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Opinion | Features
Whose views skew the news? Media chiefs ready to vote out Labor, while reporters lean left
Most journalists lean left-of-centre, says Folker Hanusch of the University of the Sunshine Coast, in a post first published on The Conversation.Most Australian journalists describe themselves as left-wing, yet amongst those who wield the real power in the country’s newsrooms, the Coalition holds a winning lead.
But while the media’s political leanings will no doubt be debated in the lead-up to September’s federal election, our study has also found other largely unscrutinised biases remain – particularly whose views disproportionately shape the news.
It's time for a new New Wave in the film world
Government funding bodies are lazy and decadent, says industry veteran Michael Thornhill but in a piece that first appeared in Encore, Ed Gibbs begs to differ.I vividly remember the time I first saw Animal Kingdom, David Michod’s breathtaking labour-of-love feature debut. The press screening was half empty, despite the film winning the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance just months earlier, in 2010. Yet its superb performances, stylistic flourishes and overall polish left me speechless. Could this really be a feature debut, an Australian one at that, I wondered, almost out loud? It seemed too good to be true.
Going cold turkey on an agency addiction
Life is sweet for freelance writer Max Kitchen, but in a feature that first appeared in Encore, he admits his struggle against returning to the agency fold.I’ve never taken heroin. But I suspect if I had, the temptation to try it again would not be too dissimilar to the lure of returning to agency life.
Can sport save Ten?
First there was the Grand Prix. Next came the reported $500m bid for cricket rights, then Ten secured the 2014 winter Olympics. So, can sport save the ailing network? In a feature that first appeared in Encore, Nic Christensen investigates.The television sports rights bidding process is a bit like a game of poker.
Check, fold or bet. Those were the options for the Ten Network last week when it had to finalise its bid for the cricket rights.
Andy Lark: good for the marketing of marketing
I can still remember the first story I wrote about Andy Lark, when it emerged that he was to be the new chief marketing officer of CommBank.
It was immediately clear that Australia was about to meet an interesting marketer, one who blogged and tweeted and thanks to his time at Dell in the US was digitally savvy. Even two years ago, that was a big deal. The fact that he also had a stint in public relations gave him an absolutely intriguing background before he even arrived.
Storming the media barricades - advice for young journalists
This week Mumbrella’s Nic Christensen, who began his career four years ago, gave the keynote address to would-be journalists at the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance’s Student Day. This is an edited version of his speech.Good afternoon, I can remember distinctly the last time I was in this room.
It was 2009 and I was sitting where you are. I’d come to this event, a friend and myself — from memory we sat up the back — and I can remember at the time wondering if I’d ever get a job as a journalist.
It was only four years ago and then as now getting a job was ultra competitive but I’m not sure there was quite as much media ‘doom and gloom’ as there is now…
Paywalls will help fund campaigning journalism
In this guest post, News Limited’s group editorial director Campbell Reid responds to the views of ninemsn’s Hal Crawford that the company’s push into metered paywalls is about data rather than dollars.Hal Crawford is both right and wrong in his article which argued that our digital subscription plans are all about the data.
Fake it 'til you make it... as a features editor
Cosmo’s Kate Leaver tells us how to bluff it in her job in a feature that first appeared in Encore.What do you do, as a features editor?
Really, play with words and ideas all day. At any one time, we’re working across three issues of the mag – getting one on its way to the printers, pooling all the words together for another, and planning the issue after that. It’s busy but it’s a pretty magnificent process.
Savage counsel - JFDI
Hi Chris,I run a medium-sized agency that is doing pretty well. As the leader, I am finding my workload just seems to go up and up. I am struggling to stay motivated and particularly to tackle the bigger and tougher challenges I have to face every day. How do I keep up the energy when there just seems so much to do? How do you do it?
Productive, successful executives are those able to consistently tackle difficult and big challenges. It’s a constant struggle for me so I know how you feel. How do the successful leaders do it?
