Politics in Australian Media

Politics in Australian Media Essay Prompt: Politics is badly reported to the public because the Australian print media is highly concentrated and lacks adequate accountability. Critically assess this statement with examples to support your argument. In the Australian print media, a significant issue is continuing to hold a common place in relevant debate. This is in regards to company ownership becoming excessively concentrated with minimal accountability; that is, colossal media corporations such as Fairfax Media are continuing to grow and take over the smaller companies within the industry. Consequences of this (amongst other things) will be discussed in this essay biased political information with minimal diversity being provided to the public, and damage to the Australian democracy due to the deteriorating ‘watchdog’ function of the media. Additionally, the poor accountability of the Australian print media will be explored including its ramifications and possible solution. In this essay these key areas will be discussed through referencing relevant theories and examples. The current state of the Australian print media being extremely concentrated is leading to published political information being full of biases. This can be depicted through examining the Chomsky and Herman propaganda model (Chomsky Herman 2002). One of this theory’s primary focuses is on the size, ownership, and profit orientation of large media corporations and the role they play in manipulating information portrayed to the public. Such corporations in Australia (e.g. News Corporation) have grown over time to such sizes that they have taken over most smaller companies. With such domination, it is only expected that information presented by these giants will be fundamentally biased (e.g. certain information that may damage the company’s financial interests would be likely to receive high censorship) (Tiffen 2006). For instance, during the 2013 Australian election, a significant majority of Australia’s newspapers supported the liberal party. As would be expected , their publications were heavily biased and were likely to have had a significant impact upon the election results. The Chomsky and Herman model has received a large amount of criticism; Eli Lehrer (2004 p. 67-87) argued against the supposed corporate bias of the media, asserting that media organisations report on corporate and political corruption all the time. However, Lehrer overlooked Chomsky and Herman’s (2002 p. lx) point which stated that the media in fact represents corporate and political deliberations, however it is the views that challenge the ‘fundamental premises’ of these deliberations that are intentionally ignored (Chomsky Herman 2002). The role of the media in keeping the government in check by not only informing but also involving the public in the Australian political sphere is also being compromised. Democratic societies (like that which exists in Australia) depend upon the public being reasonably informed about the current political sphere. As the concentration of media ownership in Australia continues to become more intense, this role of the media is fading and the threads of our democracy are tearing. It is important to understand that politics cannot exist without the media in the modern era; it creates a reality for us in which we are told what to think. This can be best explored through the liberal idea known as the ‘Fourth Estate’ (Schultz 1998). This traditional role of the media as the ‘Fourth Estate’ was to provide society with a diverse and un-biased array of information on the current political sphere. Worryingly, Habermas found in his studies that by the 20th century newspapers had become so controlled by commercial interest that they no longer served the public sphere (Habermas 1989). For example, the media will often inform us with popular news (e.g. celebrity-related) that will attract more views, however this information is likely to not be in the public interest (Tiffen 2006). Democracy depends upon the State accepting criticism of its power; if the public are not provided with information regarding current political issues, political participation will be limited (or tainted) and thus the whole notion of a democratic society becomes almost redundant (Schultz 1998). The ‘power, commercial ambitions and ethical weakness’ (Schultz 1998 p. 1) of these large media corporations gives an accurate depiction of the media’s failure in the modern age to perform its role as the Fourth Estate. As a result, the negative effects of the highly concentrated Australian print media are evident. In addition, the corporate giants that dominate the media industry lack adequate accountability. Media giants such as Fairfax Media and News Corporation are not being held liable for many of their actions that would have (in the past) attracted prosecution. As their size has grown, so has their influence and power to avoid such accountability. Journalists wield the power to portray people/ideas/events etc; the way these are portrayed creates the reality within which we all live (Schultz 1998). In other words, we rely primarily on the media for the info and imagery out of which we construct our reality of current political circumstances. Large powers such as this are often unacknowledged by the practitioners of the media due to its implication of the necessity for accountability; they want maximum power and minimal regulation (Noam 2009). However, protections (e.g. the implied right to the freedom of political communication) conferred on the media in Australia create a dilemma when it comes to holding it to account. It is inconsistent with the general principle of freedom of the press to have laws that, for example, allow Parliament to censor media content prior to publication (prior censorship) (Noam 2009). Nonetheless, it is equally as inconsistent with this general principle to have laws that would allow parliament to punish the media after publication for general infringements of a government-invented standard. The Finkelstein enquiry (Steward 2012) proposed a solution that could have great potential in alleviating this regulatory issue. Currently, Australian print media (i.e. newspapers) is regulated by the Australian Press Council. However, this body is self-regulated and has no actual legal power. The Finkelstein review recommended an independent statutory authority funded by the Commonwealth – this would cover all media and would have the power to enforce its decisions through the courts (Steward 2012). Such a proposition may very well be the answer to ensuring the media is held accountable for its actions. This essay discussed a variety of areas stemming from the issue of the high concentration of the Australian print media and its minimal accountability. As a result of this, political matters of importance are being very badly reported (if at all) to the public. The large corporations that now dominate the industry are heavily biased in their political views and tend to pursue profit-related endeavours over ensuring legitimate, high quality political news is provided to the public. Furthermore, the media is failing in its role as the Fourth Estate (that is, keeping the government in check through being a ‘watchdog’ for the public). And lastly, reform (such as a new independent statutory authority) is needed in order to address the growing issue of the Australian print media’s minimal accountability. Bibliography: Habermas, J 1989, ‘The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere: An Inquiry into a category of Bourgeois Society’, Polity, Cambridge. Herman, E; Chomsky, N 2002,‘Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media’, Pantheon Books. p.Ix. Lehrer, E 2004, ‘Chomsky and the Media: A Kept Press and a Manipulated People’, The Anti-Chomsky Reader, Encounter Books, pp. 67-87. Noam, E. M 2009,‘Media Ownership and Concentration in America’, New York: Oxford University Press. Schultz, J 1998, ‘Reviving the Fourth Estate: Democracy, Accountability and the Media’, Melbourne: Cambridge University Press. Steward, C 2012 Finkelstein report: Medias great divide,The Australian. Tiffen, R 2006, ‘Political economy and news’, The Media and Communications in Australia, Crow’s Nest, N.S.W: Allen Unwin, pp. 28-42.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Essay -- essays research papers

