AFR’s James Chessell heads to The Oz
The Australian Financial Review’s business writer James Chessell is defecting to The Australian.
The long-time Fairfax journo will write about media for the News Ltd paper’s business section and Media supplement .
He replaces The Australian’s business media writer Nick Tabakoff who left the paper in August for sister title the Daily Telegraph.
In a memo to staff today, The Australian’s deputy editor (business) Clive Mathieson said of Chessell’s move: “Needless to say, his appointment is great news for The Australian and a great blow for our friends at Fairfax.”
He also addressed business commentator Adele Ferguson’s move in the other direction – to Fairfax Media’s The Age and Sydney Morning Herald. Mathieson told staff: “The key thing is that the paper and News Limited continue to invest in our business section. Rest assured, we are replacing departures, including Adele.”
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large.
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Funny isn’t it; just when the leftist Fairfax and ABC journos are – still, constantly slamming Murdoch media outlets wholesale, how many of their “brightest and best” have jumped ship and gone over to News Group publications. (Adele Ferguson’s move the other way is the first for quite a while). So when One looks at the respective total media packages; including very much ONLINE; News leaves Fairfax for dead. Whether it be measured by circulation, ad revenue, list of quality well-credentialed writers and contributors or just plain influence on the business and political life of our nation; the second-rate Fairfax publications are left behind. I’m personally glad that I don’t hold shares with them; just look at their performance too over the past 5-10 years.
Yet they still hold themselves up as “the flagship of truth, justice and quality information etc etc”. Not for my money.
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Graeme, I think you’ll find that Fairfax journos jumping ship to Murdoch newspapers is a sign of one thing only: the concentration of media ownership in Australia. If you are a business scribe there are only two viable print media employers open to you. Adele Ferguson is a case in point: she started at Murdoch, went to Fairfax, returned to Murdoch and is now back at Fairfax again.
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Yes Stru; ‘spot on”; at least as far as you go. But given the financial and Boardroom hassles that Fairfax engenders – let alone the future employment prospects of working in a group with diminishing numbers of journalists AND on publications with dwindling circulations; if i was still in the industry; there is no doubt as to where I would be working. And surely, continuity of employment let alone security etc etc is an important consideration for any working journalist too. “We cannot live by bread alone”.
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Who says we cannot live on bread along?
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