BtN: Episode 21 Transcript 7/8/12
On this week's Behind the News

The media is criticised for intruding on a family’s grief so when should the
news be off limits?

We check out a country that makes superstars out of their best video game
players.

And a documentary goes around the world to find out what it's like being
eleven.
Hi I'm Nathan Bazley, welcome to Behind the News.
Also on the show, Tash puts her best foot forward as she checks out the sport of race
walking.
But first today:
Sport Doping
Reporter: Nathan Bazley
INTRO: One of the most memorable wins of the Olympics so far came from 16 year
old Chinese swimmer Ye Shiwen. Not only did she win gold but she smashed the
world record. But some commentators thought it was too good and hinted that she
may have taken performance enhancing drugs. It seems a bit unfair because there's
no proof at all. But it got people talking again about the use of drugs in sport.
Here's Sarah.
SARAH LARSEN, REPORTER: Imagine you're an Olympian. You've trained for years
to get here. You're as fit as you can be. You're ready to take on the world! And you do
it! You smash the record and win a gold medal for your country. But then you're
faced with this.
KIDS: Did you cheat? Have you taken drugs? How did you swim so fast without
doping?
They're the sorts of questions some were asking when Ye Shiwen smashed the world
record in the 400 metre individual medley. No Chinese athlete has tested positive to
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performance enhancing drugs at London and many people have defended the 16year-old.
OLYMPIC SPECTATOR: I think it’s quite unfair because she tried quite hard to get
the gold. I think that think you put the effort in you deserve it.
IAN THORPE: At a young age it is possible to break your time your best time by five
or six seconds.
The Chinese swim team has been in trouble in the past. Back in the 90s eleven
swimmers were disqualified from the Asian games because they were caught using
steroids; drugs which help muscles grow.
And it's not just China. High profile athletes from around the world have lost their
medals because they've been caught using drugs or other substances to boost their
performance.
MARION JONES, US RUNNER: I want you to know I have been dishonest
So why would any athlete take the risk? Well, believe it or not, drugs in sport weren't
always seen as a problem. In the old days Olympians openly used all sorts of things to
give themselves an edge, some of them more effective than others. The winner of the
1904 marathon used alcohol and a chemical used in rat poison during the race!
But as the drugs got more effective it became unfair for the athletes who weren't
taking them and in the 60s athletes were tested for the first time. Fast forward to
2012 and drug testing is a serious science. This year more than a hundred scientists
will test half of the Olympians and all of the medal winners. It's a complicated
business because new ways of cheating are being developed all the time.
Every year the list of banned substances is updated and scientists find new ways to
test for them. And they say athletes who break the rules this year are more likely than
ever to get caught.
REPORTER: Athletes have to be really careful in the lead up to the games. Some
common medicines that you take for colds and flu have banned drugs in them. So
can food supplements. And in some places even meat can get you into trouble.
The Chinese Olympic team avoided meat altogether in the lead up to the games
because there were warnings local meat could contain a chemical that's on the
banned list.
For most athletes there's only one way to boost performance, and that's hard work.
And many say it's sad that a great performance could make people suspicious. Sports
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are unpredictable and sometimes athletes can amaze us and that's what the Olympics
is all about.
Online Poll
OK the issue of doping in sport is an interesting one, let's make it our poll.
The question is:
Should drug cheats be banned from sport for life?
To vote just head to our website.
Last week we asked you if you thought the U.S should have stricter rules on gun
ownership.
74 per cent said yes they should. 26 per cent said no. Thanks for voting.
Let's see what else is making the news this week. Here's Tash with the Wire.
The Wire
There's been another mass shooting in America over the weekend. The gunman
walked into a Sikh temple in the state of Wisconsin and opened fire. At least seven
people died including the gunman who was shot by a police officer. Sikhism is a
religion that's mostly practiced in India.
********
After years of planning NASA has finally landed the rover 'curiosity' on Mars.
Touchdown involved dangling the car-sized rover out of a rocket until it hit the
surface. It'll spend the next 2 years probing a four and a half thousand metre high
mountain searching for signs of life.
