Only three programs above a million viewers, all on Seven and all before 7.30pm — that tells us just how weak the night was for viewers.
September, 2011
Political snippets: The market says Gillard’s going
The Crikey Labor Leadership indicator has the Prime Minister’s chances of being in the job at the time of the next election as less than a third.
Video of the Day: Rick Perry’s official campaign video
The first third is directed like a slick indie horror film and the remainder like a sickeningly cheesy American action epic. Presenting the official Rick Perry Presidential campaign video.
Tips and rumours: Tips and rumours
Council’s media crackdown over floods. Is Lockyer Council shutting down debate over its handling of the Queensland flood crisis? One Crikey reader pointed us to this resolution in the August 23 council meeting minutes: Crikey understands Mayor Steve Jones is particularly sensitive over criticism and worried about his own liability over flood claims. Will the council […]
Crikey Says: A new not-so-little internet
Facebook just got scarier. Wired writes of the social networking site’s new “Open Graph” protocol today: “It’s an initiative that will unleash new waves of applications on Facebook that will greatly enhance the power of the service — already a major part of people’s lives — by adding a limitless stream of lifestyle data that people can use to […]
How Google affects your memory
Google makes “remembering” information all too easy. How is it changing the way we think and remember? This infographic from Social Times has some answers.
Ahmadinejad, in his own words
In his only print interview on his visit to the UN General Assembly, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad expended considerable effort to be friendly and cordial with the NYT’s Nicholas D. Kristof but inevitably had to field some prickly questions.
My Cup Of Tea: Arts policy converging into a government hash
Government arts policy is a hash. The now its Convergence Review — which is posing serious questions about the future shape of cultural policy — is making the National Cultural Policy irrelevant.
The Xenophon disclosure and a brief history of parliamentary privilege
History provides many reasons why Nick Xenophon’s decision to use parliamentary privilege to name an alleged rapist should not be applauded, writes Helen Pringle.
Changes to Facebook: all ye need to know
A scrapbook of your life, fundamental changes to Facebook’s famous “like” button and a raft of new partnerships with media companies are among the changes about to hit Facebook, writes Chris Taylor.
film reviews 
The Cave of Forgotten Dreams — eerily beautiful
The title might sound like pretentious gobbledgook, but there is no doubting the fascinating uniqueness of filmmaker Werner Herzog’s quasi-mystical archeological documentary, writes Luke Buckmaster.
Roger that: it’s a grand slam win for all
Like most live sporting events, grand slam tennis is shaped to a large degree by the character of the crowd. Writing from the US Open, tennis buff Julie Zhou reports on the joy of watching her third “Roger (Federer) slam.”
Guy Rundle: The Oz can’t leave the Manne essay alone
For a paper that has declared “the subject closed”, The Australian really can’t leave Robert Manne’s “Bad News” essay alone. To say there has been a degree of score settling is something of an understatement.
World markets in freefall
Crikey media wrap: Investors are panicking, with world markets in freefall after a gloomy Federal Reserve outlook yesterday renewed fears of a global recession.
Daily Proposition: Happy as a pig in …
The ever-reliable Chateau Tahbilk Shiraz made a perfect accompaniment to a home-made pork terrine for a beautiful Sunday lunch.
Cracks in the strange creation of Queensland’s Liberal National Party
There was always something strange about the combination of the Queensland Liberal and National parties into a single Liberal National Party. Bob Katter may have rained on Campbell Newman’s parade, writes Richard Farmer.
podcast Canberra Calling: The stopping the boats podcast
Crikey’s Canberra correspondent Bernard Keane and Crikey editor Sophie Black discuss the Opposition’s refusal to support the government’s offshore processing amendments.
Mayne: Foster’s sale sad but unavoidable
There is a degree of sadness in the takeover of Foster’s, which will strip the ASX of one of its most storied top 20 companies. But they had it coming.
News Australia made its (trade)mark in June
News Limited registered the trademark “News Australia” and a revamped logo in June this year, suggesting the media giant’s plans have been months in the making and casting doubt on a spokesperson’s claims its rebranding was “speculative”.
Sophie Mirabella set for Supreme Court stoush
A Supreme Court encounter is brewing between high-flying federal Liberal front-bencher Sophie Mirabella and the children of her close friend, deceased distinguished law professor Dr Colin Howard QC, over the proceeds of Howard’s estate.
Hockey hunts for class on the Swan gong
Joe Hockey’s attack on Swan over the Euromoney award was not just graceless but missed an opportunity.
Guy Rundle: Assange denounces publication of ‘unauthorised bio’
WikiLeaks leader Julian Assange’s much-talked of book is being released in Britain today, following a sudden announcement from publishers Canongate.
