Monday, October 12, 2009

"March for the the Babies": It might as well never have happened

At least as far as the media is concerned.

My wife and kids went to the inaugral "March for the Babies" here in Melbourne on Saturday morning. Unfortunately, I couldn't join them - there was an unfortunate clash of scheduling that saw me at the ordination of our deacons that morning.

The march was held to mark the shameful anniversary of the passing of our liberal abortion laws here in Victoria. Cathy says there were "probably a thousand" people there.

Yet the ABC TV news that evening didn't even mention it. Nor did The Sunday Age the next day. There was a mention that it was going to happen in Saturday's Age (see this article), but then, suddenly, nothing. Deafening silence. Zilch.

I always say, in the ecumenical and interfaith business, that if you don't get pictures and reports into the media, it might as well not have happened. I don't think that this is the case with this march, I mean, I am sure that some good will have come from it, but... you see what I mean? How is a message to get out if the media just turn away and ignore an event like a thousand people marching on Parliament House on a Saturday Afternoon?

Good Lord, if it had been for a march to save the Yellow Breasted Whistling Parrot, it would have made the front page - even if only a tenth of the number turned up. But babies? Last year's news.

3 Comments:

At Tuesday, October 13, 2009 7:18:00 pm , Anonymous matthias said...

It was on Nine and once again Schutz THE AGE has shown that it is a paper that Christians need to boycott and in large numbers if any impact is to be made

 
At Wednesday, October 14, 2009 10:36:00 am , Anonymous jules said...

We need more practising Catholics in the media! It all comes down to catholic education encouraging the youth to enter professions such as media, politics and law in order for real change to happen.

 
At Monday, October 19, 2009 2:24:00 am , Anonymous Lucy Browne said...

yes it was disappointing that there was little media coverage of that march. We travelled down from Sale with 2 babies under 2 and thought that there were loads of people. However as I have never taken part in demos in Melbourne before I am not sure if it was a success or not. I asked Denise Cameron from pro-life victoria and she said that it got good coverage on channel 7 (which I must have missed). I will be going again next year, and yes if it had been a demo for something stupid it would have made big headlines.

 

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