Pauline Hanson is running in this election as an independent candidate (not for her previous party One Nation) in the seat of Beaudesert. Her views on the important issues are well described on her website, but how are they playing in the media?
A quick look at the Courier Mail’s election section answers that pretty quickly. While most coverage is given to the two major party’s leader’s campaigns at least three stories are given prominent placement for Pauline. The trouble is that none of them are about her positions or policies, they are all about the alleged nude photo scandal that has popped up during the campaign.
That is a lot of coverage for an independent candidate. That in itself would be encouraging if it was substantitive coverage and not gossip about what is potentially a manufactured scandal with no truth behind it.
There are many independent candidates running in this election and none of them are receiving this kind of media coverage. Perhaps they are not fortunate enough to have some nude photos floating around, or perhaps they aren’t savvy enough to fake such a scandal as has been suggested of Pauline.
One of three things is true here:
- The scandal was manufactured by the alleged ex-boyfriend and the Courier Mail has fallen for it and considers it newsworthy and relevant enough to the election to cover it in depth.
- The scandal was manufactured by Pauline or her campaign staff and the Courier Mail has fallen for it and covered it in depth.
- The pictures are real and the Courier Mail thinks 30 year old nude pictures taken in private are relevant enough to the election to cover it in depth.
Meanwhile I’m sure some substantitive, issue-based campaigning is going on as the two major parties campaign across the state. On the other hand, the Courier Mail is still giving a lot of page space to the mugshot of the ALP candidate who can’t be bothered campaigning in his electorate. Must be a pretty slow election for the media.
{ 1 comment }
