Media news digest archive for November 2005

Online readership a bright spot for newspapers (Nov 29)
From the Online Publishers Assocation in the USA: While newspaper print circulation dips lower and lower, the good news for papers is that their online adjuncts are getting more and more traffic. The latest report from the NAA and Nielsen/NetRatings found that U.S. newspaper site traffic was up 11% in October 2005 (over October 2004) to 39.3 million unique visitors or 26% of the American Net population. That contrasts with the ABC's recent report that paid print circulation of U.S. newspapers was down 2.6%. Leading site growth for newspapers was the Houston Chronicle (35%), Washington Post (28%), LA Times (23%) and Chicago Sun-Times (20%), with the Boston Globe as the only traffic loser (down 1%). NYTimes.com was the top trafficked newspaper site at 11.4 million unique visitors in the month. "Most, if not all, of the top newspaper sites offer interactivity such as blogs, podcasts, and streaming video/audio," said Nielsen's Gerry Davison. These interactive features, combined with Internet users' thirst for up-to-date information, make newspaper web sites an increasingly appealing choice for news."
OPA; Editor & Publisher story

Should terror preparations be aired? (Nov 29)
An ethical storm has erupted over the recent release by al-Qaeda of footage showing preparations for the recent fatal hotel bombings in Iraq. A number of websites have made the footage available, which will outrage some viewers and be seen as a recruitment ad by others. The ethical question is should you, as a publisher, be giving oxygen to the PR plans of such an organizations? See this link to the material via the Middle East Media Research Institute.

Lawsuits used to battle Thai media (Nov 25)
From Channel News Asia: Thai Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra has filed several lawsuits -- six in the last month -- against a media tycoon for his stiff criticisms of the government in a talk show. Mr Sondhi Limthongkul, a staunch Thaksin critic, had accused the Prime Minister of corruption, and conflicts of business interests…”
Channel News; Story

Wanted: Media watcher (Nov 24)
Liz Jackson, the host of the ABC's Media Watch program, has resigned and is returning to her reporting role at Four Corners.
The former barrister was the fifth presenter for Media Watch, which often finds itself at the centre of some ugly infighting with other publishers.
Media Watch web

World digital library (Nov 24)
From our Benton files: The USA Library of Congress is launching a campaign today to create the World Digital Library, an online collection of rare books, manuscripts, maps, posters, stamps and other materials from its holdings and those of other national libraries that would be freely accessible for viewing by anyone, anywhere with Internet access. This is the most ambitious international effort ever undertaken to put precious items of artistic, historical, and literary significance on the Internet so that people can learn about other cultures without traveling further than the nearest computer (even in Carthage, Tennessee?), according to James H. Billington, head of the Library of Congress.
Washington Post home; Story
Library of Congress; Announcement

Subconscious racism? (Nov 24)
Sacbee.com reports that for a missing child to attract widespread publicity and improve the odds of being found, it helps if the child is white, wealthy, cute and under 12. That's the finding of a study of CNN coverage in the USA by the Howard Scripps news service.
Sacbee.com home; Story

Dodging the ad zapper (Nov 22)
From the Wall Street Journal: Marketers are worried about new technology that allows viewers to zap through commercials. So they are pushing reluctant networks to rethink the age-old format of the ad-break -- known on Madison Avenue as a "pod." Among the options: special "pod-puncher" ads -- blips as short as five seconds -- strategically positioned at the end of a commercial break to get more attention from viewers. At the other extreme, marketers are working on ads lasting several minutes, as well as groups of ads that mirror a program's theme.
Wall Street Journal

Online newspapers flourish (Nov 21)
From CNet via our Benton files: Nielsen/NetRatings reports that one out of four US Internet users now read an online version of a newspaper which get over 39 million visitors per year. "The growth among newspaper Web sites demonstrates that these entities offer unique incentives to visitors," Gerry Davison, senior media analyst at Nielsen/NetRatings, said in a statement. "Most, if not all of the top newspaper sites offer interactivity such as blogs, podcasts and streaming video and audio. These interactive features, combined with Internet users' thirst for up-to-date information, make newspaper Web sites an increasingly appealing choice for news."
CNet home; Story
Benton files

