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The influence of media in politics
The influence of the media in politics
The influence of media in politics
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The film “Balibo”, released in 2009, accurately portrays the brutality of the incidents that occurred during the movement for independence in East Timor, 1975. It focuses on the investigation of the murders of five journalists (also known as the Balibo five) working for Australian companies by Roger East, also an Australian journalist. The representation of this story is precise as seen through the props, costuming, actors, the setting and the sequence of events. Although the directors had assistance from a historian, the truth about the authorities accountable and present for this atrocity was altered. Though some facts were slightly changed, it was only to emphasise the barbarity inflicted by Indonesian forces on the innocent or the interferers. …show more content…
The clothing, objects and more importantly the identities of the people involved were correctly recreated.
Photographs of the perpetrators share a similarity to the actors in the movie, for example the two men in charge of these murders have similar facial features, hair and clothing, particularly their hats, to give a sense of the commanding presence these Australian men would have felt. All men featuring in the film as the journalists share alike features to the actual victims, Greg Shackleton, Tony Stewart, Malcolm Rennie, Gary Cunningham, Brian Peters and the investigator Roger East. The previously mentioned historian was clearly thorough when recommending costuming and props. An example of a cleverly included prop is seen in a scene in which Roger East is eating fish and chips from a newspaper and this paper shows the Australian Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam, and the Indonesian president in agreement - an exact copy of the original newspaper. Due to these elements, the film should be given credit for being thorough with its historical …show more content…
depiction. “Balibo” exhibits a setting much like the location in which the actual events took place. As stated before, the Indonesian invasion occurred in East Timor, where villages and forest terrain is the surroundings. Houses were typically made from cement or straw, depending on a person’s financial situation, and constructed along dirt roads. The movie creates these structures by observing photographs of such areas in that time. This can be seen in the ‘Chinese house’ the Balibo five were staying at, which according to the historian, is of the same design to their actual accommodation in Balibo. The Channel 7 correspondent’s (three of the Balibo five) journey to this border town stopped at a large hut made of straw and no walls. Again, historically correct photographs of Greg Shackleton reporting from this abode allowed the film’s crew to correctly reconstruct the scene. Overall the setting incorporated was accurate in displaying the conditions in which the journalists were working. The sequence of events leading up to the murdering of these men was illustrated truthfully with the help of confidential documents detailing the crime and the ever assisting historian.
It begins with a journalist of more modern times interviewing a woman on what she saw as a girl during the war of 1975. This is true as many witnesses of such horrific public displays of killing in that invasion came forward when investigators decided to take up this issue. It then transitions to the story of how Roger East became involved with this cause only a few weeks after the deaths of the Balibo five. This is not only accurate but convincing as the actor himself conferred with the historian regularly to enhance his character. The inserts showing the five journalist’s last days and the actual murdering was scarily realistic, all information supported by witnesses. The depth of the story allowed the viewer to experience the atrocities this feud had
caused. Despite the incredible lengths the directors of “Balibo” went to in order to make this film an accurate portrayal, they did slightly alter the truth about the knowledge that authorities had of the situation. At this time the unison between Australia and Indonesia meant that the Australian government was aware of the plans for invasion. This was entirely unmentioned in the movie. Also, the overall commander of the Indonesian forces was not at the site of the killing in Balibo, which is incorporated in the film. In fact he was ten kilometres away in his tactical headquarters and well aware of the journalist’s presence, yet he continued with the orders to kill everyone on sight. These exclusions give the movie some aspect of fiction. The film is very specific with only a few alterations to the truth but these were done to foreground the message that the Indonesians were unjust and while they killed many East Timorese, the killing of the journalists who tried to publicise these misdeeds was unnecessary and utterly barbaric. This clear representation was useful in demonstrating to Australians and the greater public not only the atrocity of the incident but also the ignorance of humanity at that time of need against the cruelty of the Indonesian forces. The horrific and bloody details are limited to a relatively high level, but this is so the violence won’t discourage many people from seeing the movie. Altogether, the invasion of East Timor and the consequential deaths were illustrated very accurately in this most recommendable movie, “Balibo”.
