Exciting Times Ahead (for Gumshoers)

by Dee McLachlan

Dear participants and followers,

For over three years, GumshoeNews.com has been a kind of “community board.” Over 17,000 comments have been published here, and we have run more than 1,100 high-quality articles — from many contributors.

I started this website because Australia is poorly served, not only by the mainstream media (dominated by Murdoch), but also by the public broadcaster, the ABC. They constantly publish and report scripted propaganda, and much worse.  

I am building a contemporary new-look website — a platform for more content. Its front page will display trending articles, and popular posts — and the articles will be much more accessible and easily searched. It is necessary for me to monetize the site, and that will also give us a larger presence in the world.

I hope you will all help. I have managed most of the reporting, and Mary Maxwell has been a helpful assistant editor. We have several excellent contributors — but we want many more, especially younger writers and analysts.

I am hoping to start a regular output of videos also. I want to start with a series of Interview Documentaries (similar to the format of Oliver Stone’s Putin interviews).

Those people living in Australia are familiar with ABC’s (scripted) Q&A program. I suggest we make The REAL QandA series — where people can ask the real questions and get honest answers.

Let me digress briefly…

The ABC v Robert Gray 

The only time ABC’s Q&A seemed unscripted was when, in 2010, environmental activist Peter Gray threw his shoes at former prime minister John Howard in protest over Australia’s participation in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Gray wrote that it wasn’t in his nature to throw anything at anyone. But said, “Political leaders must be held accountable for their actions… My actions on the set of Q&A upset a lot of people. Mr Howard’s actions killed a lot of people…”

In 2006, Gray had taken the Government of New South Wales to court over its environmental assessment of the Anvil Hill Coal Mine. The Court found in his favour. It was a landmark case, and he began working on another. Gray and Anor v Macquarie Generation, was the first ever legal action aimed at curbing greenhouse gas pollution from a coal-fired power station.

But then he died. Yes — from cancer. Sadly he was only 31 when he died in 2011. I often wondered whether he was murdered.

MSM-BOX

I’m sure many of you might have heard of the reality TV program “GOGGLEBOX”. The series, that has a squirm every minute, reveals people watching their favourite TV programs — or commenting on the news of the day.

Well let us produce MSM-BOX — where people can talk about the mainstream media. Give them a taste of their own medicine. Now wouldn’t that be a hoot, dishing up some real critique of the news — and expose the BS.

The Real Questions and Answers

Any suggestions will be most welcome (dee@thepicturetank.com). I also think we should be posting shorter articles, on a wider range of topics.

I will keep you posted on when the new site will go up.

And sincere thanks to you for being incredibly good supporters.

(PS: If you would like to send me a short list of “must-watch” videos, these will be added to the site.)