ANNOTATED
BIBLIOGRAPGHY
Moy, P. (2000).
Media Effects on Political and Social Trust. Journalism and Mass
Communication Quarterly , 77 (4), 744-759.
Current Editor-in-Chief of Oxford Bibliographies Online,
PH.D qualified, Professor of Communication and Adjunct Faculty in Political
Science, Patricia Moy, offers a credible and informative investigation into
how the media effects social and political trust. Moy highlights how over the
last 20 years we have seen a ‘crisis of confidence’ with individuals
expressing low levels of trust in government entities and other peoples. She
uses data from the American National Election Study from 1996 in her study, to
assess citizen’s level of trust in government and one another, and how trust
is subjective in accordance with media usage. According to Moy, the general
level of distrust stems from talk back radio, television and newspapers, constantly
reporting negatively and controversially upon politians. The author believes
that the rhetoric has the conceivable potential to delegitimize political
authority.
Courier Mail. (2012, May 11). Retrieved
from http://www.couriermail.com.au: http://www.couriermail.com.au/money/abbott-slams-budget-as-class-war/story-fn84ghwq-1226352418085
This article, sourced from the online Courier Mail site, has no cited author, which detracts credibility
from the source to an extent. The article reflects upon the Labor government’s
recent budget surplus announcement, from a liberal perspective, privileging the
opinions and accusations of their leader Tony Abbot, and silencing the voice of
the government. Instead of presenting an article which explores both sides of
the debate, this article is particularly one sided and contains immense bias.
The article quotes Abbot saying, the "Government should
protect the vulnerable, not to create more clients of the state but to foster
more self-reliant citizens," This quotation, as Moy describes, creates a
level of distrust in the public; ‘isn’t the government meant to protect the
vulnerable?’ ‘Are they abusing power?’. The way in which the article is
constructed (presenting one negative view) is one example of how negative publicity
can act as a catalyst for citizen distrust in the government. Bearing this in
mind, the Courier Mail is a commercial newspaper
owned by Rupert Murdoch, which routinely means
that it’s main concern is to produce newsworthy stories. Therefore articles are
often sensationalised and profoundly negative to swell public concern in the
government, and buy news to become ‘informed’ on the matter.
ABC. (2012, May 8). http://www.radioaustralia.net.au.
(Australian Network News) Retrieved from http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/2012-05-08/treasurer-wayne-swan-delivers-the-australian-budget/940302
ABC Radio National provides a verbal account on the 2012 Australian
Budget. ABC is a not-for-profit network, which aims to produce factual,
balanced, unexaggerated news stories. Dissimilar to the other two texts, the ABC
provides the audience with succinct information about the budget without
victimizing, privileging or marginalizing any parties involved. The broadcast
begins with the Australian treasurer Wayne Swan, providing a list of benefits
of the surplus budget, then moves on to highlight the concerns some may have
with the budget such as large cuts to International aid and the defense force. The
broadcast positions viewers to make take an informed stance on the budget,
whether to support it or not, but doesn’t suggest which view in more favorable.
The transmission aired a particularly relevant quote by speaker Peter Slipper‘
it is unfortunate that trial by media, seems to have become the order of the
day in this country’ (Slipper 2012). The quote highlights how influential the
media can be upon public opinion in relation to politics. This broadcasts emphasizes the differences
between commercial media and public media in politics, how commercial media
concerns itself with the production of newsworthy stories and the latter is
dedicated to wholesome and informative publications.
Sloan, J. (2012, May 6). The Bolt Report.
Channel Ten (A. Bolt, Interviewer) http://www.wakeup2thelies.com/2012/05/07/labors-budget-is-about-as-honest-as-their-no-carbon-tax-promise/
Host Andrew Bolt, is
associate editor of the Herald Sun, columnist, blogger, TV host and radio
commentator who describes himself as "conservative" but
rejects the label "right-wing" (Bolt, 2010) . He is highly
respected journalist and hosts his own show The
Bolt Report on commercial station, channel 10. Bolt opens his show by
highlighting several of Labour’s promise ‘backflips’ since 2007, from Rudd’s
promise of 3 precent defence increases over a decade, to Gillard’s 2 billion defence
cut only 3 years later, and highlights labours opinion change in
one week from protecting Peter Slipper and Craig Thompson, claiming they were
innocent, to suspension from the Labour party. Bolt’s aim in this segment is to
illustrate Labour’s apparent ‘inability to keep a promise’. He does this
through play on words such as ‘here comes the bribe’ and the ‘Fudget 2012’ and generalisations
like ‘Gillard has run out of our trust and our money’ Judith Sloan
supports Bolt by pointing out ‘tricks’ the government is using to return the
budget to a surplus. By the conclusion of the segment the audience is left
questioning the legitimacy of the government.
Bibliography
ABC.
(2012, May 8). http://www.radioaustralia.net.au. (Australian Network
News) Retrieved from
http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/2012-05-08/treasurer-wayne-swan-delivers-the-australian-budget/940302
Bolt, A. (2010, April 9). "If I were of the Right, I’d
say so". . Herald Sun.
Courier Mail. (2012, May 11). Retrieved
from http://www.couriermail.com.au:
http://www.couriermail.com.au/money/abbott-slams-budget-as-class-war/story-fn84ghwq-1226352418085
Moy, P. (2000). Media Effects on
Political and Social Trust. Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly
, 77 (4), 744-759.
Sloan, J. (2012, May 6). The Bolt Report.
http://www.wakeup2thelies.com/2012/05/07/labors-budget-is-about-as-honest-as-their-no-carbon-tax-promise/.
(A. Bolt, Interviewer)
