McVERDICT DE-BRIEF.ANYONE WHO READ SATURDAY’S PAPERS OR SAW ABC TV’S 7.30 REPORT ON FRIDAY EVENING WILL SEE THAT THE VERDICT WAS A WIN FOR McLIBEL’S DAVID AGAINST McDONALDS’ GOLIATH REGARDLESS OF SOME ASPECTS OF JUDGE BELL’S DECISIONS. MOREOVER, McLIBEL CAMPAIGNERS HAD ANTICIPATED THE WHOLE THING AND BRIEFED MEDIA WELL.
PARTICIPANTS IN THE AUSSIE MEDIA LIAISON EXERCISE OVER THE McLIBEL VERDICT SEEM AGREED THAT THE McLIBEL CAMPAIGN REFLECTS LOCAL CONCERNS ABOUT ANIMAL CRUELTY, FACTORY FARMING, NUTRITIONAL PROBLEMS WITH A FAST FOOD DIET, MANIPULATION OF CHILDREN THROUGH ADVERTISING, INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS MATTERS, ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION, MULTINATIONALISM AND MORE.
BRINGING McLIBEL BACK HOME ... CAN BE DIFFICULT WHEN MEDIA SERVICES ARE “CONCENTRATED” IN SO FEW AGENCIES WHO ARE SO WILLING TO FOCUS SOLELY ON THE UK TRIAL. McDONALDS’ SPIN DOCTORS WERE TRYING TO CONFINE ISSUES TO THE UK. THEY MORE OR LESS GOT WHAT THEY WANTED, IF ONLY BECAUSE MEDIA FINDS IT MORE CONVENIENT TO HANDLE IT THAT WAY.
HOWEVER, THE McLIBEL VERDICT ENSURED THAT ANIMAL WELFARE ISSUES RELATED TO THE FACTORY PRODUCTION OF ANIMALS FOR SLAUGHTER ARE RECOGNISED ON AN INTERNATIONAL LEVEL. THEY ARE SO OBVIOUSLY CRUEL THAT EVEN A CONSERVATIVE JUDGE MISAPPLYING THE LAW IN A FLAWED TRIAL PROCESS (WHILE IN A REALLY TIGHT SPOT) FOUND IT NECESSARY TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS.
THE RAPID, PITHY AND VERY CONSTRUCTIVE AND INFORMED RESPONSE OF BOB BROWN AND BEN OQUIST OF THE AUSTRALIAN GREENS, IAN COHEN, MLC AND JAN BARHAM OF GREENS NSW, BYRON BAY AGAINST McDONALDS, ANNE ELLIOTT OF (BLUE) MOUNTAINS AGAINST McDONALDS (CORE), ANIMAL LIBERATION’S PROFESSOR PETER SINGER, JO BELL AND MARK PEARSON AS WELL AS DAVID HORTON AND BRENDA GLASGOW OF THE VEGAN SOCIETY and INDEPENDENT NSW POLITICIAN RICHARD JONES ENSURED SOME INTELLIGENT COVERAGE IN AUSTRALIAN MEDIA. MARK BERRIMAN OF AVS ALSO HELPED.
A GREAT COOPERATIVE EFFORT WHERE EVERYONE LENT THEIR CREDIBLITY, SKILL AND KNOWLEDGE WITHOUT EGOTISM! NICE ONE!
THE CAMPAIGN ALSO ENSURED THAT ABC TV AND RADIO NATIONAL NEWS AND THE 2RM LAW PROGRAM COVERED THE STORY AND (EVENTUALLY) REFLECTED OUR ‘SPIN’ ON THE VERDICT.
THE WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN AND SATURDAY SYDNEY MORNING HERALD RAN THOROUGH NEWS FEATURE COVERAGE OF THE UK VERDICT FALLOUT WITH A PRO-MORRIS AND -STEEL SPIN.
AS MENTIONED EARLIER, WE WERE PLEASED BY LATER 2RN NEWS BULLETINS AND ALSO THE ITEM RUN ON ABC TV 7.30 REPORT. PERHAPS OUR INPUT AND FAXES HELPED? IT IS HARD TO KNOW.
GREAT RADIO COVERAGE REGARDING PETER SINGER’S ANIMAL WELFARE PROTEST OUTSIDE ST KILDA McDONALDS ON SATURDAY. THE FACT THAT PETER ORGANISED A ‘RAPID RESPONSE’ GROUP ACTIVITY WHICH COULD BE A FOCUS FOR AUSSIE MEDIA ENSURED SOME COVERAGE HERE.
AROUND 25 PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN LEAFLETTING McDONALDS.
AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS JOURNALISTS SHOSHANNA LENTHEN, (INITIALLY A PRO-VEG CONTACT THROUGH MYER SAMRA AND BROOK KATZ), AND GAVIN LOWER RAN COPY FROM OUR PRESS RELEASES ON FRIDAY AND INTERVIEWED DAVID HORTON ON SATURDAY. THESE REPORTS WERE THE BASIS OF MUCH RADIO COVERAGE.
THE SUNDAY AGE (LINKED TO BRETT THOMAS, A JOURNALIST FOR THE SYDNEY SUN HERALD) PRINT MEDIA AND EVEN CHANNEL 7 ATTENDED THE ST KILDA EVENT BUT DID NOT RUN THE STORIES.
