New editors for SMH and The Australian’s media sections
The editorships of the biggest two newspaper sections focusing on media and marketing have this week both changed, with Julian Lee finishing as marketing editor of the Sydney Morning Herald and Stephen Brook arriving as editor of the Australian’s Media section.
Lee is making an internal move, becoming deputy editor of Fairfax Media’s online comment site the National Times after just over two years in his previous role and six writing about the industry.
A replacement for Lee – who oversees the newspaper’s Friday media and marketing section – has not yet been appointed.
And former Media Guardian journalist Stephen Brook has started as editor of The Australian’s Monday Media section, replacing Geoff Elliott, who also made an internal move .
Today’s Australian carries an interview with Brook. Asked about comparisons between the UK and Australian TV industry, he tells the paper:
“The UK industry is bigger, brighter, better than Australia’s. It is more willing to gamble on launching new programs and formats.”
However, Brook adds: “I do think we do news and current affairs better here. BBC TV News is full of poseurs.”
Also within the media and marketing press, last week saw the departure of Heather Jacobs as Campaign Brief deputy editor to become editorial specialist at Ogilvy-affiliated PR agency Howorth.
And last week Ogilvy PR in Melbourne announced that it had hired B&T’s Melbourne correspondent Melinda Varley.
“I do think we do news and current affairs better here. BBC TV News is full of poseurs.”
Because Australian commercial news and current affairs media is never about celebrity at all… 😉
Funny that, as my mate from BBC TV who was over here for a few weeks earlier this year thought the news in Australia was rubbish – particularly radio. Lots of technical journalistic reasons as to why this was (soundbites, interviews, editing etc) but the thought was there.
I have to say, I don’t think I’ve hardly ever seen mention of the TV ratings that the news gets mentioned in the UK anywhere near as much as it’s discussed in Australia, though.
Hopefully ex-Guardian Media’s Stephen Brook can overhaul the now frankly embarrassingly partisan The Australian Media section which has degenerated under Geoff Elliott’s watch.
It’s “us vs them” tone and intimidating and bullying ethos does the once respected Media section no favours e.g. twitdef, grogsgamut, ridiculous attacks on supposed ABC bias.
The Media Diary section is so gushing about News Limited it now reads like an internal staff newsletter.
If it improves I’ll start buying the Monday print edition again having stopping in December last year after many years of being happy to pay to read it.
is that you Neil ……Shoebridge?