Expansion of the Japanese Whaling Industry
Media Watch Segment – Spoken Task
Expansion of the Japanese Whaling Industry
(Name)
710 words
Presenter: Welcome to Media Watch, I’m Ben Ison. Tonight we investigate the controversial and diplomatic issue of the whaling industry. As the Japanese fishing industry attempts to expand the whaling trade in Australian territorial waters, they have been engaged by the Australian government in a heated argument. While Japan claims the intended expansion of an additional 400 whales slaughtered annually, as “scientific research”, Australia is fighting hard diplomatically to protect the gentle species. The issue has been closely pursued by the media, but we are often subject to predisposed information. How can we understand the issue without extracting the biased perceptions from the media and separating the facts from the fiction? It seems that each commentary is subject to a different perspective of the argument.
In an article presented by NEWS.com.au on May 18th, 2005 titled:
Voice-over: “PM slams Japan whaling plan”
Presenter: we are exposed to biased reporting in favour of whale support by the Australian government. The Prime Minister, John Howard is quoted:
Voice-over: “It is not science to harvest 400 whales”
Presenter: As Japanese whalers are now determined to hunt humpback whales, along with minke and fin whales, Australia is working alongside the American, British and New Zealand governments to put forth a joint proposal to the Japanese government, in a bid to convince Japan to reconsider the proposed expansion. The majority of the article is quotes by the Australian PM as he expresses his frustration and the stand he will take in relation to the controversy, preferring to go down the “diplomatic path”. By giving only the opinion and assumed perspective of the Australian population, this silences the Japanese government and its population. It positions readers to side with the anti-whaling agreement and shatters the grounds of Japan’s argument of harvesting whales for “scientific research”. The article is constructed for the readers to believe expansion of the industry to be unreasonable and environmentally destructive, leaving no justification for the expansion.
Yet, in another article, also by NEWS.com.au, printed: June 4th, 2005 titled:
Voice-over: “Whale eaters cook up a storm”
Presenter: the writer gives a new perspective to...