Whose Voice? Presence of Indigenous Australians in Mainstream Media Coverage of the Northern Territory Intervention

Abstract

This article aims to map contemporary news media representation of Indigenous affairs and peoples in Australia through an exploration of the coverage of the federal government policy of the Northern Territory Emergency Response, commonly known as the Intervention. Given the findings of previous studies, which show that mainstream media coverage of Indigenous Australians tends to neglect Indigenous viewpoints, this article explores Indigenous presence in stories about the Intervention. Drawing on industry interviews, it also assesses the key influences underlying Indigenous presence in these stories. Analysis of one key moment in media coverage, the first anniversary of the Intervention, as well as the interview data suggests that journalistic practices and available resources constrained Indigenous presences, particularly direct voice, in stories about the Intervention. The article therefore calls for renewed attention to rethinking journalistic practice in the context of reporting on Indigenous issues.