A couple of weeks ago I was sent a link to a video interview with Bill Shorten regarding the Victoria police rape investigation. It was sent from retiree and social media journalist Bill Thompson who filmed it outside the ABC’s Melbourne studio for their Insiders program.
As to be expected Bill Shorten did not say much, in fact he said nothing, but the point is that even if the mainstream media do not investigate and report on a story then people using social media can and will. And social media will be a huge issue for all political parties and politicians at the next federal election as they can no longer control the media as they once did.
Click anywhere on the above video to watch. Video was filmed on the 13th of July 2014. Click here to watch on YouTube.
Social Media v Old Media (formerly the mainstream media)
Bill Thompson has a YouTube site and uploads videos. Some of the videos are interviews that he has filmed outside The Insiders studios at the ABC offices in Melbourne and include an interview with the PM Tony Abbott. (Click here to watch the Tony Abbott video)
Bill T said he could not remember where he found out about the rape allegation story but it was probably this site as he follows it. (Click here to read the previous posts on the rape allegations) From there unknown to me Bill T tried to interview Bill Shorten in Melbourne and then Bill T sent me an email letting me know of the video on YouTube. It shows that when people using social media work together we have as much reach for news gathering as the mainstream media organisations.
While Bill T’s video is not perfect it does add to the story and it will make it more difficult for Bill Shorten to get away without answering the question next time. Shorten can’t run forever and neither can the Liberal Party as the below video with Arthur Sinodinos shows. Someone has to say something and the sooner the better.
Click anywhere on the above video to watch.
For far too long the old media have decided what the public should and shouldn’t know. Now instead of complaining about it a lot of people are taking things into their own hands and getting out there and asking the politicians the hard questions. Bill’s videos of Bill Shorten and Tony Abbott shows that social media is closing in on the mainstream media in a big way. It is not just people like me running this site, there are plenty of others doing their part.
Social media coming to an election near you
Next time you see a politician grab your video camera or mobile phone and start asking the questions that other media do not. (Remember you are part of social media) For example ask them what they think about the Bill Shorten rape investigation and whether or not Bill should stand down until the investigation is completed. It will be an election issue at the next federal election as social media will make sure of that.
Slowly but surely the voice of the average person is getting louder and louder.
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