Double Fault

A consequence of our “media insider”-driven interpretation of politics is that journalists’ conceit over their proximity to the major agents domestically can leave them blind to the global nature of the crisis in liberal democracies.

Journalists, like commentators sitting cosily in their freebie box seats at the tennis, are so busy praising Abbott’s passing shots on asylum seekers or condemning Gillard’s clumsy backhand on the Malaysian solution that they cannot see that global issues such as the unregulated mass movement of people across borders, man-made climate change and systemic issues in financial markets are at a level of complexity beyond the ability of mere individual states to resolve.
(more…)

Punch and Judy Journalism

The Twitterverse, fingers poised on keyboards and 140 characters at the ready, has been excitedly awaiting the resumption of the ABC’s hit current affairs panel show, Q and A. The usual suspects are being primed to play their customary roles on either side of compere Tony Jones, the constable in this televisual Punch and Judy. (more…)