To Whom It May Concern,

Remember being told never to bite the hand that feeds you? It's not always that simple. Sometimes that hand needs to know not to oppress. History has shown us that countless times. Well, what if that hand was the government? Would you still do it then?

Some of the greatest songs are written about just that.

Cue two perfectly opposite examples: Try not to judge.

Country music singers, the Dixie Chicks, released a song that was banned in the U.S because it challenged the government for sending their boys out to war and not bringing them home. Titled 'Not Ready To Play Nice', the song's lyrics even hint towards death threats the girls received when they tried to release the song.
Have a listen: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pojL_35QlSI&ob=av2e

Punk rock band, Rise Against, focus their lyrics on political, social and environmental issues of our time without flinching. The song 'Hero of War' is a clear example of this. A song about the horrors of what it really means to be a soldier of war, the lyrics will resonate with you for a very long time.
I deeply recommend hearing this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DboMAghWcA

So, it happens in music all of the time. The last place I thought it would happen would be in public media. I love public media, if you read my last post you'd have a vague sense of how I feel about commercial media. That said, while I understood that public media was funded by the government I had never really realised how necessary it is for public media to oppose the government for the sake of the people. It was only until I was literally told this in my seventh lecture that it made sense. The people would not watch a government funded program that endorsed the government. What's the point?

In the wise words of my lecturer Dr Bruce Redman, if the government ever start to like shows like the ABC then we're all buggered. Public media is for the public, I just wonder how long this will last. It's stood the test of time so far but how long can we have a media that is designed to challenge the authority? Better yet, what if people like the musicians stated above had a say about what public media should be? Would we allow it? Would other nations follow suit? In my opinion? Not a chance.