Clive Palmer - time to end the human headline?

The saying that 'when the elephant walks down the street - all the dogs come out and bark' sums up Clive Palmer. 

 

No matter what your political slant, when Palmer makes another one of his outlandish announcements, all the dogs (particularly the media hounds) take notice.

The Sunshine Coast Daily is one newspaper which has given mass coverage to Palmer, with stories about his 'Palmer Coolum Resort' gracing the front page almost as regularly as its sunny masthead. 

 

But why and more importantly, is it good journalism considering that most comments this National Living Treasure makes are a load of elephant (you know what)?

Now if you're thinking that I'm being harsh on Clive considering my left-wing philosophies, then think again - and here's the proof. 

During the 2012 State Election, Palmer claimed the Greens were funded by the CIA through an elaborate string of financial entities. He later acknowledged  he made up the story to deflect attention away from questions relating to our new Premier's personal finances. 

When Palmer purchased the Hyatt Resort at Coolum in July 2011, he promised there'd be no jobs losses and that staff would receive cash bonuses. While staff received the bonuses many months later after it was promised, reports have swirled that over 300 staff have been shown the door. Don't even mention the casino and 'lala land' style development that Palmer is now proposing at the resort, which he said was an area for families.

But the clincher has to be the rumors of his candidacy for Federal Parliament. First it was Lilley against Treasurer Wayne Swan, then Kennedy against Katter, Capricornia in North Queensland and then Fairfax. Clive became like a broken Lucky Starr record - I've thought of running everywhere, man!

So with such a history of what Sir Humphrey Appleby would call 'massaging of the facts', why are the media still giving this elepant oxygen? The only answer is that it sells news. The Sunshine Coast Daily would be enjoying a spike in newspaper sales, particularly in the Coolum area as locals become increasingly keen to know what is happening in their area. 

There is a fine balance between journalistic sales and journalistic ethics. Can you really justify selling lies to increase your sales? For example, why don't mainstream journalists ask the Citizens Electoral Council, an extreme right wing political party who believe the world is controlled by the British Monarchy, for their comment on a carbon tax? They don't simply because they know the group produces lies and shouldn't the same treatment apply to Palmer?

Journalists pride themselves on getting the facts and the truth. Giving Palmer continuous coverage of his lies is selling the journalistic profession short. Perhaps it's time for the media to give this elephant a media black-out tranquilizer.