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Opinion | Features
Woz not great
In this guest post Tony Prysten argues that the thousand dollar price of seeing out-of-touch Apple co-founder Steve Wozniack on his Australian tour was a waste of money.
This week, for the cost of two iPads (yep, two) I went to the Woz Live conference in Melbourne. I was not impressed.
What the hell is transmedia?
From advertising campaigns to online video series, the term ‘transmedia’ gets quite the work out. But what does it actually mean? Cathie McGinn trawls the media landscape for a definitive definition.

Transmedia, all media and multiplatform are terms often used interchangeably when referencing modern storytelling techniques. Yet, depending who you speak to, there are distinct differences between them.
According to industry experts Encore spoke to, the key elements that define transmedia can be summarised as follows: platform, time, audience, adaptation, and creative collaboration.
Innovation is the remedy for the ailing magazine industry
With magazine circulations plummeting, FHM closing and rumours rife on future ownership of ACP Magazines, Paul Merrill says the only way forward is launching new titles.Eight years ago in the UK, nearly a quarter of all magazine sales came from magazines that were less than four years old. In Australia, the figure was slightly lower, but still significant. Today, the situation is very different. For a start there are so few new magazines. Yes, Masterchef briefly flared, and Top Gear made an initial impact. But Grazia and Alpha fizzled, and now ACP has shelved their plans to launch Elle.
More than a game: broadcasting the Olympics
The 2012 London Olympics will be the biggest televised sporting event of our time. Brooke Hemphill discovers the logistical challenges and technical requirements of producing the event.
From July 27 to August 12, the Australian media will go sport crazy as the Games of the XXX Olympiad, aka the 2012 London Summer Olympics, unfold. The games will be the most televised sporting event of our time as broadcasters look to master every manner of technology at their disposal.
The Voice - Australia's best example yet of social TV
I am an addict of Channel Nine’s hit show The Voice. Such is the extent of my addiction I seriously think my housemate might kick me out of our apartment for the semi-frenzied yelling and tweeting that ensues in our lounge room each time the show airs.It’s the first time in almost three years that such disagreement has resulted in less than civil behaviour towards one another, and it’s made me think it might be a microcosm of the large volume of online debate about the show and, correspondingly, an explanation for its success as a social TV experience.Why brands are the US Army - and culture jammers are the Viet Cong
In this guest posting, Dave Burgess, who painted ‘No War’ on the Sydney Opera House, claims that ‘amoral’ advertisers have copied his idea.
Culture jamming is a 28-year-old term coined by the San Francisco-based band Negativland, who declared that the ‘Studio for the cultural jammer is the world at large’.
Branded content is dead. Long live branded content
In this guest posting, Anthony Freedman argues why branded content is making a comeback.
A few short years ago, probably concurrent with the advent of the PVR, a new term emerged within the marketing communications industry; branded content. This was really synonymous with advertiser funded TV shows where programming was created by brands and deals struck with networks to broadcast them.
There were varying degrees of success with this model.
Shock advertising: 30 ads that would give Australia's ad watchdog a coronary
Is shock an underused weapon in Australian advertising, asks Robin HicksToday, Sydney agency The Cabana Boys used an image of a mouth sewn together to shock people with the idea that problem gamblers lie to conceal their habit. Is it the most disturbing image ever? No. Will it get banned by the Advertising Standards Bureau? No. But it did make me wonder why shock is not used more often in Australia – and not just by charities and government bodies. (WARNING: NSFW)
The making of ratings blockbuster The Voice
Jason Mountney goes on the set of Channel Nine’s talent search series, The Voice, to see how the format, based on an international franchise, has come together. What ingredients have gone into making this certified hit that’s rated more than two million viewers on three consecutive nights?
Mike Goldman has one of the toughest jobs on the set of the Nine network’s new talent show, The Voice. He not only has to narrate the show, but also keep the audience from losing their enthusiasm as they realise shooting TV programs takes a lot longer than the one-hour bursts they see in their lounge rooms. A lot longer.
Nine problems stopping The Global Mail from getting an audience
While it’s a shame The Global Mail has failed to make an impact on the media landscape, the signs have been there for some time.I love the concept of a well resourced, philanthropically-funded independent news site. Anywhere in the world, that’s a rare and wonderful thing. In Australia even more so. So I hope that Grame Wood gets to see his investment make a difference.
