Marea Donnelly - Truth in History

SUMMARY:
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I’m excited to share this thoughtful short talk from Maria Donnelly, a veteran News Limited journalist with nearly 30 years across Sydney mastheads. An early journalism graduate from Charles Sturt (then Mitchell College) and former senior feature writer for the Daily and Sunday Telegraph, Maria explains how she ‘writes history’ every day — not as an academic but as a storyteller for newspapers. She insists that reporting is the first record of events and champions objective facts (names, counts, causes) while admitting that truth can get messy once perspectives, missing voices and later interpretations enter the picture. Maria engages with postmodern critiques yet defends the journalist’s duty to get the factual groundwork right. With warmth, humour and a journalist’s eye for detail, she invites listeners to consider why accuracy, curiosity and fairness matter in both news and history. If you care about journalism, media ethics or how stories become history, this is a lively, candid and thoughtful piece you’ll appreciate.

RUMBLE DESCRIPTION:
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Hey everyone — thrilled to post this clip of Maria Donnelly speaking on “Truth in History”. Maria’s a true newsroom lifer: almost 30 years on and off with News Limited in Sydney, an early grad of Charles Sturt (when it was Mitchell College) and a former senior feature writer at the Daily and Sunday Telegraph. She’s honest from the outset — she writes history every day for readers, not as an academic, but as a storyteller trying to cram rich detail into tight newspaper pieces.

In this candid talk Maria explains why reporting is often the first record of history and why objective facts matter — the names, ages and causes that must be identified correctly. She also recognises the ways truth gets messy: missing voices, shifting narratives and the influence of later interpretations. Maria nods to postmodern critiques yet makes a strong case for the journalist’s duty to be accurate, curious and fair. There’s wit here too — she quotes Alan Bennett and reflects on what history becomes when we revisit it.

Who is this for? Journalists, students, history buffs, and anyone interested in media ethics and storytelling. If you spot a transcription hiccup in the clip, let us know — Maria’s delivery is clear and worth hearing straight from the source.

Like what you see? Hit subscribe, leave a comment with your thoughts or corrections, and share with anyone who cares about the craft of reporting and the shape of history. Tell us what topics you’d like Maria (or us) to cover next.

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