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Opinion
The keyboard warrior of Twitter
In this guest post, NBN staffer Scott Rhodie writes an unofficial, personal view on his experience with a hostile Twitter critic.Last night I had a strange incident. While on Twitter I noticed someone saying that Australia’s NBN is already outdated. I wrote a small note back explaining they were incorrect.
And their response? The lovely gentleman (whose Twitter profile says: ‘Father of 5 kids, Loving Grandfather of 10 Grandchildren,and 2 Great Granddaughters. love to give heaps to Pollies and Poofters’) said to me: “Go and lick Gillards C*** out U commie Prick”
What's in a name?
In this guest post, Moensie Rossier wonders about the power of names for brands and marketers.
Brands have been having a bit of fun with names lately, not to mention a fair bit of success. Interbrand just named a headhunting firm Cloak & Dagger. And ‘Share a Coke’ showed how much power there is in a name.
The Coke campaign effectively short-circuited the usual mechanics of communication. It undoubtedly stroked people’s egos. But, I believe, its success stems from the fact that it directly and automatically affected people’s behaviour, rather than doing so indirectly by shaping attitudes.
Best ads from Super Bowl 2012
The Super Bowl is all done and a team from North America won. But as well as some sort of sporting event, it’s the world’s biggest advertising showcase. See the best of them right here… and please tell us what you think.
How to debunk media myths
In this post, UWS’s Ullrich Ecker, John Cook and Stephen Lewandowsky argue that cognitive science can help PRs form strategies in managing media misreporting.
A growing cohort of commentators has bemoaned the descent of contemporary political “debate” into a largely fact-free zone.
How about simply focusing on what consumers want?
In this guest post, Peter Mountford argues that brands should think more about what is really going on for consumers
Who here is hoping their favourite brand of toilet paper is going to be organizing a flash mob on their way home from work today?
What the Optus web copyright victory means
In this analysis first published on The Conversation, RMIT’s Marita Shelly examines the implications of Telstra’s defeat over the online rights to the AFL broadcast deal
This week’s Federal Court ruling that Optus customers are able to view sporting matches minutes after they are streamed live without breaching copyright is a landmark decision that alters our understanding of copyright law, and has significant implications for the AFL’s broadcasting rights deal.
Does Gina Rinehart’s bite of a chunk of Fairfax make her an oligarch?
In an article that first appeared in The Conversation, Mark Rolfe wonders whether the mining magnate’s move could turn Fairfax into something resembling America’s Fox network.
Australia’s richest person Gina Rinehart has moved to increase her stake in Fairfax Media, owner of The Age, Sydney Morning Herald and a number of radio stations. Rinehart has already shown her desire to play a role in public life, campaigning against former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s aborted mining tax. She has also demonstrated a willingness to make media investments to ensure her pro-business worldview is promulgated.
What does this latest move by Rinehart mean?
Gillard's Australia Day crisis
PM Julia Gillard’s media adviser Tony Hodges has been forced to resign over the Australia Day tent embassy debacle.
It came after it emerged he had revealed opposition leader Tony Abbott’s whereabouts, leading to both politicians being rescued by police in ugly scenes.
Mumbrella editor Tim Burrowes and advertising practitioner Jane Caro debate the topic on Weekend Sunrise’s masters of Spin segment:
The biggest cock-up I made in business
In this guest post, Chris Savage urges agency staff to live the brand.I still shudder when I think about how incredibly stupid I was when I made the biggest stuff up of my career. And then, 18 years later, I did it again. Do not make this mistake with your clients. Ever.
Hey Groupon. Thanks for fucking up email
In this guest post, Daniel Monheit warns that group deal overload is devaluing email marketingEmail marketing used to be fabulous. Back in the heady days of 2010, brands would work hard to build up well qualified databases, upon which they’d bestow carefully crafted correspondence filled with information, offers and incentives. The recipients, of course would be delighted: “Oh look! An email! From one of my favourite brands! And it’s 40 cents off at Woolies this week!”.
The staggering sway of Harold Mitchell
The Power Index today names Aegis Media chairman Harold Mitchell as the most powerful person in Melbourne. Andrew Crook profiles him.
