Heather Mills, the editor of the Daily Mail and a PR veteran all fronted up to the Levenson Inquiry on its 40th day of investigating phone hacking at the now-defunct News of the World tabloid.
Media / Journalism
It’s Groundhog Dog in Oz politics
Just as Punxsutawney Phil’s shadow is seen as a sign of how long winter will last, Labor ministers — and especially the media — religiously analyse Julia Gillard’s shadow to try and determine the length of her tenure, writes Mr Denmore.
Simons: Liu case tests assertion journos should never reveal sources
Are there any circumstances under which journalists should reveal their sources? The instinct in the profession is “no”.
New Kid on the Block: Journalist Complaints? Get it off your chest
Journalist Complaints, launched just weeks ago, is an example of citizens taking the monitoring of the media into their own hands, in the absence of an effective regulator.
New Kid on The Block: the enthusiasm of The Enthusiast
The story of bright indy publication The Enthusiast is sobering for those who embrace the possibilities of new media.
The waters of Data Pool 3 may yet swallow Rupert himself
The scandal that continues to swell around Rupert Murdoch’s media empire in the United Kingdom features all the trappings of a flood that keeps breaking through hastily built barriers to wreak new inundations, writes David Ritter from London.
Scientists need to back off and let journos do their job
Scientists often complain about the bad rap they get in the media. But there’s good reasons that journalists report science stories in the way they do. Ananyo Bhattacharya from Nature magazine outlines nine of them.
News Ltd moves: Williams’ ‘strong response’ to protect Whittaker
The material concerning Paul Whittaker came to me from a person who would normally be referred to as an impeccable source.
News settles phone-hacking payouts, but story still has legs
Any hope that paying out big money will help end the trouble is surely misplaced.
Kiwi pointers on how to define news media, beef up regulation
The New Zealand Law Commission recently released an issues paper that elegantly deals with the very same issues the Finkelstein inquiry is considering in Australia, including how to define “news media” in the internet age, and what a beefed up regulation system might look like.
The chilling price of a catchy headline
Earlier this month The Herald Sun went to town on a Melbourne social worker who stabbed himself to gain street cred. This week he was found dead in his car from an apparent drug overdose, writes Mike Stuchbery.
Drinking the blood of lesbian vampire killer link bait
A News Ltd story about a woman released on parole this week after 21 years for slaying and apparently drinking the blood of a council worker in 1989 goes far beyond iffy reporting, writes Jeremy Sear.
NYT debate: what would it cost to end he-said-she-said journalism?
The New York Times has raised the issue of he-said-she-said journalism. It should be discussed here, too, but it’s more complicated than media critics think.
Mark Latham’s Tele complaint to the Press Council
Today Crikey reproduces Mark Latham’s complaint to the Press COuncil.
Sandalgate: and the most gratuitous media reference is …
Today Crikey bestows an old pair of sandals as an award for the most gratuitous media reference to personal appearance.
The SMH leads the way on climate change
Australia was an exception to the downward trend in international media coverage of climate events during 2011. The Sydney Morning Herald led the way, fuelled by stories from journalists such as Lenore Taylor and Adam Morton, reports Richard Farmer.
Australia’s climate change ‘debate’ a fact-free brawl c/o Murdoch media
Gutter press, shock tactics, spin and misinformation characterize the ‘debate’ about climate change in many of Rupert Murdoch’s newspapers including its flagship, The Australian, writes Stephan Lewandowsky.
House price experts off key on the new reality
Not everyone appears to have quite caught up with the new reality facing Australian property investors.
Brian Greig: oh Bettina, you Arndt telling the truth!
Social commentator Bettina Arndt earnestly told readers in The Australian that prejudice can make life miserable for children with same-s-x parents, writes Brian Greig, former Democrats senator and gay rights campaigner.
Rundle's ruminations: The war decade, the Enlightenment armed, and 101 uses for a dead Hitchens
Christopher Hitchens was a well-known journalist, based in the US, and quite the bon vivant, or so I hear! He died last week. Perhaps some of you knew this already.
Vale to the witty and wise Christopher Hitchens
Essayist and thinker Christopher Hitchens died last Friday after a public battle with cancer. George Eaton pays tribute to Hitchens’ political views, his take on religion and his glorious hedonistic life.
The Age raid: just who is the victim and what is the crime?
There are several significant things about this week’s police raid of The Age headquarters. First, it demonstrates one of the several weaknesses in shield laws.
Convergence review: time to regulate the internet
The Convergence Review has unveiled the most dramatic proposals to regulate the internet seen in Australia for years. If implemented, the proposals would represent a dramatic increase in protectionism.
The quality journalism project: SBS anchorman Anton Enus
SBS might be a small player in the Australian television game, but it regularly produces top-notch journalism, particularly in international affairs. South African-born Anton Enus is one of its most recognisable faces.
The Canberra reshuffle … at Fairfax
Stressed Fairfax hacks holed up in the warrens of Parliament House are dreading their return from holidays in January when they will be confronted with a new tri-masthead “Canberra bureau” dreamt up by new national managing editor Mark Baker.
