© 2018 Greg & Sylvia RAY

The Queen and Covid: slanting the news

Is it news? Or is it propaganda? If it's propaganda, what is it trying to achieve? Living in Australia at the moment these are important questions. Long ago I worked at a newspaper. One job I had for a time (an honorary additional duty, actually) was to mentor cadet reporters. A thing I liked to do during our little "lectures" was to compare the different treatments given to news stories by different newspapers and media outlets. This was, and is, a very instructive and helpful exercise, not only for journalists but for anybody who wants a…

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When people sang together

Some years ago I was given the chance to scan some magic lantern slides that had been used for advertising in cinemas in the Newcastle area. Dates varied, but many appeared to be from the 1940s, including from the years of World War II. Among the advertising slides were many that bore simplified lyrics of song choruses, and I was surprised to learn that these were used in popular community singing events. Hundreds of people came to some of the local cinemas ready to sit and sing along to popular tunes. Usually a pianist and possibly…

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