Pathetic Fairfax have cruelled their own nest so badly that even the Bogan Boofhead himself, John Singleton, can buy in.
Singleton buys into Fairfax
MEDIA and advertising entrepreneur John Singleton has established a toehold on the share register of Fairfax Media and opened up discussions with Fairfax’s largest shareholder, Gina Rinehart.
The pair said little about their plans in a statement issued late on Friday, but Mr Singleton criticised Fairfax for a ”lack of direction” and called for a review of the group’s charter of editorial independence.
…
Mr Singleton did not disclose the size of his stake, but is believed to have acquired close to 1 per cent of the media group’s shares through Gutenberg Investments Unit Trust.
…
He and Mrs Rinehart believed that the lifeblood of Fairfax was the integrity and accuracy of its journalism, but there was no reason why a group of ”eminent and experienced Australians” should not review the charter to assess ”its relevance for today”.
So Singo’s going to re-define the word “accuracy”? We’ve seen how that works at 2GB.
Fairfax brought this on themselves, by:
- Alienating and mocking half their readership,
- Consistently talking down governance and the economy, killing their own advertising revenue,
- Sacking productive workers, keeping the old boilers on instead,
- Running bullshit yarns about hookers and 20 year old intra-office spats,
- Sticking to the old, cramped writing styles that are based on physical space on a printed page, when digital publication has no such restriction,
- Having supermarket bizoids and Big End Of Town types run the board instead of newspaper people.
And so now we have it… Australia’s Queen Of Digging Up Dirt and the 2GB “Power Station” ethos are about to attempt a takeover. May as well make it official. Singleton says that buying the Fairfax radio stations is too hard, so he’s out to buy the entire company instead. It’s cheaper that way.
How did Fairfax get to the stage of being junk stock?
When you read a story that refers to a judgement of the Federal Court, yet there is no link to that judgement so you can read it for yourselves, you know the fix is in. It’s Fairfax trying to keep the opinion of its op-ed writers on top of reality.
When you see calls for Prime Ministerial resignations over some ancient hooker allegations and Peter Slipper’s lewd texts from twerps like Michelle Grattan, or phrases like “the government’s greatest crisis” (used to refer to the AWU Festival in the last two weeks of parliament… remember that?) employed by Hartcher go not only unchallenged in the paper, but rendered unchallengeable by comments being denied to readers, you know there’s no hope left.
When you hear that complete idiots like the leering Michael Stutchbury are not only employed by the AFR, but appointed to its editorship, you know the lunatics have taken over the asylum.
When you read Katharine Murphy telling her “fans” that she knows best what they want to read – “excellence in journalism” (which Kath will supply) – before running yet another beat-up on Craig Thomson, or when you spot Jacqueline Maley telling us that, when put into proper “context” the Misogyny Speech was a load of “Meh…”, a clammy sweat breaks out.
Fairfax hit the iceberg a long time ago. They were holed beneath the waterline but the first-class passengers and hangers-on kept sipping the champagne of long lunches, tenured indulgence and the churning of press releases into stenographed write-ups of whatever Tony Abbott said was a fair thing.
Gonski was released and written off as pie-in-the-sky within a 24 hour period. No explanation of its policy content was proffered. Far easier to just ask – with arched eyebrows – “Where’s the money coming from?” than properly analyze its import, or not only how it might be done, but why the Prime Minister believes it must be done. Far easier to just cut Gonski off at the knees by saying there’s probably no money, so why waste time over it?
We heard in April that Slipper’s woes were an “existential” threat to the government. Whether the allegations against him were true or not, Gillard should (supposedly) have resigned over them. We were treated to accusations of Gillard’s hypocrisy via a deliberate misinterpretation of what she said – she was arguing for the office, not the man, yet the Gallery forgot the “office” bit – when the real story was that finally someone had king hit Abbott right where he deserved. Finally, when the case against Slipper was officially adjudged to be a fabrication and an abuse of process, the reaction was: “Who cares? The damage has been done.” A few pars run on Abbott’s declaration that Brough was a decent citizen, that Labor’s reaction was “hyperventilation” put the matter to bed.
