David Marr interviews Chris Hedges for Club Media Mainstream
A former Media Watch host recently tried to lecture Pulitzer Prize winner Chris Hedges on what his role as a journalist should be, and it’s a shame, writes managing editor Michelle Pini.
IN MOST CLUBS, some level of exclusivity is implied and understood, even if it is not explicitly practiced. For example, you may be a guest at the Melbourne Cricket Club Members’ Dining Room, but if you arrive without your jacket and tie, your expulsion will be swift and rude.
You can also travel to a Club Med resort and relax undisturbed by the pool, but walk in without prepayment confirmation and you know what happens.
The same goes for Club Media Mainstream. Although their parameters are not so clearly laid out, there are many unspoken rules and sometimes members may violate these rules, but only in very specific and predetermined situations.
For example, there was no problem for the journalist. David Marr Being the lone voice of contention against the often unreasonable tirades of the Far Right gerard henderson at Club Media Mainstream insider program. This dispute was approved in advance and occurred in a controlled environment. It was acceptable.
However, it is unacceptable for any member who is considered Club Media’s brightest to speak out against the Club’s blatant lies.
‘But please have the decency to remove the word press from your club.’
This is the situation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Chris HedgesHe was to be the National Press Club’s guest note speaker this month. And then it wasn’t him.
Hedges is scheduled to give a speech at: ‘Betrayal of Palestinian Journalists‘, there was to say this About last minute cancellation:
[The talk] Its aim was to focus on amplifying Israeli lies in the press, which most reporters knew were lies that betrayed their Palestinian counterparts who were slandered, targeted and killed by Israel.
But the president of the press club, Maurice Reilly, canceled the event, perhaps inadvertently to prove my point.
The announcement of my talk disappeared from the website. “We will withdraw our offer in order to balance our schedule,” Reilly said.
There is no doubt corporate sponsors and the press club’s wealthy donors are pleased. There is no doubt that the club manages to move away from journalistic integrity. No doubt he was spared the attacks that would come with being allowed to speak.
Hedges continued:
‘But please have the decency to remove the word press from your club.’
So it must have come to the Club’s attention that Hedges was a little too outspoken. This is unacceptable.
Of course, the world press told endless lies about the genocide in Gaza. Yes, more Palestinians were dying than during the bubonic plague as the media turned the other way, but to announce to the world that Club Media Mainstream had abandoned their counterparts in Gaza? Ugly!
Already Hedges came to Australia and given instead the Edward Said Memorial Lecture. He was a guest on ABC just before his speech Late Night Live with the aforementioned David Marr.
It would not be unreasonable to describe Marr’s interview style on this occasion as one of thinly veiled disdain, as he attempted to trap his guest with an embarrassing and clearly uninformed display; This reinforced all the points Hedges had made about Club Media’s lack of journalistic integrity.
In a smug, angry tone, Marr lobbed questions and accusations at Hedges with submachine-gun intensity:
So when was the last time you were in Gaza? People may think it’s too early.
Your points are really weak.
Are you just complaining about the headlines?
i found it extraordinary You could say that the media’s coverage of Gaza has not improved, become bolder and more accurate.
Marr then had a problem with a statement. Reuters The headline that Hedges cited as evidence of the Western media’s betrayal of Gaza.
Hedges wrote: Reuters The report on the bombing of the Gaza hospital, where 20 people, including six journalists, were assassinated, repeated Israel’s position that the real target was a Hamas camera:
Marr was clearly angry that Hedges had the audacity to question the publication and was insistent. Reuters He had fulfilled his duty as a journalist.
Marr’s statement is as follows:
“But two days later, Reuters reported that the so-called Hamas camera was probably their own camera. So they didn’t accept the IDF’s line, they questioned it!”
Hedges’ statement is as follows:
“Two days later, this is the real issue. By putting this in the headline, you give it a credibility it should not have. The first news stories repeating Israel’s lies mask the truth.”
Marr continued, growing more excited as he grew angry:
“You’re very, very harsh on Reuters – they kept reporting it – but you’re citing it as a quote betrayal!”
Hedges’ response was:
“[Reuters] They already knew it was their camera; “They had given the coordinates of the film crew to the IDF.”
Marr also took issue with Hedges criticizing other headlines from CNN, the Associated Press and others, and referencing the same event with headlines like this: ‘Israeli army said 6 ‘terrorists’ were killed in the attack on Gaza on Monday’.
Marr insisted:
“But they explain that the reports are skeptical!”
Hedges replied calmly:
“First report “He is the one who carries it.”
‘I was running a program called Media Watch. “A unique show where we look at the sins of the media”, Marr said before moving on to this advice to Hedges:
“The media has many sins, I agree, but I think your evidence for those sins is really weak.”
Finally, Marr makes the comment that summarizes everything wrong with Club Media Mainstream:
“Whether we like it or not, as journalists we have to cover the excuses put forward by groups like the IDF, right? That’s our job.”
Somehow, even when grappling with this ridiculous question, Hedges managed to remain calm and measured and simply replied:
“No, our job is to report the truth.”
It was Marr invited He was due to speak at the Honi Soit Student Journalism Conference earlier this year, but when the publication withdrew its invitation due to the News Corp journalist’s stance on Palestine, Marr withdrew, warning them in an email that this was not the case. ‘his idea of how a good newspaper should behave.’
In an interview with Honi Soit, Hedges was asked about his interaction with Marr:
‘Do you have any thoughts on this and if [Marr] Should we speak with journalistic behavior?
Hedges’ response was:
I only spent 30 minutes with David Marr, but those 30 minutes made it clear that he is typical of all journalists who serve as stenographers to power, are primarily concerned with their own careers, and seek to discredit those of us who challenge dominant systems of authority, including the media.
These people make very good money as quote-unquote journalists, but I have no respect for them.
When I was leaving I told him he’d never do what I did. You sat in studios like this. You’ve never been to places like Gaza. You have never been subjected to Israeli attacks. You never had to count the bodies. As I have tried to make clear this evening, this is a completely different form of journalism.
Hedges continued:
Those of us who do this kind of reporting are not only fighting governments and the powerful, we are also fighting the majority of our colleagues who blindly serve these systems because it is good for them and for the news organizations.
But this is not good for readers and viewers because they obscure, distort, and often outright discredit the truth.
This is Club Media Mainstream in a nutshell.
Follow managing editor Michelle Pini at Bluesky @michellepini.bsky.social and Independent Australia on Bluesky @independentaus.bsky.socialX/Twitter @independentaus and Facebook HERE.
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