You might want to sit down for this one.
Let’s cut to the chase.
According to the 2018 Edelman Trust Barometer, a global trust and credibility survey, only 31% of Australians trust the media. This places us as the second-lowest trusting country in the world.
Behind Russia. Behind Colombia. Behind the U.S.
In the age of social media influence and (I’m sorry in advance) fake news, Australia’s trust in the media has steadily declined over the last decade. Check out this article for more startling stats.
So, is it time to start panicking?
Well, not quite.
But we should be concerned. We should be asking questions.
One question specifically….
Who OWNS our media?
If this man’s face popped into your head, I sincerely apologise. But you’re correct.
If he didn’t? Meet Mr. Rupert Murdoch. It’s time to start doing your research. Let me give you a kickstart.
Recently, the Australian Government passed a bill to change Australian Media Ownership and Regulation. It scrapped the ‘two out of three’ rule, which prevented companies owning a newspaper, radio and television station in the same city. In addition, we said goodbye to the ‘reach rule’ which restricted a single TV broadcaster from reaching more than 75 per cent of the population.
Essentially, Australia now has one of the highest levels of media ownership concentration in the world. This article outlines the very narrow catalogue of Australian media owners and their reach over our news and media.
So, WHY does this matter?
Our ideologies- the foundation of our opinions and beliefs- are significantly shaped, influenced and challenged by the media.
Throughout history, the media has been used in extreme and manipulative ways to influence the ideologies of the general population. The most obvious example is the effective use of propaganda in Nazi Germany.
You’re probably thinking that is an extreme scenario and knowing the devastation of that time, we will never see a repeat.
Unfortunately, we can never say never.
As Australian media is owned by such a small minority, it is the ideologies of these few that are influencing the news content we receive.
Don’t fret! I promise you, we can take back control.
It is crucial for younger generations, to develop a keen awareness of WHERE our media comes from. Growing up in the social media age has proved extremely rewarding, but we can consider the constant inundation of unregulated information as detrimental as well.
We MUST have an investigative and critical approach to our news sources, and consider a wide range of information before making any set decisions or forming ideological opinions.
Trust me, the truth is out there…
*Cue X-Files theme music*
Maddie's Musings 
This is such a great blog post!
I love how enthusiastic it is and I love the use of humour but also the seriousness of the topic. It makes it so much more engaging. The memes are absolutely fantastic, it helps to break up all the writing so it doesn’t become too heavy.
The use of the diagram is also great. It really gives perspective on media ownership.
Your hyperlink usage is really useful. It helps to give the reader more insight into the subject matter.
I agree that media ownership is a massive problem that our generation needs to become more aware of and needs to help solve. This blog post is a step in the right direction as it spreads awareness on the topic.
I would give some constructive criticism but I really can’t fault you on anything.
You’ve done a great job so keep doing what you’re doing gal. 🙂
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