The unlamented Shaun Carney opined that Abbott would repeal all of Labor’s legislation – going back six years to Howard days – so what was the point of taking an interest in a doomed government and its reforms? This was a sure-fire way to get the punters back in the shopping malls, exuding confidence in the future. At least Carney had the decency to “take the package” when it was offered. He’s now an “associate” something-or-other-else, at one of the Melbourne universities, twiddling his thumbs, drinking his rose water.
Where was Kate McClymont when some real digging needed to be done about not only Ashby and his LNP connections, but about Kathy Jackson and her troop of thugs and rorters? How does a Union madam get to live in a $2,000,000 house? How does she get to earn $270,000-plus for running a union comprised of the poorest workers in Australia? How does a penniless chancer like Ashby get to run a case costing millions of dollars, including appeals, threats of Constitutional challenges, forum shopping, $550 per hour “public relations representatives”, top QCs, laundering evidence through the Federal Court, theft of confidential documents, phoney “sworn” evidence that never turned up, feigned illnesses and preposterous claims that could have been – and should have been – dispensed with over coffee in Meeting Room Number #3 for mediation and nominal damages (if any)?
How is it that Fairfax opinionistettes and prostateistas can, day after day, refer only to polls as the final determining factor in political analysis?
Why is it that property, sports and science writers can talk their areas of responsibility up, while the Fairfax political and economics writers can only talk their own subjects down?
How can they get it so wrong, so often, yet learn nothing from their mistakes, ruining a once great media organization in the process, trashing the investments of it shareholders to the point where a Fairfax share is now worth less than the price of a postage stamp?
The only consolation I get from any of this is that if Singleton and his “friend” Reinhart believe that taking Fairfax further to the looney right will turn the company around, then pass the popcorn. The Barbarians are at the gates: Andrew Bolt heading up the political section, Ray Hadley doing “Culture And The Arts”, Alan Jones dictating tactics to the Wallabies as “Sports Editor”, Brian Wilshire holding down the “Science” desk (“Tell us if you were ever abducted by aliens”) and Gina writing poetry that makes the efforts of Vogons sound like Wordsworth, will be just the ticket they need to see their investment dwindle into nothing. Ten Network anyone? MTR Melbourne?
Out fantasies here of chancing upon Hartcher driving a cab for a living, or Grattan selling The Big Issue outside railway stations, and perhaps Paul Sheehan reverting to flogging “Unique Water” off the back of a rent-a-truck, may come to pass sooner than we had dared to hope.
XXXXXXXXXXX Fingers crossed. XXXXXXXXXXX
THE PUB 
FIONA You are always wanted, teasing you :devil: seriously just take care of yourself
CTar1 Wonderful re Melissa, the sales, I am trying to keep away from them, sure you cook a “mean” BBQ and it will be appreciated by the family, we are being lazy tonight over to the Club for dinner. Tomorrow night following family tradition I am cooking crepes, have always cooked crepes for the family on Sunday night now onto the grandkids !
Opps see my devil didn’t work in my comment
mari – Crepes sound good .
All I’ve managed for tonight is a reasonable bit of sirloin stuffed with about 10 little south coast oysters and some potatoes oiled and wrapped in foil.
Beans/anything green can look after themselves.
Good afternoon,
Hope every one has had a pleasant day
CTar1 Sounds good to me, unfortunately a bit far to come, or I would have been there 😉 How is the water at Kiama, warm? it is lovely up here even the SIL and grandkids have given it the thumbs up The southerly change that helped me fly half way back to Coffs, finally arrived about 4.30am this morning, but then came out very warm again much to the pleasure of the tourists. Living so close to beach has some setbacks?? A group of people set up their tables and chairs on my front lawn this morning , for breakfast when I walked past they cheerily said “we won’t be too long” They were gone about an hour later!
