THE COUNTRY PRESS In November, the Press Council met in Mount Gambier. At a public meeting, it invited discussion of the "Role and Responsibility of Country Newspapers". The audience heard three very different approaches to the subject t the Mount Gambier public different approaches. In the region served version of an event unlikely to be meeting, country newspapers by the South East Local Government questioned by most readers. The same were discussed from three Association, there are five individual news­ Adelaide publication carried a picture of perspectives: a local paper proprietors who covered local a supposedly destitute farming governmentA leader, an " ordinary" reader affairs. Ownership has remained in the family standing in front of a decrepit and a former country journalist, editor hands of the individual family companies, hovel that hadn't been lived in for ten and executive. Chaired by Dorothy Ross, giving different perspectives to those years". the Council's Vice Chairman and a available from the metropolitan press and Mr Ross contrasted the fair deal he had foundation public member of the the electronic media. had from the local media with his Council, it was the twelfth such seminar "Against this competitive backdrop, the experiences with metropolitan media. held by the Council to give people an first objective for a country newspaper He gave two examples of contact with opportunity to see the work of the Press must be relevance. A blunt test of rel­ city media. A conflict within a local Council and to discuss issues related to evance is - would its absence diminish the council could easily have been reported the press. The Mayor of Mount Gambier, quality of our lives? From this qualifica­ in a way that healed, rather than created Don McDonnell, opened the seminar, tion of relevance the function logically divisions. An ABC radio personality, welcoming the Council to Mount evolves to establish a de facto contract be­ interviewing Mr Ross, led the listeners Gambier. tween the newspaper management and to conclude that council was inept, out of the community who are its subscribers." touch with community attitudes to the LOCAL GOVERNMENT He gave as an example of the moral extent that the Minister should consider sacking them. "I saw that interview as John Ross (no relation to the evening's responsibility of local newspapers the being adversarial but accept that radio Chairman), a farmer from the local area recent closure of the Tatiara Meat patrons want their entertainment at a and the President of the South East Local Company in Bordertown. The local paper, faster pace." The same interviewer had Government Association, started by the Border Chronicle, published its first previously talked to Mr Ross about a noting that, as an avid consumer of ever special edition, complete with Cartoon Gallery being established in Bob available newspapers, this is the first editorial. He noted that in the circumstances Hawke's childhood home. "The inter­ time he had been asked to speak on the such a publication demanded great viewer made some assertions that, as relevance of country newspapers and courage ofitseditor/proprietor. However, Bob Hawke was on the nose politically their impact within his region. a well-balanced coverage was provided. The editorial was thought-provoking in Bordertown, there would be little He suggested that "the role of news­ without being offensive. The edition community acceptance and its likely papers is irrevocably bound in conflict. carried no advertising and was published failure could be gleefully expected as a Indeed, conflict is the essential element as a service. He contrasted this with the put down for the Prime Minister. The in creating copy of interest to readers, Adelaide Advertiser which sent a photo­ notion offended me and I quickly stressed but it is not this conflict to which I grapher to illustrate a story researched by that the project had bipartisan support, primarily refer." phone and written in Adelaide. and we would have been churlish to The conflict to which he referred was The Advertiser photo was "taken on adopt the stereotyped view proffered." how capital and conscience are Sunday morning and showed the news­ Mr Ross also spoke of some of problems managed to maximise profit for the pro­ agent standing in the main street at a time facing the local area if the social and prietors, while producing an ethical pub­ when only one or two cars were parked economic health of the region is to be lication that "reflects, chronicles and there, with not another person in sight, preserved. "I have often spoken of these projects community attitudes in a prod­ giving the intended vivid impression of a issues, but sense that there is a pre­ uct that is kinder than a mirror image, for ghost town. The camera did not lie, but the vailing Hanrahan sentiment that fatal­ a price the subscriber doesn't question". impression it conveyed distorted the truth istically accepts ruin or, in the best Anzac He noted that different proprietors had by providing a stereotyped tradition, we will soldier on: if we are 2 AUSTRALIAN PRESS COUNCIL NEWS, FEBRUARY 1995 lucky there won't be a bullet for us. as an itinerant teacher and that meant three viewpoints are expressed; and be aware "However if our local press were to years travelling in outback South Australia. of and reflect the interest of the popula­ devote time and resources to funda­ After that she moved to a small com­ tion of readers." mental issues such as these, the munity in northern South Australia, Ros spoke about the reporting of acceptance and understanding en­ Nepabunna, an Adnya-Mathanha com­ Aboriginal issues by the Port Augusta gendered would promote a culture more munity with about 90 people living in it. paper and how much it had improved in receptive to successful resolution." "I did learn a lot about country people. In 15 years. While noting that journalists "I commend our country newspaper fact I developed a respect and an under­ need to report, not interpret, she ob­ proprietors for the role they have standing of country people and I chose to served that, even if the journalist main­ played." become a country person myself." tains a fair perspective, the omission or When Ros found that the seminar was on position of articles, photos and graphics the country press, her heart sank and she transmits clear but covert messages. A COUNTRY SCHOOL TEACHER thought, "Country newspapers - urrrgh! I "Our local paper reports on issues of Ros Cooper, a school teacher widely thought straight away about the local importance to Aboriginal people, and as experienced in country schools and in papers that I read and my first thought well as this their photos appear along­ isolated outback settings, was quite was: all they really do is tell us who won side photos of non-Aboriginal people in surprised to find herself on the platform, the footy, who is getting married and who all of the social, sporting and political having no specialist knowledge of the has died". But then she had a cup of tea and articles. ... The opportunities for both press but hoped to give one person's talked to some other people and had Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children perspective and some ideas that she had second thoughts. People told her, '"Well I to be exposed to positive images of each gained from other rural people. always read the births, marriages and other in the local press is to be She thought it would be easy to dismiss deaths - 1 like to get it because of the footy commended.... Country newspapers like the importance of the country press be­ - 1 like to see my kid's name in print - 1 just teachers should be encouraging the cause 85% of people live in the cities. get it for the TV programs', not many values of honesty, tolerance and "Despite this we all have some experi­ people actually mentioned news I am sorry sustainable community development." ence of the romance of the bush, whether to say. But one thing that did become clear Ros concluded by saying that she now it is through personal experience or was that people actually do read the saw them in a different light. "I have through some kind of media." She set papers and they do read the news part come to see that they, along with other her scene with a quote from "Clancy of (after they have finished with the footy). institutions like schools and govern­ the Overflow": "Country newspapers tell us what is going ments and unions and businesses and on in our community. They keep us in As the stock are slowly stringing, Clancy community organisations, are all touch with the social highlights of our little rides behind them singing, playing a crucial role in the maintenance towns and we look forward to reading For the drover's life has pleasures that the and survival of the Australian rural them.... And regardless of the publishers, townsfolk never know. community." the format and the quality of each of these And the bush hasfriends to meet him, and papers, they all provided both a social and their kindly voices greet him a hard news function." THE COUNTRY JOURNALIST In the murmur of the breezes and the river Ros had a definite idea of what a country John Parker, who had recently retired as on its bars, newspaper should be like: "A the Managing Director of Rural Press, And he sees the vision splendid of the commercially produced newspaper should Australia's largest publisher of regional sunlit plains extended, be providing the community with up-to- and country papers, has had a lifetime And at night the wondrous glory of the date information on local issues.