324 replies to this topic

[Mattsoky]

Job cuts are inevitable yes, this was known to all the RP/FXM merger, but the alarmist/gloating manner of The Australian today is overblown to an extent and typical biased coverage against a competitor (what else could you expect, media reporting on media always raises conflict of interest).

[franco]

Job cuts are inevitable yes, this was known to all the RP/FXM merger, but the alarmist/gloating manner of The Australian today is overblown to an extent and typical biased coverage against a competitor (what else could you expect, media reporting on media always raises conflict of interest).

I hear the peasants are pissed-off, if not yet revolting. The subs take the brunt this time around, and the survivors will pretty much have their workload doubled...until they collapse under the stress and junior staff (read:cheaper, more malleable) take their place. The new size is not a compromise between broadsheet and tabloid so much as a cheese-paring way to save on newsprint costs and tighten ad ratios, no matter what the official line (read: twaddle) says.

[Big Dan]

I wonder if it's the Berliner format they're thinking of moving to? The British broadsheets, well some of them, have moved to this sort of format.

[Splashmo]

Berliner does look much easier to read.

[franco]

Berliner does look much easier to read.

Bollocks, apparently. Buddy of mine in SMH production says its the difference between definitely breaking a fellow passenger's jaw on the train as you open up your SMH or only occasionally breaking his jaw when you open up your Mini-Me version. She's most unhappy at the prospect, as are many others.

[Mattsoky]

Franco, do you think this will go the way of so many Fairfax 'innovations'? Outrage/unpopularity of product leading to a return to the original method?

[franco]

Franco, do you think this will go the way of so many Fairfax 'innovations'? Outrage/unpopularity of product leading to a return to the original method?

There are people who still mourn the loss of Column 8 from the front page of the SMH, so who knows? Once the big wheels turn it's usually hard to turn them back unless the financial penalty of the change is too great to ignore. The Newcastle Herald went from broadsheet to tabloid /compact as an "off-Broadway" tryout (pun intended). Several years later, it struggles on and the circulation inches ever-upwards, so the Berliner option is a sort of compromise. The leaders test their bright ideas in the marketplace and are loathe to admit their failures. And then they pass the buck.

[TV_Expert]

This sort of relates to this thread, so I put the following article here, from smh.com.au, talking about a proposed 2nd daily newspaper for Brisbane.

Businessman considering new newspaper

August 1, 2007 - 9:26AM

A multi-millionaire Brisbane businessman is considering setting up a newspaper to rival The Courier-Mail.

Liberal Party backer David Kemp said he had last week met a group of 15 "high profile" businessmen to discuss establishing a second daily newspaper in Brisbane.

Mr Kemp said The Courier-Mail, the city's only daily, had failed to take the Beattie Labor Government to task over issues such as the water crisis.

He said he was considering talking to Fairfax, the publisher of Melbourne's The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald, to gauge its interest.

Fairfax earlier this year set up The Brisbane Times website.

"We might even get involved with Fairfax and other people," Mr Kemp told ABC Radio today.

"We just believe for $3 to $5 million we can get a pretty good newspaper up."

Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance Queensland secretary Dave Waters said another newspaper would do well in Brisbane, provided it did not become a conservative mouthpiece.

"Mr Kemp's proposal for a newspaper would be welcome if indeed what he is proposing is another outlet that will service the Brisbane and Queensland market with unbiased, balanced journalism," he told ABC.

Mr Kemp runs a highly successful shop-fitting company and has been one of the largest donors to the Liberals.

AAP
http://www.smh.com.a...5647939068.html

[TGIF]

ACCC plays down media competition concerns
Posted Wed Sep 19, 2007 11:09am AEST

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) does not believe there will be less competition after the Riverina Media Group's sale to Rural Press Limited, which is now owned by Fairfax.

The commission recently consulted industry participants and advertisers over the sale of papers at Leeton, Wagga and Griffith in southern New South Wales.

Chairman Graeme Samuel says inquiries in the region indicated that if Rural Press/Fairfax tried to raise prices above competitive levels, that other players in media would be well placed to win clients.

He says the threat of a new entry was also considered a constraint.

But the ACCC has had a dig at Rural Press for not informing it about the acquisition of the Riverina Media Group, saying it was a risky strategy.

Mr Samuel says the ACCC will not hesitate to seek orders for divestiture if after a purchase it considers there has been a breach of the Trade Practices Act.

[Big Dan]

Since Fairfax has purchased Rural Press, I figured it would be better placed here....

