The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposed deletion of the article below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was Keep while there are many arguments put forth for both sides of the discussion neither proponents offer significantly strong arguments, the reference to missing white woman syndrome has been ascribed to this event but without any substancial facts even if it was/is that isnt a reason for deletion(see:WP:DISCUSSAFD). Policy reasons put forth WP:NOTNEWS, WP:NotNewspaper are one in the same they refer to 4 points each are; 1, Journalism first hand reporting(nope), 2. News Reports enduring notability of people and events, enduring isnt defined in encyclopeadic as that is subjective measure that cant be defined. Point 3 Who's who coverage about an individual involved may not be notable should be limited to the article about the event, 4th point not a diary(nope). Considering the points 1, 4 definately arent the basis of this article. enduring is undefined, notability lets discount ABC coverage(presumed COI) the coverage is significant, reported on two continents and its independent of the subject. Pt4 cover the event not the person if the person isnt otherwise notable this artilce does that. To counter the notnews arguments the policy WP:N/CA sums this article up Articles about criminal acts, particularly those that fall within the category of "breaking news", are frequently the subject of deletion discussions. As with other events, media coverage can confer notability on a high-profile criminal act, provided such coverage meets the above guidelines and those regarding reliable sources. Further keep arguements were of the media coverage, other events supported by media coverage of those events therefore on balance the discussions weight is one of keeping the article. Gnangarra 08:13, 27 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Observation: While closing as keep I'm mindful on the issue of how "enduring" is defined and what that means to this article which is unresolved by both this discussion and policy. Gnangarra 08:13, 27 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Death of Jill Meagher[edit]

Death of Jill Meagher (edit | talk | history | protect | delete | links | watch | logs | views) – (View log · Stats)
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Per WP:NOTNEWS, we don't generally include articles on noteworthy but temporal events... not unless they have lasting influence or they impact society over the long term. This is still fairly recent, so web searches tend to show primarily news updates on the unfolding situation, rather than significant sources that can demonstrate long-term importance. Powers T 19:51, 4 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Clarified my position after further thought. Jill Meagher had no public profile before her unfortunate demise. If this was a rape/murder, it could have been a rape and murder of anybody. There is no lasting encyclopaedic significance in the fact that she was the victim. HiLo48 (talk) 22:51, 25 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]
Note: This debate has been included in the list of Australia-related deletion discussions. • Gene93k (talk) 18:57, 5 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]
Note: This debate has been included in the list of Crime-related deletion discussions. • Gene93k (talk) 18:57, 5 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]
Note: This debate has been included in the list of People-related deletion discussions. • Gene93k (talk) 18:57, 5 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]
So we ignore the obvious conflict of interest among the media? HiLo48 (talk) 12:04, 10 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]
It is misleading to link to conflict of interest in this debate, as I can't see any obvious signs of users neglecting NPOV have had an inpact of this article. The criteria is significant coverage of media. Grrahnbahr (talk) 04:06, 11 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]
Agreed with Grrahnbahr - WP:COI is completely irrelevant to the media's coverage of the case. --Chriswaterguy talk 07:18, 27 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]
It is a murder of an journalist working in a foreign country. It is not regular at all, and is covered by major media in at least two contries. According to the criterias, it is no demand for a notable victim, as the case itself could reach notability by significant media coverage. Grrahnbahr (talk) 04:06, 11 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  • It doesn't matter. She was non-notable before her death, journalist or not, and the fact that it was covered by media anywhere won't absolve her from being covered only because she was a murder victim. Niteshift36 (talk) 14:01, 14 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]

agree with Niteshift, she was not a journalist merely an employee. and even if she was, it adds absolutely nothing to notability about her death. LibStar (talk) 06:43, 24 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]

"This is a regular crime" - but certainly not a regular case. There is plenty about the case which is not "regular", as mentioned elsewhere in the AfD. --Chriswaterguy talk 07:18, 27 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Relisted to generate a more thorough discussion so a clearer consensus may be reached.
Please add new comments below this notice. Thanks, Callanecc (talkcontribslogs) 00:24, 11 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]

She may not have been a high profile personality before her death, but did you listen to or watch any of the ABC coverage at the time? It was massive, obviously because she was one of theirs. It's unlikely to change any laws, because there's no point bringing in unenforceable ones. HiLo48 (talk) 07:26, 11 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]
Maybe not change the law, but articles like this show that it is more than your usual missing person/murder case. The-Pope (talk) 07:44, 11 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Relisted to generate a more thorough discussion so a clearer consensus may be reached.
Please add new comments below this notice. Thanks, MBisanz talk 04:47, 19 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]

