Small/ Emerging media outlets v Big old boys.

[hamohawk1]

This has been gradually changing for years, but has been propelled by Covid, and lockdown.

In Australia we are seeing the continued demise of the stalwarts (Murodch, Fairfax 7West etc) whilst smaller media outlets including independent journalists, youtube channels, right up to Netflix transforming the media landscape.

It's clear the old media outlets won't/can't produce a product that is seen with the latter, which is reflected by the share of advertising revenue going away from 'traditional' media.

In response, it seems like the MO of the stalwarts is to either drum up 'click' articles, or throw mud at other media personalities/ outlets or individuals. Investigative journalism has essentially been watered down, or become non-existent.

It's still an extremely slow process, partly due a demographic of Australians sticking to their media outlets, but it's occurring.

For the better of society, and democracy overall (irrespective of whether you're left or right leaning) this can only be a good thing.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

This has been gradually changing for years, but has been propelled by Covid, and lockdown.

In Australia we are seeing the continued demise of the stalwarts (Murodch, Fairfax 7West etc) whilst smaller media outlets including independent journalists, youtube channels, right up to Netflix transforming the media landscape.

It's clear the old media outlets won't/can't produce a product that is seen with the latter, which is reflected by the share of advertising revenue going away from 'traditional' media.

In response, it seems like the MO of the stalwarts is to either drum up 'click' articles, or throw mud at other media personalities/ outlets or individuals. Investigative journalism has essentially been watered down, or become non-existent.

It's still an extremely slow process, partly due a demographic of Australians sticking to their media outlets, but it's occurring.

For the better of society, and democracy overall (irrespective of whether you're left or right leaning) this can only be a good thing.

two things concern me about the changing media picture.

the first thing is the slow death of investigative journalism. by its nature its expensive, and old media used to subsidize it. They have basically abandoned it, and its just too expensive for indi/micro media. The likes of Woodward/Bernstein and Baker/McKenzie and so on have always played an important part in keeping power accountable to the people, and we will be worse off without it.

the second is sources. Hutchy and Barrett discussed this on their poddy a year or so ago, and they noted in the past you would need multiple sources to get a story up. Now the bar is basically one source because everyone is afraid of being second. That encourages the likes of mainstream idiots like Tom Browne and tryhard twitteratti like Ricky Nixon to spam 80% bullshit, because as soon as they hear any unsubstantiated bullshit they run with it.

the crux is old media models are unsustainable, so the change is inevitable. just one i regret

 

[Hank Scorpion]

I'm going to guess this thread was brought on by the Friendlyjordies stuff.

I think it's sorely needed in Australia. Far too much of traditional media share is concentrated amongst a couple of organisations, and Murdoch at least has a pretty clear agenda that goes against the public's interest. Individual journalists in the Press Gallery seem more interested on maintaining chummy, mutually beneficial relationships to get first access to press releases, even it means squibbing public interest stories (e.g. Barnaby rorting with his mistress, which was apparently an open secret)

For the moment, Jordies and co are shaking things up and the audience is moving accordingly - although even he's still fairly dependent on sourcing from the ABC/The Guardian/Fairfax (and some smaller independent journalists too.) He's no substitute for proper investigative journalism.

There is also the risk that it opens the door to outrageous, unethical types getting more traction. Don't think it's a problem here yet, but there's a whole branch of smaller RWNJ "news" firms in America that are pulling in increasingly large audiences.

 

[hamohawk1]

two things concern me about the changing media picture.

the first thing is the slow death of investigative journalism. by its nature its expensive, and old media used to subsidize it. They have basically abandoned it, and its just too expensive for indi/micro media. The likes of Woodward/Bernstein and Baker/McKenzie and so on have always played an important part in keeping power accountable to the people, and we will be worse off without it.

the second is sources. Hutchy and Barrett discussed this on their poddy a year or so ago, and they noted in the past you would need multiple sources to get a story up. Now the bar is basically one source because everyone is afraid of being second. That encourages the likes of mainstream idiots like Tom Browne and tryhard twitteratti like Ricky Nixon to spam 80% bullshit, because as soon as they hear any unsubstantiated bullshit they run with it.

the crux is old media models are unsustainable, so the change is inevitable. just one i regret

I agree with the loss of Investigative Journalism, but both major outlets have stepped away from it in the past few years.