The reader is left wondering from the beginning, ‘is this a true story or complete fiction?’ The line between fiction and truth are blurred at best. Tim O’Brien’s use of overlapping rhetorical situations is clearly designed to illicit a reaction from different groups of potential audience members. O’Brien seems to try and drive the audience by appealing to them through the use of pathos “…right then Ted Lavender was shot in the head on his way back from peeing. He lay with his mouth open. The teeth were broke. There was a swollen black bruise under his left eye. The cheekbone was gone.” (O’Brien 1990) He appears to intentionally use the deaths of several members in particular Ted Lavender to shock the audience; to make it somehow real and to remind us it is more than a story, its history and real men lived and died in that history.
Balendra starts by explaining what happened during the attack against the lifesavers, and how it created a national outcry on December 4th. Media and newspapers called the event an "attack to Australian culture". I do not condone the actions of these six men. What I also do not condone is that every newspaper was putting extra effort to make sure the reader understood that the attackers were of “middle eastern appearance”, increasing the tensions between Australians and Muslims which had been created during the incident of September 11th. By doing this the media was branding every men and woman a terrorist, and if not that a criminal. Also, why was this an attack to Australian culture? Was it because these lifesavers got beat up or because they got beat up by men of “middle eastern appearance”? Also, what would the papers have said if it was six white Australian males who beat up the lifeguards? This is just another example of racism in media as many events occurred, but this was the one newspapers and TV decided to link to an attack to Australian culture. I don’t know if it’s just me, but I would’ve linked yanking off a woman’s hijab, bashing her and spitting in her face as an attack on Australian
Another strength of this book is Prochnau's treatment of the central characters. These journalists were often reviled and criticized for their caustic and searing articles about the Vietnamese situation. These popular opinions undermined the legitimacy of their work and the truthfulness of their reportage of the deterioration of South Vietnam. Prochnau's accounting of these individuals runs contrary to these opinions, and in effect, reaffirms the validity of these journalists' work. For example, the David Halberstram has often been portrayed as an antiwar hero, yet the author stated that Halberstram was quite the opposite. "But not once during his Vietnam years or well afterward, did he (Halberstram) question America's right, even her need to be there (Vietnam). His criticisms were of methods and foolishness, lying and self-delusion, of a failure to set a policy that could win."(pg 141) These depictions exonerate the image of this hardy "band of brothers."
War is cruel. The Vietnam War, which lasted for 21 years from 1954 to 1975, was a horrific and tragic event in human history. The Second World War was as frightening and tragic even though it lasted for only 6 years from 1939 to 1945 comparing with the longer-lasting war in Vietnam. During both wars, thousands of millions of soldiers and civilians had been killed. Especially during the Second World War, numerous innocent people were sent into concentration camps, or some places as internment camps for no specific reasons told. Some of these people came out sound after the war, but others were never heard of again. After both wars, people that were alive experienced not only the physical damages, but also the psychic trauma by seeing the deaths and injuries of family members, friends or even just strangers. In the short story “A Marker on the Side of the Boat” by Bao Ninh about the Vietnam War, and the documentary film Barbed Wire and Mandolins directed by Nicola Zavaglia with a background of the Second World War, they both explore and convey the trauma of war. However, the short story “A Marker on the Side of the Boat” is more effective in conveying the trauma of war than the film Barbed Wire and Mandolins because of its well-developed plot with well-illustrated details, and its ability to raise emotional responses from its readers.
...ut the hidden thoughts and feelings of the narrator are the real things that need to be examined. The Vietnam War is so colluded with uncertainties that it's meaning and questions of why are still lingering in the minds of citizens of the United States.
