Amid calls from mayor Jon Raven to cut spending “or see a hike in rates”, Logan City Council continues to waste hundreds of thousands of dollars to produce a propaganda magazine, masquerading as news.
Council’s propaganda magazine was previously produced monthly and sent to ratepayers’ letterboxes.
At that time, it cost about $1 million a year to produce and distribute.
Instead, the council has determined that it is more cost-effective to replicate the distribution methods of other newspapers and magazines produced by independent publishers.
Council has built elaborate stands which sit dormant in shopping centres for nine months of the year, and take space previously occupied by products dedicated to legitimate public interest journalism.
MyCity Logan, for example, has more than 300 distribution spots throughout Logan. Logan City Council says it has adopted 96 distribution points for its own propaganda machine.
This shamelessly blurs the lines between propaganda and public interest journalism.
“There are so many things wrong with this, both legally and ethically,” MyCity Logan publisher Simon Holt said.
“We are living in a world which is faced with an information crisis. Disinformation and misinformation are rife, making public interest reporting, the fact-checking that goes with it, and the fundamental principles of journalism so important.
“Not only does council’s propaganda magazine contradict the principles of public interest journalism, it goes some way towards destroying it.
“What we don’t understand is why – when council has mirrored our distribution method – they wouldn’t work with us to support public interest journalism.
“Instead, they choose to compete for eyeballs. Readership has, and always will be, our primary currency. Our goal is to inform our city, encourage debate, and ensure we present a balanced view of topics important to Logan.”
Aside from potentially breaching anti-competition laws, the propaganda content does not adhere to principles of equity, ethics and integrity.
True journalism is answerable to the Australian Press Council’s code of conduct, and has an agreed code of ethics.
When council was thrust into administration, it was tasked with reviewing policy in order to ensure equity in all facets of its organisation. However, it would seem media slipped through the cracks.
Bureaucrats producing the magazine, titled “Our Logan” make subjective decisions each day about what content to include, who to favour, and how to spin content to council’s benefit.
“When you actively look to blur the lines between propaganda and the integrity of balanced journalism, you are exhibiting behaviours the Office of the Independent Assessor has clearly tried to stop,” Mr Holt said.
“Many of those within council who we have spoken to agree that public interest journalism is an essential service. If that’s true, wouldn’t it be in the community’s interest to ensure it thrives, rather than putting it at risk?”
It comes at a time the Australian Electoral Commission is investigating online publications funded by Climate 200 supporters.
Country Press Association president Andrew Schreyer says it serves as a timely warning about the increased risk of politically-funded propaganda being passed off as independent news.
“It’s all too easy now to set up a ‘news’ website that publishes political propaganda dressed up as journalism and amplified through social media campaigns,” Mr Schreyer said.
“Such sites are a threat to the integrity of our political advertising regulations and to the public trust in truly independent news publishers who are reporting objectively and holding the powerful to account.
“Independently-owned place based public interest journalism providers such as our member newspapers work hard to earn the respect and trust of the communities they serve.”
