In an powerful keynote at Cannes in Cairns, Presented by Pinterest, Lisa Wilkinson has proclaimed that “Good journalism can change lives” and that the founding tenants of the profession had been lost in an eternal battle for clicks and eyeballs.
Whilst she did not directly address the Bruce Lehrmann defamation case, Wilkinson’s speech left attendees in little doubt about her priorities as a journalist – and the sort of media that advertisers should be buying ad space in.
Wilkinson was not afraid to call out bad journalism, highlighting some of the things that she has been called in recent years.
“You may know me as a shameless media whore who has the temerity to sit in a restaurant, eat dinner by a window while sipping on a margarita on her own on a business trip to Melbourne, without asking her husband’s permission first,” she told the audience.
“According to another media outlet, I am also a woman who inexplicably wears a full body wetsuit at the beach at the height of summer on a family holiday,” she continued, before offering an alternative view saying she is a “woman who is smart enough to plan ahead” knowing that the paparazzi will likely be trying to catch glimpses of her cellulite to publish online.
This, she said, is not good journalism but a desperate bid for clicks.
“Good journalism shines the light on truth. Good journalism calls power to account. Journalism involves scrutiny, and that is in large the point of the media, the rest is just PR. Too often those guiding principles are being lost in mainstream media in favour of the cheap clicks that are guaranteed to drive and traffic”.
Despite the attacks she has received in recent years, Wilkinson said she is seeing a positive shift away from “tabloid-driven outrage or opinions designed to inflame rather than inform”.
“Sometimes it feels like we can’t win, but we can – by writing a few rules of our own,” she told the audience.
“This next generation of women are writing their own rules, demanding real change and trust in the media that they consume.”
Wilkinson said she is seeing this shift in the work of young female entrepreneurs, namely Mia Freedman (Mamamia), Hannah Ferguson (Cheek Media) and her daughter Billi FitzSimons (The Daily Aus).
Wilkinson was unafraid to be vulnerable about the impact that being attacked by the media has had on her own life.
“I was badly bullied in high school and it took me a really long time to build up my confidence.” This is something she has been reminded of in the last few weeks where she has found herself “in the unfortunate position of going from reporting the news to actually becoming the news”.
“In recent times, there were days, there were weeks, and there were even months when I simply didn’t think I could continue,” she said. “The forces against me seemed too powerful.” The national debate was becoming so mired that finding “clear air” for “truth” was impossible.
Whilst she does have regrets, she added ambiguously that they are “not the ones you think”.
Despite it all, she said: “Time solves most things you have to solve yourself, and the only thing worse than not speaking your truth, is not speaking at all.”
Reporting by Sofia Geraghty and Tom Fogden.