Q&A with Brett Clegg
Brett Clegg, group director – business media, Fairfax Media, in a Q&A that first appeared in Encore, on the journo who refuses to work with him – his wife.Who is the most powerful person in Australian media and why?
Hard to go past Rupert Murdoch. He controls the single largest and most diverse portfolio and is intent on leveraging its scale (and, of course, influence). He’s an innovator and his will to win is obvious to all.
The experiential experience
Anyone can throw up a tent in a high-traffic area and harass the general public, but what does it take to pull off an effective experiential event? In a piece that first appeared in Encore, Matt Smith investigates.A television commercial can easily be muted and ignored, but try ignoring a purring, squirming cat in your arms. That was the experience awaiting passers by in Sydney’s Martin Place in October last year when Mars Petcare built Whiskas Kitten Palace.
The News Limited paywall isn't about revenue. It's about data
In this guest post, ninemsn’s editor in chief Hal Crawford argues Fairfax Media and News Limited’s new paywalls won’t draw much revenue, but will generate data. And they’re late to the data party.When I first learned that ninemsn’s major digital competitors Fairfax and News Ltd were going to introduce paywalls across their mainstream properties, I was excited.
Every obstacle thrown in the way of their audiences is an opportunity. People hate friction and anything that makes life difficult on a rival site is a chance to get them on yours.
Is this the worst time to be a journalist?
With scores of redundancies in 2012 and a mass exodus of experienced journos, is this the worst time to be a journalist? In a feature that first appeared in Encore, Nic Christensen asks the question.In June last year a tsunami of redundancies began to sweep across Australia’s media landscape. They came in a series of waves and in the 12 months that followed, an estimated 1,200 journalists departed the mainstream media.
Are you a conscious leader?
As the advertising and marketing industry struggles to address the issue of rocketing rates of staff churn in their businesses, Slingshot CEO Simon Rutherford argues that today’s ‘conscious leaders’ should be more focussed on creating ‘staff wellness’ in order to deliver high performing teams and healthy profits.
A conscious leader believes the business has a greater responsibility towards the community it operates in. To ensure sustainable long-term profits, people must come first. Awareness, trust, authenticity, transparency, 100% responsibility, connection, compassion, and love: these are the tools of the conscious leader.
Suits: less popular than pest controllers
Advertising suits have a thankless job that is currently being eroded by the changing industry says Naren Sanghrajka in a piece that first appeared in Encore.Not in my wildest, craziest nightmares would I ever have thought I’d say this. But I’m going to. Being a bean counter is far more appealing than starting as a suit in advertising. There it is. I said it. I actually said those words.
Yes, it’s incredibly depressing. But it’s true.
Cathy Freeman stars in Coles Olympics ad
In a dramatic departure from the style of its recent advertising sing-alongs, supermarket giant Coles has released a new emotive brand ad in time for the Olympics, starring sporting hero and brand ambassador Cathy Freeman, Mumbrella can reveal.
The commercial, titled the Cathy Spirit ad, sees a young girl race across an open field, with the voice of commentator Bruce McAvaney from Freeman’s famous victory at the Sydney 2000 Olympics in the background.
The ad is set to break tomorrow morning around the opening ceremony, on both Nine and Nine’s digital Gem.
The ad is timed to coincide with the launch of Coles Sports for Schools, of which Freeman is the ambassador.
A survey from the supermarket found that one in five Australian children have their sights on becoming an Olympic hero when they grow up, while 87% will be inspired to watch and play more sport during the Olympics.
The ad was shot in country Victoria. Media was by MB3.
It was based on one of the most memorable moments in Australian sporting history, when Cathy Freeman won the 400m at the Sydney Olympics.
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Comments
27 Jul 12
12:58 pm
Liking!
27 Jul 12
1:05 pm
The ad doesn’t do much for me.
