In today’s Media Briefs: Terry McCrann kowtows to BHP chairman, News Corporation’s bid for complete control of BSkyB, Google tries to predict Oscar winners, Whoop Goldberg says “whoops” and more…
February, 2011
Political snippets: Are we too scared to find out?
Apparently a petition like this one calling for a ban on Muslim immigration has been tabled some 68 times in Federal Parliament.
Video of the Day: Happy birthday, Dear Leader
North Korean synchronised swimmers put on a performance in honour of Kim Jong-il’s 69th birthday.
Tips and rumours: Tips and rumours
Court makes Sensis obsolete. Re. ‘Sensis hangs up on 120 workers‘ (Tuesday, item 1). Regarding the profitability and redundancies at Sensis, indeed the viability of the business model; one significant matter was not mentioned. That is the recent court decision regarding the IP of the Sensis database. The effect of this decision is that the databases […]
Crikey Says: On multiculturalism
“Multiculturalism” — the word has become so overlaid with multiple meaning it now has virtually none at all.
Malcolm Fraser: multiculturalism hasn’t failed, only the Liberal Party
Multiculturalism is not a failed idea, says former PM Malcolm Fraser. He welcomes Labor’s re-embrace, but in this piece for Crikey he condemns his former Liberal Party for creating a climate of fear on the issue.
White Noise TV Diary
Want to know what’s on the teev tonight? Check out Crikey TV blogger Dan Barrett’s TV Diary for highlights, further reading, top rating shows and more.
Does diplomatic immunity let you get away with any crime?
Diplomatic immunity may save a US embassy worker in Pakistan from murder charges, even though the circumstances around the crime are a little foggy. In fact, the only time diplomatic immunity doesn’t work is when your own government gives you up.
Anti-government unrest rages on in Behraini
Thousands of protesters continue to take to the streets in Behraini, where a Sunni Muslim royal family have ruled the country’s largely Shia Muslim majority since the 18th century.
Introducing Google One Pass
This week Google launched One Pass, a new service enabling web readers to pay to access content published in online newspapers and magazines. What’s in it for the search engine giant? Simple: a ten percent cut.
The Punch’s new puppet
A few days after the BCA’s proposal to slash funding for the disabled to pay for the flood levy was roundly condemned, News Ltd’s The Punch publishes a vigorous defence by… well, some anonymous creation. Jeremy Sear explains.
Twitter 
How to make money on Twitter without selling your soul
Twitter can be a powerful tool for marketing products and building brand awareness. All Twitter presents advice on how to harness the powers of the tweet without annoying everybody else.
Qantas profits fly high
Qantas made an underlying profit before tax of $417 million in the half year to December 31, 2010, a 56 per cent improvement over the $267 million reported in the corresponding half in 2009, reports Ben Sandilands.
Jericho: Scott Morrison apologises? What bollocks
Yesterday the media ran the line that Scott Morrison came out and apologised for his gutter trash comments about asylum seekers’ funerals. That’s bulldust, says Greg Jericho. He only apologised for his timing.
Grattan: Morrison’s disgraceful effort
Michelle Grattan fires up over MP Scott Morrison’s non-apology for his “insensitive” comments about asylum seekers attending funerals, declaring that Abbott needs to “get back the discipline”, before the Opposition unravels completely.
Bite sized book reviews
In preparation for the Perth Writers Festival Crikey book blogger Angela Meyer read and reviewed three books including The Life and Opinions of Maf the Dog by Andrew O’Hagan.
travel Rex Hunt’s Translation Adventures
Rex Hunt’s Fishing Adventures always seemed like a fairly simple show. That is until Jay Martin was forced to translate it into Polish. How does “she’ll be off like a prawn in the sun” sound in Polish anyway?
Call for new police inquiry into Jetstar claims
The pilot union AIPA has called on the federal government to pursue an apparent attempt to interfere with the evidence two Jetstar pilots were giving to the Australian Transport Safety about a near-crash at Melbourne Airport in 2007, reports Ben Sandilands.
Wikileaks The extraordinary hypocrisy of Hillary Clinton
A speech on internet freedom by Hilary Clinton Tuesday US time contained some thoughtful observations about online communication, politics and freedom. It was also a display of remarkable hypocrisy, writes Bernard Keane.
healthcare Health reform: does it go far enough?
The Business Council of Australia have released a report that argues for a more transformative health reform agenda and process than what has been on the table to date, reports Melissa Sweet.
How to get your TV show cancelled
Creator of cult TV classic Arrested Development, Mitch Hurwitz pens a guide to creating a TV show guaranteed to get the chop. Top tips? Go for racial stereotypes, confusing storylines and a title that doesn’t explain anything.
Re. “Rejuvenating journalism in a jaded age: Ballad of a Thin Man” (15 February 2011)
Alan Sunderland, Head of Policy at ABC News, responds to an article criticising teh ABC’s coverage of COAG.
Guy Rundle: The Australian’s double standard on Julian Assange
The Australian’s love-hate relationship with Julian Assange and WikiLeaks — possibly a little more co-dependent on The Oz’s side — continues apace.
