A Strange Allergy
Monday, 28. September 2009, 00:07:00
I just noticed that there is a very strange reluctance at the ABC. It might have been just a one-off and I might be reading too much into things and leaping to conclusions but... On the AM programme this morning there was an item about the return of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative party with an improved margin. The margin was so great that she was able to dump her main coalition partner, which was an unlikely and difficult allliance, and take on another conservative party in a new coalition.
The former coalition partner was named several times in the article- the Social Democratic Party- but Merkel's party remained nameless, except for a brief mention by the European correspondent. It was described as conservative, pro-business, liberal, right-of-centre, but the name was all but ignored. What is this word that dare not be spoken? Christian Democratic Party of course!
So maybe I'm just a bit too prone to conspiracy theories
I might keep an ear out for other reports of political incorrectness but I suspect that some people in the media might just be reluctant to mention the C word!
The other day Margaret noticed an item on a children's educational programme, Behind The News, also broadcast by the ABC. The item was about Islam which was described as one of Australia's biggest religions. She was a little surprised by this so paid some attention. Five minutes into the programme it mentioned the real facts. Islam is the third biggest religion behind Christianity 76% and Buddhism 2% and then Islam 1%. So Islam accounts for just 1% of the population but is described as "one of the biggest religions" in the country.
Just a little bit of ABC spin there.
The former coalition partner was named several times in the article- the Social Democratic Party- but Merkel's party remained nameless, except for a brief mention by the European correspondent. It was described as conservative, pro-business, liberal, right-of-centre, but the name was all but ignored. What is this word that dare not be spoken? Christian Democratic Party of course!
So maybe I'm just a bit too prone to conspiracy theories
I might keep an ear out for other reports of political incorrectness but I suspect that some people in the media might just be reluctant to mention the C word!The other day Margaret noticed an item on a children's educational programme, Behind The News, also broadcast by the ABC. The item was about Islam which was described as one of Australia's biggest religions. She was a little surprised by this so paid some attention. Five minutes into the programme it mentioned the real facts. Islam is the third biggest religion behind Christianity 76% and Buddhism 2% and then Islam 1%. So Islam accounts for just 1% of the population but is described as "one of the biggest religions" in the country.
Just a little bit of ABC spin there.
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