Caleb Scanlon, Josephine Coppock, Indiana Hansen, Kaylah Baker, and Eli Duxson.
The Battle To Save Journalism In Australia.
by Eli Duxson
The panellists and moderator who spoke at the Walkley Event, “What Price Would You Pay? A Conversation about why journalism matters” held at RMIT University last Thursday night. From Left to Right: Caroline Wilson, Grant McArthur, Lisa Martin, Lauren Molan, Zena Chamas and Louise Milligan. PHOTO: Indiana Hansen
The Walkley Foundation continued their “What Price Would You Pay?” campaign at RMIT’s Kaleide Theatre on Thursday night to get Australians to support quality journalism.
The campaign began earlier this year after growing concerns of the production of false news and other online misinformation.
Walkley Foundation Chief Executive Louisa Graham said that quality journalism requires journalists to “pay a price, [readers] should be paying for that content as well”.
“As journalists, we do this great work, but we don’t beat our own drums, we don’t say to the public, this journalism matters,” she said.
Health reporter for the Herald Sun Grant McArthur describes quality journalism as stories that people want to read and “things that people need to know”.
The campaign aims to gain support for such journalism but also aims to ensure people are getting their news from reliable sources.
The spread of false news and misinformation begins with social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter where modern fact-checking procedures are often not taking place.
Australians’ trust in social media dropped five per cent from 2017 to 2018 according to a study from the Edelman Trust Barometer last year.
The study also found that their trust in traditional news media and journalism went up 15 per cent in the same period.
“Our mission is to benchmark the best, but it’s also to engage the media and the public in valuing journalism,” said Ms Graham.
“That event will stay with me for the rest of my life”: Investigative Journalist Lisa Martin opens up about her near-death experience in Papua New Guinea.
by Kaylah Baker
Panellist Lisa Martin discussing her experience as an investigative journalist before working for The Guardian. PHOTO: Indiana Hansen
Since the age of 11, Lisa Martin has wanted nothing more than to be a Journalist. Her journey to get where she is now, a four-time Walkley finalist, has not been without its challenges though.
According to the Committee to Protect Journalist, 14 journalists have been killed this year when working on assignments.
“In 2015, I was close to becoming another statistic,” she said to a room full of first-year journalism students, all who were attending the What Price Would You Pay event at RMIT University on Thursday night.
Dressed in a floral silk dress and brown ankle boots, Lisa sat comfortably in her chair as she talked about her personal near-death experience.
Working on an assignment in Papua New Guinea, Lisa was in a car with three Canberra Press Gallery members when a Raskol criminal gang attempted to carjack them.
“I knew that we were in serious danger,” she said.
Using her hands as she spoke, she frantically described the “extraordinary” moment they managed to escape. Thanks to Lisa’s photographer-colleague who “drove like a stunt man in a movie” and an off-duty cop she calls “their guardian angel”.
They finally arrived safely at their hotel two hours after the incident. But the stress over the event did not go away, “I was just shaking like a leaf”, she said.
This event resulted in Lisa dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms for a good six months.
“That event will stay with me for the rest of my life,” she said.
According to SANE Australia, about 25 per cent of people exposed to traumatic events will develop PTSD and 12 per cent of people living in Australia experience it in their lifetime.
“I was ready to pull the plug on journalism and even considered opening a chocolate shop,” she said lightheartedly to the audience.
The decision to leave journalism is one Lisa is glad she didn’t make.
When the Moderator of the event, Lauren Molan, questioned if it was worth it, Lisa did not hesitate to say “Absolutely!”.
“A lot of good things have come out of it,” she said.
Lisa used her stories from the women shelters she visited and the traumatic incident to raise money for domestic violence victims in Papua New Guinea.
“I now have this extra-special relationship with the place,” she said proudly.
It is through experiences like this that have encouraged Lisa to continue to write on stories that deserve to be heard.
To work in journalism at her level is a “privilege”, she said.
And despite being aware of the impact her bold career decisions have on her family, what keeps Lisa going is her “thirst for adventure”.
“I can’t imagine doing anything else and yes, 2015 was a difficult year but I am so much stronger and more resilient than I ever imagined I could be,” she said.
Photos
The Walkley Event’s moderator, Lauren Molan, engaging with panellists. PHOTO: Indiana Hansen
Panellists engaged in the discussion. From Left to Right: Zena Chamas and Louise Milligan. PHOTO: Indiana Hansen
Panellists engaged in the discussion. From Left to Right: Caroline Wilson and Grant McArthur. PHOTO: Indiana Hansen
A close-up shot of student journalist covering a Walkley Event. PHOTO: Indiana Hansen
Student journalists reporting and live-tweeting at a Walkley Event held at RMIT University last Thursday night. PHOTO: Indiana Hansen
The Walkley Event’s moderator and two panellists grouped to the left side of the stage on Thursday night. From left to right: Lauren Molan, Zena Chamas and Louise Milligan. PHOTO: Indiana Hansen
Three panellists grouped to the right side of the stage at a Walkley Event on Thursday night. From left to right: Caroline Wilson, Grant McArthur and Lisa Martin. PHOTO: Indiana Hansen
Seats in Kaleide Theatre at RMIT University ahead of the Walkley Event, “What Price Should You Pay? A Conversation about why journalism matters,” on August 15. PHOTO: Indiana Hansen
Live Tweets.
