.
Chris
Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
Current Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
yeah it was my kind of town! haha
i liked to mingle with the trannys and rent boys!
although i think there was just as many legit businesses and museums and libraries etc as there were sex workers!
i also doubt the incidence of mental illness is any higher in that suburb (by percentage), its just densely populated, so theres more of every type of person
hi Chris,
hey thats a good point about how the article was classified, maybe it does come under the banner of "feature" . . . thanks for pointing that out!
maybe this was intended as a "human interest" type piece, i think it fooled me because in was so callous and unsympathetic . . . didnt have a real "human" vibe!
i also thought it had no strong conclusions or first hand accounts of the womans life, it seemed to have a really passive clinical type of voice . . . like "immitation news"!
thanks for taking the time to do a bit of an analysis - its always good to have a fresh pair of eyes look things over!
Comment by Postmodern Critic
Postmodern Critic
Daily Inspirations
Relativity Watch
Padsoc
I was thinking of moving to Darlinghurst at one stage, but I think I'll stay in the Eastern Suburbs while I am here...
Comment by Mrs M
Mum's Word
I was following this story over the few days the Herald website ran stories. Like you, I never really got the point. It didn't really seem to go anywhere so at the beginning while I was genuinely interested in what happened to this woman by the end I gave up because I was getting nothing from the Herald. They seem to run a different article with the same message for about a week.
I majored in journalism at uni and was turned off it before I even graduated. Quite sad considering I wanted to be a journo from about the age of 9. Lois Lane was my hero.
But I'm compelled to write, just like you and Lilla so here we are.
I'm very critical of all news outlets. You have to be. You just can't trust any of them.
Love & stuff
Mrs M
Comment by Morgan Bell
Deep Pencil
Current Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
i was only alerted to it about a week after it was published, i didnt think it warranted a complaint, it was more that i just found it curious . . . as someone still feeling their way around the industry i was wondering if other journalists found this acceptable, or a bit borderline?
i think you would love Darlinghurst, so diverse and brimming with life!
hi Mrs M,
Lois Lane! what a great hero!
i expect she would have had a bit more integrity than to write seemingly pointless, sensational articles like this . . . she seemed to have a good head on her shoulders and a good nose for (interesting) news!
i think its good to remain critical of everything you read!
i was surprised at the Coroners flippant attitude, but equally surprised at the reporter not commenting on his position . . .
i guess everything you read gives you a clearer picture of how the industry currently operates . . .
thanks for your comments, i appreciate a second opinion from someone following the case!