Harold Mitchell takes pride in dispensing with the niceties. When The Power Index visited his South Melbourne private office before Christmas, fresh remains were scattered all over the boardroom table.
Share a Coke with… the moronic masses
The most-read story on Mumbrella last year, with not far off 100,000 page views, was a fairly humdrum yarn about the launch of Coca-Cola’s name-on-a-bottle campaign.The headline, “Coca-Cola puts people’s names on bottles in ‘Share a Coke’ campaign”, though hated by any self-respecting sub-editor, was loved by Google. And in rushed what can be politely described as the public.
Assumptions kill creativity
In this guest post, Gual Barwell disagrees that the sales success of the Old Spice social media campaign was overstated.Yesterday’s post from Cathie McGinn suggested the Old Spice campaign failed to connect with consumers. Based on the facts and figures, I disagree.
What Old Spice and Wieden + Kennedy has done and done phenomenally well is to create a franchise.
The SMH's readers (are wrong) editor
We are now about five months into the reign of Australia’s first readers’ editor. And I don’t think it is working.
It struck me at the time of Judy Prisk’s appointment to the Sydney Morning Herald that the fact that her boss was editor-in-chief Peter Fray was not going to be ideal if she was going to be the independent voice of the reader.
The emperor's new fragrance: Old Spice’s campaign failure
In this guest post, Cathie McGinn slays a sacred cow of 21st century marketing – the highly awarded Old Spice campaign.One of the biggest myths of recent times (by which I mean a story of great heroism and triumph we’d all like to believe but deep down know to be untrue) is the Old Spice social media campaign. It’s been much lauded and awarded as an example of outstanding content, a creative and collaborative way of connecting with consumers and driving a record increase in sales.
News Digital boss: We don’t hate bloggers
The boss of News Digital Media this morning told a conference that the company has nothing against bloggers.
Speaking at Sydney’s Advertising & Marketing Summit, Richard Freudenstein, CEO of NDM, said:
“Contrary to what you might think, we think it is great that anyone can start a website and get involved. In principal, we think blogs are a great idea – in fact many of our journalists have them. And we are delighted by the success of The Punch.”
But he added: “The problem is that even the best intentioned amateur blogger doesn’t hold the same standards of accuracy or accountability as a professional journalist. Many bloggers write up rumours and half-truths as fact, confident that there will be no repercussions if they get it wrong.”
His comments follow those of John Hartigan, CEO of News Ltd, earlier this month in which he said that many websites had less than 10% original content.
Freudenstein told this morning’s audience that News Ltd is still advancing on the path of charging for online content. He said: “Certainly nothing is imminent here in Australia, but when it happens it will be big. We will be platform agnostic – content is king and we want to be providing content for whatever platform is out there, provided the terms are fair for us.”
July 29th, 2009 at 9:30 am
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Comments
29 Jul 09
9:46 am
He has a point, a newspaper would never write up an inaccurate article, would they?
Hmmmmmmmmm…
29 Jul 09
9:50 am
Again with the supposed lock professional journalists have on accuracy or accountability. I wish they did. I could list 50 editors and journalists in Sydney alone who have scant regard for either. They, too, can be pretty sure that as long as their nonsense gets those circ numbers up, there will be no repercussions if they get it wrong.
29 Jul 09
9:54 am
By the way, do follow the link at the end of the article, which is to a longer extract from Freudenstein’s speech.
There are several thoughful points there. It’s certainly far more nuanced than the bloggers-bad, journalists-good debate…
Cheers,
Tim – Mumbrella
29 Jul 09
10:09 am
“Many bloggers write up rumours and half-truths as fact…”
Many bloggers.
Really, do they?
Let’s see some examples, not including mainstream media bloggers. How often have Australian bloggers got a story wrong and caused chaos and great distress in our society?
The News Digital Media competition (independent bloggers) must be talked down and denigrated in order to make the content they intend to charge for appear to be worth something.
