Wednesday, June 9, 2010
The Story
A few weeks ago, the story that covered the headlines of different newspapers and news bulletins was on the former Minister for roads and transport of New South Wales, David Campbell caught by Seven News camera, leaving a gay club called Ken's of Kensington, in eastern Sydney using tax payers funded car. The story exposes his living a double life for more than 20 years whilst portraying to the general public as a family man. The original story by Seven News had no mention of his ministerial duty but rather just disclosing his personal life (and in this case one with a voyeuristic connotation to it) that is secret to his society and the general public fits the Klein’s description of a scandal. Different media organisations (public and independent) have reported on this gossip/scandal and their views are discussed in the blog.
What is Gossip and Scandal?
Gossip is informal, private communication between an individual and a small selected audience concerning the conduct of absent persons or events. Scandals occur when gossip is elevated into the public arena (Klein 51).
Baruh (191) introduces us to the reason to why voyeuristic gossip has become a defining characteristic of contemporary society. Contemporary culture conceptualises voyeurism as a common and not solely sexual pleasure derived from access to private details, and the media has growingly made that information accessible by curiously peeking into the lives of others especially ones known to the public such as celebrities and political figures. The appeal of voyeurism is the pleasure derived from learning what is typically forbidden or private. This can be linked to Katz, Blumer & Gurevitch concept of uses and gratification in which audience engage in content selection to fulfil certain needs through the media.
Klein (47) gives reason for the role of gossip and scandal in media and society in general. Gossip and scandal are seen to have the power to informally control behaviour within a society. They are seen to be part of larger social processes that lead to implementation of powerful social, economic and political sanctions. It controls behaviour when the people who gossip exercise other forms of social control over its victims. It maintains the morals, values and unity of social groups. Gossip is also a form of communication and information management, a device individuals use to put forward and protect their own interests and to attack their opponents in situations where open confrontation is too risky.
This blog will show how different media carried out the news content of a news segment on former Roads and Transport Minister of New South Wales, David Campbell, exposing it as a scandal in relation to their structure and practices.
Baruh (191) introduces us to the reason to why voyeuristic gossip has become a defining characteristic of contemporary society. Contemporary culture conceptualises voyeurism as a common and not solely sexual pleasure derived from access to private details, and the media has growingly made that information accessible by curiously peeking into the lives of others especially ones known to the public such as celebrities and political figures. The appeal of voyeurism is the pleasure derived from learning what is typically forbidden or private. This can be linked to Katz, Blumer & Gurevitch concept of uses and gratification in which audience engage in content selection to fulfil certain needs through the media.
Klein (47) gives reason for the role of gossip and scandal in media and society in general. Gossip and scandal are seen to have the power to informally control behaviour within a society. They are seen to be part of larger social processes that lead to implementation of powerful social, economic and political sanctions. It controls behaviour when the people who gossip exercise other forms of social control over its victims. It maintains the morals, values and unity of social groups. Gossip is also a form of communication and information management, a device individuals use to put forward and protect their own interests and to attack their opponents in situations where open confrontation is too risky.
This blog will show how different media carried out the news content of a news segment on former Roads and Transport Minister of New South Wales, David Campbell, exposing it as a scandal in relation to their structure and practices.
News Corporation
The Australian
Gave a similar story to Seven News and supported that the former minister’s conduct was not one of abuse to his ministerial privileges or duties. They gave comments from ex ministers such as former Labor premier Bob Carr who told The Australian, “My position has always been that the private life of MPs is precisely that.”
Former Liberal premier of NSW Nick Greiner said of Mr Campbell's actions, “The event itself is clearly not a sacking offence and clearly not a resignation offence.” He also commented that it was not in the public interest for the media to run stories like Mr Campbell's, but that it was unavoidable they would. This supports Baruh’s study , where the media is seen to make available the private lives of government officials without the news content being in the public interest.
You can find this story at http://www.theaustralian.com.au/politics/ex-premiers-back-mp-david-campbell/story-e6frgczf-1225869650505.
Sydney Morning Herald
Showed that Mr. Campbell resigned and the NSW premier accepted his resignation on compassionate grounds. "I accepted his resignation on compassionate grounds as he clearly wants time to work through this difficult period with his family," Ms Keneally said and added "I appeal to the community to show understanding towards David and his family at this time."
On the 21st May the paper further support Mr. Campbell that his personal behaviour should not have made him resign reinforcing Mrs. Keneally’s statement on the previous day.
