Surfpolitik Mitch Coleborn: Time For The Naked Truth

In: Surfpolitik by Stu Nettle 8 Comments Fri 22nd Oct '10

Tags: mitch coleborn , surf media , censorship , volcom

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As most surfers would know by now Mitch Coleborn of the Sunshine Coast was arrested in Canada last Friday. The charge was indecent exposure and he has had his passport confiscated and conditions imposed. His trial is set for November 1.

The story was picked up by AAP and reported across most mainstream media outlets earlier this week. Whilst the charges are serious the impression was given that it was a piece of ill-timed larrikinism followed by an unfortunate overreaction.

Swellnet was initially granted the opportunity to conduct an email interview via Mitch's manager and public relations firm. However, the interview was rejected before the questions - all of which were generic in nature - were answered. His PR firm now say they are offering no comment until after the trial.

On Tuesday, when the story first broke most Australian surfing sites also reported it, posting direct AAP feeds, none of which included opinions or facts that couldn't be gleaned by reading a newspaper. Yet by close of business a handful of surf sites had pulled the story down without any mention of why. If it was due to a directive from Volcom or jitters from the surf sites themselves isn't known.

Whether the dissappearing news stories were the result of self-censorship or the orders of an advertiser is irrelevant because, either way, the situation is indicative of the current relationship between the surf media and the surf industry. There is a widely held belief amongst surfers that advertisers rule the media and events like this - where surfers are denied news that concerns them - only reinforces that view.

The truth is that surfers - like the general public - will talk about this event. Indeed they are, just log onto the surf forums and read the comments. Therefore the best thing the companies involved, and the sites offering surf news, can do is report the truth. The silence is more damning than the initial news story, and the media vacuum is being filled with speculation and innuendo.

This is not the first time a young surfer has got in trouble overseas and will certainly not be the last. My belief is that most surfers would be sympathetic to Mitch's plight so I believe it's time for a bit of transparency from all involved. Surfers aren't stupid and sunlight, as they say, is the best disinfectant.

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