Critics of The Australian fail to understand how successfully it has become one with its readership. For the worse.
News Ltd
Tales from the Kennedy Room: the morning after the night before
Liver carnage was again on the menu last night as Kingston came alive to the bitching of hundreds of hacks and advisers commiserating their poor life choices.
Convergence Report lands, but media groups just couldn’t wait
Even before they could be sure of precisely what it contained, many of those who claim to speak for the press in Australia were lining up to damn the Convergence Review released today, writes David Salter.
News Ltd restructure … in seven-day newsroom, the world is their roster
Some of the first journalists affected by News Limited’s national newspaper restructure say they feel “like mushrooms” because they have not been told how the changes will affect them.
How Australia’s media giants put the squeeze on freelance journos
Freelance journalists are still being told to sign dodgy contracts nearly two years after the journalists’ union won the right to represent them in collective bargaining negotiations
The West goes one-out on self regulation — more to follow?
The announcement late last week by the owners of The West Australian that they will resign their membership of the Australian Press Council has interesting ramifications, writes David Salter, veteran journalist and former Media Watch EP.
Time for Fairfax to bite the bullet on News collaboration
Fairfax and News Ltd should not be collaborating in a five-minutes-to-midnight attempt to boost the Australian Press Council in order to fend off Ray Finkelstein’s call for a statutory regulator.
Media regulation — the earth moves for News Ltd
After a fortnight of frothing about how the Finkelstein report is the greatest threat to press freedom since Stalin was a boy, is News Limited quietly preparing for a more moderate position? asks David Salter, a veteran journalist and broadcaster
Simons: how the Fink nailed the media inquiry
You will find it difficult to get an idea of what the Finkelstein report on news media regulation actually says, or why it has reached its controversial conclusions, from reading the mainstream media.
News Limited ‘in crisis’ on newspaper home delivery
There is a crisis gripping News Limited on the future of newspaper home delivery in Australia, writes newsagent Mark Fletcher on the Australian Newsagency Blog.
Rundle: to hell with The Sun, let it rot
Having debased the profession, News now demands solidarity from the media in the name of free speech. Let it rot, writes Guy Rundle from London. The UK would be better for it.
More questions than answers around Lachlan Murdoch’s interests
When it comes to influencing News Ltd, Lachlan has been known to complain directly to The Australian’s editor-in-chief Chris Mitchell about media coverage related to him and Network Ten.
Latest circulation figures: read all about it … or not
The latest 2011 circulation figures indicate that it was a mixed-to-good December quarter for some titles, an average half-year for others and another miserable 12 months for the majority of newspapers and magazines.
Tweeting Rupert skips earnings grilling from analysts, hacks
For the second straight quarter, News Corp’s executive chairman and controlling shareholder Rupert skipped the quarterly earnings call with analysts and journalists this morning.
Bolt, Day reveal why ACMA should move on Lachlan Murdoch
Perhaps the most striking recent example of Australia’s supine cross-media ownership laws was the decision by ACMA to allow Lachlan Murdoch to remain as a director of News Corp while clearly influencing Network Ten.
Business Spectator, Eureka Report for sale: the leaked profit figures
Leaked information from the information memorandum issued as part of the Business Spectator and Eureka Report sale process reveals profitability has gone backwards.
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.
Whittaker in the firing line at News Limited
The editor of The Daily Telegraph, the controversial Paul Whittaker, is in the firing line at News Limited as the new CEO, Kim Williams, introduces a top-to-toe renovation.
Complaints to Press Council double — so will it beef up?
Those who are inclined to write off the Press Council might be given pause by the fact that the number of complaints it receives has doubled since October.
Latham says Tele breached his privacy, but editor unapologetic
Mark Latham has re-engaged in his slanging match with News Limited after what he calls “premeditated” attack by The Sunday Telegraph that framed him as an elderly women hater.
Electric finish to top year of partisan journalism from The Tele
More propaganda from The Daily Telegraph — this time on electricity efficiency. Let’s dissect a particularly blatant example.
Stewart grilled over sources in Artz case, but won’t have a bar of it
Amid a torrid exchange between The Australian’s Cameron Stewart and Bill Stuart, for Artz, Stuart repeatedly pressed the journalist to broadly disclose his sources among Australia’s key counter-terrorism agencies.
Media power shifts: watch for a Stokes move on Fairfax
Control of Fairfax Media’s sprawling newspaper, online and radio operations is suddenly available for as little as $500 million.
JB Fairfax, flick go the shares, while masthead editors in power struggle
The internal machinations at Fairfax and News Limited surely tell us that we live in an age where the newspaper business is increasingly devoid of sentiment.
