Laura Tingle and aliens at the ABC

Managing editor Michelle Pini delves into whether Laura Tingle may represent the last ABC journalist prepared to report the truth.

THE LEGACY MEDIA's apoplectic reaction to Laura Tingle calling Australia a "racist country" has again highlighted the vital role of independent media as mainstream media journalism continues to decline.

Along with a few truths about Opposition Leader Peter Dutton's dog-whistling on immigration, ABC journalist Laura Tingle made the following truthful observation at the Sydney Writer’s Festival:

'We are a racist country, let's face it. We always have been and it's very depressing.'

This has inspired the following truthful IA observations:

1. Australia is racist.
2. The role of journalists is to report the truth.
3. Laura Tingle is a credible journalist.
4. Mainstream media is beyond redemption and independent news organisations are vital.
5. The ABC has been taken over by aliens.

1. Australia is racist

The first observation was explained in Dave Donovan’s editorial last week, which gave multiple examples demonstrating Australia’s racism, so:

‘The simple statement that Australia is a racist country should not really be a controversial one.’

2. The role of journalists is to report the truth and 3. Laura Tingle is a credible journalist.

Tingle’s simple statement, then, is one of fact, illustrating points two and three: the role of journalists is to report facts and Laura Tingle is a very credible journalist.

But according to The Australian, Tingle’s words were evidence of a ‘loathing for the country the ABC is funded to serve’ and ‘incompatible’ with Tingle’s positions as ABC chief political correspondent and board member. 

4. Mainstream media is beyond redemption and independent news organisations are vital.

Dave also illustrated how the same people calling Laura Tingle “biased” aired former Coalition Treasurer Josh Frydenberg’s documentary on an alleged rise of antisemitism – a form of racism – in Australia.

Conservative media repeat such terms as “impartiality” and “balance” – which are code for “right-wing views only” and “equal space for truth and lies”, respectively – to ensure that the special warped brand of disinformation masquerading as journalism, favoured by publications such as The Australian and friends, is incorporated into the public discourse as fact.

As usual, the calls for Laura’s head to roll came first from the Murdoch media — the same media empire showing Frydenberg’s racism documentary.

The same organisation that routinely hacks people’s phones.

The same organisation that promotes convicted felon Donald Trump.

And the same media empire that, on a daily basis, spews out unhinged racist hate speech and climate denial, and systematically attacks anyone whose ideas do not mirror its own, via such journalistic "benchmarks" as Sky News.

Apparently, reporting racism is far worse than actual racism.

That’s truthful observation number four established.

Unfortunately, News Corp and company were not alone in denouncing Tingle’s simple statement of fact.

This brings us to our final observation and why we believe the ABC has been taken over by aliens.

5. The ABC has been taken over by aliens.

We have watched in horror over many years as the public broadcaster suffered incessant alien attacks – in the form of feral News Corp “commentators”, IPA representatives and various Coalition politicians – foaming at the mouth about ABC "bias". This somehow led to these same extra-terrestrials – the ones calling for the ABC to be privatised and also hung and quartered – appearing more and more frequently on ABC programs to continue their attacks from a more convenient vantage point.

Finally, it led to these same irregular immigrants becoming entrenched in the annals of the national broadcaster itself, with former News Corp employees now ensconced as regular presenters, editors and board members.

And so the ABC – ever eager to do the bidding of its new alien overlords – also got involved, announcing Laura Tingle would be “counselled” as her comments 'did not meet the organisation's editorial standards'.

Said "counselling" was evidently required to ensure Laura would no longer make the mistake of reporting the truth and would remember instead “impartiality” and “balance” — which we have already translated from the alien vernacular to mean “right-wing views only” and “equal space for truth and lies”.

Bizarrely, even ABC's Media Watch, the program meant to report on journalistic standards, piped up with:

'Laura Tingle has a duty to appear to be impartial'. 

And here we thought Tingle – an actual journalist – has a duty to report the truth. 

Of course, we have previously discussed the very opposite-of-impartial views of Media Watch on the truthful reporting of organisations such as Friendlyjordies and this publication, for example, but that’s the subject for another editorial. 

We are aware that criticising the ABC for becoming a shadow of its former self and emulating rabid News Corp tropes may also play into alien hands, but we just cannot seem to get past observation number two and stop looking out the fucking window and reporting the truth (the job of the journalist as elucidated by journalism professor Jonathan Foster).

This brings us, sadly and abruptly, back to Earth and confirms the fifth above-mentioned IA observation: the ABC has been taken over by aliens.

Because the mainstream media is beyond redemption and the ABC alien infiltration appears now to be complete, the role of independent terrestrial journalism organisations is more vital than ever.

As well as the constant battle against establishment media disinformation to inform people of the truth, independent media is suffering a crisis, including, primarily, financial pressures, but also social media platforms “deprecating” news and the constant threat of defamation lawsuits.

Hope for Earth-based public interest journalism

But there’s some good news, Earthlings: all is not lost.

Independent Australia is still here as are several other independent publishers of integrity.

And a new organisation, Local and Independent News Association (LINA), established to promote independent media in Australia, has introduced a fundraising initiative, 'Our News. Your Voice', calling on Australians to 'support independent news organisations'.

IA spoke to LINA executive director Claire Stuchbery who said:

‘It’s no secret that grassroots journalism is increasingly being sidelined across the country.’

The biggest problem independent organisations face, says Claire, is funding:

'Maintaining access to accurate and relevant information for communities, while paying for quality public interest journalism that serves those communities, and may or may not serve advertisers, is an ongoing challenge, which is why we’re witnessing the closure of so many newsrooms around the country.'

Claire added:

'The industry is in transition right now and independent publishers in particular need support to respond to evolving technology and audience preferences.' 

Indeed, the legacy media's apoplectic reaction to Laura Tingle calling Australia a "racist country" has again highlighted the vital role of independent media as mainstream media journalism continues to decline. 

Paul Barry mansplaining ABC editorial policy to Laura Tingle:

"Just stay within the commercial media's narrative and say please don't hurt me." https://t.co/70mvG68LYO

— Shep (@shepoldfirm) June 3, 2024

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