tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4585898215305748248.post1311561211807268047..comments2023-10-01T00:16:36.045+13:00Comments on Opposable thumb: Past passiveUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4585898215305748248.post-48848002502274594052010-07-24T16:11:49.620+12:002010-07-24T16:11:49.620+12:00Thanks Denis. Forgive my harping on but again toda...Thanks Denis. Forgive my harping on but again today - another chase ends in a bad accident and out comes the spin with a police spokesman stating .... "the chase lasted less than a minute (says whom, and at what speed, 65 or 165 kph?) and the driver did not have a licence". Boy they did their research on that one quickly, and so what. Of course the inference is that he didn't know how to drive and it was therefore his fault and the chasing police were not to blame. So again, front end spin before all the facts are known.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4585898215305748248.post-70713957930317952312010-07-22T19:16:02.879+12:002010-07-22T19:16:02.879+12:00Well said, anonymous. You are quite right about po...Well said, anonymous. You are quite right about police spin. It dawned on me fairly late in life, when I started covering court trials, that the case presented by the prosecution doesn't necessarily have much to do with the truth or the 'facts' of the case - it's all about making as convincing as case as the police can in order to secure a conviction, and if that means leaving some awkward facts out, then fine. And you are right in suggesting that the media depend far too much on the police media release, which often makes its way into print or onto air unaltered.Denis Welchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15181168768539829054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4585898215305748248.post-84522884820159795752010-07-19T19:06:54.948+12:002010-07-19T19:06:54.948+12:00Reference my post about police Rushing to Judgemen...Reference my post about police Rushing to Judgement where their own are involved.... see today's media interviews re the shooting of a man after tasering didn't work....<br />I rest my case.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4585898215305748248.post-57494480422749243972010-07-16T13:04:45.189+12:002010-07-16T13:04:45.189+12:00All very interesting but there's a more signif...All very interesting but there's a more significant issue around language used by the police. <br /><br />When commenting to the media about an event, police are careful not to give their view on what has happened. If pushed they rightly say that is for the Courts or a corononer or similar to decide.<br /><br />However, where there is the possibility of police error, or in-appropriate behaivour, then everythings changes.<br /><br />Right from the beginning they start to put a heavy "spin" on events and suggest what has happened, and so start to shape public perception. Then the articulate advocate for the Police Assn weighs in with his view which of course supports the police.<br /><br />Keep this in mind when watching/reading/listening to media reports you'll see this is an overwhelming pattern. Blatant is not the word.<br /><br />Rather than go along with this why doesn't the media challenge the Police for their bias in commenting when their own are involved.<br /><br />I challenge this blog to challenge media commentators for not challenging the media for not challenging the Police in this regard.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4585898215305748248.post-69718980681570661332010-07-14T16:25:55.555+12:002010-07-14T16:25:55.555+12:00Thank goodness I'm not the only one who's ...Thank goodness I'm not the only one who's noticed this inappropriate use of the perfect aspect. I swear it's only started happening in the last year or so.stephenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04486889878636801969noreply@blogger.com