ACA’s lack of respect for Jeanne Little
A Current Affair's story on the health of Jeanne Little bordered on a gross invasion of privacy.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News
When I saw the promos for last night’s A Current Affair story about Jeanne Little I assumed it would be putting clarity to rumours about her health. Was somebody from the family finally going on the record?
Back in November 2009 Little had to deny a newspaper article that said she was in ill health. One magazine even used the headline “I’m Not Dying Daahlings.”
But A Current Affair didn’t clarify anything last night. The only interviews it had were with Ray Martin, P.J. Lane and Peter Timbs.
“It’s believed she’s battling a serious illness,” said Leila McKinnon.
Then Ray Martin shared his memories.
“Jeanne was just unique,” he said. Past tense.
“She hasn’t been seen for, probably quite a while out in public,” said former TV Week writer Peter Timbs.
“It’s really sad to see someone who was so vibrant, just losing basic abilities,” offered P.J. Lane, son of Don Lane. “It’s horrible.”
What followed were more memories of Little, clips from The Mike Walsh Show, Midday, an old interview with Little and an interview with her daughter from a Foxtel documentary. The words “ACA: Exclusive” were carried throughout.
“Hard to believe the darling of Australian television is understood to be battling for life,” said reporter Ben McCormack.
‘Understood?’
That’s journo talk for ‘we didn’t get it confirmed / we know but can’t go on the record / somebody else got the interview.’ I’ve even succumbed to it myself on occasions -but hopefully never in relation to something so deeply private.
“There’s talk out there that she may have Alzheimers, she hasn’t been seen in a long time and those who have seen her say she’s not looking very well,” said Timbs, “and the word on the street is that she may have Alzheimers disease, which is quite sad.”
No respect for a woman who gave years of service to the Nine Network.
I won’t go on with the rest of the details, but the whole thing felt like an obituary.
It even ended with McKinnon’s footnote, “We do wish Jeanne and her family all the very best at this difficult time.”
A time now made even more difficult by an invasive report?
Seriously, what was the motivation behind this story?
Does another media outlet actually have a member of the family on the record?
Watch this space.
Share
- Tagged with A Current Affair, Midday, The Mike Walsh Show
63 Responses
@David vs Lucy
1) Agreed that ACA is gutter journalism at it’s worst. End of story.
2) There is also no question that you cannot be in the media and post a story bagging the media without a bit of it sticking to you. Much as I like this blog many of its stories are as equally pointless, tasteless and unresearched as anything on the idiot box. And saying that you’re merely quoting the “Daily Telegraph” or somesuch is no excuse and you know it. It’s like ACA spoiling a story they missed out on by decrying ‘the media frenzy’ as though they are not part of it.
In other words, David, if you swim in the sewer you’re gonna get covered in Shatner, so you’ve got to expect a bit of criticism from time to time.
3) I started reading this blog years ago when it was a haven for people who loathed what was happening to TV and found a voice speaking for them in David. Since then this blog has become crowded with ‘commenters’ who staunchly defend one network and attack the others. If you’ve read the blog for a while it’s obvious who they are. You people aren’t fooling anyone. The majority of such commenters are (in my opinion) in the direct employ (or otherwise related) to a network and as such their comments are biased and unhelpful. To imagine that a sane non-TV-employee gives a rats about Kochie or ACA or Negus to the extent of defending them publically seems unlikely. I once read a pair of ‘commenters’ congratulating Channel 10 on the high quality of it’s promos FFS!
4) That said, there is no better outlet for TV rage than this site, so I’ll keep coming back to read the comments of the real people.
Still the one.
Have just watched this on the ACA website. I agree, it bordered on being her obituary. Grossly insensitive to Ms Little and her family, grossly insensitive and typical ACA sleaze. What do you expect, ACA constantly scrapes the bottom of the barrel for tabloid television. By the way, am I the only person who thinks Leila McKinnon is an extremely ordinary host? I find her very underwhelming.
