Category Archives: Media

LAURIE PATTON. The Assange dilemma. What is journalism in the online age?

Posted on 17 June 2019

Julian Assange released bulk material, unfiltered and uncorroborated, via the Internet. If he had leaked it directly to the media outlets that subsequently, but selectively, published reports based on his WikiLeaks’ dumps he probably would not be in gaol facing extradition to the United States. … Continue reading →

Posted in Media | 2 Comments

KIM WINGEREI Independent media continues to grow

Posted on 13 June 2019

Independent media continues to grow. With 21.7% growth in online audience in the last quarter sites such as this are taking significant mind- and marketshare from the mainstream infortainment giants who continue to lose readers both online and offline.

Posted in Media | 3 Comments

RAMESH THAKUR. Press freedoms: ‘No one is above the law’ is a slogan, not a policy

Posted on 10 June 2019

On the one hand, Australia lacks media protections of the type found in the US and Europe that enshrine free speech in human rights charters. On the other hand, we may well have more national-security and anti-terror laws than any … Continue reading →

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RICHARD FLANAGAN. The AFP media raids aim to suppress the truth. Without it we head into the darkness of oppression. (The Guardian 6.6.2019)

Posted on 6 June 2019

In March of this year police union leaders warned that the Australian federal police was losing “its independence and integrity and must be separated from Peter Dutton’s home affairs portfolio”. 

Posted in Defence/Security, Media, Politics | 8 Comments

NATHAN GARDELS. The Digital Curtain Descends (The World Post)

Posted on 31 May 2019

While China’s last few decades of “opening up and reform” welcomed foreign investment and the global integration of supply chains for manufacturing and export, it followed an “import substitution” strategy in the digital realm. This kept out the likes of … Continue reading →

Posted in International Affairs, Media | Comments Off on NATHAN GARDELS. The Digital Curtain Descends (The World Post)

MARIAN SAWER. After Clive Palmer’s $60 million campaign, limits on political advertising are more important than ever (The Conversation)

Posted on 24 May 2019

Can billionaires buy elections in Australia? In the 2019 election, Clive Palmer demonstrated they can certainly flood the print media, airwaves, social media and billboards with advertising and have an impact on the results through their preferences and negative advertising.

Posted in Media, Politics | 1 Comment

PAUL BARRY. With pollsters and pundits getting the election result so wrong, how fair and balanced was Australia’s media this election? (Media Watch ABC 20.5.2019)

Posted on 23 May 2019

So how did the Coalition make it happen? And what effect if any did a partisan media have on the result?  News Corp’s army of right-wing commentators barracked tirelessly for the Coalition throughout the campaign, warning the nation would be destroyed … Continue reading →

Posted in Media, Politics | 4 Comments

GRAHAM FREUDENBERG. Vale Evan Williams

Posted on 14 May 2019

No Australian adorned the professions of politics and journalism like Evan Williams.  He was much more than a beautiful writer.  He was a beautiful man, who brought a shining light and grace to thousands of lives. He died a few … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts and Reviews, Media | 1 Comment

LAURIE PATTON. It’s the vision, stupid! Why we need #BetterBroadband

Posted on 14 May 2019

While neither side of politics is saying much about our increasingly-maligned National Broadband Network during the election period, the fact is Australia is falling behind in the race to leverage the benefits – economic and social – of an emerging digitally-enabled … Continue reading →

Posted in Media, NBN | 2 Comments

BRIAN COYNE. The great fallacy of our neoliberal affluent times

Posted on 14 May 2019

Brian Coyne offers this addendum to what he wrote in response to Richard Cooke’s searing analysis of Rupert Murdoch and his publishing empire. It might be a difficult-to-appreciate observation for many in our world today:

Posted in Media | 6 Comments

MUNGO MacCALLUM. Those who work for Murdoch know exactly what is expected of them.

Posted on 13 May 2019

It was in 1975 that the Murdoch bias finally pushed the dictatorial mogul’s journalists jacked up, and went on strike.  

Posted in Media, Politics | 5 Comments

ROD TIFFEN. These News Corp newspapers are first and foremost propaganda sheets.

Posted on 13 May 2019

It takes rare genius to provoke Scott Morrison and Andrew Bolt to express sympathy for Bill Shorten, but the Daily Telegraph managed it.  

Posted in Media, Politics | 8 Comments

TONY KOCH. For 30 years I worked for News Corp papers. Now all I see is shameful bias. (THE GUARDIAN 9.5.2019)

Posted on 10 May 2019

No editor I worked for would publish the rubbish they now produce.   About six weeks ago I cancelled my subscription for The Australian newspaper after getting it for more than 30 years. As soon as this election is over, I … Continue reading →

Posted in Media, Politics | 4 Comments

QUENTIN DEMPSTER. Why the Libs cannot be trusted with the ABC..

Posted on 10 May 2019

2 March 1996.  Journalist: The commitment to maintain (ABC) funding in real terms … does that stand?Senator Alston (on behalf of incoming Prime Minister John Howard): Absolutely. 6 September 2013.  Incoming Prime Minister Tony Abbott: .. and no cuts to … Continue reading →

Posted in Media, Politics | 2 Comments

WANNING SUN. Another Non-Story on China – An Example of Selective Framing

Posted on 10 May 2019

An ABC news story, ‘Chinese media mocks Australia and Prime Minister in WeChat posts’, fails to mention a few key points, and as a result, is potentially misleading, even confusing.  