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea Some time ago, I decided to read Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea, by Jules Verne. I figured that because it was so well known it must be an extremely interesting book. In addition, it was science fiction, the one area that I was always interested. My assumption was only partially correct, for I only was to a degree interested in the piece of writing. When Jules Verne was writing this book, he must have been reading some incredibly dull science book the day before, for that was what the book was written as. The style of writing was utterly against my tastes, and though the plot was moderately interesting, the style of writing really ruined it. Often, the author will trail off describing some marine animal for pages at a time. Two entire chapters were almost entirely this! However, the setting and characters of the story seemed to be well thought out. Nevertheless, 20,000 Leagues under the Sea was an extremely tedious volume. When the story w as introduced, Jules Verne described M. Aronnax, the main character, whose love for marine biology was more important than anything else to him did. This immediately led to the international crisis about a bizarre aquatic creature, which immediately dragged M. Aronnax into the action. Due to his expertise on the matter, the public expected Pierre to be the one to solve this mystery. M. Aronnax, under all this pressure, concluded that the animal was to be called the Narwhale. At first, the mat...

Understanding HIV and AIDS :: health, virus, medicine

HIV/ AIDS HIV/AIDS is an epidemic that effects both men and women of all ages. It has an impact on many people's lives either by themselves being infected, knowing someone who is infected, or being a health care worker. HIV is a virus that attacks the body's immune system. It also effects the blood cells (lymphocytes) and cells of the organs (bone marrow, spleen, liver, and lymph glands). It effects the lungs, central nervous system and gastrointestinal system. People begin with having the HIV virus. An HIV infected person is likely to stay fit and well for a long time. In time, however the infected person develops rare illnesses or cancers because their immune system is weakened. When this happens, the person now has AIDS. Some people live for several years once they have AIDS, but it is always fatal. HIV is diagnosed with a blood test known as an HIV antibody test or HIV test. If the test shows that HIV is present, the person is referred to as HIV positive. It may take up to 6 months after contact to show up. The number of women with HIV and AIDS in the United States is steadily rising. From 1985 to 1996, the proportion of reported US AIDS cases occurring among women increased from 7-20% (Women and AIDS). An analysis from the National Cancer Institute estimates that between 107,000 and 150,000 women on the U.S. are living with HIV infection (many of whom have not developed AIDS (Women and AIDS) AIDS presents a great worry for women. It is the third leading cause of death among women ages 25 to 44 and the leading cause of death among African-American women of the same age group. (Women and AIDS) Although AIDS cases are reported in all 50 states, the highest rates in 1996 were in New York, New Jersey, Florida, Maryland and Delaware (Women and AIDS) HIV may not produce any initial symptoms. However, as this disease progresses, symptoms begin to appear. Among them are: fatigue, unexplained weight loss, night sweats, fever, diarrhea, recurrent respiratory and skin infections, swollen lymph glands throughout the body, genital changes, enlarged spleen and mouth sores. Vaginal yeast infections, common and easily treated in most women, are harder to treat in HIV infected women. Bacterial vaginosis and common STDs such as gonorrhea, chlamydia trichomoniasis, and pelvic inflammatory disease are more common and aggressive in HIV-infected women.

