Talk on journalism for democracy

JOURNALISM scholar Dr Josie Vine is set to present this week’s Peter Tobin Oration at the Eureka Centre.

As part of the Eureka Day anniversary celebrations, Dr Vine’s talk on Friday, 2 December from 5.30pm will discuss the Eureka Stockade as a key event in Australia’s “genealogy of journalistic sensibility.”

“It’s also about recognising Clara Seekamp, who was the first female editor of an Australian newspaper in this country,” she said.

“Her husband Henry Erle Seekamp was jailed; the only Eureka rebel who was jailed for sedition. Clara took over editorship of the Ballarat Times and continued on a campaign on behalf of the diggers.

“She has been barely recognised in journalism history as a very important historical figure. Her death certificate lists her occupation as a housewife.

“She deserves some recognition as a pivotal figure in the fourth estate tradition of Australian journalism.”

To have the opportunity to present her research at such a prestigious event is something Dr Vine said was overwhelming.

“I’m feeling honoured and delighted to be up there with people like the mayor and Indigenous elders, and I think RMIT is looking at the journalism department a little bit differently now.

“We’ve got some recognition, so that’s wonderful,” she said.

Dr Vine said there is a current distrust of the media throughout society, but emphasised that journalism and the media are not the same thing.

“It’s important for the public to understand that journalism exists as an institution of trust in this democratic society.

“That’s all related to this tradition that’s been handed down from generation to generation of journalists representing the public, of which Clara Seekamp and the Eureka event is so pivotal in that genealogy,” she said.

“I have great hope that one day people, society, will stop conflating the two and understand that journalism is there to facilitate democracy.”

Dr Vine is the co-author of the book Newspaper Building Design and Journalism Cultures in Australia and the UK: 1855–2010, which was published this month.

Free tickets will be available to the public this Monday, 28 November at 9am via eurekacentre.com.au.