| We live in a world which is more interconnected than | | | | the game, yet that did not generate anywhere near |
| ever and we have the unprecedented ability to find | | | | the television, news or talk back radio coverage that |
| out almost instantly about what is going on both in | | | | this comparatively minor incident at the Australian |
| terms of large events and on an individual level | | | | Open or indeed the humble 3 people who were |
| anywhere in the world. That being said, if you watch | | | | arrested at the unprecedented sell-out domestic |
| our average nightly news broadcast, you could be | | | | soccer match between Melbourne and Sydney in |
| forgiven for thinking that very little exists beyond our | | | | December. It seems that when things involve a more |
| northern shoreline and depending on which state you | | | | local game like cricket we are more eager to turn a |
| are from and watching the broadcast in, nothing | | | | blind eye. |
| significant goes on beyond your local state border. | | | | However it is our apathy, despite the numerous |
| Our television stations are taking advantage of the | | | | advantages we have over all our ancestors, even |
| new technology like web news services, blogs, You | | | | ones as recent as 10 years ago, that is most |
| Tube, etc. to a certain extent but only seemingly | | | | concerning. While if you browse the videos of You |
| when it applies to the most local of issues. Due to | | | | Tube, you can view first accounts of not just |
| the advent of satellite and live video streaming | | | | horrors but some of the major achievements and |
| technology we can know what is happening in the | | | | milestones all over the world, you are extremely |
| most remote or dangerous places and be able to | | | | unlikely to see any of this on any of our commercial |
| form truly informed opinions on the major issues | | | | networks unless it has some connection to Australia, |
| around the world. However we seemingly don't care. | | | | we have a spare couple of minutes to fill in or if it |
| Watching a recent nightly news broadcast on one of | | | | such a huge story that it demands airtime or |
| our 3 major networks, the first 15 minutes of | | | | newspaper space. The one news service we have |
| coverage included bushfires, crowd violence at the | | | | that devotes itself to the most significant stories |
| tennis, traffic light outages, power shortages as well | | | | regardless of country of origin, the SBS World News |
| a couple of basic human interest pieces. On this same | | | | doesn't rate well as we are more concerned about |
| day, 2 of Sadaam Hussein's top advisors were | | | | what our hidden camera technology show people |
| executed, thousands were killed in Sudan, the EU | | | | doing in change rooms on the current affair shows or |
| was facing a major crisis, China was launching a | | | | the latest romance and break up on Neighbours. At |
| major environmental initiative, Australia was flagging | | | | least now that we have so many media sources to |
| the possibility of selling Uranium to India and the list | | | | choose from because of the Internet, people who |
| goes on and on. As unsavoury as the mini scuffle at | | | | truly do care about real issues both home and abroad |
| the tennis was, it doesn't compare to genocide in | | | | are able to access this information easily via You |
| Africa. And that particular issue regarding the crowd | | | | Tube or Web News Services & Blogs and not be |
| brawl at the tennis brings up another point in that | | | | just be a slave to the inane and largely insignificant |
| how quickly we (& our media) are quick to criticise | | | | coverage of our commercial networks. Hopefully it |
| and condemn events which involve people or things | | | | may not be long before You Tube outrates Channel |
| that are not "Australian". At one of the recent one | | | | 9 news and Google News Services has a greater |
| day international cricket games involving Australia and | | | | readership than the Herald Sun. |
| England, 190 people were arrested and ejected from | | | | |