Josephine Coppock on Twitter: “‘What Price Would You Pay?’ the @walkleys event is about to get underway at @RMIT. Would you fall overboard for quality journalism or are you prepared to go further? Keep following my feed for live tweets of the event! pic.twitter.com/noyNw0Srid / Twitter”
‘What Price Would You Pay?’ the @walkleys event is about to get underway at @RMIT. Would you fall overboard for quality journalism or are you prepared to go further? Keep following my feed for live tweets of the event! pic.twitter.com/noyNw0Srid
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Josephine Coppock on Twitter: “Louisa Graham, chief executive of the @walkleys will now introduce our amazing panellists for this evenings event. The Walkley’s are awards that “benchmark the best” & aim to engage the media & public in quality journalism.@JournalismRmit @walkleys #walkleys / Twitter”
Louisa Graham, chief executive of the @walkleys will now introduce our amazing panellists for this evenings event. The Walkley’s are awards that “benchmark the best” & aim to engage the media & public in quality journalism.@JournalismRmit @walkleys #walkleys
Josephine Coppock on Twitter: “Louisa Graham believes that quality journalism “Holds the powerful to account, it changes lives”. @JournalismRmit @walkleys #walkleys / Twitter”
Louisa Graham believes that quality journalism “Holds the powerful to account, it changes lives”. @JournalismRmit @walkleys #walkleys
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Josephine Coppock on Twitter: “Caroline Wilson on what quality journalism is.”It’s journalism that takes you places you can’t go & stories that people don’t want you to write. It’s the ones that make you sick in the stomach”@JournalismRmit @walkleys #walkleys / Twitter”
Caroline Wilson on what quality journalism is.”It’s journalism that takes you places you can’t go & stories that people don’t want you to write. It’s the ones that make you sick in the stomach”@JournalismRmit @walkleys #walkleys
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Josephine Coppock on Twitter: “”The price I paid was unpopularity. Something I’m used to, but my tyres were let down & my daughter was targeted online.” Caroline Wilson on her involvement in the Essendon Drugs Saga. @walkleys @JournalismRmit #walkleys / Twitter”
“The price I paid was unpopularity. Something I’m used to, but my tyres were let down & my daughter was targeted online.” Caroline Wilson on her involvement in the Essendon Drugs Saga. @walkleys @JournalismRmit #walkleys
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Josephine Coppock on Twitter: “”How much of this is part of the job & how much of it should we prepare for?” @lauzmo gives the student journalists food for thought.@JournalismRmit @walkleys #walkleys / Twitter”
“How much of this is part of the job & how much of it should we prepare for?” @lauzmo gives the student journalists food for thought.@JournalismRmit @walkleys #walkleys
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Josephine Coppock on Twitter: “”Try & seek support from other people who’ve experienced it.” @chamas_zena speaks candidly about coping with challenging situations. @JournalismRmit @walkleys #walkleys / Twitter”
“Try & seek support from other people who’ve experienced it.” @chamas_zena speaks candidly about coping with challenging situations. @JournalismRmit @walkleys #walkleys
Josephine Coppock on Twitter: “”The day that the story came out…it felt like I was stepping into shark infested waters.” @Milliganreports comments on her experience taking on a high profile figure, George Pell & a high profile institution, the Catholic Church.@JournalismRmit @walkleys #walkleys / Twitter”
“The day that the story came out…it felt like I was stepping into shark infested waters.” @Milliganreports comments on her experience taking on a high profile figure, George Pell & a high profile institution, the Catholic Church.@JournalismRmit @walkleys #walkleys
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Josephine Coppock on Twitter: “”You start giving away your sources..you’re finished.” @Milliganreports speaks of her experience giving evidence in the Pell case & the dilemma of freedom of information.@JournalismRmit @walkleys #walkleys / Twitter”
“You start giving away your sources..you’re finished.” @Milliganreports speaks of her experience giving evidence in the Pell case & the dilemma of freedom of information.@JournalismRmit @walkleys #walkleys
Josephine Coppock on Twitter: “”We need legislation to protect media, it’s really really important.” @Milliganreports perfectly encapsulates what all journalists are yearning for. @JournalismRmit @walkleys #walkleys / Twitter”
“We need legislation to protect media, it’s really really important.” @Milliganreports perfectly encapsulates what all journalists are yearning for. @JournalismRmit @walkleys #walkleys
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Josephine Coppock on Twitter: “”The freedom of information act is just a joke.” The Peter Dutton scandal was of public interest but it “took me two years to publish a word.” -@LMARTI @JournalismRmit @walkleys #walkleys / Twitter”
“The freedom of information act is just a joke.” The Peter Dutton scandal was of public interest but it “took me two years to publish a word.” -@LMARTI @JournalismRmit @walkleys #walkleys
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Josephine Coppock on Twitter: “Thank you for following my coverage of the @walkleys event; What Price Would You Pay? What an insightful night. We are incredibly grateful to panellists, Caroline Wilson, @mcarthurg, @LMARTI, @chamas_zena, @Milliganreports & @lauzmo. @JournalismRmit @walkleys #walkleys / Twitter”
Thank you for following my coverage of the @walkleys event; What Price Would You Pay? What an insightful night. We are incredibly grateful to panellists, Caroline Wilson, @mcarthurg, @LMARTI, @chamas_zena, @Milliganreports & @lauzmo. @JournalismRmit @walkleys #walkleys
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