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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.
DMG turns to Michael Bublé for smoothfm launch
DMG Radio Australia’s first marketing campaign for new easy listening station smoothfm will feature Michael Buble, who will be presenting a weekend show for the first six weeks of the new new network.
In the ad created by Ted Horton’s Big Red, Buble makes a cup of tea for a busy mum relaxing with his music after a busy day.
The ad will be promoting Sydney’s smoothfm 95.3 and Melbourne’s smoothfm 91.5 from next weekend.
The launch campaign runs TV, print, magazine, digital and mobile.
DMG marketing director Tony Thomas said of Buble: “He’s such a great personality for the station. It made a lot of sense.”
In a recent Mumbrella interview Thomas called Big Red’s Ted Horton an ‘advertising genius’.
The shows will be pre-recorded and will feature music selection from both Bublé and station programmers.
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Comments
17 May 12
3:52 pm
After seeing that “lay the Buble on thick” ad, I think Schmaltz-FM would have been a better name.
Choice of home interior styling is questionable too if trying to target the average suburban mother out in middle Australia.
17 May 12
3:56 pm
Right on the money. Buble is a very good choice.
17 May 12
4:30 pm
Thats going to have the mummies feeling all yummy!
17 May 12
4:39 pm
Who is Ron Jeremy?
17 May 12
5:20 pm
Before I saw the marketing my impression was this station was going to be all old and cheesy but they have positioned it beautifully. It’s a great start.
17 May 12
5:22 pm
Here’s another one of their ads for the new station…
http://fliiby.com/file/543251/9mukya483l.html
17 May 12
5:33 pm
Dumb ad
and most mothers don’t look anything like a blonde tall model
17 May 12
5:40 pm
If this is suppose to depict an average Mum’s afternoon where she gets home from work or shopping where are the kids running through the house? In reality she gets home and plugs her ipod in her ipod dock. She packs the groceries away, helps the kids with their homework, starts dinner etc etc etc….. all with her favourite music from her ipod on her ipod dock playing in the background.
I think the song is very apt though….there’s been over 7 format changes and 4 brand names for this radio frequency and I still dont think we’ve met the final format yet….
17 May 12
6:06 pm
Excellent work DMG. Makes sense and those mums in the suburbs won’t care if it’s shmaltz or the kitchen in the TVC is too modern.. They’ll see Michael Buble endorsing a radio statio that they will most likely listen to!
18 May 12
8:06 am
There is hardly a day that goes by where you dont hear about a new initiative, partnership, launch or campaign from dmg. From an outside it seems like all the good work is coming from them and if we’re starting to notice it, you can sure as hell bet their audience is.
The only news you hear from their competitor is what Kyle’s eaten for breakfast.
Its hard to fault this campaign. It has aspiration, some relevant celebrity endorsement, its stylish but depicts a situation that ANY female would like to see themselvs in.
The momentum is definately with dmg and the only ones who I can think see otherwise are their competitors who must be feeling a little insecure about their lack of activity.
I hope its a real success. you deserve it
18 May 12
8:27 am
Oh dear Steve. If advertising showed people the reality of their lives, we’d run to the hills. But by reading your comments, it seems you may already be in the hills.
18 May 12
9:46 am
Hey John, you may be right because when he appeared for MIX 106.5 and 2Day FM it worked as well. And when he was on 2GB the ratings were high as well. But then again, all of those stations already had a listening audience. The management of dmg have been telling us for years that it’s not about personalities. It’s about the music. More music, less talk. Why have they contradicted themselves AGAIN by all of a sudden hiring as many personalities and known names as possible? I am sure they wont be there just to play songs….Im sure there’ll be plenty of talk as well. It just goes to show the contempt with which this organisation holds it’s audience.
I predict that it will increase in survey 4 and maybe 5 which every other station except Smooth will know as an anomaly but will only be people tuning in to see the difference. By Survey 6 & 7 things will level out once more to have Smooth around the 3/4% mark. It will be a predominantly female demographic station between 35-60 as per this TVC. By doing this already they have condensed the potential listening audience to a smaller demographic rather than being a station for all 35-60 year olds. They will say that this is not the case, that its a station for all that enjoy easy listening. If thats the case, I’m sure there will be a commercial with a male coming home from work, throwing his briefcase, laptop, hard hat or tools on the bench with Michael Buble making him a cup of tea and singing to him….
