WELCOME to my “Citizen’s News Site”, a place for me to indulge myself with some Citizen Journalism – well, at the least, to share my thoughts on what has been making me wonder.

In fact some samples of what I have wondered about for the last little while can be found on the My IA Articles page. You see, I have already done a bit of citizen journalism, though I didn’t know that that is what it was at first. I thought I was just an ordinary person – moved to write more than just a letter to the newspaper or comment in their inane online comments sections – contributing to an independent news journal. I have since realised that I can call myself a citizen journalist.

Now when it comes to writing to or for those newspapers – the main stream media (MSM) – particularly the Murdoch press, for ordinary people citizen journalists it is a useless exercise. Just as it is a useless exercise relying solely on the MSM for all the information as to what is going on when it comes to issues of the big political economic social matters. Nor indeed, will you find any true analysis of the rhetoric flowing out of the political class that currently controls the narrative.

Am I saying that the Murdoch press is biased? I believe it could be the case – but who knows? Most likely some will say that of me. However it certainly seems that the Murdoch press is more in lockstep with this government than the ABC is in cahoots with the opposition. And yet the ABC constantly cops a lot of flak about so called bias in favour of the opposition – or more so the “left”, or the antithesis, “anti-government” – from both the Murdoch press and the coalition government. Lockstep indeed.

In the end, I suppose it comes down to the question: Who drives whose rhetoric within the MSM and the government?

So then where do I get my news?

Firstly, I do not get it from paywalled sites, like Murdoch’s, however out of fairness I will link my regional MSMs. The nearest news to what Murdoch publishes (Courier Mail -paywall) that I read is Fairfax’s (Brisbane Times -free for now) similar servings. Though I do have a friend who gives me print editions of the CM when he sees an article that he thinks will be of interest to me.

I have provided the Brisbane Times and Courier Mail’s latest news feeds HERE.

Fairfax basically publishes the same information as Murdoch, from local to international. You can read all about the same traffic accidents and jams, the trains failing, the murders, the sports results entertainment and real estate in either of your local Fairfax/Murdoch outlets. But you cannot get an un-biased report on the big issues, any critical analysis, and no real investigative journalism, from either of them.

In the case of the Murdoch press, their articles are also loaded with emotive language – subliminal messages – particularly the headlines. Wedging jealousy and hatred into the discourse – driving discord and hindering resolution. From my perspective, Fairfax is the lesser of two evils – just as Labor is the lesser of two evils.

For a more in-depth analysis of both “coal-face” and global issues it is Independent Australia that I go to – that is why I chose to submit my articles to IA. And that is why the IA latest news feed is featured to the side here. But there are other news sites I visit – I find the following reasonably informative – New Daily – The Guardian – New Matilda – The Aim Network. The latest news feeds from these four outlets can be found HERE.

So then, if you don’t already do so, take the opportunity to check out some not so mainstream media’s reports on current issues – hopefully you will find them Interesting and thought provoking.

Just as I hope that you find my wonderings Interesting and thought provoking.