A globally circulated "pass-along-email" has emerged this week which accuses The Sydney Morning Herald of crude innuendo and smear. Titled "A Lament for Journalism and Schapelle: The Anatomy of a Smear" the email reproduces an SMH report of Sunday 30th November, and parodies its construction using two characters Mr Ed, and Junior Scribe.
A globally circulated "pass-along-email" has emerged this week which accuses The Sydney Morning Herald of crude innuendo and smear. Titled "A Lament for Journalism and Schapelle: The Anatomy of a Smear" the email reproduces an SMH report of Sunday 30th November, and parodies its construction using two characters Mr Ed, and Junior Scribe.
The SMH report was purportedly covering the emerging hit record by New York artist, Tara Hack, which supports the campaign to free Schapelle Corby. According to the email, the report then lurches into unsubstantiated orchestrated smear against Ms Corby.
The main section of the email is produced below:
A Lament for Journalism - aka The Art of Opinion Management
Mr Ed: "Ah, young Harry, we could do with a bit of a story on Corby, and there's something supportive going around the net channels which is in danger of catching people's attention".
Junior Scribe: "So it's best to cover it in some way, so as to cover our tracks, just in case?"
Mr Ed: "You've half got it son. It's your first on this case isn't it? Do you know how to write it?"
Junior Scribe: "I've got a couple of ideas, sir"
Mr Ed: "Throw a few words in at the start to imply that it's edgy and probably irrational. 'Notoriety', now that's a good one, and call it 'political'! Make sure you re-enforce the term "convicted drug smuggler" to imply that she is somehow guilty, without ANY reference to what actually went on in the show trial. In fact NEVER refer to the show trial whilst you are working here.".
Junior Scribe: "Yeh"
Mr Ed: "And be sure to play down the increasing international concern about the lack of any action to help her. I know what to do: blame a film! What a good idea, if I say so myself."
Junior Scribe: "Sure thing"
Mr Ed: "End it with one of the old smears to signal to the readers that she is guilty and somehow deserves it"
Junior Scribe: "Any in particular?"
Mr Ed: "Use the Dad. He's dead so he can't sue us (and that's a decent tip for future stories by the way son). Use the lag, and his fictitious claims that he was some sort of massive drugs baron."
Junior Scribe: "I take it you do actually know that a certificate of 'no disclosable outcomes' for him was issued by Queensland Police, and about their total lack of any interest at all in this mythical international drugs ring? And that you do know he was of very meagre means, especially for an international drug baron?" (sniggering). "Won't the public put two and two together?"
Mr Ed: "As if we are ever going to tell the public any of that, stupid boy! What they never see they will never know."
Junior Scribe: "Ha ha, I've got it now"
Mr Ed: "That lot should help to marginalize the impact of this Schapelle Song thing, and keep the process of opinion management moving along nicely.".
Mr Ed: "Ah, and yes, make sure you mistype the URL of the song link itself, so that the punters can't get to their turf easily. That's important."
Junior Scribe: "I'm there. I've got all of that"
Mr Ed: "Good lad"
And Junior-Scribe's finished article?
New York songbird's lament for Schapelle (Source: The Sun-Herald)
AN AMERICAN musician has gained notoriety after penning a political song about convicted drug smuggler Schapelle Corby. New York-based singer-songwriter Tara Hack has attracted rave reviews and 1000 hits on YouTube after releasing the track earlier this month.
Titled Saya Tidak Bersalah, I'm Not Guilty - Corby's final words before being sentenced - the song highlights her imprisonment and attacks the Australian Government and the media for their lack of support for the 31-year-old Queenslander.
It includes the lyrics: "She touched down, she didn't get far/ she got framed in Denpasar/ she planned to stay at a fine hotel, but her stay in Bali turned into hell/ take two weeks on a fine vacation, spend nine hours in interrogation/ a one-way ticket straight to heaven, she won't get out until she's 47."
Hack, described by US music website Top40-charts.com as a "highly acclaimed indie-pop artist", said: "I hope that in even the smallest way this song helps to bring awareness to Schapelle's horrific situation. I hope it is a tiny step to give Schapelle back the voice that was so cruelly and unjustly stripped from her."
Corby was thrust into the US spotlight in June last year following the screening of a documentary titled Ganja Queen on HBO, filmed during Corby's 2005 trial.
When a longer two-part version was screened in Australia, it reignited debate about Corby's guilt or innocence, largely due to convicted drug smuggler Malcolm McCauley, who said he knew the truth. McCauley was arrested in November 2005 when a police raid on his Adelaide home uncovered evidence of trafficking and pictures of him visiting Corby in jail. He served 15 months for his part in transporting 100 kilograms of cannabis to Queensland.
In an exclusive interview with The Sun-Herald, McCauley said Corby's late father Mick had been the Queensland-based recipient of his drugs since 2000. He spoke of a "well-oiled machine", involving Mick Corby and Bali airport security personnel.
Hear the song and watch the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-EENMoK9tA.
The well known UK internet blogger and Schapelle Corby supporter, Morpheus (www.schapelle.net/blog/), told Xenox News:
"It is important to grasp that every word in reports like this one is crafted. They are wordsmiths (albeit poor ones) and innuendo and smear don't just slip out by accident.