Furthermore they turned the table on Channel 7 news chief, Peter Meakin revealing his police record of dangerous driving and almost facing jail time due to that which they said was “far outstrips any personal lapse by Campbell.” They advocate for Campbell showing his behaviour has not affected his ministerial duties, are not illegal and are very private. This I see as more (private information) scandal in the media, hence gratifying a larger group who can relate to Meakin’s dirty stories.
For full story visit
http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/campbell-quits-over-sex-scandal-20100520-vmal.html
(20th May 2010)
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/manufactured-scandal-leaves-another-political-career-in-tatters-20100521-vzzq.html
(21 May 2010)
Nine news http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/1054971/campbell-quits-as-nsw-transport-minister was posted 5:30 AEST and
Yahoo news http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/latest/7267768/campbell-quits-as-nsw-transport-minister was posted 12:03 AM had exactly the same content in their news on the 21st May.
These stations and newspapers are part of a larger corporation known as News Corp, owned independently by Rupert Murdoch. The organisation is known to serve ideologues of the Liberal Party in the US, whose equivalent party would be the Labour party in Australia (Kauffman, 2004 n.p). Their news item made it clear that this was a personal issue and has not reflected any characteristic of the party. They also mentioned that Mr. Campbell has been under pressure to step down and hence this scandal has just been that one that will do the whole system well. We see some trace elements of propaganda in this story where the government clearly points that this is not an issue they are involved in but rather a private matter for the individual member of government to handle (Herman and Chomsky n.p).
I find this media corporation disclosing this story majorly for commercial purposes. As seen from the characteristics of gossip and scandal, they involve a number or people and the public to follow up on them. This news caters to the society’s gratification in the sense that people can relate to having secrets that they would not like their families and the general public to know. As Baruh’s study shows, society finds pleasure in learning what is typically forbidden or private. In this case his sexuality was not forbidden but rather the invasion of his privacy seems to be the major concern.
Gave a similar story to Seven News and supported that the former minister’s conduct was not one of abuse to his ministerial privileges or duties. They gave comments from ex ministers such as former Labor premier Bob Carr who told The Australian, “My position has always been that the private life of MPs is precisely that.”
Former Liberal premier of NSW Nick Greiner said of Mr Campbell's actions, “The event itself is clearly not a sacking offence and clearly not a resignation offence.” He also commented that it was not in the public interest for the media to run stories like Mr Campbell's, but that it was unavoidable they would. This supports Baruh’s study , where the media is seen to make available the private lives of government officials without the news content being in the public interest.
You can find this story at http://www.theaustralian.com.au/politics/ex-premiers-back-mp-david-campbell/story-e6frgczf-1225869650505.
Sydney Morning Herald
Showed that Mr. Campbell resigned and the NSW premier accepted his resignation on compassionate grounds. "I accepted his resignation on compassionate grounds as he clearly wants time to work through this difficult period with his family," Ms Keneally said and added "I appeal to the community to show understanding towards David and his family at this time."
On the 21st May the paper further support Mr. Campbell that his personal behaviour should not have made him resign reinforcing Mrs. Keneally’s statement on the previous day.
Furthermore they turned the table on Channel 7 news chief, Peter Meakin revealing his police record of dangerous driving and almost facing jail time due to that which they said was “far outstrips any personal lapse by Campbell.” They advocate for Campbell showing his behaviour has not affected his ministerial duties, are not illegal and are very private. This I see as more (private information) scandal in the media, hence gratifying a larger group who can relate to Meakin’s dirty stories.
For full story visit
Nine news
Yahoo news
These stations and newspapers are part of a larger corporation known as News Corp, owned independently by Rupert Murdoch. The organisation is known to serve ideologues of the Liberal Party in the US, whose equivalent party would be the Labour party in Australia (Kauffman, 2004 n.p). Their news item made it clear that this was a personal issue and has not reflected any characteristic of the party. They also mentioned that Mr. Campbell has been under pressure to step down and hence this scandal has just been that one that will do the whole system well. We see some trace elements of propaganda in this story where the government clearly points that this is not an issue they are involved in but rather a private matter for the individual member of government to handle (Herman and Chomsky n.p).
I find this media corporation disclosing this story majorly for commercial purposes. As seen from the characteristics of gossip and scandal, they involve a number or people and the public to follow up on them. This news caters to the society’s gratification in the sense that people can relate to having secrets that they would not like their families and the general public to know. As Baruh’s study shows, society finds pleasure in learning what is typically forbidden or private. In this case his sexuality was not forbidden but rather the invasion of his privacy seems to be the major concern.
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