And I have no inside info on whether Monica Attard’s sudden departure is linked to the site’s failure to find an audience so far.
Regardless, here are nine areas they can easily start to address:
Journalism’s new model?
Does the launch of philanthropically funded news site The Global Mail signal a new era for journalism or is the model destined to be a passing fad, asks Cathie McGinn in this article first published in Encore magazine.With little fanfare, philanthropically funded news site The Global Mail launched in February this year.
The online-only title received a generous five-year funding commitment from businessman Graeme Wood, founder of accommodation website wotif.com, who donated $15million.
Five things that make a great suit
In this guest posting, Gareth Collins argues that the role of a great account manager is to make the work betterI’m surprised at how many suits I meet who don’t know their role in the advertising business. The question ‘what does an advertising account manager or director do?’ is frequently met with answers such as project manager, relationship manager, plate spinner or go between … and those are the nice ones.
Success is judged on the ability to manage a process, be strong administratively and get stuff done. And while a good suit needs to do all of these things brilliantly, if these are the traits that define a great suit, then I’m in the wrong job.
What the hell is transmedia?
From advertising campaigns to online video series, the term ‘transmedia’ gets quite the work out. But what does it actually mean? Cathie McGinn trawls the media landscape for a definitive definition.
Transmedia, all media and multiplatform are terms often used interchangeably when referencing modern storytelling techniques. Yet, depending who you speak to, there are distinct differences between them.
The top seven...most patronising pieces of communication
Sometimes brands have big ideas. Sometimes marketers get so caught up with a grandiose idea that instead of finding engaging ways to sell breakfast cereal, they start to believe their own rhetoric. And sometimes it’s just lazy marketing. Here are my top seven inadvertently patronising pieces of communication…
1) Last night thousands of women gathered in Sydney’s Centennial Park to take part in She Runs the Night, an event created by Nike.
TV audience measurement – why big isn’t always beautiful
In this guest post, Chris Walton argues that the media industry needs to take a new approach to TV tradingThere has been a significant amount of coverage recently about how successful The Voice has been. Indeed, audience figures of 2.6m+ people are very impressive these days. Based on reports, this is apparently double the size of audience that Nine was hoping for in the lead up to the programme launching.
Seven: ‘Shit happens’ Abbott interview was not an ambush
Seven has defended its handling of opposition leader Tony Abbott “shit happens” comment while in Afghanistan – and stressed that it did not ambush the politician before he gave last night’s bizarre interview to the network.
Seven News obtained footage of Abbott’s comment to an army commander through a freedom or information request.
But when political editor Mark Riley questioned Abbott about his “shit happens” comment – apparently in relation to the death of soldier Jared MacKinney – the politician suddenly refused to speak.
A spokesman for Seven said this morning: “We fought through FOI laws for three months to get access to the vision of Mr Abbott’s visit, shot by the Defence Department. Mr Abbott’s office did not want it released.
“Channel 7 briefed Mr Abbott’s office on the detail of the story, including reading a transcript of his exchange with the American operations commander, two and a half hours before interviewing him. Channel 7 asked to question Mr Abbott on what he meant by his comment and he agreed to the interview.
“At no stage did Channel 7 accuse Mr Abbott of making light of Corporal McKinney’s death.”
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Comments
9 Feb 11
12:49 pm
Channel 7 should be ashamed of last night’s fiasco. That reporter disrespects those who are currently serving in the Defence Forces, those who have retired and those who have given their lives for the freedom of others.
9 Feb 11
1:07 pm
Seemed to me like Tony Abbott just froze. He just couldn’t come with the ‘right words’. Not a good sign for a future Prime Minister! Perhaps the Libs need rethink the leadership.
9 Feb 11
1:08 pm
I thought Mark Riley’s interview of Tony Abbott was about as low as you can get in “so called” news reporting. For the channel to allow this to take place shows a lack of judgement of any kind. Unless Riley apologises or resigns, I will certainly shift my news watching to another channel.
This reaction would apply even if the “target” had been Julia Gillard or any other politician.