I remember not so long ago reading the SMH cover to cover most days. It provided excellent NSW news and a terrific world news section – often running to 3 to 5 pages most editions. I would go out of my way to buy it – indeed when I lived in Qld in 1986 and then NT 95-97 I would pay way above the cover price to read it. I have not bought a copy of the SMH for many years now. Since moving away from NSW in 1995 I discovered The Australian was a more than adequate substitute to the SMH as I did not require the level of NSW coverage while I wasn’t living there.
I became a convert to The Australian around 1996 whilst living in Darwin. It was not printed up there and had to be flown in on the flight from Adelaide each day; arriving around midday. And I happily paid twice the cover price (three times for the Weekend edition) to read what I considered quality journalism – both on national and international issues. After moving to SEQ I still bought it every day and read it cover to cover up until about 2004; then regularly up until about 2010. Then something happened.
I have not bought either paper now for about 3 years. I won’t even go to The Australian’s website as all it has become – as we know – is a mouthpiece for the LNP. None of my right wing colleagues ever bought either paper – preferring the Tele in Sydney, the NT News in Darwin and the Curious Snail up here.
As jaycee said above – they really are cutting thier own market share by publishing articles always critical of our side of politics and never of the LNP; and leaving such obvious stories such as Kathy Jackson and the Rares findings well alone. I remember a time when both of the so called quality spread sheets would have tackled these stories with the same gusto as they went after Slatergate.
Their continual use of the ‘look over there’ method of reporting. Sure Perrett wrote a letter to the AFP outlining allegations raised by Justice Rares. Roxon wrote it they say – therefore there is no story. JG’s misogyny speech being written by a man; Albo’s Press Club speech mid year where the entire contents of the speech were ignored only to concentrate on an uncredited quote from a movie. And on it goes.
Both of these papers can rot and go broke. I, like many here, will not shed a tear when it happens. Since discovering PB I get most of my local news from links provided there to alternate and independent sites, including of course Twitter.
Thanks for running this site over Xmas to both BB and J6P. Happy New Year all and take care on the roads.
Mari,
I knew perfectly well that you were teasing!
👿 😛 😉
There is a strange attitude in the human condition I have noticed…both in general people contact and on these blog-sites…it is that most people seem to prefer a “conflict” situation as the norm, rather than bask in a feeling that all is well. I suspect that when an atmosphere of cynicism is propagated in the community, it is easier to create an idea of “conflict” and then identify an enemy to attack…hoping that the defeat of said enemy will restore tranquility!
Perhaps it is that old religious feeling that the Sword of Damocles is forever swinging over us, just waiting for the right moment to fall!
I believe the LNP. W/ the MSM. will promote such a feeling through the year.
I have notied too, that the MSM. is operating a “play-down” or “diminish” any public engagement by the Prime Minister, while promoting the opposite with the LOTO.
Apologies if I am just stating the bleedin’ obvious!
FIONA Loves ya 😉
jaycee:
I think it’s a little more than just ideology and political views that compel someone to read a newspaper.
For years I subscribed to the Weekend OO, and then in 2006/07 stopped my subscription because I found the paper no longer offered anything I wanted to read. And I wasn’t paying $2.50 or whatever it was just to look at one page of upmarket property.
The problem is poor quality, not that they pander to a rightwing audience.
mari – It doesn’t look like a nap is possible.
[or I would have been there 😉 How is the water at Kiama, warm? ]
It was good the afternoon before but a little nippy at 5:15 yesterday morning (Tide intermediate so I just swum off the rocks in the bay out to the scum line and back. A good wake up for the drive back.
You have the car ticking over nicely I assume and your other “woman” in the car primed to assist??
Swimming at 5.15 am you obviously want to be shark fodder???? Dawn and dusk the worst time isn’t it? Bit like the kangaroos on land???
mari – sea/sharks. OK, I’ve done it before. Fatalistic, maybe. Best time of the day to swim.
