The only role ACA / TT play in society is to sell advertising to those too lazy to switch the channel after the news.If you think it’s anything else, then you’re an idiot. Simple as that.
However, before you have a go at me for being “puffed up with moral superiority” I also think this of MOST journalism. Including Crikey.
Journalism has never been about the “Truth”. It’s never been about “Facts”. It’s never been about “Democracy”. It’s never been about “Reality”.
Journalism’s first and continued motivation is profit for the owners.
The very first broadsheets were advertising forums for shipping services, designed to profit those who advertised. These morphed into the first newspapers and they too were all about profit.
The very first photo published in a magazine was a montage - two images spliced together. Never mind the fact that this was the first photo published in a magazine - that wasn’t sensational enough - so they had to fake the truth of that photo.
And this sensationalism and profiteering has always existed in the media. The fact that some of it does some good in the world doesn’t excuse or counter this very basic fact about media.
If I make a good product, you’ll buy it. Likewise with media - it’s simply a product. If someone makes good media - and the definition of “good” changes with the individual - people will consume it.
When ACA expose a charlatan, don’t think for a minute they’re doing it for “the good of the people” - they want people to view the adverts and to make a profit out of that.
Likewise, Crikey’s exposure of the tactics ACA use is fantastic, but don’t think for a minute this was published for any other reason than making people want to subscribe to Crikey.
I want to expand on it later too. I think some may view this as extremely cynical, but I don't, and will explain why in a later post.
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