The Australian Media reports on bizarre behaviour of PM's media minder

An excellent, disturbing article by John Lyons appeared in the Media Section of The Australian detailing unprofessional, misogynistic and immature behaviour by Rudds media minder, 28 year old Lachlan Harris.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,23897344-7582,00.html

It's hard to believe the actions of Harris, yet the story is highly credible. That Rudd could allow this is quite mystifying yet he, as detailed in the article, is not without fault in dealing with the media. Rudd told the journalists that a story in The Australian stating that he was visiting Japan was "bullshit" yet just six hours later the story was confirmed by his office.

Harris seems fond of threatening and bullying journalists and regularly displays complete contempt for media and plain rudeness. It is extraordinary behaviour by the Prime Ministers main media advisor.

An excerpt:

The aggression has been experienced by many. One journalist said she felt highly intimidated by a conversation with Harris. He was unhappy with a story she'd written based on a leak from a Labor frontbencher. Harris wanted a meeting; they met in Aussie's cafe in Parliament House. She says he rarely made eye contact but what threw her off balance was that he almost whispered as he made it clear she would pay a price for writing the story.

"You know it's over for you," she says he told her. "Nobody's going to deal with you. We're not going to forget this." After regaining her composure, she told him: "Don't bully me. You're trying to bully me and I'm not going to take it."

It's a fascinating read.

Womens Mag Market Heats Up

It's certainly happening in the womens magazine market with Mindfood launching last week by Michael McHugh ex FPC magazines.

ACP will soon be launching international fashion weekly Grazia and the hugely successful Glamour is being launched into Australia as well.

Mindfood is McHughs' first solo foray into magazine ownership in conjunction with his wife and they are certainly not doing things by halves.

The magazine looks great, strong cover, good format, international edge..... They haven't just focused on print, with a major focus online which is interesting. McHugh is calling it an "integrated multimedia brand". Personally I believe you either run a magazine or an online venture, very rarely can anyone get both right as they are two vastly different mediums.

Also with the exception of online banking, dating, porn, ebay etc very few sites get much traction. Very little will get me reading articles or watching clips (which they call Mindfood TV) online with the exception of international media ie; Economist, Forbes, NY Times etc.

The cover price is a high $9.90 and they are targeting women over 25 years which is very broad. Reading it this morning it seems it's really targeted to women in their late 30's and 40's. I can't see anyone 25-35 years buying it and think its curious that they're claiming this as their market.

The first print run is 72,000 but only 25,000 of these are for Australia with the remainder sold into New Zealand.

McHugh is an expert in magazines having launched Notebook and Delicious as well as working on many major titles so he sure does know his stuff. And they've done a damn good job with the first issue, it will be interesting to see how it develops.

Let's hope it's a success, Australia needs more independent media and it's good to see the big publishing groups getting competition.

Reporter says 60 Minutes is Shite - how could he?!

Thank God someone finally spoke up! Today's Daily Telegraph reveals 60 minutes reporter Liam Bartlett decided to get off his chest what he thinks of the wishy washy program.

And where better than at a farewell to Ray Martin?! Excellent!

According to the Tele Liam Bartlett told them what each of us would love to. He's absolutely right. What is a story about Sam Newman doing on 60 Minutes?! Whilst of course we're all sympathetic about his illness, it's not exactly a national issue.

And what is Eddie McGuire doing conducting an interview for 60 Minutes?! Has he become an honorary journalist?!

I didn't think the show could get any lighter with Peter Underton on the team, but now there's Eddie. He makes Underton look like Walter Cronkite!

60 Minutes just goes from bad to worse to the point where it can't possibly be treated seriously.

Mind you if Bartlett wanted to join a serious current affairs program why did he take the job on 60 Minutes????

Good on Liam Bartlett, it's about time someone spoke up.

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23371258-5006002,00.html

Meow! Fur flies at Magazines!

Per my previous postings there's been some clawing going on about three year old RUSSH Magazine. All because two accounts were referred to a debt collector! Gee that doesn't happen in business much - just every minute of every day!!!!

Curiously this info was sent to the Daily Telegraph which wrote some tasty pieces without taking time, I believe, to find out the background - the accounts were actually in dispute. Even so, since when are a couple of late payments an issue for a daily newspaper?!

This coincided with a few staff leaving (as they do) and, before you know it, the magazine's in trouble.

Funny then that the April issue hit news stands a week ago with a fresh and obviously talented new team! And it's really impressive.

In my late 30's Russh is a little young for me, so I was not familiar with it. But having run businesses for ten years and been involved at an independent youth magazine as a 23 year old journo, I emphasised with its owners.

It's a really tough gig setting up and running a business, particularly an independent magazine with competitors the size and strength of News Limited, Fairfax, ACP and Pacific. Hence my interest in the RUSSH kerfuffle.

Looking through April issue of RUSSH last week I was stunned - it is a truly great magazine. The quality is top notch, content is excellent with interesting profiles (refreshing!) and the photography is really terrific.

I wish RUSSH had existed when I was 23!