29 Jul 09
10:12 am
He makes some very good and fair points. Plagiarism and inaccuracies are rife in the blogosphere (as they are in broader, traditional journalism)
I think that the public will become more discerning and less trusting of all media, including traditional journalists, as more and more of the inaccuracies and “non-truths” are uncovered and made public.
The power of the so called “citizen journalist” is definitely increasing – both in content production and comment which we all see in blogs, and in the ability to publicly rumble the big boys as errors are made.
The traditional media are now more accountable for their content than ever before, particularly when they charge for it, so it will be up to them to set the standard.
29 Jul 09
10:26 am
Count the corrections to the nytimes.com piece on Cronkite:
http://bit.ly/ZR7TW
The same standards of accuracy, eh?
29 Jul 09
11:03 am
His keynote makes sense – I read it and generally agreed with the guy.
Gee, the bloggers sense of self righteousness almost rivals that of the stereotypical ‘journalist’
29 Jul 09
11:20 am
If the print newspaper says it, then it must be true.
29 Jul 09
11:20 am
Too many LOLs: “even the best intentioned amateur blogger doesn’t hold the same standards of accuracy or accountability as a professional journalist”. So why did News Ltd steal my content and admit they did so after losing against me at the Australian Press Council? http://indolentdandy.net/fitzr.....and-i-won/
29 Jul 09
11:35 am
If News Ltd and the other leading media companies want to charge for online content – just do it!
Will I pay? No. Will I buy a newspaper? No! Will I read the same content on other free news sites? Yes!
The current news media business model is broken and they don’t know what to do. So bring on charge & watch their online traffic disappear.
29 Jul 09
11:44 am
Stop playing with yourself Richard!
The scary part is, you probably believe what you’re saying.
We all know that these days, you guys follow the mantra “being first is more important than being right”.
“Standards of accuracy or accountability as a professional journalist”……please!
Show me ONE example of accountability as a result of being inaccurate?
29 Jul 09
11:56 am
Yawwwwnnnnn…..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITqh-Tzs3QM
29 Jul 09
12:23 pm
“Best intentioned amateur bloggers” cited by Richard Freudenstein include scientists, researchers, and academics whose standards of accuracy and accountabilty, in most cases, are far more rigorous than “professional journalists”. Journalists have an important role and are needed – but they need to get off their self-made pedestal and recognise that others in the community have important, well-thought out and well-researched things to say.
29 Jul 09
12:26 pm
Was the text of the speech provided to you Tim? If so, it would be good if this professional journalist could learn about the correct use of “principle” and “principal”.
29 Jul 09
12:30 pm
Hi Duncan,
Yes, the text of the speech was provided (although I still should have amended that for the right version of principle). I won’t change it in the above though, as your comment would then be a bit confusing for anyone who arrives later…
Cheers,
Tim
29 Jul 09
1:41 pm
“Many bloggers write up rumours and half-truths as fact.” Some journos devote their careers to this! I’ve lost count of the amount of times a journo has gotten it wrong (and on occasion even knew they were writing half-truths) when reporting on clients or brands I’ve worked with. And what’s more, thinking you can get a correction is laughable. At least if a blogger gets something wrong it can be corrected almost immediately. Richard, surrender the fantasy that journalistic principles still exist for all journalists.
29 Jul 09
2:07 pm
Bumper sticker “Is that the truth or is your News Limited”
29 Jul 09
5:41 pm
Good to see you sticking to journalistic principles Tim, rather than sticking to the journalist’s principals.
And Ben … very nice!
29 Jul 09
5:59 pm
I think what we find is as bloggers grow in influence, there is a self-imposed ethics behind their content… we see it everyday in our leading blogs.
30 Jul 09
9:18 am
I love it whern these guys try to write their own material. They just can’t see the amazing arrogance that oozes out from their corporate world-view. Freudentstein talking about bloggers has the same tone as the Emporer Nero announcing he has nothing against Christians.
The fact that for *decades* journalists have been ranked below used-car salesmen for “trustworthiness” entirely escapes their notice. They have this puffed-up view of themselves as upholders of truth and freedom as if they’re some kind of Superman figure. But the public do not like and do not trust the media.
