The Journalistic Nose for Old News

Agamedes wonders if "journalists" are paid by the newspapers or by other big businesses.

Do you need new -- lateral -- thinking for your own problems? email nick leth at gmail dot com. Need solutions? No worries. Now.

Isn't it amazing the way that journalists dig out the great news stories! I mean to say, just look at today's (19 Jun 10) front page headline on The West: "DJs' boss flees country with pregnant lover". Wow! Such a nose for breaking news!

Until you read the articles.

"But it is believed that Mr McInnes' flirtatious behaviour to a number of female staff had reached the ears of some directors over the years." And it was not newsworthy until Mark McInnes finally quit over an apparently similar series of events? And the David Jones directors felt no need to take action to discourage whatever incidents finally led to McInnes' resignation?

Then turn to page 5, where the "exposé" continues:

"But a photograph of him [McInnes] walking several steps behind Gale, eyes fixed on her bottom as a smile played on his lips, constantly appeared in the press." Megan Gale is a model -- a woman who is paid serious money to be photographed so that men (and women) can stare at her bottom. Is there something wrong with McInnes, that he enjoyed staring at the real thing?

If there is something wrong -- why was there no condemnation at the time? If there is something wrong -- why was McInnes not cautioned and corrected at the time? If there is something wrong -- why is it that the photo "constantly appeared in the press"?

Surely -- if there is something wrong, with McInnes staring at Gale's bottom -- surely the constant re-publication of the photo is an example of the press supporting, condoning and repeating this "wrong" behaviour.

If the staring is wrong... If the photo is wrong... Then the editors who published the photo should also be resigning, for supporting, condoning and repeating this "wrong" behaviour.

It is too late for the press to now shout, "Holier than thou!" and condemn McInnes for an interest which -- until today -- they have apparently supported.

And speaking of "too late"... Where were the journalists over the years when DJ directors were hearing of McInnes' flirtatious behaviour? No questions, no challenges -- is the man too rich and powerful? Where were the journalists in the seven days between McInnes coming clean with his board and McInnes hopping on a plane out of the country? Are the journalists just lazy... or are they just incompetent?

Where were the journalists?

I would guess that the journalists were at the fashion shows. Sipping champagne, snacking on canapés. Hoping for a glimpse of Megan Gale's bottom. Skimming the DJ press releases.

Waiting for a "news" story to arrive from easy and accredited sources.

Did any of the business or fashion journalists ever consider that perhaps there was a story behind the carefully controlled press releases?

Whatever happened to "investigative" journalism.

Independent thinking & independent analysis of your problems by Agamedes Consulting. Support for your thought: email nick leth at gmail dot com