20 December, 2014. 13:39
ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact
- News Corp forecast to make company record profit in the Christmas quarter.
- Multinational media outlet accused of “profiteering on the collective pain and sadness of millions”.
- Rupert Murdoch reportedly unapologetic but offers condolences to “loved ones”.
- Murdoch: “We’re not the only ones reporting the news – everybody else is doing it”.
TRANS-GLOBAL MEDIA ORGANISATION News Limited has been accused of “profiteering” on the most recent Australian tragedies by industry regulators.
Chairman of the Australian Press Council, Professor David Weisbrot, raised his concerns this morning in a volley of internal emails between himself and an unnamed colleague.
“I’m having a few reservations about how News [Corp] is reporting these stories,” wrote Professor Weisbrot.
“They need to treat lightly – especially after what’s happened in Cairns,”
“At least it’ll be a good Christmas party.” he wrote.
In November, media commentators drew criticism on the manner in which The Daily Telegraph pandered to it’s readership, regarding Phillip Hughes, in order to maximise sales.
“There was no need to “retire” the whole back page,” said a Sydney journalism professor.
“It was quite clever. Nobody had ever seen the back of the Tele completely void before,”
“The average punter – even those who don’t usually buy newspapers – bought the paper that day.” she said.
In light of the allegations, News Corp hit back at claims it was profiteering on the death of Phillip Hughes, saying that they were simply reporting on a story.
“We thought it was quite tasteful,” said Daily Telegraph editor, Paul Whittaker.
“Suggestions that we’re profiteering is unfounded and untrue,”
Critics say the proof in the pudding came about in the following weeks as Sydney held its breath during the Martin Place Siege, where two successful white people were murdered by a crazed gunman.
“News Corp is exploring new uncharted depths of journalistic immorality,” said one pedestrian.tv writer.
“They are turning a profit by reporting “news” that is either speculation or profoundly false,”
“How is this legal?” she wrote.
A senior journalist from Fairfax’s The Sydney Morning Herald, says that the tabloid style of the Telegraph makes it acceptable to report the news through bullet points and vague info-graphics.
“If I handed in something to my editor that had even half of the shit they write everyday in it, he’d assault me,” he said.
“We want to write like those News [Corp] guys but we can’t because our editors are these moderate boy scouts without any chips on their shoulders,”
“I’ve got children to send to private school. I can’t do that working for a reputable media organisation.”
As recently as this morning, News Corp has once again had profiteering speculation levelled against them.
News.com.au is currently running with the murder of eight children in Cairns yesterday as their lead story, complete with multiple pictures and grabs from anybody prepared to talk to them.
Cultural leaders have also laid claims that News broke protocol by publishing images of a deceased Indigenous person.
“It’s the big stories that people want to read about,” says editor Paul Whittaker.
“Our analytics are telling us that readers want to read about the Cairns murders and cricket – so that’s what we’re giving them,”
“We’ll never apologise for giving the people what they want.” he said.
