Australian Story’s Leigh Sales presents the 2023 Andrew Olle Media Lecture about why people are turning off the news and how the media can adapt to the turning tide.
Something is happening around the world right now, from the BBC to The New York Times, and at every major media organisation in between. People are turning off the news.
In her Andrew Olle Media Lecture delivered at an event in Sydney tonight, Leigh Sales explores the phenomenon of news avoidance and media mistrust and asks how the media can turn the tide.
Leigh reflects: “The Digital Media Australia report last year noted that about two-thirds of people say they actively avoid the news. When asked why, the reasons included it’s untrustworthy or biased; it affects my mental well-being; it wears me out; there’s too much politics; and it leads to arguments I don’t have time for.”
“Recently, I’ve been one of those people avoiding the news. When I took six months of leave last year, stepping away from work and out of the news cycle for the first time in almost thirty years, it gave me time to reflect. And that time helped me better understand why exactly the news is at risk of turning me (and others) off.”
About Leigh Sales
Leigh Sales is one of Australia’s most respected journalists and the presenter of ABC TV’s Australian Story.
During her award-winning career, she has interviewed dozens of world leaders and celebrities, including Hillary Clinton, Tony Blair, the Dalai Lama, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Harrison Ford, Tom Hanks, Salman Rushdie, Margaret Atwood and Bill Gates, and every living Australian Prime Minister.
Leigh has worked extensively in the field as a general news reporter and as the ABC’s Washington correspondent for the tumultuous four years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. On her return to Australia, she anchored the ABC’s flagship current affairs program 7.30 as well as the last three federal elections.
Leigh is the winner of three Walkley Awards; the author of the books Detainee 002, On Doubt, Well Hello and the recently released Storytellers: Questions, Answers and the Story of Journalism, as well as the bestselling Any Ordinary Day. She is also the co-host of the popular podcast Chat 10 Looks 3 with Annabel Crabb. In 2023, her service to journalism and the community was recognised with two honorary doctorates from Edith Cowan University and the Queensland University of Technology.
In 2018 Leigh was awarded the Order of Australia for her services to journalism and the community.
About the Andrew Olle Media Lecture
The Andrew Olle Media Lecture is an annual black-tie dinner that focuses on the role and future of the media, hosted by Richard Glover. The lecture is held in honour of one of the ABC’s iconic broadcasters, Andrew Olle. This year’s lecture will be delivered by Leigh Sales AM.
Previous Andrew Olle Media Lecture speakers include ABC Chair Ita Buttrose AC OBE, Peter FitzSimons, Lisa Wilkinson, Caroline Wilson, Joseph Kahn, Waleed Aly, Helen McCabe, Kate McClymont, Mark Colvin, Laurie Oakes, Ray Martin AM, John Hartigan, John Doyle AM, Lachlan Murdoch, Kerry Stokes AC and Jana Wendt.
Hypocrite Sales
https://youtu.be/DAo3IQeWVnw?si=MS6zTIbQNGxdycZ8
Great lecture. I remained riveted to the TV watching and listening to youm excellent work. I hope Patricia Karvelis and Raphael Epstein were paying attention.