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Mark Thompson finds himself in a difficult and dangerous position right now.
He has been arrested and charged with drug trafficking and possession.
It was revealed that ecstasy, methylamphetamine, an LSD tab, ephedrine and multiple Xanax tablets were found in a locked bedroom and loft study area inside the house.
Of course on the surface this is not a good look, and Bomber said on April 30 that he is hoping to fight the charges.
But it is not what Bomber has done that I want to highlight, it is what the media collectively are doing as they all battle and scrap for an exclusive.
Who can be first to interview the 54-year-old, which organisation can get the best shot, which reporter can secure an interview with his former wife or children?
I have been a part of the media, working in newsrooms for many years as a sports reporter.
And while for most I enjoyed my role, there were times I felt extremely uncomfortable doing my job.
During the early days of Port Adelaide’s journey into the AFL, then-coach John Cahill did an extraordinary thing: he failed to turn up for training. He was having a major blue with officialdom, and made a choice.
It turned into one of the big football stories.
He went missing.
Interestingly his son, Darren – who is now a wonder tennis coach to the stars, including Andre Agassi – was a sports reporter at the time. He had to report on the whereabouts of his dad, and even he was clueless to his location.
The day after this all blew up, my then-boss made it clear that when I went out with my camera crew that day, I was not to come back to the station without an interview on tape of the SANFL legend.
It didn’t matter what I did, I had to secure the job.
I can remember harassing John’s partner at their home in Alberton, clearly she was extremely distressed. It was suggested that I contact his ageing mother for a comment, and I was even told to stay overnight out front of his home in case he came back.
Perhaps I’m putting an abrupt end to ever working as a journalist in a newsroom again by saying this, but I felt extremely uncomfortable doing my job to that level. All in the name of a story for that night’s television news service.
Now, John and Bomber’s stories are very different, but the end game for reporters is the same: get the story at any cost.
(AAP Image/James Ross)
And this leads me to my key point. I honestly feel that we in the media need to consider the wellbeing of those that we pursue for our exclusive.
Be aware of the fact that there is a lot going on in the heads of all of us, that none of us will ever understand or appreciate.
The Sam Powell-Pepper issue is another example of ruthless media. The way his nightclub incident was reported can tarnish a person’s reputation forever.
Again, I understand this case is different to what Bomber is facing, but the principle is the same. It is irresponsible to have no regard for those you are reporting on.
If Bomber doesn’t fight the charges and ends up in jail, my view on how the media operates in this country will not change.
We need to consider how we go about our business. We need to tidy things up.
If there was a Royal Commission into how much of the media conducts itself, I fear we could end up in the same room as the big banks.
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