Gap in Gender Pay Essay

INTRODUCTION: Although women are steadily making their mark in the business world and heading major corporations, the question remains, are they still earning less than their male counterparts? Throughout time there has been a definite difference between men and women and their median income. This wage gap cuts across a wide spectrum of occupations. However, in 1963 the Equal Pay Act was signed making it illegal for employers to pay unequal wages to men and women who hold the same job and do the same work. There may be many reasons for this gap in salaries; most of them may not be necessarily based on gender. The following research will investigate what causes the gap in earnings, if any, and examines various factors that may have an effect on the earnings of men and women. I. RESEARCH PURPOSE The purpose of this research is to determine whether or not women who are working the same types of jobs, with the same amount of education and experience are being compensated the same as men. Although women have made a significant pace in entering the workforce and in exploring a wider range of occupations, they may still be treading behind in wages earned compared to their male counterparts. Many years ago, it was thought that because women were not as well educated as men, did not have as much experience as men, and did not work as hard as men that the range of pay should not be the same. This is no longer true and women have been graduating from college at the same rate as men and are working just as hard as men. However, the wage gap between men and women remains and nationally, women earn 77 cents for every $1 earned by men (Head, 2008). Thus, despite a sense of continued progress toward gender equality in the workplace the gap between men and women still persists. The significance of this research issue may reveal an underlying discrimination between the sexes that many may believe has narrowed. The importance in equality of gender pay is not only that it is the right thing to do, but an equitable and competitive pay package improves employee recruitment and retention.  This concept benefits both the employer and the employee, male or female. Nonetheless, as long as this gap remains the more likely this issue will provide a main source of debate among the organizational workforce. II. PROBLEM DEFINITION: The study, by the American Association of University Women Educational Foundation, found that 10 years after college, women earn only 69% of what men earn. (USA Today, 2007) Defining the problem starts with an examination of the evidence to determine how big the gap truly is and whether discrimination is to blame. Essential variables that may have an impact on male-female wage differential such as ethnic background, age, and industry will be measured. Our team will research and find out how big the gap is what could be the cause, factors such as: a). Hours of work- some tend to think that men are more likely to work longer hours. b). Education levels-some tend to think that men on average is higher qualified and women invest less in their education. c). Workforce participation and experience-industries tend to think that women spend less time at work because of their domestic responsibilities to their children and family. The majority of organizations assume that young women are going to leave the workforce when they have children, and therefore will not promote them. d). Why is there such a gap between the amount on a man’s paycheck compared to a woman’s? e). Occupation type- some think women are looking for an easy way out and they tend to seek out and cluster around a few occupations and industries because of the tastes of employers, male employees and customers. f). Are women given the same opportunities for advancement as men? Our team will investigate what percentage of these factors contributes to the difference in pay between these two genders and seek to find out if discrimination plays a part in this pay gap and will the gap disappear through educational achievements. Why do woman not have equal job opportunities? Jobs held by women pay less than jobs held by men, even though the job requires the same education and skills. A newly hired woman will get a lower paying assignment than a man who started working there the same time for the same employer. Not only that also, women do not receive the equal chances in promotions like men. Equal pay has been an issue for all working women for the past few decades. III. RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS While some studies may reflect a sense of continued progress towards gender equality in the workplace, the federal government currently confirms that the workplace earnings gap amongst men and women is still prevalent today (About Management.Com). It is the educated guess of this team that men are paid at a substantially increased rate for performance in positions than women are paid to operate in those same positions. This hypothesis is deducted from observations made from current work situations, random peer discussions, and updated articles. More than forty years after the Federal Equal Pay Act, hard working women are still being paid less than men are on the job. There are numerous speculations that can be made in an attempt to explain this is behavior, such as career selections being made by men and women. Women tend to make decisions about employment based on convenience, meaning that women migrate to positions that will allow for them to maintain a active home life and still maintain a 40 hour work week, whereas men will more than likely trade an active home life for longer work hours, safety risks, frequent travel, longer work hours and extended commuting times to make the higher pay. While these practices may not be fair, they are a reality. The research provided in this paper will lead to three possible outcomes; it will either prove that men are paid at higher rates than women to operate in the same or similar positions, women are paid at higher rates than men to operate in the same or similar position, or men and women break even when it comes to wages and position. References Head, Lauren Lawley. (2008, April 23). Pay Gap Worth Steaming Over: Bizwomen.com. Retrieved April 29, 2008, from http://www.bizjournals.com/bizwomen/index.php/2008/04/23/pay-gap-worth-steaming-over/ Coutts, Justin. (2004, February). Policy Backgrounder, Business Roundtable. Retrieved April 29, 2008 from http://www.nzbr.org.nz/documents/policy/policy-2004/PB_No1.pdf Arndt, Bettina. (2006,October 16). Herald Sun.com. Why Men are paid More. Retrieved April 29, 2008 from http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,20586168-5000117,00.html

