Post by aussieinusa on Oct 23, 2013 13:44:56 GMT 7
I've been doing some research into what CL's media relations people have been feeding to the media in the way of stories, and stumbled across something interesting.
For 2011 and the first half of 2012, I found about what I expected: a whole lot of welfare fraud stories (in amongst the press releases re policy changes, which they absolutely should be putting out.) For example:
www.humanservices.gov.au/corporate/media/media-releases/2012/2012-02-02-albany-man-jailed-for-centrelink-fraud
www.humanservices.gov.au/corporate/media/media-releases/2011/2011-09-06-maddington-woman-jailed-for-centrelink-fraud
www.humanservices.gov.au/corporate/media/media-releases/2011/2011-08-19-southport-woman-convicted-of-disaster-payment-fraud
www.humanservices.gov.au/corporate/media/media-releases/2011/2011-07-22-hervey-bay-flood-fraud
www.humanservices.gov.au/corporate/media/media-releases/2012/2012-03-02-welfare-fraud-convictions-send-clear-warning
Then, partway through 2012, there's no more. Or at least, there aren't any listed on their media release archive on their web site... which doesn't necessarily meant welfare fraud press releases didn't go out; sticking them on the web site is not the main means of distributing them to media outlets.
It's also possible CL's media relations staff are feeding stories directly to prefered media outlets -- they have an especially cosy relationship with A Current Affair -- by calling them up with tips instead of sending out media releases. Or there's been some reshuffle and some other government area sends out 'welfare fraud' press releases (though I can't think who they would've given that responsibility too, other than CL... but then, things that make no sense happen every day in the public service.)
If CL did stop publicising welfare fraud so much, there'd likely be a drop off in the number of stories running, since many media outlets don't go looking for stories any more because it takes too long and there's no budget for it; so they simply choose from what's sent to them instead.
Did anyone notice a decrease in media stories about welfare fraud midway through 2012?
I don't watch much TV or read any of the tabloid papers regularly so frankly, they could tell the masses that people on welfare have three heads and use babies' severed fingers as cigarettes, and I'd find out when some idiot repeats it all back to me as their own opinion / an indisputable fact that everyone knows. (Like most people who've worked in the media, I'm cynical about the whole thing.
)
For 2011 and the first half of 2012, I found about what I expected: a whole lot of welfare fraud stories (in amongst the press releases re policy changes, which they absolutely should be putting out.) For example:
www.humanservices.gov.au/corporate/media/media-releases/2012/2012-02-02-albany-man-jailed-for-centrelink-fraud
www.humanservices.gov.au/corporate/media/media-releases/2011/2011-09-06-maddington-woman-jailed-for-centrelink-fraud
www.humanservices.gov.au/corporate/media/media-releases/2011/2011-08-19-southport-woman-convicted-of-disaster-payment-fraud
www.humanservices.gov.au/corporate/media/media-releases/2011/2011-07-22-hervey-bay-flood-fraud
www.humanservices.gov.au/corporate/media/media-releases/2012/2012-03-02-welfare-fraud-convictions-send-clear-warning
Then, partway through 2012, there's no more. Or at least, there aren't any listed on their media release archive on their web site... which doesn't necessarily meant welfare fraud press releases didn't go out; sticking them on the web site is not the main means of distributing them to media outlets.
It's also possible CL's media relations staff are feeding stories directly to prefered media outlets -- they have an especially cosy relationship with A Current Affair -- by calling them up with tips instead of sending out media releases. Or there's been some reshuffle and some other government area sends out 'welfare fraud' press releases (though I can't think who they would've given that responsibility too, other than CL... but then, things that make no sense happen every day in the public service.)
If CL did stop publicising welfare fraud so much, there'd likely be a drop off in the number of stories running, since many media outlets don't go looking for stories any more because it takes too long and there's no budget for it; so they simply choose from what's sent to them instead.
Did anyone notice a decrease in media stories about welfare fraud midway through 2012?
I don't watch much TV or read any of the tabloid papers regularly so frankly, they could tell the masses that people on welfare have three heads and use babies' severed fingers as cigarettes, and I'd find out when some idiot repeats it all back to me as their own opinion / an indisputable fact that everyone knows. (Like most people who've worked in the media, I'm cynical about the whole thing.
)