In one corner, Foxtel chief Kim Williams arguing for de-regulation of the TV industry. In the other corner, ABC’s Kim Dalton. The umpire? Stephen Conroy.
Articles by Margaret Simons 
Journalists adrift: the reporting of Black Saturday
Journalists covering the Black Saturday bushfires lacked ethical guidelines, and were left to find their own way through the dilemmas and traumas of reporting Australia’s worst peace-time disaster, according to a new study.
Crikey editor moves to ABC Online
The editor of Crikey, Jonathan Green, has resigned to take up a new post with the ABC. Inside sources say he will be sorely missed.
Fairfax a ‘laughing stock’ over Evans conflict
It took two years for the Fairfax Board to realise that David Evans, one of its members, was in breach of the law by being a director of both Fairfax Media and Village Roadshow. Just another example of poor governance at Fairfax?
Crikey costs trimmed, but not the attitude
The contributor budget has been cut here at Crikey, leading some to fear the publication will be run with a harder commercial edge following recent changes in ownership and management.
There may still be twists in the Fairfax tale
The Fairfax AGM tomorrow may not be quite the cakewalk the board has been at such pains to orchestrate.
Simons: Highlights and lowlights of Media 140
Margaret Simons gives the lowdown on the busy Twitter obsessed Media 140 conference.
A new front in the battle for Fairfax
The battle for the Fairfax Media just became even more interesting with today’s revelation that the industry regulator, ACMA, is conducting a review of independent director David Evans.
A growth story? What the candidates for Fairfax told ACSI
If there is a growth and a renewal story for Fairfax, it needs to be found soon. The Board has made it clear it wants to recruit media experience. Where will it turn?
Keating on the stairs: beating or beat up?
Insiders say a Sunday Telegraph alleging Paul Keating’s daughter kicked and threatened to kill one of its photographers was at best a beat-up, and at-worst a total fabrication.
The Press Council enters its Disney era
The funding of the Australian Press Council has been under debate lately, and the incoming head, Julian Disney, says the body needs secure and long-term funding.
Chairman of Australian Press Council calls for accountability
Ken McKinnon, the departing boss of the Press Council, is criticising the media for failing to live up to its own rhetoric on ethics, privacy and independence. Namely, the Utegate scandal and fake Pauline Hanson nude photos.
Auntie gives Rupert a helping hand with Punch
Anyone watching the media over the past week might have been tempted to think that there was a war going on between News Limited and the ABC. Except, there is a big gap between rhetoric and reality.
Online pay battle: there’s no such thing a such a free …
News Limited have returned fire to Mark Scott’s speech last week about the future of paywalls. How will Rupert Murdoch’s paywall system work?
Your ABC and their News Limited: the media’s empire games
A speech last night by ABC chief Mark Scott was a pre-emptive strike in what will be the main media battle of the first quarter of this century — between paid content and public broadcasting.
Fairfax board: what happened to the other three candidates?
The papers are full of news and views about the elevation of Roger Corbett as chairman of the Fairfax Media Board. But what has happened to the three candidates who have already nominated?
Court reporting in 140 character tweets
A new method of live court reporting is being pioneered at the Federal Court in Sydney — by Tweeps. Journos are tweeting court news, which lawyers, judges and officials are following. Where will the courts draw the line?
Rupert the Sun King’s moral posture takes on a slouch
Over the weekend, Rupert Murdoch used some nasty language at the so-called World Media Summit in Beijing to slag off the likes of Google and Yahoo, describing them as content “kleptomaniacs” because they aggregate News Corporation’s content.
ABC staff have to suck it up under new complaints system
ABC staff have been told they will have to develop “thicker skins” under a new system for handling complaints, which lays a heavy emphasis on encouraging audience members to make their gripes public.
Trading Post’s last days a sign of things to come
The Trading Post will end its print run at the end of this month — the internet simply does classified ads better. But while advertising can now exist happily without any editorial content, can journalism survive without the ads?
McManus out as Herald Sun ’streamlines’ its politics
Herald Sun political reporter, Gerard McManus, has left News Limited amid mutterings of discontent in the Canberra Press Gallery, with their political coverage being “streamlined”. Or, downgraded.
Travelling through Rural Press country
Sometimes you can see the nature of organisations more clearly from the periphery than from the heart — although, of course, rural NSW is the heart of the old, pre-Fairfax Rural Press. And unfortunately, the regional papers aren’t looking too crash hot.
Is Ron Walker developing a Citizen Kane swagger?
Fairfax chairman Ron Walker seems to be developing a bit of a swagger — almost as though he were a proprietor. Witness the cars, the drivers, the general display of grace under pressure.
New blood jostles for Fairfax control
Was there ever a company more clearly in need of fresh talent than Fairfax Media? Sadly, the Fairfax board is better at perpetuating itself than reinventing and reinvigorating.