9 Feb 11
1:38 pm
Riley is clutching at straws – I heard him on radio today he seriously sounded like he was making his own story up. Abbot did not handle himself well with the 45 second break in answer. Although shame on Riley for poor reporting
9 Feb 11
1:46 pm
The interview – indeed the whole story – is a disgrace. If you watch the footage or read the transcript, Abbott is talking to the two US military guys about the allegation that had been raised at the time: that the death of the solider was due to a lack of military support and equipment (from the herald sun):
Colonel Creighton says of the digger’s death: “Was it tragic? Absolutely. But we’re all in the knowledge that all the stuff (firepower support) you see here and more was available on the day.”
In response, Mr Abbott says: “It’s pretty obvious that, well, sometimes shit happens, doesn’t it.”
Immediately, Major General Cantwell replies: “It certainly does, yeah.”
Bad choice of words? Perhaps. But that’s not what Seven were accusing Abbott of. They were suggesting that he was making light of the digger’s death, when he was essentially concurring with the American commanders that, even with the best equipment in the world, terrible things happen in war.
Tony Abbott has made plenty of gaffes over the years (including as leader), but to vilify the guy for making light of a digger’s death in this instance is grossly unfair and really cheap journalism.
If anyone is disrespecting the digger’s death it’s Channel 7, using it to ambush Abbott and score some ratings points.
9 Feb 11
1:54 pm
um peter (1.08pm), isn’t that a bit of an over-reaction? if your decision is based purely on this “incident” (and imho the wrong choice of words from phoney tony) – then be prepared to change channels on a weekly basis, and settling on none!
9 Feb 11
1:59 pm
This is not Channel 7′s fault. They are reporting our alternative leader’s reaction to the under-resourced troops telling them how it is. It is news. What we should be reacting to is Abbott’s inability to control what he says. When he became leader he said the old Tony was dead and buried. Clearly that is not the case. The silence when he has clearly been shown by Mark Riley he was wrong was stunning.
9 Feb 11
2:02 pm
if they weren’t accusing him of making light of the soldier’s death, then what exactly was the point of the story?
9 Feb 11
2:06 pm
Don’t like Tony Abbott. But using a dead soldier to blind side him in order to manufacture outraged news like this is dispicable from 7.
9 Feb 11
2:06 pm
Riley was also responsible for the bizarre Mike Rann ‘affair’ story. Maybe he should go back to doing the Newcastle Herald’s social column where he started.
9 Feb 11
2:08 pm
Clearly Tony Abbott wasn’t referring specifically to the digger who died but to the chain of events that led to it. What a poor interview from Riley that has been sensationalized by Channel Seven
9 Feb 11
2:10 pm
Yeh, really disagree with Channel 7 on this one. Used to be a big fan of Riley’s, but not now. Journalism at it’s worst that does nothing to inform the public on an important issue. Just upsets the family of the young soldier who lost his life. Really disappointed.
9 Feb 11
2:11 pm
Surely an easy response “Look mate, perhaps the words I chose weren’t the best, but I think we all agree what happened was shit. We need to do what we can to make sure that we have as few brave Australians die again” etc etc
9 Feb 11
2:14 pm
ABC news gary. ABC
9 Feb 11
2:20 pm
I agree. The real tragedy here is not Abbott’s choice of words, or even his bad ‘interview’, but Channel 7′s decision to run such a stupid (non)story, and all the other wowser media outlets for giving it even more oxygen.
9 Feb 11
2:23 pm
That head wobble was brillaint tv, definitely his Latham moment.
Irrespective of the issue, if freezing with rage everytime someone catches him off guard is his natural reaction, Tony’s not the bloke to lead the country.
9 Feb 11
2:25 pm
I agree that channel 7 are the ones that are being greedy and disrespectful! It seems that they clearly are focusing on ratings and nothing else.
Abbot may be full of S#*t and very unlikable as a politician as most are, but I have to say that Mark Riley is trying to make a name for himself by manipulating something that is straightforward. He knew that what he was was wrong if you watch his body language, particularly his right hand. He is a sell out and a fool. Hey Mark, how about trying some real journalism, you know one that involves our reporting on facts and not taking advantage of your platform at channel 7 and conjuring up manipulations, or is it possible that you are a mere ‘yes’ man.