********
And in Japan, these smart phones might not look all that special but they do have a
skill normal phones don't. They can detect radiation. They've been developed to help
Japanese people to measure their exposure to radiation after the Fukushima nuclear
meltdown. Makers say they're an important tool but critics say they're just cashing
in.
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Media Intrusion
Reporter: Nathan Bazley
A few weeks ago a 13 year old girl was killed in a quad bike accident. It was a
horrible moment for her family that was made worse by the media coverage that
followed. Helicopters flew overhead recording vision and reporters drove onto the
property to get photos. Is it fair for them to be going to that length to tell the story
or do the family have the right to grieve in private?
NATHAN BAZLEY, REPORTER: When a big accident or emergency happens, news
crews will always be there. Their job is to tell the story of what happened, which often
means filming some pretty horrible scenes and some very sad people.
But what happens, when the media want to show something that grieving families
don't want to share? Despite being very hard, sometimes families may want their
story to appear on the news. This happened recently, when the family of 18-year-old
punching victim Tom Kelly appeared on the ABC soon after his death.
His sister wanted to say something to honor the loved one she'd just lost.
MADELEINE KELLY: Thomas will always be our older brother. We'll never - I'll
never take his place of anything.
His dad wanted to stop the person responsible.
RALPH KELLY: Somebody out there must know them and that they would actually
come forward and put his name forward to the police. Because we can't have people
like this in our society walking around aimlessly punching people.
In this situation, the family felt some good might come out of the story. And in the
case of the Kelly's, Tom's killer was dobbed in to police soon after their interview
went to air.
But what should happen when a family doesn't want to let the media in? What should
happen when they want the media out?
NATHAN: Imagine you've just lost a loved one. You're upset, confused and really
sad. Then lots of these appear, filming the horrible scene and asking how you're
feeling. How are you feeling? Probably not like talking about it on camera. And
neither did the Lord family.
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This is Molly Lord, a teenage girl who died riding a quad bike on her family's farm.
Many news organisations covered the story that day. Later, her Dad wrote this about
it the experience:
PETER LORD: Unfortunately for my family and me and for our many friends, it was
impossible to avoid the coverage of the horrendous scenes portrayed in these news
reports. To say that the viewing of such images has added to our grief is an
understatement.
Molly's mum wrote about the experience on a TV station's Facebook page too. They
were not happy that their grief was shown to the world, when they had made it clear
they didn't want it to be. Now, they're campaigning to have laws brought in to protect
others in their situation.
PETER LORD: The government should implement a "Molly's Law" to prevent the
media from intruding on the most private and grief-stricken moments that any
family could ever experience.
Members of the media involved in the story say they were trying to help, by warning
people of the dangers of quad bikes. And they believe they handled the situation
within their guidelines. But where should the line be drawn, between reporters trying
to do their jobs and families trying to grieve?
News organisations always say the public have a right to know. But how much do you
think they have a right to see? And to hear?
Presenter: You can let us know what you think about that issue by leaving your
comments on the BtN website.
Korean Games
Reporter: Nathan Bazley
INTRO: Now can you imagine a world where computer games are a national sport.
A world where the best players get paid loads of money and end up being rich and
famous. It doesn't sound real, does it! Well in one country, it is. Let's check it out.
NATHAN BAZLEY, REPORTER: It's got commentators, cameras, huge ratings and
most importantly, star players.
This is South Korea's version of Friday night footy. Athletic pursuits don't mean a lot
here. Cyber pursuits do. South Korea is a world leader in gaming and this is one of
their biggest tournaments.
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Here, elite teams of gamers go head to head live on TV. It's fast, loud and intense and
the top competitors are hailed national heroes. The best earn hundreds of thousands
of dollars a year to play games! Not a bad day job!
This young guy is South Korea's number one gamer, Lim Yo-hwan. Lim has appeared
in heaps of TV ads and even has DVD's out of his most famous battles. His fan club
boasts more than 1 million members and he's dating a Korean movie star. But
gaming isn't all fun and games. Lim and his team practice long and hard for up to 13
hours a day to achieve success.
