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Wednesday, 12 November 2008

The Journalist Other Journalists Fear

Peter McEvoy, executive producer at Media Watch, ABC
Beware of this man! He is Peter McEvoy from the Australian channel Australian Broadcasting Corporation/ABC's Media Watch, famous for exposing bad journalism on tv. According to the festival programme going on its 13th year. The show won the 2004 George Munster Award for independent journalism. He also supervises the science show Catalyst, for further information see
During the Danish Media Festival 2008 on Monday, Peter McEvoy was presented by Lasse Jensen, host of DR's weekly radio programme Mennesker og Medier - People and Media. McEvoy then guided us through a visual presentation of a line of exposures of bad tv-journalism.

'Everyone loves it until they're on it' is the catch phrase of Media Watch. According to Peter McEvoy the most effective way of improving journalism is through exposure. Then showed a graphic display of being rated above The Ethics Committee in Australia, The Press Council, and ABA - The Australian Broadcasting Authority in the minds of journalists themselves, when it comes to effectiveness. He was asked by journalists in the audience if his own show ever makes mistakes, and admitted to being caught - then having to correct own mistakes.

Here it comes, here comes the paradox: If the show is both successful and effective, there seems to be a logical incongruence between the graphic rating and the fact that the show continuously dig up stories about bad journalism. So I asked him. He smiled and responded.

'We can't eradicate the journalistic mistakes, but like we keep reminding politicians to do their jobs, we continue to remind journalists to do their jobs properly,' Peter McEvoy said and referred to his 'Miracle of Sunshine' phrase - that everything looks clearer when the light shines on it.

DR's media programme Mennesker og Medier:

http://www.dr.dk/P1/menneskerogmedier/20050831131219.htm