A dramatic scene from the film 'The Network'
The following examples, of unrelenting abuse by the Australian media, were submitted to the Expendable research team, between 2009 and 2011. They demonstrate a small selection of the techniques and methods, which have been hugely effective, in influencing public opinion.
1. OPEN FABRICATION
In Australia, dead men cannot sue, a situation which unscrupulous broadcasters have taken full advantage of. Following the death of Schapelle Corby's father, in January 2008, the broadcast of smear and proven fabrication, presented as fact, was an increasingly common feature.
The Primary Smear Report demonstrates one such case, involving the ABC's Lateline. The entirely false allegations made on Lateline, in July 2008, were widely syndicated, at a crucial time for Schapelle Corby, and were hugely damaging to her welfare and prospects.
The ABC's twenty second apology, and a note tucked away on their website, were wholly inadequate in reversing the significant negative impact upon public perception.
2. DEFAMATION
Due to the serious shortcomings of Australian law, Schapelle Corby's family were not able to defend themselves against lies and fabrications presented through her father.
However, when similar allegations were made against Mercedes Corby, as a living person, she was able to confront the broadcaster responsible, Channel 7. The Surpreme Court confirmed the allegations as outright fabrications, and thus, that she had been directly defamed by them.
Unfortunately, Schapelle Corby's father remained an open target.
3. THE USE OF ENTERTAINMENT
The use of 'entertainment', to manage public opinion, embraced most commercial channels. Schapelle Corby's struggle to survive mental illness, in her squalid cell, in itself became a source of humour and ridicule. Australian networks openly conditioned the public to accept her continued abuse:
Here, the target was Schapelle Corby's sister, Mercedes, who, ironically, is being ridiculed for defending her name against media defamation:
4. DIRTY TRICKS
Despite struggling daily to sustain her sister, whilst desperately seeking to prove her innocence, Mercedes Corby herself had to suffer repeated abuses. In this example, an Australian TV network provided bait, in the form of potential new evidence, as they sought to engineer what they considered to be entertainment:
5. SUBLIMINAL MESSAGING
The sound bite technique is a hugely controversial tool of propaganda, and has frequently been employed by the media to promote key messages regarding Schapelle Corby. In this example, Nine Network broadcast an advert for a publication by ACP Magazines, which like Nine itself, is owned by CVC Asia Pacific. Woman's Day has a long history of producing stories which are extremely hostile to Schapelle Corby.
With Schapelle Corby desperately seeking to return to a hospital in Australia, and her clemency appeal at a critical stage, the following advert was broadcast (November 2010), suggesting to Australians that she didn't want to come home:
6. ABUSIVE PRODUCTION ENGINEERING
In broadcasting, smears have been backed up by the crudest of production techniques. Here, dark sinister music score is used to introduce Schapelle Corby's father, who was dying of cancer at the time:
7. HOSTILE OPINION PRESENTATION
Schapelle Corby's deteriorating mental and physical health posed the constant threat that public sympathy might develop. This was countered, not only through the use of subliminal and entertainment messaging, but through the routine presentation of uninformed, hostile and inhumane opinion.
8. NEWS MANAGEMENT: CENSORSHIP
Supportive information and developments have usually been completely censored out of the news:
These examples represent a tiny fraction of the overall output, and a small sample of the range of hostile approaches used, over the course of more than seven years.
THE ACMA
On behalf of the government, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) regulates broadcasting services. This government agency has failed to uphold a single complaint with respect to Schapelle Corby, supporting the broadcasters on every occasion.
It has effectively endorsed the ongoing situation, and the staggering number of broadcasting abuses, which themselves align with the government's position documented throughout this website.
| "There are laws to protect the freedom of the press's speech, but none that are worth anything to protect the people from the press." ~ Mark Twain |
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