Media and Indigenous policymaking in Shifting Terrains - Kerry McCallum (20 Oct 2014)

Presented by Dr Kerry McCallum, Associate Professor of Communication and Media Studies and Senior Research Fellow in the News and Media Research Centre, this seminar investigated the relationships between media, advocacy and Indigenous affairs policies in Australia and identified new directions for research in a rapidly transitioning media and policy environment. A key aspect of The Media and Indigenous Policy 1988-2008 project was to examine the media-related practices of policy professionals involved in advising on, implementing and communicating government policy in Indigenous health and education. It painted a picture of a mediatized policy field that was heavily dependent on mainstream media, where Indigenous affairs policy professionals had internalized and embodied the routines, priorities and practices of the news media. In their quest to address Indigenous 'problems' Ministers and their public servants typically responded to the voices of a narrow range of stakeholders amplified through news media. At the same time, Indigenous Australians have been resourceful and persistent in their desire to contribute to public policy debates. News media have played a pivotal role in enabling Indigenous voices to cut through the noise and affect better policy outcomes. Since 2008 there have been seismic shifts in the industrial and technological terrains in which news is produced, with digital and social media providing new opportunities for Indigenous voices to be heard. At the same time, the Indigenous policy field is experiencing dramatic policy shifts. The seminar explored the constraints and possibilities for political listening in Indigenous affairs in a time of unprecedented industrial, technological and policy change.

Slides are not available for this event.