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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.
Tourism Tasmania campaign mocks pretentiousness of mainland Aussies
Tourism Tasmania has launched a campaign that pokes fun at the pretentiousness of mainland Australians.
The campaign picks on caricatures such as ‘the tragic hipster’, ‘the burnt-out corporate’, ‘the culture vulture’, ‘the try-hard extremist’ and ‘the fanatical foodie’ and urges Aussies to be brought back down to earth with a break in Tassie.
A digital element invites would-be visitors to take a quiz to win prizes by sharing Save a Mainlander holiday suggestions via email, Facebook and twitter.
Hobart agency Red Jelly was behind the campaign.
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Comments
1 Jun 12
1:14 pm
Tonally it feels wrong. Would calling me a burnt out corporate or wanker hipster make me want to go to Tassie? Feels like it ostracizes the state even more.
1 Jun 12
1:33 pm
Totally love it – think they could have gone even a bit harder for the hipster jugular!
1 Jun 12
1:48 pm
Mock the people you are trying to seduce? Not a good move.
1 Jun 12
1:54 pm
I think it’s worth a chuckle – I’m definitely a burnt-out mainland wanker who needs saving.
1 Jun 12
2:15 pm
If can’t have a laugh at that…then you wouldn’t get Tas anyway…
1 Jun 12
2:18 pm
It’s great. Some people take themselves too seriously – others might really enjoy a Tasmanian short break.
1 Jun 12
2:18 pm
I think it’s great. We stir up Tasmanian’s so I think it’s perfectly reasonable and funny! Where has Aussie humor gone? Tassie rocks! I hope the campaign is a success.
1 Jun 12
2:32 pm
Isn’t this a local campaign? If it’s asking locals to save a mainlander, I doubt anyone on the mainland (apart from tragics like us on advertising blogs) would ever see it. It’s certainly a different way of doing tourism. Like the V-Line Guilt trips work from McCann, it’s charming and surprising enough to work I reckon.
1 Jun 12
2:34 pm
As a Tasmanian I love it. If I was a mainlander with a superior attitude, I’d hate it. Stay on the big Island and stay miserable then…
1 Jun 12
2:42 pm
It’s actually quite clever if you think about it. I don’t see it as them poking fun at ‘mainlanders,’ rather, they are pointing out the various hang-ups with have in ‘mainland’ society and offering to give us a way to relax and get away from all of those issues.
Very nicely executed.
1 Jun 12
2:44 pm
I hope this isn’t running on ‘the mainland’ – It’s f*%king stupid on every level. Barely does the job of highlighting the reasons to visit. Massive Fail.
1 Jun 12
2:47 pm
The ad is clearly aimed at Tasmanian’s but I’m not sure what it all achieves. It’s quite funny really but I think Tasmanian’s talking about art in a shower of wood chips might not be the best look for either the State or the Mainlanders.
1 Jun 12
2:57 pm
Hmmmm……I didn’t want to like it but I kind of did.
1 Jun 12
3:06 pm
Seems a little too much like the Kiwi Sceptic campaign that Air NZ recently ran: http://www.airnewzealand.com.au/kiwi-sceptics
At least that campaign showed us real-ish people who represented the stereotypes & then how their attitudes changed towards NZ once they went there.
Tassie is an amazing place (which you don’t understand until you have experienced it yourself) & I just feel this focuses more on what’s wrong with us, rather than what is right with Tassie.
1 Jun 12
3:06 pm
Great video. And the website is very well designed and simple. Nicely done.
1 Jun 12
3:17 pm
I’m a mainlander and I think it’s great. Makes me feel like I’m an outsider and that I’m missing out on something. We’ve been well-schooled for years that Tassie is beautiful/pure etc etc so this stands out well as a tactical answer to a business problem. It’s not a massive branding campaign. Calm down people.
1 Jun 12
3:24 pm
As an art theory honours student with a 98% black wardrobe (2% grey) with vintage cardigans, I think this is hilarious. It totally pokes fun at me and my friends. It’s good to be able to laugh at yourself. Life isn’t really that serious when you think about it. It’s true, some mainlanders probably should take themselves less seriously and go for a hike in the beautiful tassie wilderness. I know I would do well with a dose of ‘getting real!’
1 Jun 12
3:27 pm
When I read the description I thought HELL NO.