because the court case for the accused started 4 months after. LibStar (talk) 07:03, 24 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]
It is still coverage over long periods of time. — MSTR (Chat Me!) 07:19, 24 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]
A mention 4 months later isn't "long term notability". When did 4 months become "long term". The essay WP:RECENTISM suggests a 10 year test. Even if we use a 5 year test, 4 months is hardly a long time. Niteshift36 (talk) 14:44, 24 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]
If that looks like a 'mention', then some people have really high expectations. — MSTR (Chat Me!) 02:23, 25 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  • Seriously? Do you really want to quibble over the use of "mention"? Or maybe we should focus on the fact that 4 months is hardly "enduring". Niteshift36 (talk) 18:51, 25 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]
Do you think the trial is going to be finished tomorrow? or the news outlets will stop after 4 months? nope. Is it impossible to wait a few more months, to get a clear view as to whether or not this article is notable? definately not. Now, keeping in mind WP:BLUDGEON, I think that's about it on my part. — MSTR (Chat Me!) 02:48, 26 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Keep: this was an important story in both Brunswick in Melbourne history. The impact of social networking was of importance in this case and it is something that should be noted. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 121.219.124.37 (talk) 03:58, 27 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]


As for the cynical "white woman syndrome" comments, and to those saying it's because she was working for the abc that she got all the media coverage, well there might be some truth in this, but there are many white women who are raped and murdered in Australian Cities every year, and they don't get this kind of attention. I think there are a lot of legitimate reasons why the public were so affected by this story; 1. the CCTV footage of a missing woman in the company of a strange man allowed us all to play 'detective,' 2. it happened in Brunswick, a neighbourhood which a lot of people have a personal connection to, being a popular place to go out, as well as a place where a lot of students live, 3. Her body was found, and the murderer was charged within a short space of time; so the interest had built up and then the discovery resulted in strong emotions. Just as the police raid on the Stonewall hotel that sparked the LGBT rights revolution wasn't particularly notable at the time, neither was Jill Meagher's rape and murder, but because it catalysed change, The Stonewall Riots have a place in Wikipedia. Time will tell whether the momentum generated at the time of the march builds into a movement, or becomes a distant memory.

User:doloresdaphneTalking 14:13, 26 January 2013 (UTC)  — Preceding unsigned comment added by Doloresdaphne (talkcontribs) [reply] 
  • Comment: I agree with the comments of User:doloresdaphne above. Whether we think the reasons for it are fair or equitable, the public reaction to this event (peace march, social media) was huge. The case in India that doloresdaphne refers to is the 2012 Delhi gang rape case, which has extensive coverage on wikipedia - and having occurred 16 December 2012, is more recent than this event. Format (talk) 20:30, 26 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]
Hollywood romances, babies, and their strange names get an awful lot of media coverage too. You will find mention of them hard to find in Wikipedia. HiLo48 (talk) 22:02, 26 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]
FrostyInOz (talkcontribs) has made few or no other edits outside this topic. WWGB (talk) 05:16, 27 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]

The reasons for the huge public concern are irrelevant. The fact of it is what matters. Tannin (talk) 23:31, 26 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Comment - If you have evidence to show that Jill Meagher was widely known prior to her disappearance and death, please do provide it. I've seen nothing to suggest this. Colonel Tom 00:54, 27 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]
Comment - If extensive media coverage is no longer an indicator of notability, then what on earth is? Since when did we get to decide if media coverage is "warranted" or not? Manning (talk) 03:36, 27 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]

The creepier thing about this all is that Adam Ernest Bailey will likely get a Wikipedia article written - if he hasn't already got one written already! Alvin M. (talk) 04:01, 27 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]

I hope you don't mind me guessing that you probably meant Adrian Ernest Bayley, the man charged with the rape and murder of Meagher. What makes you think he would get an article? HiLo48 (talk) 04:47, 27 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]
211.27.6.207 (talk) has made few or no other edits outside this topic. WWGB (talk) 04:56, 27 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Similar events that are not temporal and remain in Australian cultural history are Juanita Nielsen (4 July 1975), Karmein Chan (13 April 1991), Caroline Byrne (8 June 1995), Jeanette O'Keefe (2 January 2001), Siriyakorn 'Bung' Siriboon (2 June 2011) and more. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Eiger3970 (talkcontribs) 05:27, 27 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Yet 30,000 people haven't turned out on the streets of Melbourne in response to any other "everyday murder" (which with only 173 homicides in Victoria in 2011/12 would be better described as an "every second day or so murder"). The Victorian Premier has since expressed a potential to reform the law as a result of the notable scale of interest and thus potential to jeopardise the trial. It is the scale of public and government reaction to the event that makes it a significant event, and thus a topic that is notable, regardless of the occupation of the victim. Craig Rowley (talk) 07:03, 27 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]
Reply to Kelly2357. This isn't an everyday murder, which the article itself makes clear. Meanwhile, wikipedia does have substantial articles on other (non-everyday) crimes such as (to pick two I have recently edited) the Murder of Anni Dewani and the 2012 Delhi gang rape case, so I'm not sure what your point is. Format (talk) 07:11, 27 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]
Further comment: This AfD has been open for 22 days, and there's no sign of consensus for deletion. It's about time to close it, and focus on improving the article. --Chriswaterguy talk 07:18, 27 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.