Many times readers lose interest in stories that they feel are not authentic. In addition, readers feel that fictitious novels and stories are for children and lack depth. Tim O’ Brien maintains that keeping readers of fiction entertained is a most daunting task, “The problem with unsuccessful stories is usually simple: they are boring, a consequence of the failure of imagination- to vividly imagine and to vividly render extraordinary human events, or sequences of events, is the hard-lifting, heavy-duty, day-by-day, unending labor of a fiction writer” (Tim O’ Brien 623). Tim O’ Brien’s “How to Tell a True War Story” examines the correlation between the real experiences of war and the art of storytelling. In O’Brien’s attempt to bridge the gap between fiction and non-fiction the narrator of the story uses language and acts of violence that may be offensive to some. However some readers agree that Tim O" Brien's "How to Tell a True War Story" would lack authenticity and power without the use of crude language and violence.
As a result of all these things, everyone took interest in the case and wanted to exploit the attention it was getting. A documentary, P...
An interesting combination of recalled events and editorial commentary, the story is not set up like a traditional short story. One of the most interesting, and perhaps troubling, aspects of the construction of “How to Tell a True War Story” is O’Brien’s choice to create a fictional, first-person narrator who might just as well be the author himself. Because “How to Tell a True War Story” is told from a first-person perspective and O’Brien is an actual Vietnam veteran, a certain authenticity to this story is added. He, as the “expert” of war leads the reader through the story. Since O’Brien has experienced the actual war from a soldier’s point of view, he should be able to present the truth about war...
On Sunday April 28, 1996, Martin Bryant ambushed the Tasmanian tourist destination Port Arthur and heightened the Australian death toll for a single person massacre to a ravaging 35 people. The day had good, calm weather, attracting numerous abundances of tourists to the small Broad Arrow Cafe of Port Arthur in the early morning. By 1.00 pm, an estimate of over 500 visitors were at Port Arthur, although the number died down to about 60 people remaining just before Bryant’s initiation of attack. In his first few seconds, Bryant had managed to claim three young victims, an asian couple and the girlfriend of Mick Sargent, who escaped death with a grazed scalp. Using an AR15 semi-automatic rifle, Martin Bryant’s shots were clean, fast, and unanticipated - causing people to run and hide for their lives. Many males were killed in heroic attempts to shelter their wives and children from the gunfire, with some killed instantly and many left to bleed to death at a slower, more painful ra...
The story takes place in the late 1960s during Vietnam War and the author begins the story by presenting the main character, Lieutenant Jimmy Cross, and provides insights of his feeling and thoughts by describing
This documentary as nominated for the Best Feature Documentary Academy Award. It showed the world the actual crimes and events that were happening in society that otherwise would have been overlooked after the initial shock. The moral, values and importance of these events being spread by mass communication can lead to awareness and hopefully avoidance of familiar events in the
For years Western scholars and novelists have been drawn to the story, yet until now there has been no documentary. Ric Burns's film is a first.
For Conclusion, director Spielberg and writer Zusak both achieve goals of appealing to the readers pathos and logos. Director Spielberg focusing on guilt that occurs during war, and writer Zusak focusing on how courage and cawardice can be a disadvsntage or advantage based on the situatuion. Both movie and book taken place during World War II .
One of the integral things that must be addressed when making a film is the ethics involved. Ethics are a constant issue that have to be carefully considered when filmmaking. This difficult decision-making is highly prevalent in that of documentaries, because of the difficulties associated in filming ‘real people’ or “social actors, (Nichols, 2001).” More importantly, the issues faced by a filmmaker differ between each of the documentary modes. Each particular documentary mode poses different formal choices that must be made in order to operate in an ethical fashion. Two films that have been made both display examples of how ethics must be considered when embarking on a documentary are Etre at Avoir [To Be and to Have], (2001) and Capturing the Friedmans (2003). These films have been made in different documentary modes, highlighting that there is not one mode which is easier or has fewer ethical issues associated with it. Additionally, what must be considered is how these style choices in these different modes affect the power relationships between the filmmaker, the subject and its audience, (Nichols, 2001).
This film really focuses on the characters. Their thoughts, anger, distress, and mistakes become part of your mistakes. This deals with a father’s s priority and how he will achieve that priority by using unethical ways like torturing an innocent man. Bringing up child abduction and torture are