But they're not the only ones spending long hours in front of the screen. This is the
other side of Korea's gaming love. Scattered across the city are game cafes, known as
PC bangs. And inside, obsessed gamers play day and night. This man says he's been
playing for 2 days straight.
GAMER: Frankly speaking, I think I'm an addict too. But I cannot quit.
He's not alone in this country. More than 2 million gamers here, a quarter of the
young population, don't know when to put down the mouse. Doctors say a long stint
can put gamers at risk of back problems and blood clots. It can get so bad that some
people have died after days or even a week straight in front of a screen.
In an effort to stop these addictions before they get to that point, parents bring their
kids to places like this. According to the doctors here, special brain treatments like
this are needed to stimulate the parts of the brain not used during gaming.
This 11 year old kid is undergoing testing by these doctors to see how his obsessive
playing may be affecting his brain function. Of course, for many of the kids addicted,
the thought that keeps them playing is that one day, they might end up like their
heroes that they see on TV. But for the vast majority, this dream will never become
reality. And their favourite past time, computer gaming, will stay as just that - a way
to pass time. And a lot of it.
Quiz 1
OK, let's have a quiz.
The question is: What is the capital of South Korea?
Pyongyang
Hanoi
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Seoul
Answer: Seoul
Pyongyang is the capital of North Korea and Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam.
I am Eleven
Reporter: Sarah Larsen
INTRO: Now, what's it like being eleven? Well, a Melbourne filmmaker reckons it's
about the best age that you can be and she's made a film that's all about being
eleven. She's talked to kids all around the world and Sarah found out what some of
them had to say.
SARAH LARSEN, REPORTER: Eleven. It's that age where you're not that little any
more but not that big either. When you can still enjoy being a kid and life is full of
possibilities.
KID (FILM EXCERPT): I like being eleven a lot it's like that point between being a
kid and being a teenager
KID (FILM EXCERPT): I was excited to turn eleven because I'm one twice I always
say to my dad I'm one twice. It's my favourite number
So what's it like being an eleven year old in India? Or Morocco? Or France? That's
what film maker Genevieve wanted to find out when she made the documentary I Am
Eleven.
GENEVIEVE, FILM MAKER: I decided to make I am eleven because I wanted to
make a film that was positive and optimistic and I wanted to explore the world for
the first time through the eyes of eleven year olds because I look back to my favourite
age in life and I think us adults can learn a lot from even year old kids.
Genevieve went to fifteen different countries and met kids like Jack who lived with
his family on an elephant sanctuary.
KID (FILM EXCERPT): I was born In Thailand, Bangkok, and some of my hobbies
are playing the computer, riding elephants, that sort of thing. Elephants have this
weird ability: how an elephant can change the chemicals in your brain like if you had
a headache all you have to do is hold your head against an elephant and your
headache will go away.
While the eleven year olds lived very different lifestyles there were also lots of
similarities like school and friends and family.
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KID (FILM EXCERPT): Can I have a hug?
Not that all families are the same.
KID (FILM EXCERPT): This is my dad and he's been with me ever since I was born.
KID (FILM EXCERPT): This is my sister this is my sister this is my sister.
These kids live in an orphanage in India. They say their family is each other.
KID (FILM EXCERPT): What I discovered was that it didn't matter where you're
living in the world as long as you have people around you that love you, life can be
pretty fun.
Genevieve also found that eleven- year-olds have big ideas and big questions.
KID (FILM EXCERPT): Why are we here? I mean why are we right here, on Earth?
They shared some of their worries.
KID (FILM EXCERPT): What I don't like is bullying. There are no bullies at my
school but sometimes I get bullied. I try to stand up for myself but sometimes that's
not good enough.
There was a lot of racism at my school which I didn't like very much I lot of people
called be racist things because of my race and the colour of my skin
KID (FILM EXCERPT): To know that there are still people who differentiate against
other humans depending on race that's completely absurd.
And their hopes for the future.
KID (FILM EXCERPT): I'm like going to meet some guy in college and he's going to
say Oh my God I love your hair, and I'm going to say Oh my god I love your shoes
and he's going to say you are so beautiful and I'm going to say you're so hot.
She says travelling the world and meeting so many kids was pretty inspiring.