Having watched the footage and subsequent interview with Riley I would say that Abbot who has never been in a wartime situation was trying to be understanding by communicating on a colloquial level his response of ‘Shit Happens’ one we can all understand being that life can’t be planned and it’ll always surprise you with the good and bad. That’s what that comment means. We all know that. Abbots response to Riley was a great call in judgement by not giving him a much deserved slap him in the head. What a waste of time Mark Riley has created for a lot of people.
The profession of ‘Journalism’ needs to reassess it’s principles because the majority in this country can’t be taken seriously because they have sold out!
Here’s a tip, how about trying to have some ‘integrity’ when undertaking the role?
9 Feb 11
2:30 pm
Anyone who’s spent more than five minutes in Tony Abbott’s presence knows that he’s a cavalier cowboy, and a bit of a bully really, so it should be no surprise that the footage the 7 reporter was asking him to respond to exposes the man for what many know him to be from personal experience.
The crime is that a reporter is being criticised for showing the people of Australia who Tony really is simply by questioning him about his own words. Aren’t news reporters responsible for speaking truth to power, and for shining whatever light they have available on the realities in our society that are so often, too often masked by the few to manipulate the many?
Despite the fact that the media in Australia is owned by a cabal of powerful families who are of the same political stripe as Mr. Abbott and the Liberal Party, a news reporter was able to confront the Leader of the Opposition about an issue of fact, and to do so in a manner that revealed the man who would be king, or pope for whom he truly is. Maybe the real question, considering the media ownership, is who is trying to undermine Tony from inside his own party, and who will most benefit from his demise? Do we see Malcolm standing in the wings, ready to take on our female PM in a manner that does not make the Eastern Suburbs Liberals cringe for its misogyny and ham-fisted approach, as the current Shadow PM and former Howard attack dog does so often on his own steam?
9 Feb 11
2:38 pm
Absolutely shocking form from Riley. What an absolute hack.
I’m both surprised & pleased to see that the story has been turned back on him this morning – he deserves it. Ray Hadley absolutely carved him up earlier today – it’s worth tracking down to listen to.
9 Feb 11
2:39 pm
Clearly Abbot was mustering all the self control he could so he wouldn’t end up flooring that journo. That’s why he couldn’t say anything!
I for one wish he did grab him by the scruff of the neck and tell him that sort of irresponsible, gutter, cheap journalism has no place in Australia.
7 better watch themselves – they are fast becoming the Fox News/News of the World half breed of Australian media.
9 Feb 11
2:52 pm
I have to agree with inq (2:06) Not only do I dislike Tony Abbott but I do like Mark Riley. However, on this occasion, Riley you are out of order with you intent to disgrace a man who, given time, will self implode anyway. Not on this occasion though Tony, you’re OK. Get OFF his back on this one 7!!!
9 Feb 11
2:56 pm
Bang on dk. Abbott might not be the most articulate man in the world but he’s certainly not unpatriotic, and in no way trivialisng the death of a digger. So pleased to see everyone else is more disgusted with the quality of reporting from Seven here.
9 Feb 11
2:59 pm
Good to see so many of the faithful using the the material supplied the Menzies House talking points email in support of the “dear leader”.
Abbott is a serial offender when it comes to this sort of thing. Remember Bernie Banton?
Until this story broke the Tories were out on interwebs slagging off JG”s tears.
The fact is “sh!t happens” is a throwaway cliche in the 21st century mostly used by teenagers and Gen X facetiously. It ill becomes a public figure when discussing a military action with a senior military commander who is only too well aware of the consequences of sh!t happening.
9 Feb 11
3:00 pm
One wonders where Riley would be now if he wasn’t a journo, Abbott wasn’t a politician and there was no camera. Can you imagine what the more eloquent Hawke, Keating, Fraser, Menzies, even Howard would have done at the mere suggestion of trivializing the death of an Australian soldier?! Abbott was obviously disgusted, furious and incredulous and I have no problem with his human response (and I didn’t vote for him). Few would have shown such restraint in the non-journo/politician televised world, for those involved you should be embarrassed.
9 Feb 11
3:09 pm
I generally can’t stand Tony Abbott. But I really did feel sorry for him in this interview. It was poor journalism and disrespectful to the solider and his family and fellow soldiers, to beat up the incident in that way. What was Abbott supposed to say the top military guy in the province? ‘You really f*cked that up mate!”?
