Jacqueline Ann Ewart

Framing an Alleged Terrorist: How Four Australian News Media Organizations Framed the Dr. Mohamed Haneef Case

Stories about alleged terrorism and terrorist activities typically conflate Islam and terrorism, but there are few examples of cases where the news frames used to present these types of stories change over time. This article explores how four key Australian media outlets framed Australias biggest and to date most costly terrorism investigation, the Dr. Mohamed Haneef case. It tracks the reportage of the story in its first month to determine the types of news frames used and whether they were those typically associated with news stories about alleged terrorism and terrorism-related events. This study found that during the first 10 days, the news frames that typically characterize reportage of these sorts of events dominated, but dramatic changes in the trajectory of the story meant frames rarely associated with this type of reportage were used for the remainder of the period analyzed. Although the news media analyzed in this study were able to draw on alternative frames, they did not seek to reframe their conflation of the alleged suspects religion with terrorism.

Local people, local places, local voices and local spaces: How talkback radio in Australia provides hyper-local news through mini-narrative sharing

Talkback radio in Australia has primarily been conceptualized as a space where populist meta narratives are constructed and, through repetition, entrenched. However, little attention has been paid to talkback that occurs beyond populist programs. This article focuses on the contributions non-populist talkback programs make to local news and community. It examines commercial and non-commercial talkback programs’ facilitation of the sharing of audiences’ mini-narratives and their provision of hyper-local news. Drawing on data from a study of 12 Australian talkback radio programs, the article identifies that these programs provide one of the few available sources of hyper-local news in an increasingly globalized media market. The article examines the type of hyper-local news the study participants gain from talkback and how they use that information.

Moving on from 9/11: How Australian Television Reported the Ninth Anniversary

This article investigates how five Australian television stations reported and framed the ninth anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States. In Australia, Eid, the Muslim festival held to celebrate the end of Ramadan, coincided with the ninth anniversary of the events of 9/11. This provided an opportunity to examine how television news treated these two events. Our findings are situated within the literature around media coverage of terrorism post–September 11 because of the identified tendency of media to conflate terrorism with Islam and Muslims. This literature provides a context for understanding whether Australian television coverage of the ninth anniversary of 9/11 and the 2010 Eid festival replicated identified patterns of media coverage of Muslim and Islam or if there was evidence of change in the handling of these types of reports.

Sustainability of Organizational Change in the Newsroom: A Case Study of Australian Newspapers

This article examines the sustainability of newsroom change through the lens of an ambitious change project called “Readers First” at a group of Australian regional newspapers. Survey data were gathered over 3 consecutive years from rank-and-file newsworkers who participated in the program. It was found that, contrary to the problems usually associated with support for change programs, Readers First received sustained attitudinal support from newsworkers. Agreeing with the goals for change, feeling involved in change, and believing that managers managed change well were the best predictors of their support for change. Training in change had no discernible effect on support. Professionalism had its limits as a predictor of support.

News Media Coverage of Islam and Muslims in Australia: An Opinion Survey among Australian Muslims

Abstract Existing research has explored the ways the mainstream news media covers Muslims and Islam, but few studies have examined Muslims’ reactions to this reporting. Studies that have investigated this issue have identified that the responses of Muslims to news media coverage tend to be largely negative because of the lack of Muslim news sources, the stereotypical representation of Muslims in news coverage, the portrayal of Muslims as the enemy within, and the conflation of Muslims with terrorism. This paper further explores the attitudes of Muslims to news media coverage of Islam and Muslims by drawing on data from 14 focus groups (N = 104 participants) conducted with Australian Muslims. Similar to previous research, findings reveal that Australian Muslims are highly critical of news media coverage of Islam and Muslims and express concern about the divisiveness that such portrayal can have for Australian society. However, the study participants also had positive comments to make about the news media. Possible solutions to negative news media portrayals of Muslims are considered.

Anti-Terror Laws and the News Media in Australia Since 2001: How Free Expression and National Security Compete in a Liberal Democracy

The 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States triggered an escalation of national security laws globally, including at least 54 in Australia, with some having implications for news reporting and open justice. This article backgrounds the Australian experience with such laws at a time when the United Kingdom is in the midst of a debate over the free expression impacts of its Justice and Security Bill. It uses case studies to highlight tensions between Australias security laws and the medias Fourth Estate role and compares the Australian and UK human rights contexts. The article asks whether anti-terror laws restricting free expression should continue indefinitely in a democracy when national security breaches are likely to remain a major issue of public concern and there is no constitutional or human rights guarantee of free expression. It suggests a cautious approach to the renewal of such laws, particularly those restricting public debate about national security and its impact on human rights.

Exploring the unity in Australian community radio

Its no secret that the representation of migrant groups in the media has been particularly problematic, as has been their access to mainstream media, and both issues have attracted a great deal of research. Far less attention has been paid by researchers to how these groups respond when they experience such difficulties, and the various forms of media they use to engage with a variety of issues pertinent to them and their settlement experiences. This article uses data from two projects: Australias first, and to date only, national study of community radio audiences; and a more recent case study of a community radio station undertaken in the course of research into talkback radio audiences. It reveals that community radio stations and programs provide migrant communities with a space in which they can discuss and negotiate their civic and social rights and responsibilities. Drawing on the reflections of audience members who listen to and call specific radio programs, this article explores the under-examined but vital role performed by these stations and programs in the social and civic lives of immigrants. It reveals that ethnic community radio programs are helping some audience members to formulate notions of good citizenship, and thus engage with democratic processes, which is vital to feeling socially included. The research reveals immigrants are using community radio proactively to reach out to and connect with the broader Australian community, while also reminding themselves of their homeland, culture and language. However, this article warns that researchers have largely focused on the ‘good news story’ of community broadcasting and suggests that a more critical approach to future research is warranted.

Poor Relations: Australian News Media Representations of Ethnic Minorities, Implications and Responses

Jacqueline Ewart and Jillian Beard investigate the significant body of research into the ways various Australian mainstream news media have covered ethnic minorities and the issues that have arisen as a result of those representations. The chapter situates Australian research within the broader context of international literature, highlighting similar problematic news media representations of ethnic minorities in Western countries. Although ethnic minorities’ responses to Australian mainstream news media representations have attracted relatively little attention from researchers, this chapter examines how these groups actively manage representations in their own media spaces.

Manufacturing a crime wave: The gold coast saga

Crime waves make great headlines, and can be an ongoing source of stories for news media. In this article, we track the news media promotion of the spectre of a crime wave at Queenslands Gold Coast and the interplay between politics and policy responses to the media campaign. By analysing news media reports, government, local government and police-documented responses, we explore how the media framed this crime wave and the politically driven policy responses that were disproportionate to the reported (statistical) level of crime. Despite attempts by the Queensland Police Service to defuse the claims of an out-of-control crime problem, followed by its attempts at managing community responses, the local news media continued their campaign with significant consequences. Our findings are important for those charged with publicly managing responses to media-driven crime waves.

Women and male hegemony in Australian regional and country journalism

The Barcoo Independent newspaper is an example of an Australian rural newspaper which provided images of women in a variety of ordinary roles and as important members of the community. It is happened so because large number of female reporters involved in the writing of news stories for the editions.