GENEVIEVE: They all had a sense of courage and sense of optimism and they were
all very keen to share what they thought about the world.
And she still reckons that eleven is a pretty special age to be.
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Presenter: And the film-maker is looking for more eleven year olds to share their
stories on a website she's created. There's a link to that on our website and she says
she'd love to hear from you guys.
OK, let's move onto the sports news now. Here's James with the Score.
The Score
The title of the fastest man on earth has once again gone to Jamaican sprinter Usain
Bolt after he won the hundred metre sprint in London. He's the second man in
history to win back to back Olympic titles and at the same time he managed to smash
an Olympic record too. Silver went to Bolt's teammate Yohan Blake and Justin
Gaitlin of the USA came third.
******
Meanwhile the president of Australia's Olympic Committee, John Coates has blamed
the government for our low Olympic gold medal tally.
"Perhaps the area that needs a lot of attention and if not funding, government
attention in terms of policy, is getting sport back on to school curriculum."
He says sport in school should be made compulsory because that's what Great Britain
did and they're sitting at third place on the medal table.
******
Finally back home to the AFL and Port Adelaide is looking for a new coach after
losing to newcomers Greater Western Sydney. Matthew Primus has been told he
won't have a position with the Power next year after the loss which he described as
the most embarrassing in the club's history. Primus coached Port to 13 wins from 47
games.
Presenter: We're going to have a story next about the sport of race walking. But first
let's have a quiz.
Quiz 2
The question is:
Which word means to walk?
Vacillate
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Ambulate
Gesticulate
Answer: Ambulate
Ambulate comes from the Latin word ambulare which means to walk or move about.
Race Walking
Reporter: Natasha Thiele
INTRO: Now you might think the idea of walking as a sport would be pretty easy.
It's something we can all do right? Well race walking is a bit different to the
walking you or I might do. Tash checks it out.
NATASHA THIELE, REPORTER: Is this what you were expecting race walking to
look like? Some people might think it looks a little funny. But race walking is a
physcially-demanding sport that involves a special technique!
When we're little, we learn how to walk. Eventually it becomes so natural, we don't
even have to think about it. But if you're a race walker like Alix, you almost need to
retrain your body into walking a certain way.
ALIX: It's pretty hard when you first start off, but after a few weeks it gets pretty
natural.
Alix took up the sport three years ago and he's represented South Australia at a heap
of events.
REPORTER: So Alix, why did you choose race walking over other sports?
ALIX: Well I find it pretty fun and unique to do, it's pretty different.
REPORTER: What are the main rules I need to know?
ALIX AND REPORTER: Well the first one is, one foot needs to be on the ground at
all times like this. And the second rule is when your foot touches the ground, it has be
straightened until it's about to this spot here.
REPORTER: And do we do anything with our arms or with our head?
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ALIX: Yeah, you try and keep your arms about this kind of angle and you just keep
doing that and your head should be up about here.
REPORTER: Okay that's pretty much it, cool. Okay, so swing those hips, move those
arms. And what's the deal with wiggling your bum?
ALIX: If you didn't wiggle your bum, basically it would look pretty weird and it would
be a bit like this.
REPORTER: Ha! A bit robotic!
When it comes to competition, judging is pretty strict. Judges watch the athletes at
different points of a race to make sure their technique is precise. They're only allowed
three warnings before they're disqualified. During a race, athletes can reach speeds of
up to 15 kays an hour. But it all depends on the length of your stride and how quickly
you take the steps.
Like all sports, to get to the top you've got to train hard!
ALIX: Well I train Mondays and Thursdays and on the weekends and I do a race on
the weekend too.
Although most sessions are made up of lots of walking, there's a focus on other parts
of the body too. Athletes work on strength and flexibility, targeting the muscles they
use in walking.
ALIX: At the moment I'm working on my hamstrings and my leg strength.
Alix is hoping to one day compete at the Olympics. So it might not be too long before
we see the young athlete make it to the world stage!
Closer
Great stuff! Last week we ran a story about kids showing off their prize cattle. Lots of
you sent in your photos. So we'll leave you with some of them. See you next week!
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