Russh is clearly not competing with any of the existing magazines ie; Vogue, Madison, Marie Claire, Harpers etc as it's readers are obviously in their 20's. So why are the sharpened claws out for it?!

Could some magazines be feeling threatened?! Obviously so as ACP, publishers of Womens Weekly, Harpers Bazaar, Maddison, Cosmo, Cleo, New Woman et al, has included in their newsletter to advertisers a warning that Russh is in trouble.

The battle for the fashion and makeup dollar is a tough one but does it need to get down and dirty?!

The RUSSH team don't have time for these antics, they're too busy working on the next issue and enjoying the well earned success of April.


ACP February Research Newsletter
"Russh Magazine Faces Uncertain Future". "Bi-monthly fashion glossy Russh magazine, which launched its first issue three years ago, is under threat after a leading Sydney model and artist agency notified publisher Dr Ian Davies that an outstanding debt of $19,000 owed by the magazine was being referred to debt collectors. The news has created uncertainty surrounding the magazines future as the notice reached media and leading designers advising of the titles credit woes and poor payment history. This also follows the recent resignation of key staff including the magazine’s creative director and contributing features editor, who are both believed to be owed wages. One potential reason for Russh’s woes is that it competes head to head with established international brands, whereas other niche titles such as Frankie and Yen have broader competitors but do not operate in the exact same space. Russh had recently been celebrating a growth in circulation as well as it’s launch of Russh Japan, the first Australian magazine venture to enter the market. (Source: www.news.com.au 18.01.08)"

Sunday Telegraph - A contrast of Gossip and Fantastic Journalism!

The Sunday papers have the highest circulation of all newspapers so they can be extremely influential and important. It's not often though that they feature strong investigative journalism.

And interestingly papers in the Broadsheet format ie; Sydney Morning Herald say that real issues will never get proper attention in a tabloid.

Yesterday's Sunday Telegraph was a real contrast. On the front cover was Megan Gale throwing a tanty. Social writer Ros Reines had the scoop on a tears before bedtime tantrum. I have to admit to enjoying this piece as I am so over the nauseatingly posed, sickly images of Gale and her insipid boyfriends. Could she just once smile naturally to a camera?!

But further inside was an article that totally restored my faith, which was recently wounded, in journalism.

The Sunday Telegraph's Deputy Editor, Helen McCabe wrote an article "Media far too slow to act on horror story"on the bringing to the publics attention the horror story of the Bega Butcher, Dr Graeme Reeves.

Her piece was honest, considered and insightful on the media process and investigative journalism.

The Bega Butcher horror is another shocking situation only brought to the publics attention by journalists even though his victims have been making complaints to medical bodies for eleven long years.

Patients who complained to other doctors were ignored - typical of the medical profession who are renowned for standing by each other regardless. The story was taken to the Opposition's Minister for Health, Jillian Skinner in April 2006 - two whole years ago - but she did nothing which is sickening in itself and she should be ashamed of herself.

This brave, persistent group of women campaigned for years to be heard, taking the story to hundreds of media outlets only to be rejected. This is what Deputy Editor, Helen McCabe, wrote in yesterday's paper and what a great piece it is!

Excerpt from "Media far too slow to act on horror story"
"The story had slipped through the cracks in the media for about two years - despite being shopped around to 30 different outlets, including some of the biggest names in the business. But even though it was finally aired in an expose by Ross Coulthard and Nick Farrow on the Sunday Show the story failed to get any traction among other media outlets and even within its own network.

Perhaps Coulthart's failure to get anyone else to take up the fight is symptomatic of the dying influence of the once-almighty Sunday show. But perhaps there are a series of other issues at play, such as laziness and petty journalistic rivalries. Or-- as some female journalists have privately argued - the issue of genital mutilation was seen as too difficult for the largely male bosses in key media roles. Whatever the truth, it seems the media's indifference to the plight of these women has, along with the medical authorities conspired to compound their suffering".

However, at Channel Nine there was no follow-up. Neither was there any elsewhere - not until the Sunday Telegraph's Clair Weaver convinced her reluctant bosses that the hundreds of responses from other alleged victims of Dr Reeves was an incredible injustice and, therefore, a massive news story.

The reasons for The Sunday Telegraph's reluctance was, firstly, that the story of genital mutilation in a sleepy NSW town was so shocking it was unbelievable. Secondly, it was difficult to report the graphic content in a family newspaper. Thirdly, it was difficult to understand why no one had acted earlier.

But having established the facts, the next problem was a commercial one. This story would not sell newspapers, and it didn't. But sometimes the story is bigger than sales, or ratings.

As Coulthart and Farrow breathed a sigh of relief that someone else had taken up the case, many of our colleagues working that afternoon were still prepared to let the story slide. Aside from The Australian and a few radio stations, most of the Sydney media again chose to ignore it.

By Tuesday, Sydney's all-important The Daily Telegraph was starting to warm up as its top reporter, Janet Fife-Yeomans turned her considerable skill to the yarn. By weeks' end, there was not a media outlet in the country not covering the story.

