Outline

Issue- The suggestions to change the date of Australia Day which celebrates the First Fleet's arrival in Sydney in 1788. Many refer to this this date as 'Invasion or Survival Day'.
Source- "The Age" front page heading, 24.1.2021
Heading- "Nearly half of Australia opposes date change: poll"
Data- an Ipsos poll of 1222 people nationally, conducted for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age newspapers, found that 28 per cent agreed with a change, 48 per cent were opposed and 24 per cent were undecided about changing the Australia Day date.

Discussion.

How would you summarise this issue? What are your first impressions of this heading? Does it make you think or feel something different about changing the date of Australia Day?
Have a quick think about some alternative headlines that might summarise the same data. This heading is factual so alternatives shouldn't change that.

Questions.

1. What if the headline had read

Only 48% of Australians support Australia day date.
or
Many Australians undecided about Australia Day date.

1. Would these headlines be valid, that is an accurate summary of the survey data?
2. What do you think would be the major impact of The Age/SMH headline? Who would feel good about it? Who not?
3. Headlines are meant to influence. Thinking about The Age/SMH headline and the impact it had on you or classmates, what persuasive methods might it be using? Below is a list of some persuasive techniques that might be relevant but one at least is irrelevant. Which do you think it is? Which do you think is most relevant?

• Use of statistics. "Statistics (and facts) - statistics are numbers or facts that are used to provide convincing information. A writer will use these as a tool to convince the reader. The reader will feel that they cannot argue with facts and that statistics will prove what the writer is saying." BBC
• Shock tactics - this is where the writer will try to use shocking imagery or statements in order surprise or horrify the reader. This is effective because it will shock the reader into action. If the reader is surprised or horrified by something, they will remember it and it is likely to cause an emotional response that will make them react. BBC
• 'The everyone is doing it' persuasive technique. (Suppose you want to go to a music show. Your Mum, Dad, or guardian is not convinced so you say "Mary and Robert and Sam and Magdelene are all going."
  (Their parents think it's OK so so should you!)

How would the alternative headlines change the effect or impact in your view?

How would you describe 'The Age headline'? Does it lead the viewer or is it impartial and objective? Does it show bias?

We think the most relevant technique is the last one, the technique where you try to persuade by saying everyone else supports your view. The view of the writer is inferred from the non-objective summary of the survey yet the article may have been written by a different person.

The use of statistics is also relevant to the article and therefore indirectly to the headline.

There is no shocking material here. No violence, sex, drugs which is one type of shocking nor graphic imagery of a bad accidents etc.

What is your view? Do you think we are right?

Other journalist/media outlets had different headlines.

An even stronger heading was followed by a more one sided view of the survey results to judge from language and other persuasive techniques.

The Australian Jan 25 2021
Frank Chung

"Fewer than one-third support changing the date of Australia Day, Ipsos poll finds

A new poll has revealed just how many Australians support changing the date of Australia Day from January 26 – and how many don’t.

Fewer than one-third of Australians support changing the date of Australia Day from January 26, while nearly half oppose the controversial move, new polling suggests.

The Ipsos poll of 1222 people nationally, conducted for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age newspapers, found only 28 per cent agreed with the campaign by some Indigenous activists, 48 per cent were opposed and 24 per cent were on the fence.

The country’s national day is celebrated on January 26 to commemorate the arrival of the First Fleet at Port Jackson, founding the colony of New South Wales. For some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, so-called “Invasion Day” represents the start of dispossession at the hands of European settlers.

Calls to change the date have grown in volume over the past five years – often on the national broadcaster ABC – despite repeated polls finding mainstream Australians overwhelmingly opposed to the idea.

Context- Background, Murdoch media outlets
Issue- Coronavirus, alleged spin- Daniel Andrews, Premier Victoria Australia
Source- "The Australian" extended headline, 1.2.2021
Heading-
Dan’s tricky spin on COVID-19
The spin cycle is alive and well in Dan Andrews’ Victoria where 820 deaths in 2020 have been airbrushed out of its daily updates...
Article author- Nick Tabakoff

Context- The Murdoch press is considered to be a conservative or right wing organisation. Daniel Andrews, Premier of Victoria, who instituted severe lockdowns in Melbourne when there was a virus outbreak from a quarantine centre has been a consistent target.

Discussion
• What do you think is the purpose of this extended headline?
• What is its contention- what is it claiming?
• If you knew nothing about the situation, the paper, COVID-19 or the Premier of Victoria, what impression might you gain?
• What are your first impressions about the style-is it pleasant/unpleasant, logical, emotive, or critical? To whom is it appealing; what emotions/reactions might it be seeking to foster?
• What are the key words in this headline?
• What do the key words mean? Are they positive or negative?
• Are they persuasive? What persuasive techniques might be in use?
• Which persuasive devices do you think might be connected in some way to this extended heading?
• Why might ‘The Australian’ provide sustained coverage of a state premier?

Questions
• Look at the following types of persuasion-are any relevant, even indirectly?

**Personal pronouns - You are the key to this entire idea succeeding - we will be with you all the way. I can’t thank you enough! ‘I’, ‘you’ and ‘we’. **

(Note. This particular example of personal pronouns doesn’t seem relevant in this headline but is there some use of a personal feeling or familiarity to persuade in a negative direction? Is the use of ‘Dan’ appropriate? Is it also personal but used in a negative way? What is its effect? Is it positive or negative? Why?)

Emotive words - these are words that are deliberately designed to try to make the reader have strong feelings. These can be positive or negative. Human beings will react to some words very positively. Words like ‘love’, ‘happiness’, ‘wealth’ and ‘good health’ tend to make us feel positive. Other words, such as ‘death’, ‘illness’, ‘poverty’ and ‘tears’ make us negative. You need to be subtle with your use of emotional language in an argument especially if you are writing a balanced argument.

(Note. If you choose this, which do you think are the emotive words designed to persuade you?)

• Statistics

• **Logic, sound arguments **

(Note. Is there an argument contained in the extended part of this headline? Might one be implied?)