27 Jul 12
2:01 pm
Field of Coles
27 Jul 12
2:45 pm
beautiful commercial, like it much better than their tacky ‘down down’ commercials. It would have been stronger if they used a youth (future Olympic potential) runner… the young girl appears to have been selected for her appearance rather than her running ability.
27 Jul 12
3:05 pm
It’s a beautiful piece of work.
The contrast to their inexcusably, offensively stupid ‘down’ commercials, is stark.
Their marketing team can’t hide behind the “it’s for a different purpose” excuse either.
That would be like a serial wife-basher taking his victim out to a nice dinner once a year, before resuming his ugly practice.
So Coles, now that there’s no excuse – such as “sorry but our ad agency is totally inept, hence the down down ads’ – we can expect this standard in the future? No?
27 Jul 12
3:10 pm
Agree with the other Pete, like it much more than those down down ads.
27 Jul 12
3:29 pm
Love it. Made me tear up (ok, so I am a big softy)
Great work by everyone concerned.
Wish there was more advertising like it – clever & full of heart.
27 Jul 12
3:29 pm
That’s what I love about the Olympics. All the Games and telecast sponsors come up with creative that pulls at our heart strings and make us feel proud to be Aussie. Without winning one single medal!
27 Jul 12
3:30 pm
Bad continuity at 0:28 – she is shown running with her hands folded like a partially closed fist, and in the next shot her hands are straight out.
27 Jul 12
3:32 pm
@ Mike
Why so down on the Down Down ads – they are effective ads which do the job nicely.
Don’t be so snotty about effective supermarket ads.
27 Jul 12
3:47 pm
Are we watching the same ad? This doesn’t pull at heart strings at all. It’s nice, sure, but ‘emotive’ is a big stretch. Watch the video of Cathy’s win in 2000 – that was emotive. This commercial is just…pleasant. But that’s all.
27 Jul 12
3:55 pm
It’s like a bad copy of a master’s painting:
Clunky, obvious and utterly lacking in the filmmaking craft needed to create a genuine emotional reaction.
27 Jul 12
10:10 pm
When did Cathy die ?
28 Jul 12
10:50 am
Brilliant scenery…. But I’m biased because that is where I grew up! That’s our farm! What a thrill to see the finished product !
28 Jul 12
12:00 pm
Cole (marketing team) this makes it clear there is no brand strategy, meaning or tone of voice for the Coles brand. Nothing except cheap. All woolworths has to do is price match whilst promising ‘fresh’ and they win. I predict a very quick unravelling for Coles and its red hand
28 Jul 12
3:23 pm
I think the beautiful music is by Ennio Morricone from a famous film: Is it 1900?
Does anyone know?
Thank you
Albie
28 Jul 12
3:29 pm
what it is the backing music? anyone know? i think it was used in the film “once upon a time in america” too.
thanks in advance
28 Jul 12
5:30 pm
Celin Dion sings it beautifully. “I knew I loved You” from “Once upon a time in America- a very violent movie about gangsters….
I have always put songs to adds and the relevance to the coles add with this choice is uhhhh interesting?
Loved the comment from Gj- did Cathy die?
28 Jul 12
5:31 pm
Utube to see Celin Dion singing it or you can hear the orchestra track looking for the movie title
28 Jul 12
6:09 pm
Somebody give ghost Cathy some ghost chips!
28 Jul 12
9:54 pm
thank you for identifying the music. It’s been driving me mad … you know, when you know you ought to know something but you can’t quite grasp it. The odd thing is that I’ve never seen that movie.
I like the add and I’m afraid I got teary in it.
28 Jul 12
10:25 pm
The girl runs like a duck which somewhat ruins the ad for me.
29 Jul 12
4:26 am
Pretty good Commercial for the Olympic sponsorship theme (made even better by the brilliant decision not to have Cathy speak at any point in the commercial).
Music is: “Deborah’s Theme” By Ennio Morricone from: Once Upon A Time In America.”
