The News of the World scandal that has embroiled the Murdoch family is almost Shakespearean. Likewise, the writing about the scandal has been, at times, Shakespearean. Except maybe when they get Shakespeare wrong. Plus, other media news.
July, 2011
Political snippets: Sacrebleu! The French repeal female pants ban!
The equal rights for women campaign has reached a new level in France.
Video of the Day: A cupper with Kevin Rudd’s pets
As part of a competition run by Twinings, Kevin Rudd has created his own tea blend (“brisk and lively”, apparently, much like the man himself). But with Alan Jones breathing down his neck, the foreign minister has recruited Jasper and Abby to push up the approval ratings …
Tips and rumours: Tips and rumours
Insulting chat on intervention. Jenny Macklin says the consultations with indigenous people in the Northern Territory about the future beyond intervention are going well. But her bureaucrats managed to insult some community members, according to one source: “Take the meeting that happened at Utopia on Tuesday, which was shut down after Rosalie Kunoth-Monks vehemently voiced her […]
Crikey Says: Crikey says: an unhappy news twilight
The world is indeed in chaos. Sorry, Ben’s girlfriend.
Vale Rob Chalmers, after 60 years in the gallery
The only Australian journalist to cover 28 federal election campaigns, Rob Chalmers, passed away overnight. Alan Ramsey pays tribute to a man who spent six decades reporting on Australian politics.
travel 
Swimming across Texas: big state in a hot summer
To really experience Texas, you have to drive across it without air-conditioning in the middle of July. No, not really. But that’s what Tammi Jonas did with her family.
Day 6 of MIFF: one clever chimp, Israeli dramedy, tabloid shenanigans and hipster futurism
It’s Day 6 of the Melbourne International Film Festival and the tired and bedraggled state of Crikey blogger Luke Buckmaster caused an embarrassing encounter in one cinema foyer.
film reviews Project Nim: chimpan-cin-ema
Documentarian James Marsh homes in on another fascinating subject in this cradle-to-the-grave, nature-versus-nurture doco Project Nim, about a chimp raised to be a human. Luke Buckmaster gives it the thumbs-up.
iPlayer commences international rollout
While a Connected TV offering is still some years away for foreign markets, a taste of what such a future offers is evident with the launch of the iPlayer app for the iPad, writes Dan Barrett.
PHOTO GALLERY 
Norway mourns and remembers
A look at life in Norway in the five days since a massacre that killed 68 people rocked the small country. Roses have been taken on by Norway locals as an mourning floral emblem of sorts.
White House attempts a Rickroll
The official White House twitter account replied to a tweet complaining about how boring the latest White House briefing on fiscal policy was, with a link straight to Rick Astley’s classic.
Rage is an effective emotion for allaying the sensation of terror
Shakira Hussein braced herself for the backlash of hearing a Muslim name in regards to the Norway massacre gunman. But that doesn’t mean she breathed easy or gloated — as others have suggested — when learning he was a right-wing Christian.
A special message for Qantaslink Q400 flyers
The Flight Safety Foundation has drawn attention to the following urgent airworthiness directive issued to operators of the planes widely used in Australia by Qantaslink for many services, reports Ben Sandilands.
album reviews Beastie Boys Hot Sauce Committee Part Two
Remember the Beastie Boys? Those three dudes from New York with a “we just make shit up as we go along” attitude. Ruby Krupka reviews their latest album, calling it “disappointing” and “pretentious” compared to their earlier work.
A survivor’s account of the Norway massacre
Eighteen-year-old Emma Martinovic describes in chilling detail her experience on Utøya Island last weekend, from sending text messages to friends trying to figure out where the gunman was to swimming away as he shot at her.
Jetstar defends slave labour conditions
ABC TV Lateline investigation of Jetstar labor arrangements on ‘tag’ services — including 20 hour shifts and slave labour rates — raises some severe safety concerns for Australian travellers, writes Ben Sandilands.
The quality journalism project
Crikey’s quality journalism project will pick the brains of some of Australia’s most respected journalists, editors and producers to find out what great journalism means to them and where they go to get it. First up, the Fin Review’s Laura Tingle.
Guy Rundle: Rundle: Breivik’s killings were a mass political assassination
The dozens of young people who were slaughtered on that island were not killed randomly, walking into the wrong McDonald’s, or coming down a high-school corridor. They were killed because of their political beliefs.
Blair, Murdoch and the Iraq war — a study of power
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s first comments about Murdoch yesterday were quite pathetic. If David Cameron is being subjected to enormous scrutiny over his dealings with Murdoch then so should Blair, Gordon Brown and John Major.
Churchill’s Age departure leaves door open for other moves
Don Churchill, chief executive and publisher of Fairfax in Melbourne, yesterday afternoon announced his retirement, following a management meeting in Sydney last Monday.
Regurgitating rubbish facts on carbon price effects
It isn’t just dodgy industry claims about the carbon price that circulate through the media.
Tracking the new journey for asylum seekers via Malaysia
What does an asylum seeker face on entering Australian waters under Australia’s new processing deal with Malaysia? Based on the policy detail and anecdotes from advocates and journalists, Crikey tracks the journey.
