The University of Sydney
Photo: Merryjack (Flickr)
Allegations students in two of the country’s top journalism programs are being “indoctrinated” with left-wing bias received a mixed response today.
Media editor for The Australian, Sharri Markson, made the claims in an article published after a five-week investigation into The University of Sydney and The University of Technology Sydney.
Markson attended first-year journalism lectures at the universities “undercover” and obtained other course materials from students.
The article claimed there is a systemic bias against News Corp Australia in the degree programs, with University of Sydney lecturer Dr Penny O’Donnell quoted as saying the company used “naked political pressure” during elections.
“The University of Sydney course in particular is leading students to form a critical view of News Corp,” Markson wrote in the article.
University of Sydney media student Katelyn Cameron said it is unlikely students are being brainwashed by lecturers.
“I think it was pretty ridiculous, [Markson] kind of portrayed media students as people who can’t exercise independent thought for themselves,” she said.
“Part of being a media student is being able to be critical of the media – that’s what we’re taught … People don’t just accept what they read, they draw on their own values, experiences and beliefs and make up their own minds.”
Ms Cameron was in the room for some of the lectures Markson attended and disagrees with the allegations of anti-News Corp bias.
“I think she’s kind of got some quotes and very selectively used them, and took them out of context,” she said.
Dominic Ellis, who was also in the University of Sydney lectures, said the course entitled “Media and Communications Landscapes” would be pointless without some criticism of the company.
“Talking about the media landscape and ignoring [News Corp Australia] would be an oversight,” he said.
“The course is quite critical of all kinds of media ownership. It’s not like we’re burning Murdoch effigies and praising Fairfax.”
An anonymous student at one of the universities agreed with Markson, saying left-wing bias in the course was “hard to recognise” and undermined professional outcomes for students.
“It’s easy to not realise the damage that environment is probably doing to your ability to keep in touch with the community in a real sense and to represent information fairly,” the student said in an op-ed also published in The Australian.
Markson told City Journal reactions to the article have been divisive, but she feels justified in writing the piece.
“Many people said they experienced the same things at university, or are still experiencing it,” she said.
“Journalism lecturers should be objective and should be impartial, and shouldn’t be presenting a particular ideological view of the world. If you’re training people to be a news reporter, you should be teaching them to see issues from both sides.”
Senior University of Technology Sydney journalism lecturer Jenna Price has denied allegations of bias, saying media students are “lively, engaged and good critical thinkers”.
“To imitate Miranda Devine’s usage, they would never accept a blanket fatwa on any prospective employer,” she told City Journal.