Posted in International Affairs, Media, Politics | 2 Comments

JOHN MENADUE. News Corp – a rogue organisation (Repost from 21 September 2018)

Posted on 9 May 2019

Rupert Murdoch’s form in abusing power and finding truth hard to handle continues. ‘Turnbull has to go’ is typical behaviour for a man who has done more to damage democracy than any living media person . I worked with Rupert … Continue reading →

Posted in Media, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

JOHN MENADUE. It is no surprise that News Corp is even less and less trusted.

Posted on 8 May 2019

American owned News Corp Australia is the least trusted media company in the country and is a cellar-dweller in the Reputation Index of Australian companies.  Its behaviour in this election will ensure that it is even less trusted. Murdoch rewards … Continue reading →

Posted in Media | 10 Comments

BERNARD KEANE. The media has failed spectacularly on climate change (Crikey)

Posted on 5 May 2019

The media’s coverage of climate change in the election campaign has reflected the Coalition’s long-term strategy of denialism, rather than a desire for genuine scrutiny.

Posted in Environment and climate, Media | Comments Off on BERNARD KEANE. The media has failed spectacularly on climate change (Crikey)

IAN DUNLOP. Stopping Adani is a National Necessity, Economically, Financially and for our Survival.

Posted on 2 May 2019

Central banks, regulators and insurers are starting to acknowledge that the risks of human-induced climate change will have far greater economic and financial consequences than the 2008 Global Financial Crisis. Likewise, global investors and corporations are finally accepting that climate … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment and climate, Media, Politics | 6 Comments

ANDREW SALMON. South Korea unveils national strategy for 5G (Asian Times)

Posted on 29 April 2019

South Korea expects to create 600,000 new “quality jobs” by 2026 thanks to fifth-generation, or 5G, mobile technologies, and hopes to leverage its first-mover advantage in the sector globally, a senior government official said on Monday.

Posted in Media, NBN | Comments Off on ANDREW SALMON. South Korea unveils national strategy for 5G (Asian Times)

SCOTT BURCHILL: There are leaks and then there are leaks

Posted on 24 April 2019

The arrest of Julian Assange in London for his activities as head of WikiLeaks has renewed the public’s focus on the role of whistleblowers, and the prosecution of journalists who embarrass governments by exposing their lies, corruption and crimes.  

Posted in Media | 3 Comments

SAM BYFORD. Huawei chairman accuses American critics of hypocrisy over NSA hacks (The Verge 27.2.2019)

Posted on 17 April 2019

Huawei’s rotating chairman Guo Ping has gone on the offensive this week at Mobile World Congress, following continued pressure on US allies to drop the Chinese telecoms giant over national security fears. 

Posted in Economy, Media, Politics | 1 Comment

DAVID MACILWAIN.  Two Australians in trouble abroad.  

Posted on 17 April 2019

The law to censor violent content rushed through Parliament last week connected dots between two Australians abroad, when Julian Assange was “extradited” from Ecuadorian territory, in London. I examine the linkages.

Posted in Media, Politics | 2 Comments

BRIAN COYNE The genius of Rupert Murdoch and why we all need to pay attention…

Posted on 12 April 2019

This is in response to the recent New York Time’s commentary on the Empire of Rupert Murdoch, P&I 5th April.  Murdoch’s insight has been passed to many of the publishers of commercial media and political parties. It has damaged society … Continue reading →

Posted in Media | 2 Comments

KERRY O’BRIEN. We can’t let ourselves off the hook (Part 2)

Posted on 11 April 2019

Part 2 of a speech delivered at The Walkley Fund for Journalism Dinner in Sydney on Friday April 5, 2019. Every year at the Walkley Awards, we honour a craft that holds power in its various manifestations big and small, … Continue reading →

Posted in Media | 3 Comments

KERRY O’BRIEN. We can’t let ourselves off the hook (Part 1)

Posted on 10 April 2019

Part 1 of a speech delivered at The Walkley Fund for Journalism Dinner in Sydney on Friday April 5, 2019. Forty-three years ago I went to the Philippines for the ABC’s Four Corners, to cover a disaster story—a tsunami that … Continue reading →

Posted in Media | 3 Comments

LAURIE PATTON. Labor spells out its NBN rescue plan

Posted on 10 April 2019

Labor’s communications spokesperson, Michelle Rowland, has outlined a very sensible approach to fixing the dud NBN. In fact, should the Coalition retain office it would be well advised to adopt Labor’s plan. 

Posted in NBN | 2 Comments

MICHAEL NIMAN. Weaponised Social Media Is Driving the Explosion of Fascism (Truthout)

Posted on 8 April 2019

Social media platforms give governments, extremists, haters and propagandists the ability to excite and incite hate amplified by algorithms.

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The New York Times ‘How Rupert Murdoch’s empire of influence remade the world’.

Posted on 5 April 2019

On Wednesday 3 April 2019, The New York Times published a 20,000 word article about the influence o the Murdoch family, (Rupert, James and Lachlan) and the developing divisions within it. See link below to the New York Times article.

Posted in Media, Politics | 2 Comments

ANDREW JAKUBOWICZ. Why Australia is the best place to be an online racist.

Posted on 29 March 2019

When no name pulled the trigger over one hundred times as he sluiced his way through the congregations at two Christchurch mosques, nothing he did was new. It was bigger, perhaps more “successful”, and maybe better planned than his role … Continue reading →

Posted in Media | 3 Comments