Miss Germany 2002 a bit mad on the way back. Fast and precise on Robertson Mountain and calm on the Illawarra bit.
On the Hume however she was keen to see her own garage and flashed lights and the horn blared. She was in true ‘Turin west ring road on the way to Geneva mode’.
Both got home safe.
CTar1 bet all the female contingent in the car was pleased to get home 😉 Enjoy your lovely daughter for the month she is out here, spoil her rotten as I am sure you will do
mari – It’s not only the ‘girls’. The Unit is very handy locally to have a drink with for a rude bastard like me!
confessions…I think you proved my point that the discerning reader will not be attracted by advertising or sports and will stop buying once the paper gets too dumb!
mari – just to add context. There was no “contingent in the car ”
I dropped Ciara at the airport on the way out and Melinda and David arrived while I was at Kiama.
Mad drives with others in the car don’t happen. I came back alone (except for the confused bikees)
I think you understand that.
Further on my above comment..If the right-wing DID have the capacity AND the interest to read diverse news and views, The Australian and other publications would be running in the black, not red!
The only ones being influenced by the MSM. rags are the “floaters”….and they will mostly vote through their hip-pocket!
jaycee:
I know lifelong Liberal voters who despair at the poor quality of our media, esp the crap newspapers we have. I don’t think it’s so much that our msm is anti Labor or anti Green, but that people who want to read interesting, quality pieces aren’t being catered for.
Luckily for us, there are more and more non-msm stuff cropping up online.
Confessions..I bet, if pushed, those Liberal-voters would confess that even THEY don’t believe the anti-Gillard rot pushed out by the MSM…..I suspect the discerning “True Liberal” would wince in disbelief and shame at the style of politics that was being promoted in their name!
Mike Hussey will retire from international cricket after the Sydney Test. His last international appearance will be the New Year’s fixture against Sri Lanka at the SCG, starting on Thursday.
He will also stand down from the national one-day and Twenty20 teams. He will play out the remainder of the Australian summer, and will review his availability for the Western Warriors and Perth Scorchers at the end of the 2012-2013 season.
Hussey’s decision to end his career at the end of the Australian summer means the 37-year-old goes out on his own terms and on top, just a fortnight after the emotional retirement of former captain Ricky Ponting.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/husseys-shock-retirement-20121229-2c0e4.html#ixzz2GQXLoacb
UncontrolledSpending @EndlessDeficits
@esseeeayeenn @ghostofpjk @craigemersonmp Have any of you run a successful business?
Craig Emerson MP @CraigEmersonMP
.@EndlessDeficits @esseeeayeenn @ghostofpjk Yes, I have run a successful small business. You?
UncontrolledSpending @EndlessDeficits
@CraigEmersonMP @esseeeayeenn @ghostofpjk Yes but then stupid #miningtax ruined my business. All was fine under #Howard. Not under #Labor
Craig Emerson MP @CraigEmersonMP
.@EndlessDeficits @esseeeayeenn @ghostofpjk You’re keen on hash tags. How did mining tax ruin your business? Do you run BHP, Rio or Xtrata?
😆
Emmo taking on some twit on twitter.
jaycee:
You’re probably right.
CTAR1 I always understand you, 😉 but pleased you are not completely outnumbered. Enjoy them while you can. Are you going back over in March?
CTar1 BTW Before I go please don’t use the word ” context” had enough of that word when Laura Tingle told me on Twitter it was all in the “context” of PM’s famous speech when I asked her why O/S journos were so impressed and the local journos wern’t Night
Talking of Dutton, I missed half of what he was on about something earlier today.
He was claiming “Gillard had laid a trap for people with private health.”
Did anyone get this? Something to do with the fact that certain private health members should have complied with some requirement and failing to do so, will have to pay $1K extra – or something.
Anyway, with all things that are wrong, must be “Julia’s fault” as she has “laid” this trap of some kind or another.
