Today's Cairns Post

Well – I must say that I have been following with interest the ongoing saga that has been labeled the  “cash for comments” scandal in Cairns.  There have been several noteworthy contributions to the public discussion – two of them being (shock!) The Cairns Post courtesy of Thomas Chamberlin and  Michael Moore’s “The Cairns Blog”

Then – with all that kudos that The Cairns Post were accruing, they go and run today’s frontpage article…  what does a Mayor Val Schier have to do to get a good headline around here?

I have to give credit where credit is due, the page 2/3 photo is the best photo that I have seen the Post publish in a long time.  But what is with the editors down there eh?

The front page headline alludes to the fact that the council is a circus, the CEO runs the place and that the councillors are dysfunctional.  It tops this off with a quip at the cars, the festival planning and a snide remark at the radio saga.  Grow Up !

Thomas Chamberlin has been dong an excellent job with his coverage over the last few days, and his editors cheapen his hard with with sensational crappy headlines which are more about editorial opinion than facts reported with journalistic integrity.  No wonder the newspapers of today are losing ground to the “blogosphere“.

The Ukulele headline on last Saturday’s post is a point in case.

Yes – this council is doing it’s bit to promote Cairns as a host for major events – and even mentions that the previous council fell behind in such promotion.

Yes – a potential ukulele festival is one of the events on the drawing board among other things.

Then why put such a demeaning photo on the front page of a hula doll with the mayor’s head superimposed on it??  Great one The Cairns Post – nice work.  Idiots.  Letters have come out over the next few days supporting the idea.  Tony Hillier (a respected local musician & journalist) even writes that ukuleles are enjoying a resurgence in the musical scene.

Does the post congratulate our Mayor’s vision?  Perhaps it takes a neutral stance as its journalists and editors race out to check the facts ?  NO – it spits out a dummy headline aimed at getting a chuckle out of the public at the expense of the Val Schier… again.

People – it’s getting a little tired.  We know it’s hard to come up with good headlines, it’s hard to add to our community without taking a cheap shot.  But that’s the job people – and why your editors get paid the big bucks… Grow up, get a grip, take a big glass of harden-the-f#ck-up and do something positive for this region.

Everyone else is trying to be positive  – we could all use your support.