FREEDOM MARCH : MEDIA MISSING

 

Evidence that  the  Townsville media needs  to be  frog-marched  into a  school for  journalism  is  the  fact  that  posters for a  so called Freedom Rally , part of a national movement ,  in  the city have  been placed on notice boards , the one above on Magnetic Island , without the local media  seemingly   noticing.

Talking  of schools, the  Picnic Bay  School  on  Magnetic Island celebrated its  centenary last Saturday with a   major  event .The   mainland   media , especially the Townsville Bulletin, failed to cover the event  in any meaningful  way .

There were  numerous newsworthy  angles at  the school : a  95 year old man  who came from Brisbane ; a woman who had been a pupil  there   70 years  ago  who  remembered  playing  marbles in the  dust and mentioned a  catchy song  ;  a variety of stalls  which   sold  a  wide  range of  items from  paua  shell jewellery   to  art , postcards .   The  result of  an art competition  judged  by  resident artist Peter Lawson  was  announced .

Somehow,  the   event failed to receive the  coverage  it  should  have from an alert  mainland  media  claiming to  be in contact with their patch .  The Saturday  Bulletin, for example , could / should   have  highlighted  the  event.  Then  a  follow  up.  Nah. 

Something has apparently been written by an island resident and  sent to the paper in  the hope of  getting a  run . Magnetic Island-Townsville's Jewel in the  Crown .

The  Bulletin , which  misses the  boat on so many fronts according to out Shipping Reporter , is a strange concoction nowadays. Just looked at an edition   with  a  Harvey Norman  wrap around , an  eight  page  Catholic  News " advertising  supplement" and  four pages of  Charters  Towers  news.