Anyone else pick this up? Not that Joe Voterland will give a stuff.
mari – I’ll get rid of ‘context’.
Yes – March 1 and for the week before and after I must do (After that what I owed them is done)..
Maybe the weather might not be to bad. London, I’m over (except for Melinda).
CTar1 Thanks sweetie , “context” gives me night mares, Re London March is often quite pleasant with the longer days etc, and Melinda of course. Anyway must away and enjoy my family
Tricot:
I didn’t hear it, sorry. But not surprised to hear it’s all JG’s fault.
Thanks Confessions. Just picked the tail end of it up on local (Perth) commercial radio. Totally out of the blue.
How are you coping with the melt down here?
Tricot:
Not as hot here as it is in Perth, so I’m coping okay. I thought we’d get a storm last night, and even a few hours ago, but nothing.
Are you in Perth? You must be so over it!
2
that was fun I just had to moderate myself
mari – Four very small and smart great-nieces who refuse to call me ‘great uncle Ted’ are some fun – and are worth a drive Checking out who reads and writes is what older generations are supposed to do? This pack are not lagging.
Fairfax has been dying a long slow death. Singleton’s entry into the foray, will only assist. Remember how Hartcher, Grattan, Sheahan, Maley, and Taylor told us that the punters got the context all wrong?
[Has there ever been a month when the mainstream media looked to be so out of touch with the zeitgeist? First the Alan Jones debacle and then the pundits’ response to Julia Gillard’s galvanising speech in the House of Representatives, in which she took Tony Abbott to task on the question of sexism. If I wanted to encapsulate the disconnect in a single anecdote, I would tell the story of my 21-year-old niece who, the morning after Gillard’s speech, was alerted to it on Facebook by friends. This directed her to the video on YouTube]
http://www.themonthly.com.au/gillard-and-press-gallery-matter-context-amanda-lohrey-6771
2000! comments made thus far to our little stop gap blog! 😀
Good on you Little Tragics. You’re blood’s worth bottling!
J6P:
Is that your truck?
4
Joe6pack,
Are you sure that you have? What is the significance of “2”???
😉
Getting up tomorrow at 3.15am to get my #2 son to the airport to go to Perth for 3 weeks. Am I a bad mother(seeing as how it is only 20 degrees here in Sydney atm)? 😉
confessions
1 of them
Joe6Pack,
How about you come up with a New Year’s theme for the last week of the blog? 🙂
victoria:
Who could forget? That speech will go down in history I reckon, and where was AUstralia’s press gallery?
It’s unbelievable when you think about it.
C@t:
3:15? That’s rough.
Your son will probably love the heat.
Fiona, At the moment I am all ovet the place.
will sort it all out soon I hope
Joe6pack,
We will continue to watch with interest – take care!!!
confessions,
He is NOT looking forward to it. He told me he is going to a New Year’s Eve Party at a house where they do not have a pool, Air Con, or even Ceiling Fans! 😀
He will be with the love of his life though, so I don’t think he’ll feel a thing. 🙂
He will be hoping that the heatwave is over pdq though. 😉
Confessions – yep
Tonight’s delicious dinner (cooked and cleaned up by OH) was an inspired mixture of left-over roast chicken, bacon, onion, celery, and tomatoes cooked with a dash of soy and served over penne with fresh asparagus al dente. Dessert: raspberries and blueberries with a scoop of Maggie Beer’s vanilla bean and elderflower ice cream.
After that we sorted the car and hospital paperwork that was littering the table, plus various bits and pieces from the old car (maps, first aid kit etc.) that needed to be (and have now been) transferred to the new car. The kitchen is looking almost respectable again – apart from an upturned solid cane basket that has found a new use as my kitchen footrest.
Since then I’ve been catching up on the last two hours of Tragics, and chuckling over Ellis on Henderson – thank you to whomever linked it.
C@t:
Sounds like he drew the short straw then. 😀 Seriously though, he’ll probably only have a few days of intolerance.