With the Victorian Jewish community regularly featured in mainstream media, the Jewish Community Council of Victoria (JCCV) brought together a diverse panel of media professionals to explore how Jewish issues are portrayed across newspapers, television, and social media.

Held on Monday 18 August at the Beth Weizmann Community Centre, the August Plenum featured:

• James Campbell, National Politics Editor, Herald Sun
• Julie Szego, freelance writer and former columnist, The Age
• Elahn Zetlin, former video producer and editor, ABC

The panellists offered a peak at how newsrooms deal with the complexities of reporting on Jewish topics. They highlighted challenges, such as limited understanding of Jewish organisations, the scarcity of Jewish voices in newsrooms, and the lack of prior engagement many journalists have with the community.

Audience members suggested proactive steps to improve media representation, including building relationships with journalists and editors to enhance cultural literacy.

The discussion also addressed broader media trends, including the rise of “parachute journalism,” editorial bias and the need to write “clickbait” or drive sales rather than focus on accuracy, and the shift from traditional news outlets to algorithm-driven social media platforms. The panel explored how these changes influence public narratives and perceptions.

“James, Julie and Elahn gave the strong and lively crowd a peek under the hood of modern Australian media,” said Naomi Levin, JCCV CEO and panel moderator. “We’re grateful for their contributions to this vital conversation, especially at a time when media representation has real-world consequences for our community.”

Earlier in the evening, the Plenum voted to admit two new member organisations: Centre of Jewish Artists (COJA) and Melbourne Jewish Book Week (MJBW). COJA founder Romi Kupfer and MJBW board member Joe Reich presented their organisations’ missions and current work to delegates.

“The admission of COJA and MJBW broadens our representation in the vital area of arts and creativity,” said Philip Zajac, JCCV President. “We warmly welcome them to the JCCV family.”

During the open-floor session, delegates raised serious concerns about rising antisemitism, including the Victorian Government’s inaction on hate groups, problematic educational content in schools, and troubling protest behaviours. President Zajac reaffirmed JCCV’s commitment to robust advocacy and emphasised the urgency of direct, honest engagement with all levels of government.