journalism
Media 2.0 – what’s off the table
In ‘saving’ journalism, there’s a tendency to bet the house. It’s time to start thinking about just what we’re trading away. Much has been written about what needs to change to secure journalism business models in the future. But what of the things that shouldn’t? What about a list of non-negotiables, the deal-breakers, the aspects of reporting that should be OFF the table in dealing in a new way of reporting? Let’s start a list…
Cyberstumped: Big Media is offline
Video never did kill the radio star, and nor will the internet and digital news kill newspapers. Similarly, despite what the sales department and bean counters will tell you, the recession we almost had is not responsible for the precarious balance sheets at many traditional media organisations. News companies are slicing costs and dicing journalists almost entirely for one reason: vision – or a Blind Pew-like absence of it.
Times aren’t changing at Fairfax
Enough already. I just can’t take it anymore. Whether it’s the precious blogging world, or the desperately precious newspaper sector, I’m sick to death of being told partial ranting is the very essence of quality journalism. Or that aggregating copy produced for newspapers is the future of online media.
Fielding inept, no matter spelling
Steve Fielding is an incompetent legislator, blinded by personal prejudice and laughably ignorant of some of the very weighty issues he must sit in judgement of. But of course, criticism of the man who puts Family First is never taken as read. It leads to my all-time favourite excuse for political ineptitude – that of elitism. To knock Fielding, the argument goes, is to dismiss the contribution of those not blessed with tremendous intellect or afforded higher education. Merely bullying from the nasty latte-sipping intellectuals who think they’re better than everyone else.
For true Grace, mags still rule
An exhausting number of words have been written on the future of journalism in a digital age, but little has been made of what sort of future art and design has in the seemingly inevitable online convergence. The wonderful new documentary The September Issue brings into sharp focus the real art of magazine production in danger of being lost.
Punch no knockout for journalism
The Punch – News Limited’s brave foray into stand-alone online publications – will “celebrate journalism”, according to its mouthpiece David Penberthy. And it does all this, remarkably, without actually doing any journalism itself. Well, thanks for the invite, but I don’t feel the sense of celebration.
Google should search for fix, too
I am loath to support anything Rupert Murdoch says or does. His contribution to journalism as it stands is hardly impressive. But he’s right for questioning Google and its legally-questionable, commercially-shortsighted rip-and-read model of news delivery.
Blog off, you still need journalism
I’ve managed to enter the blogging brigade without ranting on what I REALLY think of blogging. It’s time we got to the point. Old media, or at least old media delivery models, is almost completely redundant. Is blogging the future? God I hope not. At least in its current form.
Frontline of TV still pale imitation
There is nothing more to say on commercial so-called current affairs television. It is like shooting fish in a barrel, as easy a target as the petty crooks pursued by these programs. But debate over the worth of these programs, and the model in a cutthroat commercial environment, is redundant.
Plumber’s crack out of line for elite
I’m coming out. Loud and proud. My people have been hiding in the shadows for too long, silent, anonymous, cowering from decades of persecution and biggotry. Well I will not hide anymore. I will not stay silent. My name is Jason Whittaker, and I am an elite.
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