Manic media

"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

Stirring words (with which I totally agree as one of the tenets guiding my attitude to life matters thus far).  Though attributed to Voltaire circa 1759, I only discovered today that he may never have actually uttered that monumental sentence. Rather, it may have evolved from a later chronicler's version of something the great man said.

Whatever. the famous quotation has been heavily bandied about in Australia over the past week or so in relation to Senator Conroy's somewhat ham-fisted introduction of his long-anticipated review of media regulations in legislative form. In fact. I don't think the regulatory changes have anything but a passing relevance to 'freedom of speech' per se. As far as I can see, they are more directed to controlling the perceived 'freedom' of the press and other mass media to do and say on occasions whatever they damned-well like about individuals and/or organizations, without fear of retribution when sprung for fabricating stories and/or bare-faced lying!

Whatever mis-givings I may have had about Conroy's cavalier presentational attitude, the almost insanely hysterical out-bursts in response from big media and some political barrow-pushers, has practically convinced me that they are petrified by the prospect of closer scrutiny and being appropriately 'bitten' for past and future loose ethics!

Where there's smoke ...?