News Room Story: B is for Political Bias

This story was handed to me after I had unsuccessfully tried to write a story on the Bodhi’s dwindling Slimmer Choice sales. That’s a type of bread for those not in the know. I work at the bakery packing bread so I thought I’d get in touch with my bakery manager and write about dwindling sales because I had no other ideas. He refused to do the story (for fear of losing his job) so my newsroom manager gave me this ad he found around the university and thought was funny enough to write about. Funnily enough it turned out the ad was placed by my bakery manager and I just interviewed him for the story.

Bodhi’s Recruitment Drive

Need a new job?

Fremantle bakery needs packers for casual evening work.

Would suit someone in the Fremantle area.

Call Ryan on 0403 828 873

.One of the several ads placed by Mr Barter.

By Camilo Cayazaya

Fremantle Bakery advertisements doing the rounds at Murdoch Uni have gotten some attention for their humour and political slant.

The ads showing the disgruntled faces of John Howard, Robert Mugabe and George Bush all feature the caption “Need a new job?”

Ryan Barter, head of the packing department at Bodhi’s Bakehouse, says the ads came as an idea from a marketing website stating that all good ads needed a picture, the rest came naturally.

“I was just reading up on what makes a good ad and it said I needed a picture up top and then I just thought of people that needed a job,” Mr Barter said.

Included in the list at the time, Mr Barter says Troy Buswell was part of the posters because of “the chair-sniffing incident… but it turns out he never got fired.”

When asked about the political slant in the ads, featuring only right-wing figures, he says he is “definitely” a lefty at heart.

Mr Barter says the ads were designed to get as many people as necessary to cover shifts. He says “I’ve had quite a few queries but it’s still early days… I have filled one of the positions.”

“Even though the current labour market makes it difficult to fill positions it’s very important to make sure I get the right people in,” said Mr Barter. “If we don’t have enough workers it’s my problem because recruitment and training is one of my responsibilities.”

“The ads were only featured at Murdoch University due to the fact “the job is tailor-made for students – being evening work it doesn’t clash with classes… and someone is more likely to stay in the job if they don’t have to travel far to work.”

Located on Ellen Street, Bodhi’s Bakehouse has been running for 25 years, making diet and organic breads for specific dietary needs and delivering to major supermarkets around the state.

The Bakehouse became famous after being featured on Today Tonight when it introduced a new diet bread called “Slimmer’s Choice” that helped create a feeling of fullness and assisted dieters eat less snacks throughout the day.

The bakery is still hiring staff. Mr Barter says “I am looking to fill 2 positions, either with just 2 people, or more making up the 2 positions. I am willing to be flexible.”