Paul Fidlon’s urging of the University to protest about the Government’s media inquiry is like urging it to protest an inquiry into the behaviour of the school bully. He would more productively support such an inquiry if he is genuinely concerned about freedom of speech because the trend toward a mass media monopoly has created a reduction in diversity of opinion and news coverage available to the public.
Moreover, with News Limited controlling some 70 per cent of mass media in Australia, Fidlon’s expressed regard for ‘both News Limited and Andrew Bolt as providing primary sources of free speech in this country’ suggests a misplaced sense of who or what needs defending. Their power means such sources can say what they want and shout down everyone else. Free speech withers when other voices cannot be heard, not when the few who have privileged access to a media-megaphone are criticised.
If Fidlon invokes Orwell he provides no evidence of the DoubleThink he suggests, instead simply smearing other journalists and media sources than those he favours. If we invoke 1984, our situation might be more akin to its ubiquitous Big Brother, with a reduction in media diversity allowing one voice to dominate and make all the noise. Sadly, the terms of the inquiry are cautious enough it is likely little will be achieved in this regard.
James Vicars,
Armidale