The key will be trying to get people to 'opt-in' for journalism when they have received free content for years.

 

[Caesar]

The fragmentation of the news landscape is just replacing the old problem of independence with the new problem of resourcing. In many ways the latter problem is worse. Individual journalists or small journalism foundations operating on a shoestring can have all the integrity in the world, but if they don't have the ability to get the story and put it in front of the majority of the people it affects, it's not much use.

In general the free market for information is terrible, and there are few incentives towards quality. Journalism is a public good, and should probably be treated similar to other public goods like education.

I read an interesting paper a couple of years ago that proposed that the news sector be reinvented along similarish lines as the university sector. That is - you have a variety of providers that have not-for-profit status and engage in both commercial and non-commercial activities. Donations to the organisation would confer a tax break and (interestingly) voting rights similar to a shareholder of a public company. Food for thought.

Certainly I don't think the current demise of media conglomerates is a good thing. The hundreds of communities that have lost their local papers over the last few months are not going to receive an equivalent service from bloggers and YouTube personalities. That will have big implications for everything from local economies to municipal corruption.

 

[Chief]

The hundreds of communities that have lost their local papers over the last few months are not going to receive an equivalent service from bloggers and YouTube personalities.

Yeah but some of those were bought up with what looks like the express purpose of closing them down.

 

[Caesar]

Yeah but some of those were bought up with what looks like the express purpose of closing them down.

Do you think? It seems to me that if so, it was a fairly bad business decision. Your average rural newspaper isn’t exactly flush with assets to strip, and it’s pretty hard to redirect those readers to other publications.

 

[Bomberboyokay]

Probably a few thousand journalism graduates each year but maybe a couple hundred full time places available with News Corp, ABC, Nine Entertainment, Seven West, etc. In practice even less spots available as that includes nepotism hires. More journalists popping up on new online outfits is inevitable.

 

[Chief]

Do you think? It seems to me that if so, it was a fairly bad business decision. Your average rural newspaper isn’t exactly flush with assets to strip, and it’s pretty hard to redirect those readers to other publications.

Either that or some people pouring money into these purchases have NFI what they are doing.

Funny thing - a 2015-ish splurge by some big companies on online news like The Roar and others have been written off entirely by now. Tens of millions of dollars paid only to sell them for nothing 4-5 years later.

 

[hamohawk1]

In relation to the friendlyjordies (which i will admit this thread is based on), found this tweet staggering.

I know the big boys in town care about as much for rural areas as the Nats, but didn't think it was this bad.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

the first thing is the slow death of investigative journalism. by its nature its expensive, and old media used to subsidize it. They have basically abandoned it, and its just too expensive for indi/micro media. The likes of Woodward/Bernstein and Baker/McKenzie and so on have always played an important part in keeping power accountable to the people, and we will be worse off without it.

If it's a public good that's impractical to be funded by the private sector any longer, this is where government needs to step in. I notice the feds recently gave $5m to save the AAP. I'm glad they did, and seeing as it's now operating under a non-profit status, I hope it's subsidised enough in future to expand its staff to cover more stories.

 

[Noobz0r]

friendlyjordies doesn't even have to investigate that much, the Barilaro stuff was all public record. It just seems insane to me that there isn't more a light shone on it.

That being said, his latest video with James O'Doherty is fair indictation of what it takes to be a modern day journalist. Terrible standard.

 

[Chief]

If it's a public good that's impractical to be funded by the private sector any longer, this is where government needs to step in. I notice the feds recently gave $5m to save the AAP. I'm glad they did, and seeing as it's now operating under a non-profit status, I hope it's subsidised enough in future to expand its staff to cover more stories.

The ABC leaps to mind.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

friendlyjordies doesn't even have to investigate that much, the Barilaro stuff was all public record. It just seems insane to me that there isn't more a light shone on it.

