It’s a question that’s been asked by every online news content provider: can internet advertising alone sustain a workable business model? The case of UK’s Daily Mail seems to suggest the answer is “yes.”
July, 2010
Dr Pepper prescribes porn on Facebook
A viral campaign for Dr Pepper went bizarrely wrong when a 14-year-old girl’s Facebook status was changed to a porn movie reference, curtsey of Coca-Cola’s marketing department. The offending campaign has been pulled.
Economic recession a laughing matter
To help people through economic recession, laughter is always what the doctor ordered and the worse it gets, the more we need to cack ourselves. One Boston club is capitalising on the comedy boom by offering unemployed punters free entry.
The Kindle is alive and well
If you thought Apple’s iPad had seized control of the e-reader industry and obliterated the competition, think again. The Kindle is far from dead. According to new figures from Amazon, the digital reading device is actually more popular than ever.
Election tracker: Day 2 – Gillard in north Queensland, Brown in Hobart & Abbott hits Melbourne
It’s day three of the campaign (or should that be day 4?) and the pollies are already clocking up the frequent flyer miles. Julia Gillard has racked up 3,742 km in the race so far (as the crow flies), while Tony Abbott has notched up a relatively paltry 1,421 km.
Mel’s true colours rear their ugly heads
Mel Gibson has long been known for his fine physical features and, more recently, his controversial outbursts. What is the best way to navigate the extremely awkward situation created when an attractive man says such horrible things, asks Lindy West.
Green deals don’t help a sustainable population
Daily Media Wrap: It’s still early days in the campaign but backroom deals with the Greens and the ALP have already been made, the boat people issue is sinking votes for both parties and Queensland is the hot political state.
Washington changes tune on talks with Taliban
The official line from the White House is that America does not negotiate with the Taliban. Behind the scenes, however, attitudes are shifting and the Obama administration are exploring options to negotiate through third parties.
Keane: dead and buried, but the Work Choices zombie dogs Abbott
WorkChoices won’t cost the Liberal Party the 2010 election in the way it did the 2007 election, but it won’t help their decreasing chances of pulling off an improbable victory, writes Bernard Keane.
The front pages: budgie smugglers, boat people and nappy bums
A snapshot of what’s making headlines across the nation’s newspapers this morning.
Can Republicans take control of the senate?
Just two years after the Democrats held a commanding 60 seat majority, party members now concede that the Republicans have a shot at winning back the senate during this year’s elections.
Keane’s Talking Points: Liberals get off to a shocker of a start
The Liberals have got off to a shocker of a start. But that means only one thing – things will get better. And still over four weeks to go.
Is Chávez plotting to control food and beer?
Outspoken Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez may be planning to wrest control of the country’s largest food supplier, publicly warning the company that he isn’t afraid of nationalisation. Critics say such plan could be disastrous.
Delusion and crisis rife in Aussie politics
It started with the Prime Minister who lost his seat and his government, then came the following act: the Prime Minister who got kicked out of the job. In these extraordinary times, we now have a PM and an Opposition Leader selected for mainly internal reasons.
Just entitlements or a ticket on board the gravy train?
Almost two dozens MPs are retiring at this year’s election, in turn receiving pension entitlements collectively totaling around $18 million. Have our pollies secured their tickets on board the gravy train express?
The Abbott and Costello Show
Peter Costello dabbled in stand-up at yesterday’s Australia-Israel Chamber of Commerce lunch, boosting election campaign laugh factor by impersonating Julia Gillard in “moving forward” mode. Subdued, Abbott played the straight guy.
Savva: Less sloganeering, more petticoat
Julia Gillard is becoming quite adept at the age old political craft of telling voters what they want to hear. But what lies underneath the facade? It’s time for the PM to show us her petticoat, writes Niki Savva.
Climate policies just a puff of hot air
It is no wonder that the ALP are chasing Green preferences in the upcoming election, given that the Greens are the only party to grasp the significance of international movements toward low carbon economies, writes Giles Parkinson.
No fork in the road – just a knife in the back
This election is aa battle for legitimacy between a prime minister without a mandate and an opposition leader who, until recently, was believed to be unelectable even by his own party, writes Michael Gawenda.
We’re selling performers short by skimping on previews
A Broadway show will run preview performances for a month before opening itself up to critics. Australian shows are rushed to opening night, leaving unrehearsed performers exposed, says Les Solomon.
‘Chief rat’ Waldron could sue over News Storm attacks
Former Melbourne Storm CEO Brian Waldron is closely examining his legal options in the wake of an extraordinary attack launched by News Limited chief John Hartigan through his tabloids over the Storm’s salary cap rorts last week.
Political snippets: Mental health on the agenda? Not likely
A survey of the mental health of young people shows that one in four Australians aged 16–24 years had a mental disorder in 2007. Plus, the changing glacier and other political snippets.
Essential: Gillard thrashing Abbott as preferred PM
Labor holds a healthy lead in the latest Essential poll and Julia Gillard begins the campaign with a huge advantage over her rival Tony Abbott, while the two party preferred is 55-45 to the ALP.
