Thread by @YaThinkN

This is how likes of Courier Mail spreads their misleading articles further.

Exhibit A. Todays front page:

"Worker who put Shorten on spot over tax cuts for high-income earners suspended by employer"

Obviously the inference is this poor bugger asked an inconvenient question and has now been punted for it.

What pressure did Bill/ALP/Unions put on this 'experienced electrical engineer' for having the temerity to hold Bill Shorten to account. UGH!

When you look at the actual full piece:

The worker, who had earned about $250,000 last financial year, forgot his lunch that day and got caught up in the media scrum during a free barbecue.

hmmm easy in a busy port to just 'wander' into a political circus coz hungry? 🤔

Anyhow, let's accept the bloke is being truthful and just happened to come across Bill after his hungry tummy and nose led him to the BBQ...

Welcon, the actual employer is the one with questions to answer, not the ALP or Bill Shorten.

Also...

"The gutted 49-year-old was told he was in breach for speaking to the media when filmed questioning Mr Shorten at the Queensland Government-owned Gladstone Ports Corporation..."

Note the "Government owned...", nice little swipe at Qld State Govt too 🙄

Anyhoo.... Nothing to do with Qld state govt, the employer is Welcon.

The CM notes: "Welcon failed to return calls yesterday."

So they only have the blokes word he was stood down for 'speaking out to media'?

I also find it odd that a business as large as Welcon would take this sort of action on an "experienced electrical engineer" without 'cause'? I mean, HR nowadays careful about these things?

Something smells...

Though... as he is a 'contractor', and the CM are massive on supporting Employers rights and the Liberal party - if this story is correct, a big IF - then the Courier Mail should be stoked that an Employer exercised their Dog Given rights to treat employees as they wish?

The crux of this hit-job though comes down the page a bit further:

"There’s no suggestion Mr Shorten had anything to do with the suspension.
His office would not comment yesterday."
couriermail.com.au/news/queenslan…

So... Tossing that phrase in means, they have NOTHING on Shorten having ANYTHING to do with this, coz they would have suggested more if they thought they could get away with it.

Tho of course Renee still has to toss in the 'out' of "His office would not comment yesterday."

Which is a 50/50 for her.
1. Reason for not having ALP response in article.
2. Still sows doubt that maybe ALP - is not busy in a bloody campaign - but hiding from hard questions.

So well done Renee.

She gets another front page splash, makes ALP look bad, still gets to hide behind the old 'technically correct' reporting.

This woman is obviously going places with News Corp.

Now many of you are sitting back saying. "Who cares, it is only the Courier Mail..."

Well, you are wrong!

This front page splash has already been mentioned on both @SkyNewsAust & @BreakfastNews this morning.

@SkyNewsAust @BreakfastNews Front page shown - uncritically.

Of course...

"Exclusive: Worker who put Shorten on spot over tax cuts for high-income earners suspended by employer"

Read out while showing front page on screen.

Damage done, well done Renee & CM.

@SkyNewsAust @BreakfastNews Again... Both SKY & ABC are technically correct as they are just reading out what the paper is saying...

Odds are high there will be similar comments in the nightly news tonight as well.

@SkyNewsAust @BreakfastNews So a misleading piece in the CM, read by next to no-one, in one state only, Queensland, ends up being spread by how many media orgs - Nationally - ending up being heard by how many people?

Note, this is a similar strategy The Australian also uses.

@SkyNewsAust @BreakfastNews So whenever you say, ignore that News Corp crap, no-one reads it, subscriber numbers falling blah blah you are ignoring their 'reach'.

Other orgs like ABC & Sky increase their 'reach' massively.

@SkyNewsAust @BreakfastNews Now Sky, fair call, obviously they are going to flog their own families pieces.

But ABC?

Why are ABC giving all these other media orgs so much 'reach' to spread misleading, biased political games?

@SkyNewsAust @BreakfastNews Don't get me wrong, I have no issue with ABC doing a round of the 'papers' in the morning.

Though, should not be reading without context or giving viewer understanding of what the piece splashed on the front page is about.

@SkyNewsAust @BreakfastNews For the likes of ABC to just 'read the blurb' out from the paper is really weak.

We expect them to inform us. We expect more than just aiding and abetting another media organisations political cheerleading in the guise of journalism.

It smacks of "Well just repeating..."

@SkyNewsAust @BreakfastNews Anyhow, point of this little rant this morning is...

1. Don't just write off a shitty front page as 'who cares, only...' as the 'reach' is always further.

2. Call it out. Ask a friend who may subscribe and demand better.

The danger in media is not the outright lies or the outright bias.

Danger is those who we do respect or value as more ethical, repeating - without context - those misleading pieces.

We can't do anything about News Corp, but we can pressure those who do care about 'informing'.

As an aside...

When you do see likes of ABC or other media orgs doing this. Don't yell & scream at the 'face' presenting that news.

It is always an Editor or Producer who is feeding them what to say and 'how' news will be presented.

Lay the blame at their feet!

Anyhooo... That is my 2 cents - well, so long, probably more like 10 bucks - for today LOL!

I'll leave you with Peter Greste:

"We need a media freedom act to protect the public's essential right to information"

We should all be demanding *that* INFORMATION.

cheers,
Noely

PS. Looks like Renee might get a promotion.

"Bill got Worker sacked" vibe story not on The Australian too, Miranda Devine spruiking and of course the Qld LNP Opposition Leader, Morrison to do press conference on it soon as well this am? 🙄

PS.

As predicted, *that* piece ended up on nightly news as well. Double whammy of willfully ignoring fact bloke was NOT employed by Gladstone Port, but hey, never miss opportunity to slam ALP state government SIGH!

A very successful CM hit-job 😔

https://twitter.com/7NewsBrisbane/status/1127849223737602050

Sadly I doubt we will ever find out the truth behind this story. I suspect the 'workers' pass was suspended due to him being in an area his 'contract' did not allow for him to be in and appearing in media, which is pretty standard with all biz SIGH!

Will run more...