They did this with Classic Rock – minimised the potential listening audience by only playing Classic Rock. It didnt work. Why then would you do an about face, minimise the audience even further by alienating a majority of male listeners and try to capture an audience of 2/3 stations that already have this demographic sewn up in MIX 106.5, 2DayFM and WSFM.
I do not understand how people cannot see this? How many people have been dissppointed and confused by the changes in formats and brand names that dmg keep throwing out every 12-18 months? And they still expect the audience to forgive and come back time and time again?
dmg had it right at the beginning with the ‘vega difference’ or ‘on your wavelength’ and then again in one of their other incarnations when they were ‘vega variety, 70′s, 80′s and the best new songs’. If only these formats were given a chance to develop and grow. If only these formats were given the same marketing budget, support and commitment that Smooth has been reportedly been given.
18 May 12
10:14 am
Clever / funny. Good job.
18 May 12
10:41 am
I like this, spot on positioning, well cast and damn she’s hot
18 May 12
10:48 am
Quite appropriate. Park your cynicism peeps the radio station isn’t aimed at you!!
Great idea DMG.
18 May 12
11:38 am
Someone get Steve a hard hat, nappy and padded cell. I think he’s misplaced his marbles
18 May 12
11:45 am
Love it. Great campaign..
Gee Steve – you sound like you’re having a bad day.
18 May 12
12:25 pm
what is sort of interesting about the new smooth fm is that the audience figures for 95.3 were dominated by males and actually showed some traction…will they lose these males with the buble format and is the appeal of Buble and co strong enough to get listeners from mix and WS? I don’t think too many of 2day listeners will head over. The reason being is that nova’s playlist is similar to 2day so they’d need to make sure they wouldn’t cannabilise the nova audience.
Good luck to them
18 May 12
2:13 pm
Wow ‘Anonymous’, ‘Steve’s fan club’ and ‘what the’…if thats your real names…at least have the decency to and the balls to put down your name. Although you probably arent allowed to when you work for dmg.
Hiding behind personal attacks on me because you have no real substance of comment to make in regards to disproving my criticism is typical of those who cannot take on board the reality of my comments. I implore you to please show me where my comments or my above personal observations warrant such vitriol personal attacks on me?
If you have nothing say nothing. Give me some actual substance which may change my mind. Until then, keep your sooky, immature, irrelevant, mind numbness, irresponsible and inadequate comments to yourself. I suppose we must be thankful though for the three of you proving to everyone that docile ignorant imbeciles can read and use a computer.
18 May 12
3:18 pm
I just can’t get past the fact that their logo looks like a slim shake brand
18 May 12
4:11 pm
a smooth tasting slim shake brand with only 95.3 calories
18 May 12
4:57 pm
And they’re bringing Jason Donovan on board -I wonder if they’ll play his classic hits “especially for you”?
18 May 12
5:36 pm
Every time you comment you reinforce what everyone else is thinking.
Stop for your own sake
21 May 12
8:57 am
I have to admit, I think Steve has got it right. He has only put forward his opinions and I hasten to add that the reaction of a certain 3 individuals(or 1 individual under 3 names) gives me the impression they actually see his point because they have nothing else to offer. The actual cowardice of these individuals to sign in under pseudonyms only strengthens Steve’s argument. I am left in no doubt after ‘My real name is not Steve’s fan club’ above comment that they do actually work at dmg and are concerned by Steve’s clever reponses that seem to be right on target.
Stop being so immature and resentful because someone has penned a different opinion to you and your employer and answer Steve with some actual factual comments as he has asked you to but this time have the civility to include your real name.
22 May 12
2:11 pm
I will stop “My real name is not Steve’s fan club” because I think after hearing the first two days of the music playlist on Schmaltz…I mean Smooth FM no further comment is required. I rest my case…..
22 May 12
4:53 pm
Where do you work Steve?
23 May 12
9:45 am
I worked in the radio industry for 26 years Paul in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. Both in programming and sales/marketing. I have been working within the Agency world over the past 6 years.
23 May 12
9:51 am
How about yourself Paul? Where do you work?