Home page sell-outs (Nov 21)
From the Wall Street Journal via the Benton files: The front pages of Yahoo, AOL and MSN are sold out on big display ads for months in advance, ad buyers say.
Web sites offering car-buying tips are booked so far in advance -- up to 18 months in some cases -- that they are selling ads for next year in a process similar to the way network TV spots are sold. The surging demand is allowing big rate increases at the largest portals, the prime beneficiaries of the growth. Still, the rising tide of ad dollars is lifting some smaller boats. The shortage of premium spots is driving advertisers toward smaller targeted Web sites that capture niche audiences and even into what is known as "remnant inventory," or otherwise unwanted spots across a wide array of Web sites. Prices for remnant advertising increased about three per cent in the third quarter from the second quarter. Unlike premium sites, remnant advertisers have no shortage of space available.
Wall Street Journal
Benton files

Copyright or right to know? (Nov 20)
The Prince of Wales is taking the unusual step of initiating legal action against a newspaper, claiming its publication of private emails was a breach of copyright.
The Prince’s musings were apparently distributed to a select list of friends and were never intended for publication. Their exposure in The Mail on Sunday has caused considerable embarrassment, as the they tend to reveal a lively turn of phrase. For example, the Prince is said to have described the hand-over of Hong Kong to China as the great Chinese take-away.
Predictably, the newspaper is arguing that the royal’s correspondence and what it reveals about his thinking is of considerable public interest – which may be indisputable, though whether there is an implied right to know may be another matter altogether.
Sir Michael Peat, Principal Private Secretary to The Prince of Wales, said: “This is a matter of principle. Like anybody else, The Prince of Wales is entitled to write a private journal without extracts being published.
“This journal was copied and passed to The Mail on Sunday without permission. We made this clear to The Mail on Sunday on five occasions, both orally and in writing.
“Nevertheless, The Mail on Sunday proceeded to publish these extracts despite the knowledge that it was in breach of The Prince of Wales’s copyright and confidence.”
The case has significant implications for publishers and how they report leaked information.

The blogger’s blog (Nov 19)
A USA outfit linked to Pajamas Media has found venture capital to start up a blogger’s network which promises to connect and highlight some of the best news-related material available on the web.
It’s called Open Source Media and the founders say: “Where journalists once gave us ‘experts say’, blogs give us the experts themselves. And where faceless, ’objective’ editorial boards once handed down opinions and endorsements, bloggers sound off, the numbers on their public sitemeters lending them unassailable credibility as voices for the rest of us.
“OSM’s mission is to expand the influence of weblogs by finding and promoting the best of them, providing bloggers with a forum to meet and share resources, and the chance to join a for-profit network that will give them additional leverage to pursue knowledge wherever they may find it. From academics, professionals and decorated experts, to ordinary citizens sitting around the house opining in their pajamas, our community of bloggers are among the most widely read and influential citizen journalists out there, and our roster will be expanding daily. We also plan to provide a bridge between old media and new, bringing bloggers and mainstream journalists—more and more of whom have started to blog—together in a debate-friendly forum.”
Open Source Media

Telstra shifts direction (Nov 16)
Australian telecommunications giant Telstra yesterday announced a significant shift in direction for its business. While the announcement of thousands of job cuts is what grabbed the headlines, there are two significant aspects for media watchers.
One is its renewed focus on digital delivery of media content with a particular emphasis on wireless connections. The company's statement said, in part:
* Introduce a next generation IP network, an investment of more than $10 billion over five years of which $2-3 billion is incremental over existing plans, with the IP core in place by the end of 2007
* 80 per cent of Telstra's internet customers will have broadband in three years (today 50 pc are on broadband)
Number two is the announcement that its Sensis brand -- which owns telephone directories, several web sites and a range of print properties including the Trading Post empire - is expected to expand its horizons.
The company said:
* Sensis will double its revenue base to $3 billion within five years
* Sensis plays a critical role in Telstra's core strategy and its online business would be further developed by integrating search and transaction based applications and services for Sensis customers and core Telstra customers.
Telstra statement

