Fairfax Media is planning to expand its online National Times opinion site into news coverage, just as News Limited’s The Australian moves its best content behind an online paywall.
Fairfax

Fairfax’s Downton Abbey downer
Fairfax Media shareholders meet in Sydney on Thursday. What they probably won’t be updated on is that Fairfax could still have been the owner of the company that makes the highly successful UK costume drama Downton Abbey, writes Glenn Dyer.
Media briefs: Brooks’ $2.6m payout … Ten’s Breakfast host … Seven to launch TV4
In today’s Media Briefs: Fairfax’s Downton Abbey downer … Former News of the World editor Rebekah Brooks given $2.6m as part of payout … Controversial NZ presenter to join Ten’s Breakfast …
Media briefs: Bachelard Jakarta bound … Qantas watch … SBS’ $4b shortfall …
In today’s Media Briefs: Bachelard to take on Jakarta … Qantas, err, Quantas … Seven to overhaul Weekend Sunrise … $4m shortfall at SBS, Youtube preps 96 channels and more …
Media briefs: 2UE and 3AW off the market … Assange backs Bolt …
In an email missive sent round to Fairfax staff today, CEO Greg Hywood explained that its radio stations 2UE and 3AW have been withdrawn from sale. Plus other media news of the day.
Simons: what the News Ltd rebranding exercise tells us
Leaving aside all the marketing gobbledygook, the significant things come under four headings in News Ltd’s rebranding document.
Media inquiry: big winner is the Press Council
The new inquiry is certainly messy in conception, and nobody really has any idea as to how it will do its work.
The logic of an inquiry into a media model under siege
The media inquiry is less an attack on freedom of speech than a search a solution to the basic problem of the newspaper model. Good luck fixing it.
Simons: media inquiry can work if politicians keep hands off content
As with so much this government does, there is still plenty of room for messing up on the planned, kind-of-but-not-quite-announced media inquiry.
Paywalls: don’t expect papers here to be in a rush
When will Australian newspapers begin the great experiment of erecting paywalls around content online? It seems it may be a little later than we thought.
Hywood’s comments at MWF offer insight into Fairfax thinking
“If you are dissatisfied with the media you are fundamentally saying you are dissatisfied with yourself,” said CEO of Fairfax Greg Hywood at the Melbourne Writers Festival on the weekend. It was a telling moment.
Crikey Says: Crikey says: confronting the market failure of our papers
The future of Australian quality journalism took a big hit last week, not that anyone seemed to notice.
Fairfax, BlueScope and Gunns should have declared much bigger losses
The biggest week of the annual reporting season is drawing to a close and some companies are hacking into their balance sheets like the GFC days.
Fairfax results: analysts question $85 mil carve out
Media analysts have queried Fairfax CEO Greg Hywood on his plan to carve out $85 million from the ailing media company’s cost base.
Media briefs: Fairfax to down keyboards… Don (Churchill)’s Party … new NotW arrest …
In today’s Media Briefs: Fairfax to strike … Don (Churchill)’s Party … Bravehearts do the white thing … Baillieu govt freezes FReeZa … Guardian loses fight for web readers even after taking out Murdoch tabloid … and more …
Rupert era effectively over … new Murdoch leader most unlikely
It would not have been possible for editors Andy Coulson and Rebekah Brooks to have both been doing their job, and to have been in ignorance about hacking and blagging.
Media briefs: Fairfax paywall review … rethinking internet freedom …
In states outside Queensland, The Australian included more details of the alleged murderer of Daniel Morcombe’s identity. Plus other media news of the day.
Media briefs: The Age black hole … Fairfax wants bloggers …
A black hole to trouble with an odd Age picture. Fairfax wants bloggers in Brisbane, the financial crisis makes concerned traders international stars and other media news.
Media briefs: ABC cuts memo … new NotW arrest … Fairfax hits record low …
The axe swung for ABC TV staff yesterday. TV head Kim Dalton breaks the bad news. Plus front page of the day and other media news from around the globe.
Media briefs: Fairfax staff to strike? … new NotW claims …
Fairfax staff on The Age and the SMH are mulling whether to hit the barricades after a Fair Work Australia ballot on Friday showed a resounding 96% of union voters supported taking industrial action. Plus other media news.
Privacy Eye: media shouldn’t fear debate on privacy laws
The federal government’s decision to initiate a debate on privacy laws has provoked some typically premature condemnation from some sections of the media, writes Michael Smith, former editor of The Age.
Media briefs: Bet on bad PR … Hywood fires back …
In today’s Media Briefs: the columnist you can’t read … Oz scoop, except for the Fin … Hywood hits back on ALP data story … Front Page of the Day … and more …
Media briefs: Life in Canberra … mag circulation wars … Murdoch on Murdoch …
In today’s Media Briefs: Melbourne property mag wars … first post News of the World Murdoch interview … Phone hacking prompts Australian debate over Murdoch’s power … and more …








