OPINION: SYDNEY: A selection of letters about the New Zealand earthquake disaster in the Sydney Morning Herald:
The ability of television to provide real time information is unquestionable, as the Christchurch earthquake, the floods in Queensland, NSW and Victoria and the bushfires in Western Australia demonstrate. Unfortunately, real time reporting on such events can also demonstrate the lack of professionalism, commonsense and compassion of some TV commentators.
All three have been absent in the aftermath of the earthquake, when most needed by viewers. With the disaster scene blanketed in dust and smoke and the cries of the injured, some still trapped, ringing in the air, viewers watched as dazed and bloody survivors, obviously extremely traumatised, were buttonholed by the media.
Among the inane and insensitive questions were "Did you feel frightened?" "How many of your friends are still trapped?" "How bad were the injuries you saw among your friends?" and ''How many dead bodies did you see?"
Australian TV commentators and news directors have done their profession damage and should hang their heads in shame.
Barry Swan
Balgownie
Let us commend the media, especially the TV reporters who fearlessly bring us news of recent disasters. We admire their expertise as they tirelessly bring us informative, caring and polite commentaries as we sit in the comfort of our homes.
Pamela Cameron
Rozelle
Each media outsider going to Christchurch must surely add to that wretched city's burden. Food, shelter, clean water are all stretched. Will media celebrities be happy to use a bucket as a toilet as local people have been asked to do?
Joan Brown
Orange
I am not surprised to hear the stars of Channel Nine and Channel Seven have descended on Christchurch in search of disaster porn. Grant Denyer is no longer welcome on my TV screen after I caught him during cyclone Yasi lollygagging at the wreckage of a little house, turning someone's pride and joy into a mere prop in his Festival of Me. For pity's sake, turn these oafs off. Don't watch their channels and let the advertisers decide.
Chris Stafford
Ryde
To those people complaining about the commercial channels' coverage of the Christchurch earthquake, the answer is simple: switch to the ABC or follow the New Zealand coverage on the internet. I was so sickened by the offensive ''rolling coverage'' of the floods in Queensland, particularly the appalling efforts of Channel Nine, that I turned it off and haven't watched their news programs since. It is all about ratings, so if no one is watching, they may eventually get the message.
Bronwyn Lyons
Neutral Bay
Thank goodness Australia isn't the only country whose people will support one another in a time of crisis. The New Zealanders are actually doing it too; showing compassion, helping complete strangers and even showing optimism for the future. Not just an Aussie backslapping thing after all.
Yvonne Kuvener
Wentworth Falls
Surprise, surprise. New Zealanders are exhibiting the same qualities unique to Queenslanders.
Ian Thomas
Greenwich
In expressing support for New Zealand in its darkest hour Tony Abbott says: ''They are family, not foreigners.'' Since when have foreigners in times of catastrophe become less worthy of our unconditional sympathy and humanity? Is there no end to this man's appalling insensitivity?
Stuart Purvis-Smith
Killarney - The Sydney Morning Herald/Pacific Media Watch
Somare sends condiolences to New Zealand
Fiji community feedback on the quake
Pacific Media Watch
