Fairfax (now Nine) and other left-wing media bias in Australian political coverage

[GoldenSky]

I often say Fairfax carries very biased left-wing coverage (in contravention of its stated "Independent. Always." goal), and am often shouted down here.

We need to analyse this issue further. I will be doing so and invite others to in this thread.

Take, for example, the main headline on SMH at the moment "Breaking. Morrison caught lying."

What's the basis for this screaming headline in the middle of an election campaign? Oh that's right, just the shadow Treasurer saying it:

Mr Bowen said that Mr Morrison had been caught "lying" about the Labor policies.
https://www.smh.com.au/federal-elec...-387-billion-tax-costing-20190412-p51dl7.html

What's the small print?
The $387 billion estimate is the Coalition's total based on Treasury estimates of policies including changes to negative gearing, dividend imputation and family trusts.
The $387 billion figure is very close to the total for Labor's own cost estimates for its policies.
"Treasury received requests from the Treasurer’s office outlining a number of policies to be costed. The requests made no reference to the opposition," the spokesman said.
"The relevant policy officers costed these proposals and provided this analysis to the Treasurer’s office prior to the commencement of the caretaker period."
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday that the "Treasury costings" revealed $387 billion in higher taxes under Labor

So, PM/Treasurer asked for policies to be costed as is normal. PM used the total of those costings to estimate that taxes would be $387 billion higher under Labor than they would be under the Coalition if they were elected and implemented their policies. This figure accords with Labor's own estimates. End result? Screaming headline branding the PM a liar.

Seriously, this is such shoddily sub-par journalism from the SMH.

 

[DaRick]

Needs to be borne in mind that the SMH (whom you cite) endorsed both Abbott and Turnbull.

Not really a leftie thing to do.

 

[GoldenSky]

Similar to Murdoch endorsing Blair, Rudd etc. They see the writing on the wall and pretend to be with the people.

 

[DaRick]

Similar to Murdoch endorsing Blair, Rudd etc. They see the writing on the wall and pretend to be with the people.

Turnbull's was not exactly a resounding win, though (50.3% to 49.7%).

They could have reasonably endorsed Shorten if they wanted to seem representative.

 

[TigerTime_89]

Australian Media outlets may be left leaning or right leaning but at the end of the day,
All Media Outlets are pro corporation and pro Military Industrial Complex. Fact.

 

[RupieDupie]

I often say Fairfax carries very biased left-wing coverage (in contravention of its stated "Independent. Always." goal), and am often shouted down here.

We need to analyse this issue further. I will be doing so and invite others to in this thread.

Take, for example, the main headline on SMH at the moment "Breaking. Morrison caught lying."

What's the basis for this screaming headline in the middle of an election campaign? Oh that's right, just the shadow Treasurer saying it:

Mr Bowen said that Mr Morrison had been caught "lying" about the Labor policies.
https://www.smh.com.au/federal-elec...-387-billion-tax-costing-20190412-p51dl7.html

What's the small print?
The $387 billion estimate is the Coalition's total based on Treasury estimates of policies including changes to negative gearing, dividend imputation and family trusts.
The $387 billion figure is very close to the total for Labor's own cost estimates for its policies.
"Treasury received requests from the Treasurer’s office outlining a number of policies to be costed. The requests made no reference to the opposition," the spokesman said.
"The relevant policy officers costed these proposals and provided this analysis to the Treasurer’s office prior to the commencement of the caretaker period."
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday that the "Treasury costings" revealed $387 billion in higher taxes under Labor

So, PM/Treasurer asked for policies to be costed as is normal. PM used the total of those costings to estimate that taxes would be $387 billion higher under Labor than they would be under the Coalition if they were elected and implemented their policies. This figure accords with Labor's own estimates. End result? Screaming headline branding the PM a liar.

Seriously, this is such shoddily sub-par journalism from the SMH.



View attachment 653086

This is obviously a right wing news article.

