By Margo Kingston, March 19, 2013 I’ve known Meg Simons for more than 25 years. We met in the Fairfax Brisbane bureau in the late 1980s – she was The Age correspondent, me a new recruit for the Times on Sunday. We covered the Fitzgerald Inquiry, and I learnt courage and persistence – and tried to learn […]
Dear elected representatives, give the public a seat at the media reform table
March 19, 2013
By Noely Neate March 19, 2013 Open Letter to OUR Elected Federal Government Representatives from punter Noely Neate Hi.Have you seen this excellent & thorough explanation of exactly what the reforms are and how they will affect the media? Explainer: Conroy’s proposed new media laws is by Martin Hirst, Associate Professor Journalism and Media at Deakin UniversityDear […]
Just so you know, the government’s media reform case in Parliament today
March 19, 2013
House Of Representatives 19 Marc 2013 QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE Media Reform Mr TURNBULL (Wentworth) (14:30): My question is to the Prime Minister. If this week she is unable to persuade the parliament to establish a public interest media advocate to regulate the content of newspapers for the first time in our peacetime history, will she […]
Why can’t Kim Williams describe the public interest?
March 18, 2013
By Margo Kingston March 18, 2013 Kim Williams is Murdoch’s chief executive in Australia. Williams cannot define, or even explore, what ‘the public interest’ might be in relation to newspapers, because it is completely relative: ‘The public interest is as long as a piece of string… it is in the eye of the beholder.’ And his […]
Kerry Stokes, free speech defender? Spare me
March 18, 2013
By Margo Kingston March 18, 2013 I reckon it’s time for journos to start spilling the beans on the ‘free speech’ nonsense being spouted by big media. The big boys’ self-righteous, self-interested hypocrisy in the media reform debate is surely too much for any of us who care about the survival of our profession to stomach. […]
@albericie debates @chriskkenny on media self regulation reform: And the winner is?
March 17, 2013
Wish the left would do something right for a change. Left gives up values in favour of politicking blogs.theaustralian.news.com.au/chriskenny/ind… — Chris Kenny (@chriskkenny) March 14, 2013 @chriskkenny It’s not a left/right issue but one of fairness why should TV & radio news be regulated but print news not? who’s politicking? — Emma Alberici (@albericie) March […]
Pollies citizens need to pass media reforms
March 17, 2013
By Margo Kingston March 17, 2013 Public support will be crucial to the success of the media reforms. Please contact the following key politicians whose decisions will determine the outcome. You CAN make a difference. This list was kindly compiled by Barry Tucker @btckr Adam Bandt Twitter @adambandt Facebook http://www.facebook.com/Adam.Bandt.MP email adam.bandt.mp@aph.gov.au Canberra (02) 6277 4775 FAX ACT (02) 6277 8583 […]
@Barnaby_Joyce states the case for Labor’s media merger ‘public interest test’: How will the Nats vote?
March 17, 2013
By Margo Kingston March 17, 2013 The National Party has long opposed further media domination by Rupert Murdoch, as detailed in the two media policy chapters in my book. It fought against John Howard’s weakening of media concentration laws to facilitate Murdoch expansion, and Barnaby Joyce actually crossed the floor in 2006 to vote for his […]
Last chance to rein in Murdoch
March 16, 2013
By Margo Kingston March 16, 2013 Here’s a history lesson on the long road to media dominance by Rupert Murdoch, aided by both big parties, via two chapters in my book. The Liberals said yes to Murdoch under Howard, and will keep saying yes. They are partners, or rather, Abbott is Murdoch’s puppet. I also tell the […]
My conversation with a Murdoch press release
March 16, 2013
By Margo Kingston March 16, 2013 Has anyone seen a piece discussing the REAL effects of media reforms on Murdoch's Australian empire? The freedom of press thing is crap. — margo kingston (@margokingston1) March 15, 2013 .@chriskkenny, what would the effect of Conroy's media proposals be on Murdoch's capacity to expand his Australian media empire? — […]
