A 14-year-old girl disclosed live on air this morning that she was raped at the age of 12, during 2Day FM’s Kyle and Jackie O breakfast show.
July, 2009
Media briefs: A model launch for Abbott, Channel Nine’s coulda-shoulda-wouldas
Making media news today: Student journos off to war zone … Sarah O’Hare launches Tony Abbott’s Battlelines … LA Times photo fakeries?
Fitzgerald’s outburst is over the top
Tony Fitzgerald, the man who 20 years ago led the inquiry into Queensland’s government corruption, isn’t interested in shades of grey. No wonder former Premier Peter Beattie hit back today against his anniversary speech.
Morning Market Report: Market up and cautiously optimistic
Market is up 10, after being down 29 at one stage. The Dow closed down 11 overnight.
Davis: Cutting to keep Melbourne University sound
The University remains in the black, but must slow future increases in spending to ensure its long-term viability is not compromised, writes Glyn Davis, the University’s Vice Chancellor, in an email to staff.
Excerpts from Battlelines by Tony Abbott (as told to Walter Slurry)
The Liberal Party’s man of God and the people, Tony Abbott, has blessed Australia with his memoirs. Here, Walter Slurry, the man behind Not the Costello Memoirs brings us the best bits. Tony on WorkChoices, Julia and Faith.
Gawker Media empire a “lean, mean money-making machine”
Nick Denton, the king of the Gawker Media empire (responsible for sites like Gawker, Gizmodo and LifeHacker) says business is booming, despite the slim-picking elsewhere in the media, with 45% revenue growth in the first quarter.
Another “viral” marketing stunt results in red faces
Marketers for a new movie paid a high school valedictorian $1800 to plug the flick in her graduation speech, hoping the footage would go viral on YouTube. It didn’t, the movie bombed, everyone snickered at the lame PR stunt.
The fight for people’s attention online heats up
The time consumers (well American ones at least) spend online is flattening off. And that is an issue for media companies and marketers alike. Is it going to get tougher and tougher to fight for eyeballs?
Reduce, reuse, recycle: women’s mag déjà vu
Ever browse a woman’s mag and get that distinct feeling you’ve read it all before? You probably have. Jezebel lifts the lid on how glossy editors devise fill-in-the-blank articles on the same formulaic stereotypes and cliches to farm out to writers, again and again.
The internet isn’t killing newspapers, greedy journalists are
Online publications paying disproportionately high journalist salaries are the reason newspapers are dying off, says tech reporter Michael Hickens — and we’re not even worth it.
Would teen voters help the Greens?
When the ALP floated the idea of allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to vote, many Greens were in favour (while many Libs opposed it). Is this because they’d benefit? A cynical Possum investigates.
Why music magazines are dying
Slate explain why one-great music rags like Rolling Stone and Spin are now tanking: the internet has made them dated and obsolete.
Oh dad! Stupid fathers in ads, a history
“In ads dads are always dumb jocks”, says MSNBC. Here is a video tribute to some of the daftest patriarchs on commercials.
Apple: secretly for chicks?
Apple’s effortlessly cool and easy-to-use products aren’t just coveted by gadget geeks and tech heads — the ladies love them too. Could Apple be the world’s most discreetly feminine brand? Bridget Brennan makes the case.
When robots attack
A Swedish factory has been fined after a worker was attacked by one of its manufacturing robots which “suddenly came to life” and grabbed hold of his head.
Plus-size TV programming the latest fad diet
TV networks have suddenly discovered that “fat sells” and are flaunting it with shows like Dance Your Ass Off and More to Love. But what does it actually mean for larger women’s empowerment? asks Kate Harding.
Doctors criticise Rudd’s hospital tours
Doctors are too busy to play tour guides for Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s hospital tours and they’re coming out in complaint at Rudd’s lack of understanding of the depth of the hospital funding crisis.
YouTube wedding: the way of the future
You know that amazing YouTube video with the couple dancing down the aisle that has been everywhere this week? In a world of tulle-puffy dress-cupcake toppers weddings it stood apart.
Creating a font on four wheels
Graphic designers Pierre Smeets and Damien Aresta teamed up with professional race car driver Stef van Campenhoudt to create a font.
Rudd is boring but we like him anyway
Yes, PM Kevin Rudd is boring for journalists. But Australians don’t want entertaining, scandalous politicians right now and Rudd’s stableness is serving them well, writes David Penberthy.
Video of the Day: William Shatner reads Sarah Palin’s farewell speech
“Master thespian” William Shatner reads Sarah Palin’s resignation speech as it was truly intended to be performed: as a beat poem.
Sarkozy, the self-hating Frenchman
He jogs, he diets, he’s actually jealous of Britain and he … doesn’t drink wine. Sacre bleu, is President Nicolas Sarkozy even French? asks Hugo Rifkind.
Denticare slammed by private insurers
Denticare — the proposed $3.7 billion plan for a universal dental health scheme — is coming under fire even by those who are likely to reap the cash benefits: private insurers, writes Adam Cresswell.
