Our Media Glass House teams have noted the collective intake of breath across Australia prompted by the publication in News Crap Australia turdbloids of  advertisements for Sky News after dark host, Paul Murray’s, upcoming documentary special on America’s 250th anniversary of independence. (below)

The ads suggest that the focus of Murray’s special report screening on 1 July may well be on US President Donald Trump which would be perfectly in line with President Trump’s own view on what his country’s 250th birthday should celebrate.

Our MGH researchers believe they are more than safe in declaring that Murray (far right at left in main picture) will repeat the form he showed in his well-remembered exclusive interview with US President in 2019 outside the Oval Office at the White House. (below)

In that admittedly brief encounter with the then first-term President running for re-election the following year, Murray summoned up all of his Stefanovic-style journalistic skills by launching straight into a tough grilling of Trump by asking: “What do you want to say to your many Australian supporters who wish you nothing but the best in 2020?”

Murray did not let Trump off the hook and one of his follow-up probing questions was: “What’s the best thing you’ve ever ordered from the [White House] kitchen downstairs?”

In retrospect, criticisms of Murray’s interviewing style at the time have great resonance right now, almost seven years later.

That’s because his encounter with Trump happened just moments after the President had held a news conference in the Oval Office in which he threatened to bomb Iran.

If only a high-powered, independent, talented media identity had been able to grab an exclusive opportunity to follow up those remarks.

***

The Bug hands out numerous awards to our nation’s journalists and news industry leaders to recognise their sterling efforts.

Our MGH teams thought long and hard about suggesting a new award after reading a story in the News Crap Australia turdbloids about , you guessed it, Pauline Hanson. (below)

The story itself, they say, is not important but it did demonstrate an award-winning level of restraint by reporter Jason Morrison.

The yarn contained the following paragraph…..

Our MGH researchers believe Mr Morrison more than deserves some sort of trophy or plaque for resisting the temptation of adding a line to point out that Senator Hanson doesn’t need anyone, let alone “the Left” to twist her words. She does a good job on that front herself.

Our MGH teams have submitted a memo to The Bug‘s senior editorial managers suggesting an award for Mr Morrison but are yet to receive a response.

***

Although our Media Glass House usually examines editorial content generated by news (largely News) outlets, it does on occasion turn its attention to paid advertising.

Certainly one of many, many ads being run by the LNP Government of Queensland recently in News Crap Australia turdbloids caught our researchers’ attention. (below)

The ad is part of an ongoing and no doubt very expensive barrage of publicly funded advertising.

Yes, yes, the former Labor state regime also employed taxpayer-funded ads, we know.

 But all such ads are usually justified by the government in office because they allegedly contain some useful information for readers such as contact points to access beneficial services or at least some bit of information that might be of benefit to the taxpayers funding these ad campaigns.

The ad in question contains no such information. It basically tells readers – at their expense –that the LNP Government is building roads. Lots of them, apparently.

A service to the public? Or blatant publicly funded party political advertising.

Our scrupulously independent MGH teams say they will leave it up to the sound judgement of readers of The Bug to decide the latter.

Want to be alerted immediately a new blog hits Australia’s longest running and most offensive satire site? Simply click on the Follow sign or the link below to be emailed new yarns the moment they are uploaded! The very second we go far too far – and trust us we will – you can then quickly unfollow via the three dots!

Follow The Bug Online on WordPress.com