Media bias in Australia and the futile balancing act

What is alarming is the fact that there seems to be no indication that the trend of poor political reporting will reverse anytime soon.

Concerns have been mounting regarding the performance of the Australian mainstream media and its commitment to balanced and unbiased reporting. Rather than addressing these concerns head-on, the media landscape in Australia is persistently tilting towards right-wing conservative interests, exacerbating the slow descent of legacy media into irrelevance. What is more alarming is the fact that there seems to be no indication that this trend will reverse anytime soon.

One prominent example of this situation has developed at the public broadcaster, the ABC, where several weeks ago, it was revealed that the ABC’s approach to “balance” is the aim to provide equal time to “both sides” of a debate. While, on the surface, this may sound like a fair practice, it also means equal time for experts and non-experts alike, a humanitarian and a charlatan, a voice of reason with the voice of the irrationalist. While it might appear to be “good television” – and even then, that’s not so clear – the public is left frustrated, less informed, especially when they’re provided with expert information, muddied with uninformed and misguided opinion.