The article is presenting the illusion that when Morrison lies it should be “breaking news”, ergo they are trying to persuade people that Morrison lying is a rare event. I’m sending a screenshot of this to The ABC’s election propaganda online form. This is ridiculous!

 

[Admiral Byng]

Australian Media outlets may be left leaning or right leaning but at the end of the day,
All Media Outlets are pro corporation and pro Military Industrial Complex. Fact.

I'd be pro military industrial complex too... if we ******* had one.

 

[CM86]

 

[Frank Bunn]

It's clickbait from the now tabloid Fairfax. They ain't selling newspapers and don't restrict their site to subscribers. So they rely on advertiser revenue. You'll probably find another story tomorrow with a sensational headline that argues the opposite point of view. They probably lean in total to the left to cater for their traditional readerbase.

The Herald Sun probably had more political influence when people bought newspapers and before they started charging for online access.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

Morgan Begg opinion on the home page. Who's going to pay to help ******* IPA people earn a living? Probably nobody. Whatever chance of something resembling a good future Sydney Morning Herald-The Age had ended when Nine bought it. Nobody can be guilted into subscribing/donating now.

People have moved onto The Saturday Paper https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/

 

[RupieDupie]

...I just realised something... this is the moment where I’m not with “it” anymore...

I’ve seen so much in my life, I can quote Forrest Gump, the entire movie, but I’ve barely watched any original content on YouTube... and I just did a quick search... and I seriously can’t watch all of that!

I don’t even know where to start, and given I only barely made it through the entire series of Mad Men... I’m going to be at a loss with how to communicate with the next generation.

Who is this Milo guy, is he any relationship to the guy who cried over Britney? Is the guy who cried over Britney still trending on Twitter?

 

[GoldenSky]

Again....a big bold headline about "Dutton" getting "nasty" when the article is simply a rehash of the report earlier in the day, confirming via his spokesperson that yes, Dutton said what he said.




Meanwhile, WAY down the main page, in the Politics section is this "Exclusive":



https://www.smh.com.au/federal-elec...ates-spark-aec-complaint-20190412-p51dnj.html
The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age spoke with numerous campaign experts who agreed the structures were unusual.

For an organisation that prides itself supposedly on its investigative journalism (especially linking with broadcasters like the ABC), and major reports recently like that on Retail Food Group which received prominent placement for days, is an exclusive investigation which reveals 4 very high profile independents who have received enormous media coverage recently and whose seats may decide the next election, all have very un-Independent like near identical financial vehicles for fundraising and set up with the assistance of a former PM's son, not something which kinda deserves top billing on your website?

Pity the poor journalist whose good work here has been shunted into obscurity by his left-wing paper.

 

[Azdrubal]

I often say Fairfax carries very biased left-wing coverage (in contravention of its stated "Independent. Always." goal), and am often shouted down here.

We need to analyse this issue further. I will be doing so and invite others to in this thread.

Take, for example, the main headline on SMH at the moment "Breaking. Morrison caught lying."

What's the basis for this screaming headline in the middle of an election campaign? Oh that's right, just the shadow Treasurer saying it:

Mr Bowen said that Mr Morrison had been caught "lying" about the Labor policies.
https://www.smh.com.au/federal-elec...-387-billion-tax-costing-20190412-p51dl7.html

What's the small print?
The $387 billion estimate is the Coalition's total based on Treasury estimates of policies including changes to negative gearing, dividend imputation and family trusts.
The $387 billion figure is very close to the total for Labor's own cost estimates for its policies.
"Treasury received requests from the Treasurer’s office outlining a number of policies to be costed. The requests made no reference to the opposition," the spokesman said.
"The relevant policy officers costed these proposals and provided this analysis to the Treasurer’s office prior to the commencement of the caretaker period."
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday that the "Treasury costings" revealed $387 billion in higher taxes under Labor

So, PM/Treasurer asked for policies to be costed as is normal. PM used the total of those costings to estimate that taxes would be $387 billion higher under Labor than they would be under the Coalition if they were elected and implemented their policies. This figure accords with Labor's own estimates. End result? Screaming headline branding the PM a liar.