And if News Ltd really believes it’s fair to pay for content, perhaps they might like to start paying all their so-called “interns” who keep their online operations going.
And start paying the public for their pictures and videos.
30 Jul 09
12:58 pm
STOP PRESS
===========
June 2009 Morgan data on the Image of Professions. Last is ‘car salesmen’ = 3% (rated high or very high). Second last is ‘advertising people’ = 6%. Third last is ‘newspaper journalists’ = 9%. Last time I checked 9% was higher than 3% – so much for fact-checking.
Also, looking at the data since 1979, used-car salesmen have NEVER rated higher than journalists. As a matter of fact for the 28 years of data I have, there are only 7 instances where journalists failed to rate higher than advertising people. Pot … meet the black kettle.
And if you REALLY want to see arrogance redfined, do a search for Chris Anderson’s (Wired’s editor – as reported by Henry Blodget in Silicon Valley Insider’s ‘The Business Insider’) interview with Jim Spiegel to discuss the media world, in which Spiegel refuses to even use the words ‘journalist’, ‘news’ or ‘media’. Quite hysterical really – apart from the fact the apparently Spiegel was serious!
30 Jul 09
1:09 pm
rule #1 – never let actual data get in the way of a good story
30 Jul 09
1:39 pm
@John Grono
John, if you’re trying to defend the trustworthiness of journalists you’ve just been stamped with a big FAIL
Let’s revise the headline: “Journalists marginally more trustworthy than used car salesmen.” Doesn’t sound any better to me.
30 Jul 09
1:44 pm
Not defending journos Smithee – I’ve had my faor share of run-ins with them over the years. I’m just pointing out the facts.
Headline to read “Journalists marginally more trustworthy than used car salesmen and advertising people” … in the interests of getting the facts and the balance right … and we have a deal.
30 Jul 09
1:51 pm
Smithee – maybe you should fact check …
“The fact that for *decades* journalists have been ranked below used-car salesmen for “trustworthiness” entirely escapes their notice.”
Can we be as ruthless and harsh on your lack of checking out real data before making a general claim
BTW cheers John for the Chris Anderson hook up. Whoa … he takes douche to a new level.
2 Aug 09
8:11 pm
Ho hum. So you take Roy Morgan as the bees knees of research ? There’s other research which support the “journos last” view and has for decades as I said. The Guardian I think. Google will reveal all. Anyway, the essence is unchanged: a large percentage of the the public think journos are untrustworthy slime – and of course they’re right.
2 Aug 09
8:20 pm
Here’s one where journos are last – at least it says “telemarketers” = that’s journos these days isn;t it ?
http://www.readersdigest.co.nz.....ions-2009/
Amazingly enough they’re higher than politicians !
Here they’re almost in a dead-heat in last place with politicians:
http://www.marketresearchworld.....;Itemid=77
Can’t find the one I’m thinking of atm…
2 Aug 09
9:12 pm
Yes Smithee, there is research to support anything if you look hard enough – so I encourage you to keep looking to find a scintilla of support.
Regarding the sources you provided links to, I thought we were talking about Australia and not New Zealand or the UK – both substantially different markets and cultures. Why not make comparisons to Zimbabwe – I hear politicians rate well there … or else!
I also notice that the NZ source is that well-respected bastion of research – Reader’s Digest – no methodology, sample size or actual data provided. Talk about laughter being the best medicine! At least for the UK, Ipsos Mori is a resepected research company, with a sample sie of n=1981 (vs. Morgan’s phone poll of n=687).
Further, I notice neither of the other sources reported on where advertising professionals rate. Maybe the headline should read “Journalists trusted 50% more than advertising people” … and I think various comments posted here would go a long way to explain why. As a researcher one learns to park one’s preconceptions and not hunt for or fabricate the data to support your own case.
Finally for the record, I am NOT trying to defend the integrity of journalists, but merely reporting the latest Australian data to hand without qualification or interpretation, as is my professional and ethical responsibility as a member (and Qualified Practicing Market Researcher) of the Australian Market and Social Research Society. And no, I do not work for Morgan and I have never worked for Morgan.
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