The Age: Earth Hour and editorial independence

Melbourne newspaper and news website 'The Age' has been been found out as having let external forces determine how it reports the news.

This came to light with a report on ABC's Media Watch that the Earth Hour organisers were essentially dictating what the Age should be reporting on, and the tone in which they should be reporting in, in relation to Earth Hour.

This led to a meeting where the staff of the Age issued a motion stating that they felt that editorial independence was being compromised and that they reaffirmed there commitment to independence, and issued a supporting statement detailing six instances where editorial independence had been compromised for commercial interests or in the personal interests of management.

My greatest personal annoyance with the media is the fact that it constantly mixes commentary with factual reporting and 'reports' human interest type stories (i.e. Mr and Mrs Pillock lost their life savings that they had invested in Finance Company X for 1% above bank deposit rates) as though it were real news in order to try and change public opinion or because they believe that this is public opinion and they want to be seen to think the same way (that is the only possible explanation I can find for all the Reserve Bank bashing, particularly on the western side of the Tasman, as it is hurting average families and should lower interest rates never mind the inflation).

In my opinion the Age has committed a pretty bad error by letting its independence slip. I had always thought it was guilty of the two crimes I mention in the last paragraph, but being held to commercial interests and management directives above independent reporting of fact is inexcusable.

I did still use the website, as the website has a far more pleasing design than the Herald Sun's, but I will now have to see how this matter pans out.