Seriously, this is such shoddily sub-par journalism from the SMH.

You are 100% misrepresenting the SMH article. The words you claim offend are in quotes, immediately prior to Bowen’s name owning the quote. If you seriously consider the Costello-chaired Fairfax (or Ch9) is biased to Labor, you’re not paying attention. Do you read on-line news at all? Ask yourself this, why are we not reading in Fairfax (or other MSM) of the recently-broken story about MDB corruption involving 2 senior members of the LNP government that, even without criminal behaviour (which will require an investigation following change of government), most certainly disqualifies both on s44 grounds. Answer: for the same reason Joyce’s marital strife (and the corrupt behaviour behind it) was covered up for 4-6 months prior to his s44 by-election.

View attachment 653086

 

[E Shed]

its not left wing to report the truth; Dutton is nasty and Morrison lies every time he opens his mouth.
It would be biased if they chose not to report it. There is plenty of content unfavourable to Labor on the Fairfax sites.
People these days seem to mistake reporting stuff that actually happened as bias if it doesn't fit their ideology.
Thats what good journalism used to be like - without fear or favour.

 

[Pessimistic]

Facts are biased towards science (not my quote)

 

[cartwright]

I’m just going to put this here

 

[Juddism]

Again....a big bold headline about "Dutton" getting "nasty" when the article is simply a rehash of the report earlier in the day, confirming via his spokesperson that yes, Dutton said what he said.


View attachment 653388

Meanwhile, WAY down the main page, in the Politics section is this "Exclusive":

View attachment 653389

https://www.smh.com.au/federal-elec...ates-spark-aec-complaint-20190412-p51dnj.html
The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age spoke with numerous campaign experts who agreed the structures were unusual.

For an organisation that prides itself supposedly on its investigative journalism (especially linking with broadcasters like the ABC), and major reports recently like that on Retail Food Group which received prominent placement for days, is an exclusive investigation which reveals 4 very high profile independents who have received enormous media coverage recently and whose seats may decide the next election, all have very un-Independent like near identical financial vehicles for fundraising and set up with the assistance of a former PM's son, not something which kinda deserves top billing on your website?

Pity the poor journalist whose good work here has been shunted into obscurity by his left-wing paper.

What's more concerning is that News Ltd papers refuse to report those incidents.

Fairfax, at the very least, reports, not sure what News thinks it's doing.

 

[Scallop Industry Thug]

You should vote for the Greens. They want to legislate against corporate media consolidation.

And was that Ackerman actually door knocking?

 

[Bomberboyokay]

And was that Ackerman actually door knocking?

Yep.

News Corp would never let us forget if a journalist wore a red or green t-shirt.

 

[Scallop Industry Thug]

Yep.

News Corp would never let us forget if a journalist wore a red or green t-shirt.

That's astonishing. I thought there'd be a organisation wide memo against it after Hannity campaigned for Trump.

 

[RupieDupie]

Yep.

News Corp would never let us forget if a journalist wore a red or green t-shirt.

Our free unbiased media in our democracy in action. I’m surprised he isn’t carrying.

 

[Scallop Industry Thug]

Now pics of Chris Kenny in a Lib hat.

Newscorp isn't journalism.

 

[RupieDupie]

Now pics of Chris Kenny in a Lib hat.

Newscorp isn't journalism.

Really? I don’t think they thought this through... but then again democracy isn’t what it used to be...

 

[Gough]

This news isn't exactly Dylan goes electric, those two haven't written anything that doesn't read like paid for Liberal Party advertising in ten years.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

Now pics of Chris Kenny in a Lib hat.

Newscorp isn't journalism.

Link?