DOES ANYONE KNOW WHETHER THE FRIDAY DAILY TELEGRAPH MIRROR, THE SATURDAY TELEGRAPH MIRROR, SUNDAY TELEGRAPH OR TODAY’S DTM HAVE RUN ANYTHING?
SOME SUGGESTED ACTIONS :
BYRON BAY McLIBEL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISTS WILL BE WORKING TO KEEP THE MULTINATIONAL’S OUTLETS OUT OF THE AREA. CONTACT JAN BARHAM AT NSW GREENS OFFICE ON 02 9230 2603 IF YOU CAN HELP.
IT IS TIME TO TELL McDONALDS AND THE AUSTRALIAN MEDIA THAT THE McLIBEL ISSUE IS A GLOBAL ONE.
WRITE TO :
MR CHARLIE BELL
MANAGING DIRECTOR
McDONALDS FAMILY RESTAURANTS AUSTRALIA
PO BOX 392
PENNANT HILLS NSW 2120 AUSTRALIA
FAX: 0011 61 (0) 2 9875 6672.
SEND COPIES OF YOUR LETTER TO THE LARGEST METROPOLITAN NEWSPAPER NEAR YOU, YOUR LOCAL ABC RADIO STATION, A NATIONAL NEWSPAPER OR RADIO STATION (SUCH AS MACQUARIE NEWS, RADIO NATIONAL OR 2JJJ) AND ALSO TRY TO RAISE THE ISSUE ON CALL-BACK WITH AT LEAST TWO RADIO STATIONS.
ALSO, WRITE TO NSW PREMIER BOB CARR c/- PARLIAMENT HOUSE, MACQUARIE ST, SYDNEY NSW 2000 AND ASK HIM TO CONSIDER ANIMAL WELFARE ISSUES AND McLIBEL WHEN CONSIDERING PROPOSED LEGISLATION ON FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT OF STOCK ANIMALS SUCH AS CHICKENS, PIGS AND CATTLE, FOR EXAMPLE.
BY THE WAY, PROCTOR AND GAMBLE WAS GLOATING ABOUT THE VERDICT IN THE McSPOTLIGHT DEBATING ROOM (CHAT SITE). IF YOU VISIT McSPOTLIGHT ON THE NET IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, PERHAPS YOU COULD REMIND PROCTOR AND GAMBLE THAT THE SO-CALLED VERDICT “VICTORY” WAS VERY PYRRHIC ... AND THAT THEY’RE NEXT IF THEY DON’T ELIMINATE ANIMAL TESTING AND EXPLOITATION. THEN WE’LL SEE WHO THEY CALL “LOOOSERS”!
PETER SINGER WILL BE TAKING THE McLIBEL ISSUE AND PROPOSALS FOR FUTURE ACTIVITIES WHICH UTILISE THE McLIBEL VERDICT TO ANZFAS. CALL HIM IF YOU HAVE MORE TO ADD. TEL: 61 (0)3 9525 5238.
PRACTICAL MATTERS :
DAVID HORTON HAS JUST PUBLISHED A BRAND NEW BOOK ON THE SUBJECT OF ALTRUISM WITHOUT MORALITY - A VEGAN / VEGETARIAN VIEW. CALL HIM ON 02 9356 4752 TO ORDER YOUR COPY ($8).
DAVID HAS ALSO SUGGESTED THAT WE TRY TO KEEP TOGETHER A RAPID RESPONSE GROUP SO THAT WE CAN ARRANGE SYDNEY DEMONSTRATIONS WHICH MEDIA WILL COVER RAPIDLY AND AS REQUIRED.
AUSSIE NUTRITION GURU ROSEMARY STANTON IS PUBLISHING A SLIM VOLUME ON VEGETARIAN NUTRITION. SHE DOES A LOT TO PROMOTE SOUND THINKING IN A FIELD SEVERELY AFFECTED BY COMMERCIAL HYPE. PLEASE CALL HER TO ORDER COPIES AND TO GIVE HER FAVOURABLE REVIEWS IN YOUR PUBLICATIONS. TEL: 044 651 711.
IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO ENCOURAGE PUBLISHERS SUCH AS SPINNEY PRESS OF BALMAIN TO COVER McLIBEL AND ANIMAL WELFARE IN THEIR SCHOOL EDUCATIONAL RESOURCE SERIES ENTITLED “ISSUES FOR THE NINETIES”. DOES ANYONE KNOW OF OTHER GROUPS WHO WILL HELP US PEDDLE OUR VIEWPOINT?
ANY OTHER IDEAS?
CHEERS AND THANKS -- JANE SALMON.
ps -- I AM CONFIDENT THAT McLIBEL ACTIVISTS, ANIMAL LIB, THE VEGAN SOCIETY AND ANZFAS WILL KEEP THE BALL ROLLING BUT DO CARE AND WILL HELP IN ANY WAY I CAN. IT WAS A PRIVILEGE TO BE A PART OF THIS AND TO WORK WITH YOU.
CHEQUES CAN BE MADE PAYABLE TO: JANE SALMON OR TELSTRA OR OZEMAIL INTERNET SERVICE. I WILL SEND A RECEIPT. MY ADDRESS IS:
JANE SALMON
4/5 REDGRAVE ROAD
NORMANHURST NSW 2076
TEL: 02 9489 8612. FAX: 02 9489 8507.
EMAIL: salsmith@ozemail.com.au
23.6.97
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