Media news digest archive for July 2004

Citizen Journo gets media credentials (July 29)
This year's Democrat convention in the USA has given media credentials to weblog (or blog) owners for the first time. According to the report on the Voice of America website (pictured), "Asked whether bloggers are real journalists, Eric Schnure, who identifies himself as the official convention blogger, says he prefers to call them 'citizen journalists'." Click here for the report.

First salvo in ad zap wars? (July 29)
The Australian newspaper's Media section today reports on the imminent release of a new technology which allows consumers to set sophisticated recording schedules from free-to-air TV and allows advertising to be 'zapped' (or dropped) from the end product.
According to the newspaper: "For the cost of a $500 set-top box that can digitally record programs, and a $3 per week ICE subscription fee, consumers will be able to avoid ads, automate the recording of shows, series or program genres for viewing later and automatically channel surf during ad breaks."
There is debate over how much impact this will have on the television ad market. Click here for the full story.

Can defamation be reasonable? (July 28)
From the ABC's weekly Media Report on Radio National (pictured): "The Attorney-General has proposed some changes to the existing defamation laws, especially regarding the defence of honest and reasonable opinion. The change would mean that to be defensible, a defamatory opinion must be one that a reasonable person, aware of the facts an opinion is based on, could have formed.
"However, new research conducted under the National Defamation Research Project, by the University of New South Wales Communications Law Centre, has cast doubts on the benefits of the Attorney’s proposal."
Coverage:
ABC story link – the defamation section is about two-thirds of the way down the page
Attorney General's proposals
Communications Law Centre defamation page

China & Pakistan agreement (July 28)
China and Pakistan today agreed to further cooperation and exchanges among media, the state media reported.
The cooperation between the media organisations of the two countries will undoubtedly improve mutual understanding between the two peoples and push forward the all-round cooperative relations between China and Pakistan, said Liu Yunshan, member of the Politburo and Secretariat of the ruling communist party Central Committee. Story from The Hindu at this link.

Less sizzle, more steak for web reporting (July 27)
Publishers are falling out of love with web gimmickry and getting back to basics, according to this USA report at STLtoday.com.
“While 2004 brings better use of high-speed Internet connections, Flash animation technology and independent Web journalists known as bloggers, media organizations largely are returning to the basics on the Internet.
“They are dropping the bells and whistles in favor of what they do best: covering the news.”
Coverage:
STLtoday.com story
USA Today home page (pictured)

What journalists want (July 27)
According to USA correspondent Rhonda Abrams (azcentral.com), anyone who sends out a media release should, “Remember most people in the media are overworked. If you make your story easy for them, in the sense that all the details are there, the better your chances of getting publicity.
“Most importantly, you've got to have something readers, listeners or viewers will find interesting. What you need is a 'hook', something that connects readers to other things they know or care about and makes your news compelling.” See this link.

New Age Ed from England (July 26)
Melbourne's The Age newspaper has appointed Englishman Andrew Jaspan as the replacement for Michael Gawenda, the departing Editor-in-Chief. There is some disquiet at the Fairfax-owned title over the idea of bringing in an 'outsider', even one with strong newspaper credentials and some links to this country.
Coverage:
ABC Radio
The Age Online (pictured)
The Australian – general story
The Australian – staff response story
Crikey – commentary

Telstra takes on Google (July 19)
Telstra's rapidly-expanding media interests have now extended to its own search engine, listed under the Sensis brand. The Australian telecommunications giant, which is 51%-owned by the federal government, now has interests in its own substantial web publishing empire (BigPond and Sensis), phone directories (Yellow & White Pages), print classifieds (Trading Post) and pay television (Foxtel). See www.sensis.com.au.
Coverage:
Sydney Morning Herald on the developing search engine wars
B&T on the product launch
The Age on Sensis and interactive TV

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