As a profession, we got there in the end. But the coverage of this story suggests it was not only the medical authorities who let down these women.".

Bravo Helen McCabe. I hear that Helen is very highly thought of by the journos at Sunday Tele. "Extremely smart and terrific person and journalist" says one.

I wonder if it was only 10 or 20 women would the Sunday Telegraph still had done the story? I would hope so as just one woman is too many to suffer this horror.

Diddums British Ministry of Defence - New Idea Prince Harry Hooha

So New Idea ran a story about Prince Harry fighting over in Afghanistan (just like thousands of other soldiers) and the UK authorities get upset.

Well it beats the usual stories about him falling over drunk outside some nightclub.

Today's Telegraph reports that the magazine had an arrangement that they'd run the story only when little Harry was safely home in the mother country's bosom. However New Idea claims it knew nothing about any "arrangement".

"New Idea was not issued with a press embargo and was unaware of the existence of one," the magazine said.

Welcome to the world of media. That's right, woo the media and they'll publish a story embargo or not. And why shouldn't they?! Why should Prince Harry or anyone be treated differently?

Media 101 - pitch a story to the media and it's open slather. You can't control the media unless you're Rupert Murdoch, James Packer, Lachlan Packer, Kerry Stokes........ shall I continue? Ok so the media can be controlled but it shouldn't. Afterall isn't that the very purpose of journalism?

I'll stop while I''m ahead and get back to the Harry Hooha. But I will return to this subject later as it's quite important.

So it seems that the British Ministry of Defence has just learnt a vital lesson on media relations. You can't have it both ways.

Have a look at the Daily Telegraph, there's an amusing photo of the Prince with a Donkey. And there he is firing a machine gun.
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23295618-5001021,00.html


There's been some extremely vitriolic comments
fired at New Idea by the poms. "Scum" seems to be a favourite word.

Harry's now rather concerned saying:

"Once this ... comes out, every single person that supports them will be trying to slot me," he said. Now that you come to think about it it's quite worrying."

Poor Harry, he's not exactly a rocket scientist is he?!

Yep well instead of bitching at New Idea the blame should be directed at the genius who decided to get some nice publicity!!

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PS: I was speaking to the editor of a mens magazine a while back and he was telling me how Elle McPherson had a list of issues that he was not allowed to ask her. That really irked me. He went ahead with the interview anyway which irked me even more. He said that they wanted the interview so they agreed to her rules. Why?! It's not like she's an exciting new entity?! Far from it. And where is their responsibility to their readers?

I think he should have told Elle to stick her frilly knickers.

OMG a Green Baby! Today Tonight Reveals All!

Up late last night watching tv and reading the Economist, oh ok it was NW, I cracked up at an ad for tonights episode of Today Tonight which features a green baby!

Don't know how the baby became green but the mother was terribly distressed cause she can't get the green paint/dye off! The baby is bright green pretty much all over, it's hysterical. The best laugh I've had all week.

I reckon this is a Shannon Lush challenge. Or even better James Valentine on 702 could think up a few solutions.

Speaking of Shannon, the cleaning tips expert, she didn't really fare too well from the recent Good Weekend profile. But that's what can happen when you open up to the media. I really loved the bit where she said she went on over 500 dates before she found "the one". Reading the article it was pretty obvious why so many dates were required.

Would she really care considering how well she's done with her book(s)? Doubt it. It was the lovely Jennifer Flemming who was then James Valentine's producer on 702 who co-discovered Lush when she started calling in to Valentine's program offering solutions to household problems ie; how to get lipstick off your husbands collar etc.

Jennifer, who I think is terrific radio presenter talent, and has had her own program on the ABC up in Newcastle for the past couple of years, co-wrote the book with Lush and they've released more books now. I'll bet Jennifer's got some stories!

This is a really interesting commercial success story for a non-commercial media entity the ABC (who published the books).

So from being absolute unknown Lush has become a household name with books, celebrity, etc etc just from calling into James Valentine!

The power of the media.

Shock Horror! Female TV staff sexually harassed!

No surprises there! We've heard it all before. Actually I've always wondered how so many incidents haven't made it into the media.

A story by Vanda Carson "Reporter accuses Nine news boss of sexism" reports Nine's John Westacott telling female journos that they were only hired for their sex appeal. This was included in documents for Christine Spiteri's unfair dismissal and sexual harassment claim against 9.

A charming excerpt:
"To make it in this industry, you gotta have f---ability. To make it in this game, women have to be f---able," Westacott is alleged to have said.

We've all known about these appalling sexist attitudes of the senior TV men and worse! What about one current head of a station who grabbed a tv presenter's breast when she was pregnant! He's lauded as a tv great!

And what about the TV head who hangs around the news desk drunk as, propositioning all the women? He actually decided to get a wife from the station and after choosing one of their three presenters he lined up the chosen one a Sydney presenting role.

This behaviour has been going on forever and it's really time it stopped. But when are women in media and other tv women going to stand up and support one another?!

Should be an interesting court case.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/journo-accuses-nine-news-boss-of-sexism/2008/02/25/1203788223090.html