Letters

The Age

Thursday January 26, 2006

Get serious

I am surprised that Green Guide published the review of Super Flu by Jim Schembri (12/1) in which he trivialises the very real threat of a global avian flu pandemic. The fact is, avian flu (along with climate change) is probably the most serious threat to humanity. All reputable international health authorities, including the World Health Organisation, consider it to be a question of when, rather than if, with regard to such a pandemic. Nature warned last year that if decisive and urgent action isn't taken by the international community to avert a global pandemic "we will in all probability pay heavily within a few years". Schembri's dismissive and trivialising treatment of this issue is at best ignorant and at worst thoroughly irresponsible.

Vicki Swinbank, Elwood

Farewell, Blue Heelers

So Blue Heelers has been axed. I first saw Blue Heelers when visiting the historic town of Bosra in Syria. Before retiring, I fiddled with the hotel's TV set and, lo and behold, I found myself in Mount Thomas. The show was relayed from Jordan and had Arabic subtitles. I thoroughly enjoyed watching it and the next day mentioned the experience to our guide, Amir. He had also enjoyed watching the show.

Suzette Main, Camberwell

A dubious affair

A Current Affair, what a joke! First we get an "in-depth" look at a street domestic, then a world-stopper on kids who eat too much. The show was capped off with an expose on razor blades. Give us a break!

Ray Jones, Box Hill North

Rock bottom

I can't believe the puerile level that current affairs on the commercial networks has fallen to. On Monday last week, A Current Affair was promoting its next night's big story, which was about the size of Serena Williams' large bottom. Even the host of A Current Affair couldn't keep a straight face as she read out the story's details. When did the size of a sportswoman's bottom become groundbreaking current affairs news, especially when Channel Nine promotes itself as the leader in TV news? Please bring back the days when Mike Willesee fronted current affairs and actually did stories that mattered. A Current Affair and 60 Minutes have deteriorated to simply being entertainment news programs.

Henry Goodwin, Brunswick

Bugged by thugs

I am disappointed with Channel Seven's Today Tonight. This evening, the opening story showed CCTV footage of a man being set upon by a gang of 20-plus young men, supposedly of Middle Eastern appearance. For the duration of the story, the perpetrators were referred to as "Middle Eastern thugs" by the journalist and all interviewees, including a member of the NSW State Opposition. There is no doubt in my mind that the act of beating up one man by a large group of people is indeed thuggery and deplorable. However, the continued emphasis during this story upon the Middle Eastern aspect of these thugs was particularly unnecessary given the sensitive nature of ethnic issues in Sydney and Australia at the moment.

Tim Owen, South Yarra

Channel hopping

Channel Seven has become like a Mexican jumping bean. As soon as we become interested in a show, off it comes and on with a new one; then another series takes its fancy and another change is made. The result of this is the fact that each new show is worse than the last and we end up with an absolutely awful show like Stacked.

Nancy Fry, St Kilda

A disciple of J. C.

Jim Courier acts like his initials, J. C., give special privilege. He is sexist in calling Johanna Griggs a "bimbo" he will see over breakfast. He is ageist and arrogant in putting down John Alexander's era and intelligence. Yet Courier's conceited, provocative schtick grows on me.

Pete Dowe, Mentone

Remote likeness

RAN, promoted as a portrayal of the life and work of a remote area nurse, is a total disappointment. As a former remote area nurse in three mainland communities I can say with certainty that any resemblance of this romanticised, specious characterisation to genuine remote area nurses is purely accidental. Real remote area nurses do not spend 80 per cent of their time socialising, flirting, gazing at themselves in the mirror or being disrespectful to community elders. They are busy delivering patient care all day and often at night.

Sue Currie, Northcote

As 30 minutes go by

Congratulations to the ABC for the new series of As Time Goes By on Friday nights. We are delighted to join our old friends for 30 minutes of relaxing family viewing and a laugh. We hope this series will also eventually become available through ABC bookshops.

Val, Eric and Beverley Best, Templestowe

Giving up Gotti

I have said to friends, thank heavens for the ABC and SBS. However, I must agree with Fergus Shiel's review of Growing up Gotti (GG, 17/1). He writes: "I reckon the ABC's programmers deserve to be whacked for airing this trash." Can I join the line and have a whack too?

Ian Vanderstoel, Windsor

The Yartz end of television

Nationally the ABC may be all we have to cover Australia's arts scene ("The arts end of television", GG, 19/1). In Victoria, Yartz onfree-to-air community television station C31 has the local scene covered. Yartz (Thursdays, 10pm) has been promoting Melbourne's festivals, theatre productions, film scene and all things arty for nearly four years. Thanks to the passion and commitment of community television producers - undeterred by the challenge of making the arts palatable to the masses.

Christine El-Khoury, Melbourne

Give arts a sporting chance

In response to Richard Moore's article, the arts don't need to take priority over other subjects, such as sport. All interests and cultural activities are equally important and I would really love "our" ABC to reflect that in its programming. I believe one of the reasons Vulture bombed was the lack of serious Australian arts coverage on our screens. As an artist who is unable to attend events, the small amount of local arts coverage on the ABC is disappointing.

Rachael Brusaschi, Richmond

Number's up for artists

The ABC is keen on advertisements these days - yes, I have noticed those thinly veiled commercials (among others) for cookbooks by Kylie Kwong. So instead of another doomed arts program, what I really want to see is art infomercials and a telesales centre in Southbank. You'd never be short of call staff as plenty of struggling artists earn livings in call centres. It would be just like getting a government grant really, or at least an alternative to a queue in Centrelink.

Jessie Angwin, Richmond

Burns on fire

My faith has been restored in 774. Lindy Burns reporting on the bushfires last Sunday was excellent. No giggles, no interrupting, just sensible questions.

Linda Floyd, Armadale

Some say she's a delight . . .

Sadly the holiday season is coming to an end and I will be changing back to the ABC 621 frequency again. It has been a real delight waking up to Tracy Bartram each morning with her quirky and spontaneous sense of humour. The speed at which she identifies where, and to whom, fun can be poked is breathtaking. At the same time, she also has compassion and sensitivity - rare qualities on talkback radio. If 774 had any sense, it would keep her on for the rest of the year.

Christopher Reeves, Yarra Junction

. . . And to others she's not

The last few weeks with Tracy Bartram have proven that 774 Melbourne is sinking to an all-time low in terms of programming content and presentation. Her trashy segment on Shane Warne's living arrangements was a rock-bottom moment of her broadcast, only to be superseded by her questioning of Drew Morphett regarding his sperm count.

Alice Hodges and Andrew Evans, Dromana

It's all about perspective

I have endured Terry Lane's camera reviews, becoming quite sick of his repetitive line of "great camera but pity about the lack of an optical viewfinder". I put this obsession down to his views on such subjects as the autonomy of Israel and the emancipation of women. Recently I ignored his advice. Having just returned from two weeks in Cairns and exhaustively used my camera, I need to say, Mr Lane, you were right. It was impossible to see the subject matter with a LCD screen in bright sunlight. My apologies!

John Varley, Abbotsford

Green Guide Letters: PO Box 257C,Melbourne, 8001Email: greenguide@theage.com.auLetters should include a verifiable street address and daytime phone number.Letters may be edited for length, clarity and legal reasons.

© 2006 The Age

Back to News Index | Back to Home