Opinion

Paper review: Astras, Anzac Day and Second Death

There is a special code often used by journalists when they know something, but it’s under embargo.  

So bet your house on the brave prediction by Simon Canning on the front page of The Australian’s Media section that the Beyond Kokoda documentary “is tipped as a potential big winner at the pay TV industry’s annual Astra Awards tonight.” Not that you’ll be able to watch it on telly. As Amanda Meade points out, it’s a “pretty weak effort from the broadcasters who screened the Mardi Gras, the Emmys and the Oscars live”.

But pay TV is putting in the effort elsewhere. Over in the Australian Financial Review, there are several new bylines in the marketing section today, including Damon Kitney. He reveals that Premier Media Group, which owns the Fox Sports channels, is to launch a sports archive channel which will cover sports history and classic matches. The channel will come, he reports, once the new Optus satellite is operational later this year, creating capacity for another 20 pay TV channels.

Still with sport, back at the Oz the Media section focuses on last week’s Senate inquiry hearings into sports reporting. It warns that limitations by sports rights holders to what can be reported online would threaten press freedom.

Meanwhile, VB’s Raise A Glass campaign, created by Droga5 to raise funds for services charities, is facing a backlash, reveals Lara Sinclair. The TVCs are raising opposition from those who oppose the commercialisation of Anzac Day. The ABC will mark the occasion by launching a major online documentary project allowing people to relive the first hours of the Gallipoli campaign.

Over in the digital world, they’re dreaming big. In an opinion piece, Mediacom’s Mal Dale shares his colleague’s goal:

“Rob envisions a future where a dog owner will never again see a commercial for cat food.”

And the perils of online PR are being tackled by Telstra. A new policy on how staff should interact with social media will be unveiled today, says The Oz.

But the paper strikes a sceptical note about Twitter, warning it is too early to tell if it’s going to stick as a marketing channel. G2 global CEO Joe Celia tells the paper that brands should not rush to get involved. In a separate piece, Simon Canning reports on the fading fortunes of last year’s brand fad, Second Life, with some Australian brands closing their operations as visitors “slow to a trickle”.

Also experiencing a slowdown is marketing group STW and News Ltd, both of which are offering some of their staff a nine day fortnight and a pay cut to go with it, reports the Oz.

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