Ryan Bridge: The problem of labelling in the media

Outrage at the weekend over the Human Rights Commission. 

The Chief Human Rights Commissioner has been announced as Dr Steven Rainbow and he was once accused of being transphobic or anti trans. 

And it's one of those terms that can quickly change the tone or the perception of an article that you're reading. 

I remember this from the university college campus protests over in the States. 

You would read the CNN copy on the story and it would say they were pro Palestinian protesters, then you would read the Fox News version and it would say they're anti-Israel. 

Who decides what you are? If you're pro one thing, does it automatically make you anti the other? 

Women's rights campaigners, and this was the point that I think was being made about Dr Steven Rainbow, the women's rights campaigners, do they hate or are they anti trans people, or are they just pro women's rights as they would claim that they are? 

And equally just because you want a ceasefire in Gaza, it doesn't mean you're anti Semitic, does it? 

There seems to be a polarization happening here. You're this you're that or you're all your, or you're nothing or it's black and white and we do it in the media all the time - we're probably the most guilty of it. 

And whoever is shouting the loudest I think tends to dominate the news cycle. 

But then again what's that based on, tweets? Is that really how you decide or define what someone feels about an issue? 

I always found it odd when it came to abortion, which is a very divisive issue, obviously, people feel very personally about this issue. 

Are you pro life or anti abortion? Are you women's choice or pro abortion? 

Is anybody really pro abortion? You know what I mean? 

You might want women to choose but surely nobody's actually pro abortion. 

I've really got no idea how to resolve this problem of labelling in the media, other than when somebody's labelled anti something nowadays, I'm inclined to find out why, how and if to my mind at least, their motivations aren't just pro something else. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Outrage at the weekend over the Human Rights Commission. This
is from some corners, at least. The chief Human Rights
Commissioner has been announced as doctor Stephen Rainbow, and he
was once accused accused of being transphobic or anti trans.
And it's one of those terms that can quickly change
the tone or the perception of an article that you're reading.

(00:22):
And I remember this from the University college campus protests
over in the States. You would read the CNN copy
on the story and it would say they were pro
Palestinian protesters. You would read the Fox News version and
it would say that anti Israel. Who decides what you are?
If you're pro one thing, does it automatically make you

(00:42):
anti the other? Women's rights campaigners? And this was the
point that I think was being made about doctor Stephen Rainbow,
the women's rights campaigners. Do they hate or are they
anti trans people? Or are they just pro women's rights
as they would claim that they are. And equally, just
because you want to cease fire and Gaza, it doesn't

(01:04):
mean you're antisemitic, does it. There seems to be a
polarization happening here. This or you're that, or you're all
your or you're nothing or it's black and white, and
we do it in the media all the time. We're
probably the most guilty of it, I have to say,
and whoever is shouting the loudest I think tends to
get dominate the news cycle. But then again, what's that

(01:25):
based on? Like tweets? Is that really how you decide
or define what someone feels about an issue. I always
found it odd when it came to abortion, which is
a very divisive issue. Obviously, people feel very personally about
this issue. Are you pro life or anti abortion? Are
you women's choice or pro abortion? Is anybody really pro abortion?

(01:49):
You know what I mean. You might want women to choose,
but surely nobody's actually pro abortion. I've really got no
idea how to resolve this problem of labeling in the
media other than when somebody's labeled anti something. Nowadays, I'm
inclined to find out why, how and if, to my mind,
at least their motivations aren't just pro something else. For

(02:13):
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