Bias in media

An interesting little story about my day...

This morning while reading the online news at work, I found an article
posted at the ABC's "News Just In" site which mentioned that a woman
pedestrian was critically injured in a collision with a motorcycle in
Adelaide last night. I then searched the ABC site and discovered that in
their entire weekly bulletin there was no mention of any MV accident
anywhere in the country (apart from a minor one that involved a current
federal politician).

I emailed the ABC and asked why they saw fit to publish an article about a
non-fatal (at the time, turns out the woman died later on)incident that
appeared to be noteworthy simply because it involved a motorcycle. I also
pointed out that there were numerous fatal MV accidents in NSW alone last
week, (eg. check out the listings at
http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/media/media.cfm ) yet it seems because they
only involved cars, none of them were deemed newsworthy enough to get
written up. I asked what editorial perspective felt that motorcycle
accidents should be publicised nationally, while the greater number of fatal
car accidents should go unmentioned.

Anyway, I never heard back, but to my surprise, by the time I got to my home
PC (all ready to bitch about it on aus.moto), I checked in at the ABC site
again and the story has mysteriously vanished (!)

The woman later died, and that particular story is still listed at
http://www.news.com.au. (Fri 14 Nov, 10:40 AM). I didn't complain to
news.com.au because they always write up every fatal MV accident ever from
anywhere in the country, so this isn't particularly out of character.

Manning

 

You want the national broadcaster to censor the news?

Nev..
'03 ZX12R
'02 CBR1100XX

 

It appears they already are.

Cheers,
Dave ZZR600 => ST2 (stolen) => '03 XX

 

Are you still only ever reading just the last line Nev?

 

No, I read the first line, and the last line.

In the case of this accident... presumably the ABC internet news website gets
it's news from the major news carriers (Reuters etc) and from it's own network
of local radio and TV newsrooms. In sleepy Adelaide, the instance of a
motorcycle colliding with a pedestrian is probably big news because, well,
just go to Adelaide and see for yourself. Just because they list one
particular accident on their news website is probably not an indication of
bias against motorcyclists, its probably because all of their other newsrooms
don't consider run of the mill, ordinary, everyday, garden variety car crashes
resulting in fatalities to be particularly newsworthy.

Nev..
'03 ZX12R
'02 CBR1100XX

 

The ABC biased, never happen

Boxer

 

Huh? - You taking the piss out of Adelaide again Nev??

Johno

 

I see your point Nev, but my issue is *why* is a motorcycle accident
newsworthy and a car accident not? I was annoyed because "selective
reporting" of this kind simply adds to the negative perception of
motorcycling. We're living in a time when insurance premiums for motorcycles
are completely out of proportion to the statistical risk, and an NRMA survey
of riders indicates that 94% of car drivers do not feel they have to have
concern for the welfare of a motorcyclist on the road (mentioned in Two
Wheels this month). Yes, I've got a bee in my bonnet about this issue, but I
think there's a little bit of justification for it.

What I found interesting was the fact that in my original email to the ABC I
didn't ask for the story to be removed, I simply asked them to explain why a
motorcycle accident was deemed more newsworthy than a car accident.

But I have been to Adelaide... oh my, it's a sleepy little place Nice
roads thoughs.

Cheers Manning

 

It made the news because it's rare for anyone other than riders/pillions to
be killed in motorcycle accidents.

In fact, for other road users, we're 10 times safer than cars.

Doug Cox.
Work to ride, Ride to work...

 

~
They probably just posted this story to break up the monotony of only
reporting the serial-killers and sex murders.
Clem
[besides; the pedestrian should never have been where the motorcycles
travel; between the letterbox and the house!]

 

and I thought this would be something original

 

Now I know you are taking the piss

Johno <holder of letterbox #001>

 

It doesn't leave much else, does it johno?

 

Is this a common thread topic at aus.moto? I've never seen it before, so I'm
sorry if it is.

Manning

 

So, email them again, and keep doing it till you get an answer. Or better still, ring during business hours and ask to speak to the
Head of news.

smack
ABC TV

 

All well and good. There has been a LOT of negative press regarding speed
cameras in Melbourne lately. All the news services have been covering it. It
seems biased too. Should I complain? It's giving all speed enforcement a bad
wrap.

Let me get this straight... you're proving your point about bias by quoting
the results of a survey of RIDERS indicating how CAR DRIVERS "felt".
Interesting concept. I find car drivers "feel" softer when I'm wearing my
winter gloves. YMMV.

As stated previously. Most probably for it's novelty value.

Nev..
'03 ZX12R
'02 CBR1100XX

 

Eh? Yes, I go on about it all the time. Don't hate the Media,
become the Media, then write whiney Saturday-morning editorials
about Media Bias!

Anything unusual is going to get articles written about it.
Anything typical doesn't. It's the whole "Dog Bites Man" syndrome.

-----sharks

 

On 15/11/03 5:13 PM, in article

It has a head? Uuuurrrrgggghhh!

Hammo

 

as Peter Allen sang..
"When my baby..., when my baby smiles at me, I go to Truro, I'm a lucky
fellow..."

Joe M.