9 Feb 11
3:29 pm
I’m no fan of Tony Abbott, but Riley’s interview was a disgraceful beat up.
Abbott should have head butted him.
9 Feb 11
3:42 pm
I feel sorry for the grieving family in all this. Quoting the father and referencing the wife. They just want to be left alone. The whole debacle needs to go away very quickly.
9 Feb 11
3:54 pm
Why feel sorry for him though? Seeing his performance on the insiders where he didn’t answer any questions left me wondering why he didn’t pull the same trick with Riley. The head shaking and silence for so long was astounding from someone who never answers a question. It was his Latham moment. There’s no way that guy could be PM.
9 Feb 11
3:55 pm
I have to agree – I am not a supporter of Tony Abbott but I do think this is very unfair of channel 9. I don’t think Abbot was trying to be insensitive at all and this is actually quite embarrassing. If anything, I think he was trying to be supportive of the soldiers by supporting their defence in battle and trying to show that he understood sometimes in battle things go wrong. If there was not enough firepower for those soldiers that is another issue, but this is definitely a beat up.
9 Feb 11
4:36 pm
Great Freudian Slip Tony! No doubt trivialising the tragedy because he and Howard and the other unconscionable Liberals hesitated not one second in sending other people’s children into a crazy, unwinnable war.
In sending Australian soldiers to an American war and demanding we keep the flag British, I just wish this person would show one iota of patriotism for Australia.
The Liberals are a total disgrace.
9 Feb 11
4:42 pm
Why is everybody so surprised that C7 saw an opportunity and went for the jugular? Why why why. Since when do journos in this arena respect anyone? Abbott should have had Riley for breakfast then shat him out. Instead he let him get to him. A future PM? No way.
9 Feb 11
5:34 pm
Where ever shit happens channel 7 covers it better.
Please…Please be sensitive and stop spreading it…
Soldiers / Martyrs & their families… they need time & peace to heal from the ultimate sacrifice.
9 Feb 11
7:23 pm
To think or state that Abbott was trivialising such a tragedy is a merely a narrow, out of context interpretation. Clearly “understatement” can be deployed in order to demonstrate one’s frank understanding of reality, tragedy and absurdity.
In my book it beats crocodile tears.
As far as the interview goes there is nothing wrong with silence as answer to demonstrate one’s contempt for the question and the interviewer.
Tony Abbott for PM
9 Feb 11
8:20 pm
This is the first time I have ever written to a newspaper or television station but your gutter journalism from mark riley leaves me seething and for channel 7 to run with this story is reprehensible. does anyone at channel 7 seriously believe that the minister or the opposition leader would say something so completely insensitive. you all were very well aware that Tony abbot’s comments were not related to the tragic death of that soldier. all channel 7 achieved was more grief for his widow and family. The trust I held for channel 7 is shattered. The only way I can show my total disgust is to switch channels. Kotchi and Mel you should hang your heads because you ran with it, the trust is gone
9 Feb 11
8:37 pm
All journalists are pure vultures. Why do you think they have 24 hour coverage of the flood disasters and hurricane Yasi? So they can be informative? So they can help in some way? NO. So they are first on the scene with their cameras when something tragic happens that just shouldn’t be filmed in the first place. These vultures lick their lips when they get woken up in the middle of the night because there might be a hurricane and 100s of people might die, they are the scum of the earth. I for one wish Tony Abbott had of given Riley a good hard smack in the face, I would definitely vote for him knowing he would not only stand up for what is right but fight (literally) for it as well.
9 Feb 11
9:09 pm
The celebrity journalist.
Mark Riley is the Kim Kardashian of Australian political journalism.
He probably thought this was his Laurie Oakes moment.
Back to the regional newspapers for you, dear Hack.
9 Feb 11
9:12 pm
Tony Abbott should sack his press secretary for organizing the questions with that nasty reporter who has sh#t for brains.
9 Feb 11
9:13 pm
Abbott should have snotted the bloke.
