Apocalyptic claims and counter-claims have typified the climate change policy debate in Australia, leaving the public confused and mistrustful. Often, the news media hasn’t always helped clear up that…
- Professor of Journalism, Media and Communication, Queensland University of Technology
We end the week with two very different stories of journalists on trial, from two very different jurisdictions. Today in London the former editor of the News Of The World, and ex-communications director…
Due to Australia’s small population and high concentration of few media voices, public broadcasters play a pivotal role in shaping the media ecosystem and cultural landscape. With the ABC and SBS under…
Alain de Botton divides opinion. Currently in Australia promoting his book on News: a User’s Manual, he succeeded in insulting residents of Brisbane by describing it as ‘ugly’ (a judgement which, as an…
After nearly nine years down under doing his own thing with Illyria, Network Ten and Nova, Lachlan Murdoch’s return to the family business as non-executive co-chairman of News Corp and 21st Century Fox…
The Abbott government is preparing to cut funding to the ABC. The end of the Australia Network in its present form is one saving already flagged by communications minister Malcolm Turnbull. And while the…
The publication of an independent audit of ABC journalistic bias is good news for the corporation. In the face of an ongoing campaign of vilification from many in the commercial media sector, and the likelihood…
It is nearly seven years since a little blonde-haired British girl named Madeleine McCann disappeared from her bedroom in a holiday resort in Portugal. Madeleine, if she is alive, would be ten years old…
The Sunday Times of London reports on the rapid rise of measles around the world since the 1998 controversy provoked by Dr Andrew Wakefield’s research on the link between the MMR vaccine and autism. We…
The still unfolding saga of Woody Allen and his alleged abuse of his stepdaughter Dylan is, at the very least, a sad tale of family dysfunction. At worst, it’s yet another chapter in a seemingly endless…
Not for the first time, and surely not for the last in this parliament, the prime minister attacks the ABC, this time for its alleged lack of patriotism. We can assume that he is softening up the Australian…
In January 2012, News Corp CEO Rupert Murdoch tweeted in favor of internet censorship of sexually explicit material. ‘Nonsense argument about danger to Internet’, he scoffed at the anti-censorship lobby…
James Spigelman mounted a stout defence of the ABC at the Press Club the other day, with three important arguments. First, the ABC is very good value for your tax dollar, by comparison with the cost of…
The current stoush between the ABC and the government sees two competing perspectives on the role of public service media in play. The Coalition, on the one hand, regards the ABC as duty bound to serve…
The announcement by the UK-based Daily Mail that it will launch an online-only Australian version from 2014 confirms we are now in a period of radical restructuring of the Australian news media. And it…
The future of news in Australia is in good hands. Last night’s Walkley Awards in Brisbane showcased the very best of Australian journalism, and highlighted in particular the depth of female talent now…
The winners of this year’s Walkley Awards for Excellence in Journalism will be announced in Brisbane tonight. For the first time, the 2013 awards include prizes for Multimedia Storytelling and Podcast…
The strange and terrible saga of the crack-smoking, prostitute-frequenting, staffer-pussy eating, gangsta-befriending mayor of Toronto, Rob Ford, is almost too bizarre to believe. Not only that such a…
The Coalition government has been taking flak for its minimalist approach to media relations since taking office. Concerns have been expressed about the virtual media blackout surrounding the arrival and…
As Rebekah Brooks and Andy Coulson – former editors of the UK Sun and News of the World respectively – were taking their places in the dock of an English courtroom last week, Rupert Murdoch stood up to…
Lisa Wilkinson took the opportunity of her Andrew Olle Lecture to reflect on the position of women in the Australian media. An appropriate focus, considering she’s only the second woman to deliver this…
Last week’s invitation by the Sydney Morning Herald to its readers to sift through MP expenses claims in search of newsworthy stories provoked handwringing from those who fear the continuing decline of…
Former editorial director of News Corp in Queensland David Fagan expressed both optimism and realism about the future of journalism in Australia when he addressed an audience of academics at Queensland…
In his first major speech since his sudden resignation last month as News Corp Australia’s chief executive, Kim Williams had the packed Grand Ballroom at Brisbane’s Hilton hotel abuzz with speculation…
In one sense, the Australian media did a good job under difficult circumstances in this election. The difficult part was how predictable the campaign was and the increasing inevitability of the outcome…
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