Friday, 16 September 2005

So why did they pull the Latham interview?

I have been trying to grapple overnight with how and why Mark Latham's interview with the intrepid Mr Denton was pulled when its advance screening was planned last night. (see one version of the story here) Having been glad that it was going to screen at 8.30 I was disappointed to be told an injunction prevented it from being so.
Who, I wondered, had sought the injunction? And I have puzzled about that as I laid awake all night....but seriously.. that it turned out to be the Packer empire should have occurred to me earlier.
That it was then aired at 10 p.m. has really annoyed me, even though I am glad the injunction has been lifted.
The reason for the injunction....not potential slander, or libel, not even a paranoic Labor Party...but rather Channel 9/News Limited protecting their "exclusive rights". That the injunction was not upheld should cheer us all. Well, it should cheer those of us who think that the media should present a diverse voice and not simply a filtered one, through the filter of the powerful Packer or Murdoch or even Fairfax interests.
What ever else we think about non-commercial TV, this incident should warn us of its need in the struggle to preserve lack of bias and integrity and more than the 30 second grab!
Nasty stuff I think, more serious than we imagine.

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