I don't think they have a fucking clue: The future of Australian journalism

Well the first assignment for the semester has been handed in. A day late after a 10 day extension. So, pretty typical for me. I had another due today but that won't see the light of day until the wee small hours of Thursday I would expect.

I had a lot of fun doing the interviews for this first assignment especially speaking to John Westacott and Peter Meakin. Both are cranky old codgers who like to push the boundaries of professional ethics and produce news and current affairs programmes which I find difficult to watch but I got a real sense that they are probably good bosses. Both seemed genuinely concerned with the professional development of their staff and spoke with pride about their achievements. I wouldn't like to cross them though. Meakin's parting words to me were:

"Concentrate on the realities of the business, the nuts and bolts of the business and a bit less on what is going to get you into heaven."

Thanks Pete. I'll remember that the next time I am trying to set-up the local dry cleaner to see if he steals the $20 from my suit pocket.

So hopefully what follows makes sense. It doesn't have a title at the moment. How about:

I DON'T THINK THEY HAVE A FUCKING CLUE: The future of Australian journalism

Graduating from university and entering the workforce can be a demanding experience. Suddenly the theoretical discussions of academia are met by the practical realities of industry and quite often this can make for a bumpy transition. This is certainly the case for the increasing number of graduates coming out of Australia’s journalism schools.

Students who have spent years studying the theoretical role of the media in modern society and the place of ethics in journalistic practice are met by an industry that is concerned little with theories and more with practicalities such as can they tell a story? It must seem to these new media practioners that something is amiss in the relationship between the bodies supposedly looking after their professional development.

In a piece written for The Washington Times in 1992, British journalist and historian Paul Johnson argued that the media is potentially “a system of evangelism for dispersing the darkness of ignorance, expelling error and establishing truth.” These may be high-minded concepts, written almost two decades ago, but there seems to be some consensus between the academy and the industry that journalism does hold this important place in society. Differences appear when discussion turns to how much bearing this should have on the actions of junior journalists.

This may seem like a modern turf war for the hearts and minds of the next generation of journalists but the reality is that friction over the role of journalism schools has occurred since their inception more than a century ago. What makes this relevant for discussion now is the changing face of journalism. As more people seek their news from alternative media sources, mostly online, the role of the journalist in society is becoming blurred.

The journalists’ union, the Media Alliance, has an existing Code of Ethics which, in part, describes journalism as having a privileged role in society. This is a role that carries with it power but also a responsibility to be accountable to those who give it their trust. The question to be asked is whether that notion has any relevance to new journalists in these modern times?

Lawrie Zion, La Trobe University’s journalism co-ordinator, believes that “journalism graduates who do end up on big mainstream publications often don’t appreciate that they do have a lot of power.” La Trobe offers a number of courses within its journalism degree that look at the media and ethics and attempt to imbue its graduates with some idea of the responsibilities that may come with possible future roles.

“If you want to be extreme about it, journalists who are on prominent programmes are in a sense unelected by the public but are acting to some extent, or a large extent of the time, on the public’s behalf,” said Zion.

As managing director of the ABC, Mark Scott is the boss of many of the journalists on those prominent programmes referred to by Zion. Prior to taking up his role at the ABC Scott was a senior newspaper editor at Fairfax. In 2004 The Australian asked him for his opinion on journalism graduates.

"I've had a number of people who've sat before me in interviews out of communications schools and what they've given me is a lot of ideology on the powerful role of the media in society and how they want to join this powerful institution. Well, I'm not actually looking for that," he said at the time.

Asked recently if his views had changed, Scott said that in general he was happier with the readiness of graduates. He went on to say that he recognised the need for some academic examination of the media but warned that that “if the skew is wrong in that, then I’m not sure if people are really setting themselves up for a great career in the profession.”

While they may be in the minority, some members of the journalism profession do feel that the journalism schools are taking the correct approach with balancing theory and practice. Ian Royall is currently the Managing Editor of In Paper Magazines at The Herald Sun and was, until recently, its cadet supervisor.

When asked about his experience of dealing with the journalism schools, Royall said that he believed they dealt well with the issues of trust and the responsibilities of the Fourth Estate. “I think that there is more awareness of university trained graduates then there might have been of school leavers,” he said.

While Mark Scott may see graduates as having inappropriate attitudes as a result of their journalism school experience other members of the industry blame these attitudes on something a more basic. Naiveté.

“I don’t think they have a fucking clue. I think they’re outrageously naive. They think they’re cynical but they are outrageously naive but that’s probably a nice thing. You need a good fresh view of it all.”

These are the forthright views of John Westacott. In his role as the Director of News and Current Affairs at the Nine Network Westacott is responsible for the professional development of many young journalists.