A Students Life is not a happy one

Although the fascination of learning is one which provides a great deal of excitement and motivation to help see a student through the challenging years of study, there are a great many responsibilities and expectations, also, which are placed upon the student.Most students, like myself, are not only grappling with numerous responsibilities (many of them new), but also with certain, more personal — if universal — changes in psychological and emotional states which are common enough in those who in their college years.The student's life is not a happy one because of the constant tension between personal and scholastic responsibilities and how this tension impacts on the simultaneous emotional and intellectual growth of the student.A student must maintain a tight schedule, with each class requiring a substantial amount of out-of-class time to be devoted to thought and study for the particular class. In my case, not only do the classes which are requirements outside of my major field of study often seem obtrusive with their work-loads, they also seem obtrusive because they interest me!This means that I must learn to conserve my energy to some extent and not chase off on every interesting tangent that I encounter during my readings.If I stumble across an interesting fact in Art History, say the â€Å"Art Noveau† movement and begin to read about some of its most celebrated artists and critics, I truly do begin to get â€Å"lost† in this spontaneous study, which can detract from my official studies in other areas.All in all, I would say that reading, at all, has become, for me as a student, an act of study and work most times.   It is difficult for me to even read a newspaper without bringing analytical study to the process.In other words, the constant bombardment of new information and the constant devotion to study seem to make everything a â€Å"model† or a â€Å"paradigm† and sometimes it seems difficult to turn off the â€Å"student† brain and just live life.Another difficult aspect of being a student is economic.   The time that one must devote to study is so vast that earning an income becomes problematic.Because you are likely to be poor when you are a student, one has the added pressure of worrying about an unexpected expense.   Also, socializing with people who are not, themselves, students becomes difficult.If one of my older friends or relatives who have already completed school ask me to go golfing or bowling or even to a movie, I must make two checks: one to see if I have time, and usually, I don't — the other to see if I have money — and usually, I don't. So, the idea that people view a student as someone with a lot of free time to carry on and party strikes me as a bit silly.However, many students, themselves, seem to belive that they should be spending the majority of their time partying and carrying on. This is another fact which tends to make a student's lif e unpleasant.When you are   not feeling the pressure to be an intellectual about everything up to and including the latest TV commercial you saw, you are expected to be some sort of raging party-animal, out until dawn with your friends.In reality, those people I know who believe this and try to live it wind up with so many problems and deficiencies that I would certainly say that the myth of the student's leisure time is one of the most destructive myths out there and   being with or around people who want to try to believe in it and live it is very unpleasant most of the time.As a student, you have very little power in the off-campus world.   Your time is not your own; your money is not your own. Even your own thoughts, it seems, are not your own.What little personal time you do manage to snare for yourself often turns to questions in your mind like: â€Å"What good is all of this education if I won't be able to find a job when I am finished?†If you take a look around at the headlines and the state of the economy and the price of gas and the rest — you start to wonder if putting yourself into debt to get an education is really worth the effort. And then you realize you are worrying about things that are really problems that you shouldn't have to deal with until after you graduate.