Internet should promote harmony (Nov 16)
An internet media conference in China has promoted the idea that websites should do what they can to promote social harmony.
According to a story at the China View website: Put forward by Zhou Xisheng, president of state-owned Xinhua Online, the proposal provides guidelines for China's Internet news media industry, which has developed fast in recent years.
The proposal notes that Internet news is becoming more influential over public opinion. It states that all Internet news media must abide by the Constitution and laws, publicize scientific theories and promote culture, carry forward the national character, and provide high quality services for Internet users.
Cai Mingzhao, deputy director of the State Council Information Office, said that the Internet media are responsible for promoting the buiding of a harmonious society.
"China-based news websites should strengthen their awareness of law, exercise self-discipline and spread advanced culture," said Cao.
"The Internet has an important influence on public opinion," said Zhao Chenyu, vice secretary of the All-China Journalists Association. "With a large information capacity and rapid dissemination speed, the internet poses great challenges for traditional media."
China View

TV should promote harmony (Nov 16)
Meanwhile the Independent in the UK reports, in the wake of the recent riots in France: President Jacques Chirac..called on the media - and especially television stations - to make sure that France's racial minorities become more visible on the nation's TV screens.
Independent home; Story

Reporting Islam (Nov 14)
An international TV news conference last week heard the results of a report by Chris Yalounis, of Communique Partners, which investigated the reporting of Muslims in western media.
The author commented, “The image of Islam has been hijacked by extremists and it is time to take it back," according to a report in the Guardian newspaper.
Funded by the Kuwait government, the document notes, "In many cases, the press talks and writes about Muslims in ways that would not be acceptable if the reference were to Jewish, black or fundamentalist Christians."
It is now available in book form.
Guardian home; Story

DVD pirate jailed (Nov 14)
A Hong Kong man was last week jailed for three months in what is believed to be the world's first criminal conviction for internet piracy of a movie.
Chan Nai-Ming, who used the rather unfortunate internet name of Big Crook, was convicted of making three Hollywood movies available via the BitTorrent peer-to-peer network.
BitTorrent and other similar networks have been targets for prosecution by content creators in recent months. The stakes are high: the Motion Pictures Association of America claims it loses US$900 million to piracy per year in the Asia region alone.
While legal action is increasingly successful in stopping or modifying the practices of networks, there is no sign of the activity slowing down.

Media reacts to sedition law (Nov 11)
Newspaper companies and the Press Council have responded to the Federal Government's proposed new sedition laws, cautioning against their possible effects.
News Limited, Fairfax, AAP and the Press Council sent a 20-page submission to a Senate committee, reports The Australian news paper.
The Media Alliance has also produced a submission, condemning the law. “Sedition is an obsolete law that should be dropped,” said Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance federal secretary, Christopher Warren.
“History teaches us when sedition laws are used, they are used to silence writers, journalists and creators. They are tools of censorship, not of public protection. The real danger is that in 'modernising sedition' its use will become widespread.”
The Australian home; Story
Media Alliance link

Rupert's big lunch (Nov 11)
A recent Ebay auction for charity managed to flog lunch with News Corp head Rupert Murdoch to a punter calling themselves wabanhood for a princely US$57,100.

Wider powers for regulator? (Nov 9)
Federal Communications Minister Helen Coonan has announced a review of the powers of the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA).
“ACMA's broadcasting regulatory powers are generally concentrated at the higher end of the scale and the imposition of a criminal penalty, or the draconian punishment of licence cancellation, is rarely appropriate,” Senator Coonan said.
“Any change to ACMA's powers would be to enable a more responsive regulatory approach, particularly in the area of broadcaster codes of practice and licence conditions, and encourage better industry compliance.”
The government statement goes on to say: Options canvassed in the discussion paper include the introduction of civil penalties for a range of breaches that currently attract criminal sanctions. This would give ACMA greater flexibility to address non-compliance and avoid the need to pursue more draconian responses in all but the most serious of cases.
The paper also canvasses giving ACMA the power to obtain injunctions where commercial broadcasting services are being provided without an appropriate licence and a power to accept enforceable undertakings from industry.
And the Government is considering whether ACMA should have the capacity to order on-air statements of investigation findings and the power to issue infringement notices for breaches of various notification, reporting and licence fee payment requirements.
The closing date for comment is December 9.
Proposals link

