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Denis Muller

Denis Muller

Senior Research Fellow in the Centre for Advancing Journalism, University of Melbourne

Denis Muller was born in New Zealand in 1948 and emigrated to Australia in 1969. He was educated at Rosmini College, Auckland, and at the University of Melbourne.

After three years on suburban newspapers in Auckland, he joined The Sydney Morning Herald as a sub-editor in 1969. In 1978 he joined The Times, London, also as a sub-editor, before returning to take up the position of Chief Sub-editor of the Herald in 1980.

He subsequently held the positions of Night Editor, News Editor and Assistant Editor (Investigations) at that newspaper, until joining The Age, Melbourne, as Associate Editor in 1986.

At both newspapers, his responsibilities including representing the papers as an advocate before the Australian Press Council.

From 1984 until he left newspapers in 1993, he worked closely with Irving Saulwick, one of Australia's leading public opinion pollsters, in the management and writing of the Saulwick Poll which was published in The Age as AgePoll and in the Herald as HeraldSurvey.

In 1990 he was accepted as a mature-age student into the Public Policy program at the University of Melbourne. He completed a Postgraduate Diploma in 1992 and a Master's degree in 1994.

In 1993 he left The Age to take up a position as Group Manager, Communications, at the Board of Studies, Victoria.

In 1995 he established the research consultancy Denis Muller & Associates, and was appointed a Senior Research Fellow in the Centre for Public Policy at the University of Melbourne.

In 2006 he completed a doctoral thesis on media ethics and accountability, and was appointed a Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Public Policy, where he has taught in the Public Policy program since 1997.

He has also taught research methodology at RMIT University, and teaches defamation law to practising journalists through the Communication Law Centre.

Alarmist reporting on COVID-19 will only heighten people's anxieties and drive vaccine hesitancy

May 23, 2021 03:32 am UTC| Health

From an ethics perspective, it has been a bad couple of weeks for media coverage of COVID-19. First, there was a highly questionable story in The Australian about China allegedly weaponising coronavirus, with the...

Tensions rise on coronavirus handling as the media take control of the accountability narrative

Aug 14, 2020 15:51 pm UTC| Insights & Views

Media coverage of disasters follows a broadly similar trajectory, even though the disasters themselves might take very different forms. The COVID-19 crisis in Victoria is no exception. Although it is unfolding over a...

In publishing Tom Cotton, the New York Times has made a terrible error of judgment

Jun 05, 2020 10:50 am UTC| Insights & Views

When a newspaper with the authority of The New York Times chooses to publish a party-political essay calculated to further inflame the violence wracking cities across America, serious questions arise. On June 3 the...

Coronavirus is a huge story, so journalists must apply the highest ethical standards in how they tell it

Mar 12, 2020 15:50 pm UTC| Insights & Views

From an ethical perspective, covering the coronavirus story is really hard to do well. The reason for this lies in an inherent conflict between two ethical obligations: the obligation to truth-telling and the obligation...

Climate Change Series

Media 'impartiality' on climate change is ethically misguided and downright dangerous

Feb 03, 2020 12:31 pm UTC| Insights & Views

In September 2019, the editor of The Conversation, Misha Ketchell, declared The Conversations editorial team in Australia was henceforth taking what he called a zero-tolerance approach to climate change deniers and...

Dutton directive gives journalists more breathing space, but not whistleblowers

Aug 12, 2019 06:08 am UTC| Insights & Views Law

In light of the ministerial direction issued to the Australian Federal Police by the Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton on August 9, it would be a spectacular contradiction in policy if the Australian Federal Polices...

Media watchdog's report into Christchurch shootings goes soft on showing violent footage

Jul 28, 2019 11:07 am UTC| Insights & Views

Coverage of the Christchurch terrorism by Australias television channels raised serious questions about whether they had breached the television codes of practice, according to the broadcasting regulator, the Australian...

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Economy

European Stocks Slip as Iran Tensions Offset Strong Eurozone Data

European stocks reversed early gains on Wednesday as renewed tensions involving Iran weighed on investor sentiment, overshadowing stronger-than-expected Eurozone economic data and temporary relief in crude oil prices. The...

Dollar Hits Two-Month High as Fed Rate Hike Bets Rise

The U.S. dollar climbed to a two-month high on Wednesday as traders increased bets that the Federal Reserve will continue raising interest rates to curb persistent inflation. The Dollar Spot Index gained 0.2%, extending...

US Stock Futures Rise as Meta Muse Fuels AI Rally

U.S. stock futures edged higher Wednesday as investors focused on renewed artificial intelligence enthusiasm, upcoming U.S. economic data and a key meeting between U.S. and Chinese leaders. Dow Jones futures rose 41...

Diesel Dilemma: U.S. Considers Export Ban Amidst Record Prices

Rising domestic costs to unprecedented levels, President Trump has said support for a short ban on U.S. diesel exportsa complicated issue for the administration. Driven by the Middle East war, supply interruptions, and...

Asian Stocks Mixed Ahead of Trump-Xi Meeting

Asian stock markets traded mixed on Wednesday as investors remained cautious ahead of a closely watched meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. U.S. stock futures were also largely...

Politics

Trump Board of Peace Unveils $2.45 Billion Gaza Recovery Plan

U.S. President Donald Trumps Board of Peace is set to unveil a six-month, $2.45 billion Gaza recovery plan on Wednesday, outlining dozens of projects aimed at rebuilding critical infrastructure and restoring basic services...

Kremlin Says No Grounds Yet for Ukraine Peace Talks

The Kremlin said Wednesday that conditions are not yet in place to restart Ukraine peace talks, even as Russia remains open to negotiations ahead of a planned meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and U.S....

Lula and Flavio Bolsonaro Tied in Brazil Runoff Poll

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Senator Flavio Bolsonaro remain locked in a statistical tie in a potential presidential runoff, according to an AtlasIntel/Bloomberg poll released Wednesday, highlighting...

Iran Vows ‘Crushing’ Response as US Talks Continue

Irans military has warned it is prepared to launch crushing retaliatory attacks if the United States or Israel carries out further strikes, responding to President Donald Trumps threat to annihilate the Islamic Republic....

China Tightens Fentanyl Rules Ahead of Trump-Xi Summit

China has introduced new guidelines for handling criminal cases involving fentanyl-related substances, strengthening its legal framework for combating synthetic opioid crimes ahead of a high-profile meeting between Chinese...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

Technology

Microsoft Stock Upgraded as Stifel Sees Stronger Azure Growth

Stifel upgraded Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) to Buy from Hold and lifted its price target to $575 from $530, citing stronger confidence in the technology giants ability to maintain mid-to-upper-teens revenue growth. Analysts...

Scott Bessent Eyed as Trump’s New AI Czar

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is under consideration to become President Donald Trumps new artificial intelligence czar as Washington intensifies its focus on AI development, safety and national security. A source...

China Reviews Broadcom Switch Use in State Data Centres

China is reviewing the use of Broadcom switches in state-backed data centres as Beijing intensifies efforts to reduce dependence on foreign technology and promote domestic semiconductor and networking equipment suppliers,...

US Northeast Airports Resume Operations After Telecom Outage Disrupts Thousands of Flights

US airport operations across the Northeast began returning to normal on Monday after crews repaired telecommunications problems that had disrupted air traffic and contributed to thousands of flight delays and cancellations...

Burnham Eyes UK Leadership Role in AI Ahead of Trump Meeting

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham will push for the UK to take a global leadership role in artificial intelligence on Tuesday as he makes his first major appearance on the international diplomatic stage at the United...
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