That being said, his latest video with James O'Doherty is fair indictation of what it takes to be a modern day journalist. Terrible standard.

answer is one of two options:

1) story is too dry/boring and cant get past the editors

2) story isnt worth the cost of losing access/support from the current regime

for me its 2)

if the NSW opposition start looking credible, thats when the story will start being investigated seriously.

 

[Noobz0r]

answer is one of two options:

1) story is too dry/boring and cant get past the editors

2) story isnt worth the cost of losing access/support from the current regime

for me its 2)

if the NSW opposition start looking credible, thats when the story will start being investigated seriously.

Yeah I would definitely go with number 2.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

The ABC leaps to mind.

Given the issues over the past decade with who is appointed to run the ABC and the desire of Tony Abbott and his acolytes to defund it, I think it's best that some things don't get rolled into the ABC. The AAP is owned by a consortium of philanthropists and doesn't have to make a profit, that's the best we're going to get with regards to independent journalism in the private sector.

 

[Chief]

Given the issues over the past decade with who is appointed to run the ABC and the desire of Tony Abbott and his acolytes to defund it, I think it's best that some things don't get rolled into the ABC. The AAP is owned by a consortium of philanthropists and doesn't have to make a profit, that's the best we're going to get with regards to independent journalism in the private sector.

I can't find much about who is in this consortium.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

I can't find much about who is in this consortium.

Me either. All I know is there are 35 of them, their chairman is former News Corp CEO Peter Tonagh, and they've named two directors who might also be part of the consortium.

AAP unchained today with a new and unusual ownership - AdNews

Saved by 35 people describing themselves as philanthropists and impact investors.

www.adnews.com.au

 

[Ned_Flanders]

I can't find much about who is in this consortium.

most i found was this:

The consortium, led by Nick Harrington, is made up of a number of people including philanthropist John McKinnon, and has been supported by senior media executive Peter Tonagh.

Samuel Terry Asset Management managing director Fred Woollard and Australian Impact Investments managing director Kylie Charlton have also been named as part of the consortium, alongside approximately ten other parties.

 

[Number37]

I can't find much about who is in this consortium.

Me either. All I know is there are 35 of them, their chairman is former News Corp CEO Peter Tonagh, and they've named two directors who might also be part of the consortium.

AAP unchained today with a new and unusual ownership - AdNews

Saved by 35 people describing themselves as philanthropists and impact investors.

www.adnews.com.au

most i found was this:

The consortium, led by Nick Harrington, is made up of a number of people including philanthropist John McKinnon, and has been supported by senior media executive Peter Tonagh.

Samuel Terry Asset Management managing director Fred Woollard and Australian Impact Investments managing director Kylie Charlton have also been named as part of the consortium, alongside approximately ten other parties.

The people mentioned simply pony'd up the money to buy it from News-scum to turn it into a not-for-profit.


Dig into your deep pockets boys & girls.



https://www.gofundme.com/f/aap-needs-you

 

[Johnny Bananas]

In case we needed any more proof that Fairfax has gone down the tubes as a serious newspaper. With big media in this sort of state, it's no wonder people will be turning to the smaller outlets in future.

 

[hamohawk1]

View attachment 985127

In case we needed any more proof that Fairfax has gone down the tubes as a serious newspaper. With big media in this sort of state, it's no wonder people will be turning to the smaller outlets in future.

The Sunday Herald Sun is now just a Harvey Norman magazine with updates of what Nadia Bartel has done in the last week.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

View attachment 985127

In case we needed any more proof that Fairfax has gone down the tubes as a serious newspaper. With big media in this sort of state, it's no wonder people will be turning to the smaller outlets in future.

ScoMo would have shat his dacks seeing that - "oh no, they finally have the proof!"

 

[Number37]

ScoMo would have shat his dacks seeing that - "oh no, they finally have the proof!"

Sorry, there is no Scomo today...
He's at Engadine Maccas.

 

[Noobz0r]

Friendlyjordies posted a video today, and it's wild.