Review of “Roses” by Kanye West

Student Project Presentation In 2005 Kanye West released â€Å"Roses† on his second studio album titled â€Å"Late Registration. † Though the composition is classified as hip-hop, it delves into many other genres and niches as it encompasses a wide-ranging mix of blues, rock, R&B, and many others. The extensive collaboration between West and film score producer Jon Brion during the making of the album resulted in a very unique orchestral-like sound thanks to the hiring of a full string section during production.The entirety of the album could be considered a breakthrough as it redefined the genre and what typical hip-hop was expected to sound like by juxtaposing heavy hip-hop beats with orchestral strings. It is this contributing factor that makes it so difficult to compare his musical style to that of any other artists. Although I thoroughly enjoy â€Å"Late Registration† as a whole, â€Å"Roses† is my favorite composition due to the lyrical substance and the manner in which West chose to express his story.West composed the piece entirely himself, a deeply moving story where he recounts his emotions and those of his family as his grandmother lay ill due to heart complications and his views of the healthcare system. Although he did not write out his lyrics at the time, this did not hinder the meaning of the composition in any way as his passion and conviction are still evident in the tonality of his voice and heart felt words as he ever so clearly conveys his story to the listener.The Grammys classifies the composition under its rap category. In 2006 â€Å"Late Registration† was nominated for five Grammys of which it won three for best rap song, best rap solo performance, and best rap album. In my opinion the category suits the composition because though it is not typical, it still is rap. I believe that this song should be a part of our course because of its element of improvisation, which is one of the cornerstones of Jazz.A s I mentioned before, West did not write down any of his lyrics for the composition, or for any of his first four studio albums for that matter, it was all improvised from his head straight to the recording, similar to the bass improvisations of the great Charles Mingus. It can be said that the compositions does have a rhythm section, yet it is not one composed of human players. Instead what you hear is an eclectic mix of synthesized instrument clips compiled into a beat.In the composition West raps over piano and a slow rhythm with the chorus then bringing in trumpet riffs, electric guitar, and vocal sample from Curtis Mayfield’s composition â€Å"Rosie. † So all in all, I am happy to have been able to elaborate on this composition and shined some light on many details and elements that may have been overlooked or just not known by you guys, the listeners. I could only hope that you enjoyed the music as much as I did and am glad to have been able speak to you about a composition that I really admire.

ALS Lou Gehrig Disease

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig disease, is a fatal, progressive disease that affects the motor neurons of the body. Attacking the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, ALS patients lose muscle control and thus becomes paralyzed (ALS Association, n. d. ). According to the ALS Association, 15 people are diagnosed with ALS every day and that two per 100,000 people deaths are due to ALS (n. d. ). Patients stricken with the disease has a survival rate of two to five years from the onset of symptoms (n.d. ).However, with medical researches and breakthroughs, twenty percent of ALS patients get to live for five more years after being diagnosed (n. d. ). ALS is a disease of the middle-age, meaning people falling in the 40-60 years old are more likely to be afflicted (Curtis and McDonald, 1994, p. 1047). In addition, men are more likely to develop ALS than women (p. 1047). Individuals who get ALS from childhood or early adulthood are rare and may have caught an inherited type of the disease (p. 1047). ALS is part of the motor neuron disorder which causes muscle weakness and atrophy (Forshew and Hulihan, 2002). Atrophy is defined as â€Å"wasting away or loss of muscle† (2002). When only the upper neurons are affected, the disorder is known as primary lateral sclerosis (2002). When it is the lower motor neurons, it is called spinal muscular atrophy or progressive muscular atrophy (2002). In the case of ALS, both upper and lower motor neurons are affected. Degeneration of the upper neurons results in hyperreflexia, spasticity and a Babinski reflex while the lower motor neurons result in muscular atrophy, fasciculation or skin twitches and weakness (Cotran, Kumar and Robbins, 1994, p. 1336). French neurologist Jean Martin Charcot was the one who initially recognized the disease in 1880s (Forshew and Hulihan, 2002). The term amyotrophic is rooted in Greek and the term can be subdivided into syllables: â€Å"a† meaning no or negative, â€Å"myo† pertains to muscle, and â€Å"trophic† for nutrient; so in essence, amyotrophic means no muscle nutrient (2002). It can be noted that nutrient in this sense does not pertain to food nourishment, rather signals coming from motor neurons to the muscles. The terms lateral and sclerosis may likewise be defined. The upper motor neurons pass through the lateral edges of the spinal cord. When the neurons do not work properly, signals to the muscles are absent, thus the muscles become weak, shrink and paralyzed/. When these neurons die, the lateral portions of the spinal cord becomes marked and scarred. Sclerosis is the term used in medicine to refer to hardening and scarring (2002). Lateral sclerosis, therefore, is the scarring â€Å"along the sides of the spinal cord caused by the death of upper motor neurons† (2002). Dr. Charcot used the term amyotrophic lateral sclerosis to refer to weakened muscles and scarring of lateral sides in the spinal cord. The figure below illustrates how the nerve cells look like in normal person and an ALS-afflicted individual.