9 Feb 11
10:31 pm
so what all you idiots are suggesting is that the reporter should not hold tony abbott accountable for his remarks…… come on he is a reporter this is what he does, this is what we want him to do to report in incidents like this so that we know what kind of people are in line raising their hands to govern this country……
channel 7 keep up the good work……
9 Feb 11
10:52 pm
a non event by 7 to think they had something and peoples responses show how dumb they were.
these guys see so much horror, hear things that we don’t know about and tony abbott was being one of the boys and it is australian to say shit happens.
shit happens for 7 and mark riley.
9 Feb 11
10:57 pm
So 7 says it didn’t ambush Tony Abbott. 7 claims his office was informed 2 hours prior of what they proposed to do. Well, I have been waiting all day for just one commentator to ask this question: Did 7/Riley, at any time, inform Mr Abbotts’ office that they were going to play the footage from his visit to the troops in an edited version of what was said rather than advising that they had conveniently cut the vital 10 seconds of his words immediately following their sensationalisation of the event? I would wager a years salary that they did not!
7 and Mark Riley have stooped to the lowest form of gutter media I have ever witnessed and everyone, including the Sunrise presenters, 7 management and Mr Riley have shown that particular television station to be the most unscrupulous and immoral media outlet in the country.
9 Feb 11
11:25 pm
err.. (shake) (tremble) (shake) err.. (wobble) err.. (wobble) (shake) (tremble) etc…
10 Feb 11
10:35 am
On Tuesday both Abbott and Gillard made me proud with their parliamentary performances. We are lucky to have a Prime Minister and Opposition Leader of World Class quality, while the media are dragging the chain amongst these “World Class Performances”.
10 Feb 11
11:01 am
I am appalled by Seven. I abominate this type of news-making. I’ll boycott Seven for the foreseeable future.
10 Feb 11
12:16 pm
Very unfair of 7, they really are scraping the barrel. I’m with you on that Hadley, boycott time. Whilst I’m no fan of Tony, that sort of this is in very poor taste.
Made me wonder if Tony has early onset Parkinsons disease tho. The way that head was nodding. Quite alarming. Anyone else think that?
10 Feb 11
1:01 pm
Hell yes. That Katherine Hepburn twitch really did make him look insane.
10 Feb 11
1:09 pm
In the original interview when Tony Abbott said ‘shit happens’ if it had been offensive the soldieurs that he was chatting with would have reacted. The soldieurs did not bat an eyelid.
If Tony had been out of line I am sure those soldieurs would have let him know, there are then. They didn’t – case closed. Move on and 7 sht the fck up you sensationalist morons. (Or is this an insider Liberal influence at 7 trying to oust Abbott?)
10 Feb 11
5:05 pm
Mark Riley is a Goose..
10 Feb 11
5:06 pm
Channel Sevemn and so many others think Tony Abbott should apologise to the dead soldier’s family for this comment he made. But they would never have known or even heard about the comment if Seven had any respect for the family and the soldier. What has this really achieved? Besides, look at the soldier over Tony Abbott’s right shoulder who nodded in agreement and (I think) said something to the effect, you are right. This is a shitty war like any other, and shit does happen. Go ask any soldier who has more understanding than you repoters will ever have. Hang your heads in shame for bringing this to the familie’s and the nation’s attention
10 Feb 11
9:58 pm
This viral hit deserves a mention on it’s own…
Here is a Tony version…
http://gobarbra.com/hit/new-e0.....bd3d11a3ee
10 Feb 11
11:03 pm
Riley is a graduate of the Today Tonight School of Journolism. In fact he graduated with honours!
11 Feb 11
8:44 am
Tony didn’t handle the situation correctly. We expect our leaders to face up to whatever is thrown in their path. What he said to the soldiers maybe lacked decorum in but I don’t think he meant disrespect.
I do however believe his silent, quivering rage when interviewed showed us all that he is not leadership material. He had an opportunity to put the journalist in his place and just blew it. Could you have seen John Howard behaving like this? And what would some like Hawke or Keating done?
Tony you might be an okay bloke but a leader you are not!
11 Feb 11
9:30 am
Riley has done some amazing work for channel 7 over the last couple of years, and that should not be forgotten. The recent Abbott story has attracted criticism, but you can not fault the man on his other amazing pieces of political work. A great professional!
20 Feb 11
6:32 pm
should tony just advanced on riley and said shit is about to happen you left wing dick head