We are expected to trust in the media to deliver the truth. The news is supposed to be honest and unbiased. This may not have been the case during the 2013 Australian Federal Election. Rupert Murdoch’s ‘News Corp’ has taken heavy criticism due to its one sided coverage during the campaign. A number of articles have been written highlighting the true nature of News Corp’s coverage, which seemed to focus more on attacking Labor than actually covering key policies and arguments.
An episode of Media Watch in September last year, highlights the front page headlines by ‘The Daily Telegraph’, which were simply putting down Kevin Rudd and his campaigners. It included headlines such as “Kick This Mob Out!” and “Does This Guy Ever Shut Up?”. Media Watch presented Paul Barry says “…it’s hard to believe it had no effect, even if the Tele’s western Sydney heartland failed to produce the Labor wipeout that many had predicted.”
The Guardian produced an article talking about Murdoch’s tactics during the time. It heavily criticises Murdoch, claiming he wished to see Rudd out from power. “There is not the slightest attempt to conceal his agenda. It is blatant, bold and belligerent.” it says, “…it confirms yet again the way in which he links political interventions to his commercial desires.” It also mentions Murdoch bringing Col Allan from New York, specifically to write dirty articles attacking Rudd and his government.
It is difficult to deny the level of bias in the coverage; Media Watch found that out of 293 political stories, 6 were pro Labor, while 43 were pro coalition, and 5 were anti Coalition and134 were anti Labor. This string of stories far differs from the neutral standards that are normally upheld in news coverage. Whether it actually influenced the election or not, it is a serious issue about bias in journalism and affects the integrity of journalism in the future.
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