Happy 120th Birthday to the Scone Advocate! This week's paper has a special magazine looking back at the paper's history. It even has a mention of a certain MediaSpy moderator when he was a columnist.

I didn't know that the Packers owned the paper at one stage though...that was interesting. It should also be pointed out that the current ABC Upper Hunter breakfast presenter Mike Pritchard was a former editor, and the current 2NM journalist David Bauche was the most recent journo based there.

[Big Dan]

The Newcastle Herald has a brand new website, although it's now part of the YourGuide network, but still uses the URL at TheHerald.com.au Funnily enough, they've kept the Newcastle Star webpage going as well.

[franco]

The Newcastle Herald has a brand new website, although it's now part of the YourGuide network, but still uses the URL at TheHerald.com.au Funnily enough, they've kept the Newcastle Star webpage going as well.

Interestingly, the Newc Herald seems to be now running its stories on the site in full, where previously they'd only run the first few pars then announce that if you wanted more you'd have to buy the hard copy version, making the site nothing more than a form of advertisement. Wonders will never cease...

[Big Dan]

Interestingly, the Newc Herald seems to be now running its stories on the site in full, where previously they'd only run the first few pars then announce that if you wanted more you'd have to buy the hard copy version, making the site nothing more than a form of advertisement. Wonders will never cease...

Well I'm delighted that they've seen the light and relaunched their site. It even has a RSS feed now, so I can add it to my RSS feed list.

[Mike]

Geelong Adveriser is part of the news.com.au network now. I hate the paper and its owned by Murdoch now anyways...

www.geelongadvertiser.com.au

[newtaste]

Fairfax and Nine have jointly purchased Kids Like Us, the privately owned production company that makes Hi-5.

Fairfax subsidiary puts its hand up for a Hi-5
Jesse Hogan
March 12, 2008

THE increasing popularity of bubbly performers Kellie, Charli, Stevie, Sun and Nathan — known to millions of devoted pre-teen fans as Hi-5 — has persuaded television production company Southern Star to invest in the musical troupe. Southern Star and Channel Nine have jointly taken over Kids Like Us, the privately owned production company that created Hi-5 a decade ago and has since extended its reach to 118 countries.

Nine already owned 50% of the Hi-5 troupe and franchise, so effectively Southern Star is just replacing Kids Like Us, which was founded by Helena Harris and former Nine drama executive Posie Graeme-Evans.

Southern Star already distributes the Hi-5 television program overseas and chief executive Hugh Marks said that experience had persuaded it to buy Kids Like Us. "It's a relatively quantifiable deal for us because we saw the potential for the show and what it's done historically," Mr Marks said. "It's about recognising that the show is going to a new level."

The price paid for Kids Like Us was not disclosed but Mr Marks said it was "not a huge transaction", which was seemingly echoed by the fact the deal was not disclosed by Southern Star's new owner, Fairfax Media. The acquisition is Southern Star's first in more than three years and comes four months after the company became part of Fairfax, owner of The Age.

Nine's director of commercial development, Martin Hersov, said the network was "extremely proud to be picking up the Hi-5 baton and look forward to growing the brand around the world". In the past decade Hi-5 has produced 435 half-hour episodes of its TV show. In Australia, alone, it has released 25 DVDs and videos, 11 CDs and nearly 80 books.

Fairfax shares closed 1¢ higher at $3.85, after sales down to $3.67. The reporter owns Fairfax Media shares.

http://business.thea...80311-1yr2.html

[Big Dan]

There appears to be new looks for the YourGuide network (the former Rural Press websites and The Newcastle Herald), as seen at the Scone Advocate and Newcastle Herald websites. Looks very much like the SMH website...which isn't a bad thing in my book.

[LocalRadio]

http://dailyadvertis...urguide.com.au/

Give me the old site when it was under Riverina Media Group or keep it as the Rural Press had it. I hate the new look.

A lot less information on the site now but then again it seems we almost have nothing local anymore.

Edited by LocalRadio, 08 May 2008 - 09:50 PM.

[LocalRadio]

Riverina Media Group's CEO, Wayne Geale has retired
http://dailyadvertis...res/804072.aspx

[M Man]

A sad day, hopefully on his own terms and not because McCarthy et al didn't find him 'black & gold' enough.

[M Man]

In addition to:
http://www.mediaspy....=...st&p=502636

It irks me as I feel the integration of Fairfax businesses has been very poor, not giving audiences of any part of Fairfax any improved service - so poor that Fairfax have thrown up the white flag on Sthn Star and now don't want to bother with extracting any synergy from it for new media.