But the ‘save a mainlander’ idea seems sound. As a mainlander i can deflect the caricature to others, use it to poke fun at some friends. There’s a personality i like.
It won’t hit the broadest demo, but this is a definitie improvement on the usual tourism campaigns which just continues to re-state what stuff they have.
1 Jun 12
3:39 pm
Very cute. Very likable. Gives Tassie a different personality to the other tourism ads. I don’t think it’ll be a problem with mainlanders; I don’t think it’s targeting those people identified in the ad; but more the average mainlander who will reappraise tasmania as a destination.
1 Jun 12
4:00 pm
Sets Tasmania apart from the other states, shows its quirky side, and most importantly stops the really dumb people (like those who don’t get it here) from cluttering up the place and complaining. A winner all round.
1 Jun 12
5:32 pm
If the promotion is to win a holiday to Tasmania, I’m certainly not going to a book a flight and then wait to see if I’ve won another (?) flight and holiday package. Doesn’t make sense. Do you get reimbursed for the flight you booked? Shame, as its quite a good promotional entry mechanic… just slightly confusing when you read the T&C’s.
1 Jun 12
10:11 pm
As a former Tasmanian and now territorian, I think this is a rockin campaign! Up here, we call ‘em the ‘down southers’. What it is showing is people so caught up in their city lifestyles, you forget to relax, you don’t realise how pretentious you really are till you you land in the bush, on the beach, on a mountain, with no one else but yourself, no iPhone, iPad, laptop etc. Yes it’s poking fun at the wankers, but it makes you realise; maybe you’re a bot of a wanker too, maybe you need to let go a little…
2 Jun 12
12:42 am
Yep, DEFINITELY reminded me of the Kiwi skeptic ad first. And then of the parody ads created for The Pitch on The Gruen Transfer.
2 Jun 12
4:25 pm
@Cheese, Shabbadu is right, it’s a local campaign, intended to encourage Tasmanians to invite their pretentious mainland friends down. What better way to endear yourself to the local market than to take the piss out of pretentious mainlanders (god knows the jibes have been flying the other way for years)? All of those above with their funny bones removed and taking this personally proves it’s probably hit the mark.
4 Jun 12
9:51 am
Fair cop – but perhaps the mainland states should have some fun with Tasmanians, about 80% of whom are on welfare.
And who – through a quirk of history – effectively get 10 votes per person for the Senate resulting in a grossly, offensively undemocratic over representation in the Parliament.
As one of the millions who subsidise Tasmanians’ laziness, it’s tempting to say pull your head in, or we mainlanders just might push for constitutional change to bring political and financial reality to the Apple Isle.
4 Jun 12
10:22 am
*sniff sniff*
Alice, this campaign really is a wake-up call for you, eh?
4 Jun 12
10:31 am
@ARat Oh it’s hardly a wake up call… It’s an advertisement, it’s light hearted humour and it’s probably not going to change anyone’s lifestyle or be a meaningful transitional ‘wake up call’ (but you never know). I was just suggesting that not all mainlanders are going to be ‘offended’ by the nature of the advertisement, due to its poking fun at them. I certainly wasn’t offended and I would be the target, I thought it was funny. Who doesn’t like funny? Don’t take it so seriously, haha.
4 Jun 12
10:59 am
Gee Mike, sounds like you could do with a holiday or perhaps a morning poo. Sure your name really isn’t Colin?
4 Jun 12
11:15 am
But…two separate ads/videos would have helped. One for Mainlanders, one for Taswegians, like they do with the quiz on the website.
And I completely agree with ‘I want to win’: it’s ridiculous asking people to book a trip in order to win one. Taking the quiz whould do.
4 Jun 12
11:46 am
Like it, clever. FYI if you haven’t been across to Tassie it’s worth the trip. Went there last year for a five day break. Stunning. East coast is a winner
4 Jun 12
12:27 pm
The idea is gold. Best campaign out of Tassie in a very long time. And for Tourism Tasmania. Have clearly used a local agency who understand the market. They’ve managed to capture all of the natural beauty and ‘quality of life’ aspects that makes Tasmania appealing, yet connect with the majority of Tasmanians – people who appreciate the good things in life. Not what mainlanders often box them as – bogans with no culture. Top job.