How pathetic Channel 9!!!!!!! Yet another example how the rulers of the big television stations show no respect or consideration towards their long serving employees!!! They would put a dagger in their mothers’ backs for ratings!!! Shame on you….Shame on you all !!!!!!
its ACA what do you expect!..
What else do you think you get from trailer park trash like aca and the count down to a disaster clock tt on seven there the womans day and new idea of tv 6pm with george negus its ratings are not great but a least the people watching have a brain. !!!!!!!
On today tonights preview for Monday it stated an exclusive interview regarding an iconic australian maybe TT got the exclusive and Aca rushed to break it first but I agree it was disrespectful
Are you being hypercritical?
You yourself reported this back in November 09 and now are having a rant again today.
So much for the privacy of Jeannie and her family!
Look in the mirror David your just as guilty.
Lucy, I realise any criticism I make of Nine content doesn’t bode well with you (although you have yet to tell us why). I didn’t report this in Nov 2009, the Daily Telegraph did. But yes I logged their story including noting recent denials by family. This site frequently aggregates TV stories from the wider media. Warning: some of them may include some negative stuff about Nine.
Totally agree with you David. I missed the start of the story and walked in to hear Ray Martin stating “She was…” “She had…” and instantly I thought Jeannie had passed away. I had to sit through more of the drivel before I discovered that Jeannie was still alive. It was one of the worst stories ACA has ever delivered. Leave the poor woman and her family alone, this story would have been the last thing the family needed.
I think you’re absolutely correct in saying that the whole thing felt like an obituary. I tuned in halfway through and based on the presentation it actually led me to believe that she had passed away recently. Only some quick Googling set me right.
Sounds like it’d make a good story for Mediawatch.
The sadest part is that people watch this rubbish. Really, your IQ must be less than 50 to watch it.
Will be watching Media Watch…
That is disgusting, but not unexpected from ACA.
I also thought it was an obtituary,especially the way Ray Martin was talking
A Current Affair show a lack of respect for the truth and journalism in general.
Case in point: The power saver gadget spruiked by the show on Monday, then after viewers with any knowledge call in to debunk the myths of the technology ACA decide to run these in a second story. Wouldn’t a journalist have done the work on the original story rather than just promote a scam? I guess that wouldn’t have given them a great headline for the first show or the material to do a followup story completely debunking the first. ACA are a disgrace.
What could you possibly expect from ACA? Some sort of decent and or accurate or ethical reporting?
Sad to see, but, even more sadlly, hardly the first time the media has overstepped the line in regards to someone’s privacy, bet it to ‘report’ on health issues, or marital problems or even to ‘out’ somebody.
It seems common decency is quite often put aside in the name of getting ‘a story’.
I saw an ad for today tonight late last night saying they’ll have something like this about a ‘gold logie winner’ on Monday night, so I assume that must be about Jeanne as well.
I wonder how far they’ll take it….
updated- I just saw prom for Today Tonight ,on monday they have the exclusive interview with her daughter.Sadly aca was correct on her health last night.I thought her family would give the story to channel nine after her working there for so many years.
Just saw a promo for Today Tonight for Monday and yes they do have the exclusive with Jeanne’s daughter.
This is just sad all round, god I hope TEN doesn’t cut it’s new current affairs program!
Seriously with all the possible stories from the floods and now Yasi why even run this crap now?
It’s ACA what does anybody expect?
They’re the sleaziest of the current affairs shows and that’s saying something.
Yes, i’m glad you’ve picked up on this – i stumbled across the teaser and then – more the fool me, got sucked in to the item – their lead story no less! It felt like an obit – an excuse to pull out some old clips and interviews. Ray Martin surprised me – does he believe she is dying? PJ. was probably approached as a recent ‘expert’ on living with and caring for this type of condition. Very odd story and as you say, considering her long association with the network, an invasively insensitive one.
I did see the story and l believe it did give repect to Jeanne Little.It showed her at her best in the clips and in some ways yes it was a tribute to her in a way.I do agree her health is a private matter,but she was public person and in the media for so many years so the public are interested.Maybe now a family member will confirm or deny now the story has aired.