Pop quiz, hot shot.
You’re a news producer. The High Court has just challenged the legitimacy of a key piece of government legislation. Who you gonna call to provide cutting-edge commentary, live, on-air?
A former judge? Nope.
A barrister? Keep guessing.
A constitutional law expert? Pfft.
The editor of a magazine once described in these pages as the intellectual equivalent of “a pint of flat, warm Theakston’s Old Peculier”? Bingo.
We’ll make a producer out of you yet. In the meantime, study up on some of these other classic talent-topic mispairings, gleaned from social media accounts:
September 15, 2016
“Rowan Dean says he’s not sure all aspects of Islam ‘enrich ones life’. — The Bolt Report
August 24, 2016
“[Rita Panahi will] be discussing big pay increases for senior public servants and Brisbane’s Olympic ambitions.” — Sunrise
August 23, 2016
“Mark Latham adds to the conversation about sexual harassment in universities.” — The Bolt Report
August 22, 2016
“Should we have gender-neutral toilets in our schools? Ben Fordham asks former Labor leader Mark Latham.” — 2GB
July 28, 2016
“Rowan Dean on the outcome of the Royal Commission into Juvenile Detention.” — The Bolt Report
July 27, 2016
“We speak to Rowan Dean about the High Court challenge to the Border Force Act secrecy laws.” — The Project
July 26, 2016
“Gerard Henderson on comedy programs and their victims.” — The Bolt Report
‘Gerard Henderson’ and the use of the word ‘comedy’ in the same sentence could only be parody or satire or both.
This was a tendentious & tawdry effort, no wonder it is unsigned.
Why do you say that?
“where’s the beef?”
Viewsmedia Expertise 101.
Dean, Henderson & co would crawl over broken glass to get on any TV program, given that they mistakenly believe that their views have some substance with the proletariat.
Finding talent for both live & on-air interviews is always a gamble from day to day, and in 2016 many suitable experts have figured that on balance it’s not worth the risk of undeserved ridicule that sometimes arise when they’re confronted with a set up conflict situation with dipsticks such as Blowin Rowan & the Hindi.
It’s as if they can’t discern their own opinion from fact?