A Strange "Misunderstanding'

On their 6 o'clock news last night, The Nine Network's Brisbane broadcast played down the affair of an Islamic school that banned the Australian national anthem with a sympathetically spun piece from reporter Phil Wilmington showing the 'misunderstood' school making good by having the kids sing the anthem at their end of year break-up assembly.

Just 20 minutes later, the network's A Current Affair showed the exact same footage of the young Islamists singing Advance Australia Fair while one of the school's outgoing teachers stated the performance of the national anthem was staged entirely for Channel 9's benefit and would not have happened if the cameras were not there.

The overall tone of the ACA item was less than sympathetic.

It was a strange act of editorial schizophrenia, with the ACA item completely at odds with the PC doctrinaire of the 6pm bulletin.

With the media in such mixed message mode, viewers might do best to 'go with your gut' and accept that if it walks and quacks like a duck then it's a duck.

Meanwhile, it can be said with no doubt that reporter Wilmington will make a good dhimmi.

-- Nick

Update: Quote of the week:

"It's like a paramilitary camp that place."