Anyone studying marketing, should read Red Hand Cynic’s comment above and file it under “get a clue”.
29 Jul 12
7:49 am
I think the Coles ad for the Olympics is cool and i also think it’s good to see that girl running in the fields dreaming of running in the Olympics for Australia is awesome and i hope she makes it to the Olympics one day and i thank Coles for supporting Olympic dreams
29 Jul 12
9:56 am
thank you BC. much appreciated.
29 Jul 12
2:59 pm
run as fast as you can, one day you will be a supermarket ambassador !
29 Jul 12
9:10 pm
Gj’s comment is a gold medal winner. Personally that ad gets 3/10 for me. Uninspiring and although aesthetically pleasing, i found the whole ‘ghost of Cathy’ a little strange.
29 Jul 12
9:58 pm
Once Upon a Time in America is one of my all time favourite films- isn’t it ironic Coles are using the theme music from a film with America in its title by an Italian composer to announce they are proudly Australian?
30 Jul 12
12:12 pm
I was waiting for Cathy to pull out a big red hand and wave it around like an idiot.
30 Jul 12
1:20 pm
Ghost chip…brilliant.
30 Jul 12
2:31 pm
This is just a bit meh to me. Woolworths will always be the best supermarket in Australia in my opinion, basically as Coles ‘supermarkets’ just look and act like big convenience stores. It’s a nice idea and it will inspire some people, but its all a bit too try-hard.
30 Jul 12
4:21 pm
i know that girl lol
30 Jul 12
7:03 pm
Who is the young runner?
Is she a junior athlete or just some actress?
31 Jul 12
11:24 am
Great ad – very emotive and succeeds at inspiring. Oh, and I think the “down, down” campaign finally using Status Quo is brilliant. I actually want to listen rather than reaching for the mute button. Same with the Olympic ad because the music is so nice.
31 Jul 12
8:15 pm
Please tell us, is the girl an up and coming runner or an actor?
Oh, love the ad. Got all teary the first time we saw it.
1 Aug 12
7:02 am
Beautiful ad. Up there with the anzac “No, thank you” The you girl was chosen to look like a young Cathy and Cathy is Cathy as she is today, no frills, no airbrush, a true blue Australian..so proud of you Cathy.
1 Aug 12
10:13 am
Anybody else a bit unsettled about the line “Coles are…” as opposed to “Coles is…”?
1 Aug 12
10:16 am
It didn’t need the “ghost” of Cathy, it makes it weird especially with the halo lighting… It’s just like 100 scenes from movies when a vision of a dead person appears… It’s a great ad up till that point and if it had ended with the commentary and the bottle on the finish line it would have been near perfect but they over cooked it, it’s a 6 from me….
1 Aug 12
9:52 pm
YES – the music is from ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA by Ennio Morricone – it is rich and haunting. it works perfectly in the ad – has sadness at the same time gives hope.
Great movie, main character living a life of regrets and devastated when he discovers he has been betrayed.
1 Aug 12
10:12 pm
Yeah that score is off the film “Once upon a time in America” called Deborah’s Theme..I thought I heard it somewhere….However, I love the ad – it’s inspiring….
3 Aug 12
10:33 pm
Great ad. I actually looked it up after seeing it on tv…
5 Aug 12
2:26 am
Unlike any other Coles ad I’ve seen, at least this one is relatively tasteful. Their previous ads have virtually stopped me shopping there, particularly since my local store persists in playing their crass jingles all the time! I don’t like Quo, Down Down is one of their worst tracks, and it’s a lie anyway. No supermarket puts all their prices down at the same time, they just have a succession of loss-leaders. This is all about perpetuating the myth that Coles and Woolies are in competition, whereas, in fact, they operate a cosy monopoly that keeps prices high.
11 Aug 12
10:58 am
I loved the add but within several airings I soon grew very sick of it as they seemed to put it on every 5 minutes!