Videopods present new challenges (Nov 9)
Mobile movie players designed for internet connection, like Apple's recently-released videopod, presents the entertainment industry with a hoist of new challenges, according to a story in the Hollywood Reporter.
Diane Mermigas writes,“One is the creation of original, innovative content and services customized specifically for what is unique about these outlets, such as smaller screens, interactivity and short attention spans. Another is the adequate protection of all intellectual-copyrighted material in a global virtual arena indifferent to concepts of anti-piracy and lost value.”
Hollywood Reporter home; Story

Opposition backs sedition changes (Nov 9)
The Federal Opposition has broken the bi-partisan agreement over the new national anti-terrorism law package, over the section covering sedition. Like the Media Alliance (see Nov 3) and many legal commentators, it now agrees the rules are onerous. However the Labor Party caucus is only prepared to go so far.
Opposition leader Kim Beazley told the ABC, "We will fight for all of our amendments as hard as we can."
"If we're unsuccessful at that, as I said it won't be a show stopper, we wouldn't be opposing the bill,” he said.
One of the ironies in this situation is that while the national government is attempting to close down media commentary on arrests and other measures against terrorism suspects, premiers, police ministers and chief commissioners from NSW and Vic were yesterday very pleased to use the media to publicise their work in rounding up suspects.

IFJ wants interns (Nov 8)
From the International Federation of Journalists: An opportunity exists for dynamic, mature students interested in international relations and human rights, journalism and strengthening solidarity among journalists in the Asia- Pacific region.
Work experience areas could include research, writing, web development and networking and campaigns on a range of issues including:
Human rights and journalists safety
Conflict reporting
Public service broadcasting
Child rights
Gender equity
Through these internships, the IFJ offers students the opportunity to gain valuable experience in international relations, media and human rights and the work of global union federations. Internships are generally unpaid and are offered either for an intensive 3-4 week period or 2 days per week for a period of several months. Please send expressions of interest explaining your background, your interest in the internship and your availability to: IFJ Asia Director, Jacqueline Park at ifj@ifj-asia.org by December 2, 2005.
IFJ website; IFJ Asia

Laws a serious threat – Media Alliance (Nov 3)
From the Media Alliance: The federal government is rushing through anti-terror laws that threaten freedom of expression.
These laws will radically alter the nature of public debate in this country. The laws draw on community fear to create a state where government, police and judiciary will be able to act without accountability.
Members are asked to urgently email the government, the opposition and your local senators. A draft letter follows.
There are three grounds of concern:
Sedition too broad
Broadly defined sedition provisions within the proposed legislation will unreasonably erode freedom of speech and artistic expression. Any person or organisation could be charged with sedition without, as existing law requires, having urged force or violence.
Essentially a journalist who reports a story or publishes comment against the actions of the government, police or judiciary, could be charged under these sedition laws.
The same goes for a performer or filmmaker involved in a production that contains an anti-government polemic.
Current law already prohibits inciting crimes, membership and funding of terrorist organisations, and racial vilification. There is no need to stifle free speech. We call on the Government to urgently remove this provision from the legislation.
Jail for reporting the truth
Under the Bill, the Australian Federal Police can request for a person to be put on a preventative detention or control order. However, the legislation also places restrictions on reporting details about a person in preventative detention. A journalist who reveals that a person has been detained, the length of the detention or any other information relating to the order faces five years imprisonment.
It is an exaggerated penalty aimed to silence journalists - to intimidate them into submission and allow miscarriages of justice go unquestioned and inevitably unnoticed.
Coercion to reveal sources
The media's ability to do their job is further crippled by the police's increased power to obtain documents, which may relate to a terrorism offence.
Notice to produce provisions will allow the AFP to force journalists to hand over information, including the identity of confidential sources, if those documents will help in the investigation of a 'serious terrorism offence'.
The fine for refusing to comply is $3300. To add injury to insult, a journalist who discloses that they've received a notice or the contents of it will incur an additional fine of $13,200.
Howard wants to pass this law as quickly as possible. The federal government has agreed to a two week Senate inquiry into the legislation, which is inadequate time considering the scope and gravity of what is being proposed.
The Alliance urges both houses of Parliament to take the time to consider the significant ramifications this legislation will have on public debate, freedom of expression and ultimately Australian democracy.
Ed’s note: The Media Alliance is running an email campaign against the legislation – see this link.

Spin City (Nov 1)
This week our editorial tackles some wild stats from the Federal Police, and takes a look at some woolly statements from our fearless leaders on the issue of free speech… More

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