“You need to be reasonably high-minded about it to choose this as a job in the first place but I don’t think that’s a bad thing. I hope we all enter this industry starry eyed with a desire to be first, fast and factual. I don’t think the journalism schools add or subtract from any of that,” said Westacott.

3AW presenter Neil Mitchell also feels that naiveté is a natural part of a journalists early progression. “We all enter the industry intending to change the world or save it. That is terrific. I wouldn't change that but lessons are learnt fairly quickly,” he said.

That was the case for James Dowling, a recent graduate of La Trobe University who is now working for the Progress Leader newspaper. Dowling believes that in general most young journalists he knows approached the industry with an attitude “more on the naive side than the cynical side. I think a lot of people go in as being idealistic.”

“Now, a couple of years in, I think a ‘privileged role’ is putting on airs to what we actually do but there is definitely a responsibility that comes with the role. I had a fair bit of support from editors and sub-editors who worked closely with me but it did dawn upon me, along the way, that in the end it is a 9 to 5 job, just like other jobs.”

For many young journalists, such as Dowling, the differences between university theory and workplace practice are highlighted nowhere greater than in the fluid area of professional ethics. This is an area that goes to the heart of the notions of responsibility and trust. While most media professionals are keen to claim that they and their organisations fully support ethical journalism some in the industry do not hesitate to make it known that they feel that some of the standards are there to be tested.

One of these is Peter Meakin, the Seven Network’s head of news and current affairs. When asked what he felt about the ethics training provided to journalism students Meakin replied, “If you were looking for a job at Seven I would be asking you what your story ideas are and there would be very few questions on your knowledge of the Code of Ethics and what you are not prepared to do for ethical reasons. By and large we want people who are hungry and people who are going to push the boundaries, not people who are going to be inhibited by their conduct.”

“Part of a journalist’s job is to create grief. To focus on people who don’t want to be focussed on. What Al Gore called ‘inconvenient truths’. And it’s not about keeping your nose clean. That’s not the first priority. There is more to journalism than the priesthood.”

Meakin does not feel that pushing these ethical boundaries in any way affects the viewing public’s ability to trust the output of his programmes. “Of course it’s a lot easier to get your message across if they trust you,” he said.

Chris Smyth is the Dean of the media school at Perth’s Murdoch University and has co-authored a book dealing with the ethics of journalism. When he was asked to comment on Meakin’s approach Smyth said, “that is the reason why we teach the way we do. To try and instil, at least at some point in the development of a young journalist, a more sophisticated approach to dealing with ethics.” He worries that young journalists are at the most risk of being coerced into questionable ethical behaviour because they do not feel comfortable saying no to senior staff.

Over at the Nine Network, John Westacott does not share Meakin’s views. “I don’t think you can have too much training on ethics. We’re held in a dim view by society but that’s probably because we fuck up a lot. And the public has rated us down with used car salesmen and below politicians. So any reinforcement of ethical standards is good,” he said.

Westacott, along with others such as the editor of The Courier-Mail, David Fagan, believes that ethics training is important at university for instilling a sense of the professional values expected in the industry. “This must then be constantly reinforced in the newsroom,” said Fagan.

In some organisations, including the Nine Network, this process occurs in the form of informal mentoring where a senior journalist takes responsibility for assisting a cadet. For News Limited cadets, such as those under Fagan’s charge at The Courier-Mail, the process is more structured.

Lucinda Duckett, is a senior manager at News Limited and was formerly in charge of its cadet programme. “Each cadet is assigned a tutor, a senior journalist, who is trained in how to best support the students. They mark their work and provide feedback to the cadet.” James Dowling went through this system and was grateful for the support given by his cadet counsellor. “Ours was a sub-editor who had a strong background in ethics, so you could bring up any ethical dilemmas or any other dilemmas you had with her,” he said.

One option for building a bridge between theoretical and practical ethical training is the use of internships. Zion strongly supports this for his students at La Trobe because he says it means “the students are getting exposed to the workplace while they are still at university and they can then reflect on what is happening. They are not just getting work experience, they are getting experience of the workplace.”

While mentoring and internships are presently seen as important tools in the development of the professional values of young journalists, questions are being raised about their viability in the future. Neil Mitchell and Ian Royall both worry that if current trends continue, with relation to newsroom downsizing, then the opportunities may no longer be there for the on the job training of junior journalists.

This may force a new thinking on the way young journalists are trained in Australia. Professor Ian Richards, from the University of South Australia, was addressing the issue as far back as 2005 and suggested a new spirit of bi-partisanship.

“In the long run, industry and academia have to join forces or we’ll all be losers. Journalism is facing many challenges today and those who love and care for journalism need to rise above petty jealousies and prejudices and look to our common interests.”