Our weekly look at media spin tactics: let’s dissect the PR that aims to blow one’s own horn, bury one’s errors, resurrect the shambling zombie corpses of well-flogged deceased equines, and ooh look A Big Distracting Thing.
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Well, here’s one bit of spin on Afghanistan that seems to have gone a bit pear-shaped IMHO. Or is it a move to cut off potential embarrassment, eg “Army Steals Bomb Dog Hero from Patriotic Owner” etc, etc.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/national/war-dog-caught-in-love-triangle/story-e6frea8c-1225957967836
I dunno Paul – I think it’s just one of those stories about how appalling some people can be. I’ve got no idea what Sarbi’s original owner thinks she’s up to – the dog will be strongly emotionally bonded with her army handler after all these years, and would surely be distressed to be separated from him after several more years of army service by his side before she is retired. Surely she doesn’t think she’s doing the dog a kindness?
Indeed, tigtog. From the dog’s pov its a dreadful situation. Guess I was thinking more of army spin doctors who have been working overtime on Afghanistan lately, as have our lily-livered politicians – eg ‘transition’ does not equal ‘exit strategy’. Pull the other one.
“While the Govt has lost its way the Greens have clearly found theirs inside the Labor Party” Various Coalition Reps and Senators.
The Age headline “How the ALP keeps secret files on voters” denies the existence of the Liberal Party voter database. I have been told by volunteers that both major parties start with the Australian Electoral Commission rolls then build them up
Not exactly the weekend, but reportage on a weekend homicide and the tag line of how one of the accused is ‘related’ to Ivan Millat. Now I haven’t done the adding up on this but the charged adolescent would have to have been a real minor since serial killer Millat has been in max since 1998. Surely this linkage by all media (ABC included) is prejudicial quite apart from being irrelevant.
quite apart from being irrelevant
Irrelevant? Nephew of a convicted serial killer kills teenager in remote forest location that was the location for seven murders of victims of aforementioned serial killer? Irrelevant?
Nothing to see here. Move along please.
FFS
The nephew or whatever would’ve been about 5. Since he’s 17 now.
Let me guess at the official story in North Korea this morning: nothing at all about how it was their missiles that were fired first.
tigtog,
My reading of it is it seems unclear who fired first – the North Koreans or the South Korean Navy. And given the potentially terrible consequences, it probably doesn’t matter. (Maybe a post on the crisis?) And in any case, everybody seems to be tip-toeing around this one for fear it might escalate into an all out war by accident. seems to me governments and media are trying to spin themselves out of a war
Thanks, tigtog, for the post on North Korea. Much appreciated.
Paul – North Korea is apparently claiming that South Korea fired first at least in the media inside North Korea.