This story is really about a wonderful song telling the story of a tragic unjust situation. Rather than reporting it as such, we are treated to yet another SMH/Fairfax smear against a family suffering beyond imagination."
The "pass-along-email" is already an internet hit, with an estimated 10,000 reads across Austraia, Europe and the United States.
Janice Williams
said:
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It is high time the public cottoned on to this. It has been going on for years. Story after story with no substance, just written to create doubt about her. The only mercy is that Schapelle corby herself cannot read them. Those at SMH, ABC and all the others, who have been doing this to her, are a disgrace to the country and are now obviously bringing international shame on the country. This is a great news story because it shows exactly how it is done and how gullible the public are. Well done to the email writer and well done to Xenox for unearthing it. Poor Schapelle Corby would have been brought home years ago if the media had been ethical and truthful. |
Ice Queen
said:
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Lol, you must've been a fly on the wall because that's probably how it went down. I'd much prefer they refer to her as "accused" drug smuggler because a real conviction can only come out of a real trial. God help the Aussie population... naive victims of propaganda. |
Gaile
said:
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About time media journalists get their act together and start reporting with integrity rather than worrying about their weekly or monthly pay cheques. Shame on most of them. |
Endri
said:
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FlimFlam, what an appallingly patronizing tone you take! You casually label a group with human rights concerns as merely a "fan club" and their attempts to right an injustice as "innuendo and smear"? What a twisted and rotten way you have of seeing genuinely good people. I applaud their efforts and they can consider me a new recruit to this worthwhile cause. If Australians are unable to see that this is a widespread and co-ordinated smear campaign against Schapelle Corby and her family then they must be deaf, dumb and blind. The item published above is a brilliantly scathing and accurate criticism of the loathsome Australian media. Keep trying to defend your pals, FlimFlam. The harder you try the more the ugliness will come to the surface. Australians might be indifferent to the idea of fair trials for their citizens, but I can assure you the rest of the world finds this saga a real eye-opener about the legendary Aussie "fair go". |
Jase
said:
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FlimFlamMan you are deluded. We are not guilty of Smear and innuendo as you like to put it. We are more about exposing the REAL truth about Schapelles case. By the way I prefer to refer to Schapelle Corby as WRONGLY or UNJUSTLY Convicted drug smuggler. Because the investigation was only 50% complete. The Head of the Bali police even admitted that. The trial itself was a total sham. |
Herr Fruitknuckle
said:
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Locked up with all those other evil prisoners. and the vicious guards. Who knows what dreadful things they would get up to! I would like to know...;) Yours in a fruity tingle, Herr Fruitduddle |
Justice Breanna
said:
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What of the evidence I ask. Is it not central to the act, the aforementioned crime? If they cannot produce it, demonstrate it's veracity, then I say a grave miscarrage of justice has been done. Justice Breanna |
Crazy Canuck
said:
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I am still waiting for someone to explain how you get 4 kg of marijuana past airport security with no attempt at concealment in the middle of a terrorism alert. Or why you would take it to a country where it is cheaper in the first place. The charges against Ms. Corby make no sense, and never will. Crazy Canuck |
Voice of Reason
said:
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Because Corby and her Qld mafia used to ship kgs of the stuff there. And so now we should shed tears because one of them finally got busted? Play with the devil - you eventually will get stuck on his horns! |
Chato
said:
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Maybe she is a bad girl. Maybe not. Let the poor bitch go free. John Howard is a far worse miscreant - dangerous too. |
Unregistered
said:
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Love your username, "Voice of Reason". Is that some sort of joke? You truly believe there is a QLD mafia shipping drugs to Bali? Why don't the police care? Why did they clear the Corbys of any involvement in the drug trade? It's all too confusing isn't it? Did you ever stop and think that maybe the media lied to you? |
Jase
said:
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If Corby shipped kgs of dope to bali. Then can you explaine why the Bali police refused to allow the cannibis to be tested for origin and why they refused to finger print the plastic? Oh thats right she was caught red handed. Sorry but it doesn't work that way in any legal system. Even in Indonesia. |
Ricardovitz
said:
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Drug users are Satan's Whores. Drug dealers are Satan's Mules. Drugs are Satan's tool. Do drugs - die. Sell drugs - die. Make drugs - die. And all be damned to hell. |
Just asking...
said:
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She got busted because with this run the Corby mafia were trying to cut out some Bali copper middlemen. Hey folks, drugs is a nasty business. Even if all you do is puff on a joint once in a while, you are as much part of it as a Mafia hitman. And sometimes the big cosmic roundabout will pick you up and dump you right where you deserve to be. |
S H
said:
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Don't you get it ? There is no Corby Mafia. Do you seriously believe the Queensland Police are that incomperdent ? Answer this one sceptics... If Schapelle is guilty , why would she ask for the cctv surveilence footage from Brisbane airport at the time she checked her luggage? If one single frame came to light showing a pregnant BB bag it would have been positive proof of her guilt. She knew any footage would clear her. How was she to know that every single cctv camera was turned off ? |
