3 5Ws and 1H(dorothy)

We believe the most controversial point of this issue is that:

Dose seven breached the privacy of Campbell?

In other words, is a debate on freedom of speech vs rights of pravicy.

5w and h

Who: David Campbell

He is the NSW transport Minister; he is a politician as well as a public figure. His work is under the regulation of public that is the media press. 

Does he have the right of privacy? As a public figure, he has the responsibility to be a role model for public. Sometimes he has to sacrifice his right of privacy for the benefits from being a public figure. But besides the role of a public figure, he also is an Australian citizen, He enjoy the rights just the same one of others.

When and where

He was filmed entering and leaving a sex club for gay men by the watchdog after work. It was nothing wrong to go to a sex club no matter it is a gay bar or not, if he is a non-Christian. But he is a married man with a family. It is morally unacceptable for an ordinary man, not mention a political figure. However, morally unacceptable is not equivalent to the press has the right to put this privacy things under the spotlight.

What and why and how

But if we examine this issue again, we will find that the result of this debate can be totally different. He used a ministerial car to go to the bar. This behavior can be seen as a misuse a public funding for personal affair. The function of the press is to act as a check on government. (Schramm 1957: 71-72) channel seven definitely has the right to broadcast this issue. It cannot be seen as breach the privacy of Campbell.

Conclusion: If we were the journalists from seven, our decision would be if he did something wrong related to his work, then it is justice to put his behavior under the judgment of public. If it is about his personal life, the press should keep quite. But talking about this issue we consider that as a fourth estate, media press has the right to not only service the public interest but also supervise the operation of government in a democracy society, on the premise of doing thing ethically.