19 September 2008

Story selection vindicated

Publishing a newspaper isn’t rocket science; it’s common sense really. The influence of an editor is most noticeable in story selection and the emphasis given to particular stories.

While changes to the style and direction of a newspaper might affect sales in the longer term, casual buyers are won by word of mouth and a strong front page.

In my experience about 90 percent of newspaper buyers are regular, probably a bit more than than. A good front page or a special feature might swing five percent in extra sales. Read more »

Tags: marketing, media, newspapers
0 comments


19 August 2008

Lawnmower warning story travels wide

I wrote earlier this month about the lawnmower story. The story has “travelled” and even come to international attention.

I never published it on The Border Watch website, largely because I didn’t want to fuel a negative perception of the town.

Someone scanned the story from the paper and started an email chain which is continuing to grow. Read more »

Tags: journalism, media, Mount Gambier, newspapers
8 comments


4 August 2008

The Lazy Journalist’s Plane Story Generator

Courtesy of Aussie Bloggers Forum, this story generator is a bit of fun:

Adelaide passengers told of their terror aboard a Melbourne bound Qantas flight which was required to return to Adelaide yesterday due to large bits falling off.
Some passengers were distraught that the 309 passengers were told few details of the catastrophe.
They said the plane “porpoised like a dolphin chasing small fish” before turning around.
As a precaution, fire trucks were on standby when the Airbus Concorde landed.
Passenger Bob Kobb last night was still recovering from the ordeal.
“I wasn’t so much worried for myself, but for my children losing their only parent,” the passenger said.

Quite topical given the recent Qantas flight losing bits in mid air over the Philippines.

Tags: humor, media, transport, travel
3 comments


18 July 2008

AFL Celtic idea abandoned

I thought it curious last Saturday The Age ran with a front-page lead story on the possibility of an Irish-theme team being established in Sydney. The story was also prominent on Fairfax websites.

Today there is a story online, which is far more realistic, headlined West Sydney ground zero.

It talks about building a broad-based supporter base from scratch for a new team. This paragraph is nestled in the story:

Less than a week after it was reported that the league was considering a proposal to create an Irish-aligned club — known as the Celtics — that idea has been effectively abandoned.

Read more »

Tags: AFL, Australian-football, media
0 comments


8 June 2008

Australian Newspapers

I’ve started a new blog called Australian Newspapers. It’s not as though I’ve got plenty of spare time to invest in this, so I’m currently questioning my sanity.

The aim is to discuss industry issues and trends. I’m not aware of any similar site so there should be some interest if the site gets discovered.

I won’t be able to post there every day. The aim is more for quality than quantity and hopefully other authors will come on board.

Tags: blog, journalism, media, newspapers
0 comments


26 May 2008

Former Premier exhumed

We arrived in South Australia to hear and read the extraordinary story about Charles Kingston, a colonial Premier and founder of Australia, being exhumed for a paternity test at the request of an Adelaide businessman.

Sounds like something out of Monty Python doesn’t it?

“The Attorney-General, Michael Atkinson, approved an application to exhume the body of Charles Cameron Kingston, one of the Fathers of Federation, as part of a paternity case,” the Adelaide Advertiser reports.

The bodies of two other people suspected of being Kingston’s illegitimate offspring also were exhumed. They are Genevieve Grey and AA “Bert” Edwards. Read more »

Tags: Australia, History, media, news, south australia
2 comments


17 May 2008

Wilson speaks out on mannequin stunt

Respected football journalist Carolin Wilson has written in detail for the first time about Sam Newman’s mannequin stunt on The Footy Show.

Wilson’s heartfelt, considered response makes a compelling argument against the mindless sexism of Newman and his mates.

I abhor political correctness and my first impression (without seeing the program) was that reactions to the stunt were over the top. Read more »

Tags: AFL, entertainment, media, television
0 comments


13 May 2008

Cheeky photographer hits bottom

The Federal Budget is dominating the Australian media and web space tonight. I’ve scanned the headlines and I’ll study the detail tomorrow.

Frankly though, I felt in need of some light relief. It’s been a stressful few weeks.

They say the toughest events an average person will endure are changing jobs, moving house and losing a loved one. I’m in the home straight for a trifecta. Read more »

Tags: life, media, photography, wacky
0 comments


8 May 2008

Murder mystery

I feel quite drained at the end of this working day. A lot of my time was spent dealing with the investigation into a suspicious death.

A tradesman on a remote job was taking a leak in the bush when he discovered human remains concealed beneath a pile of wood near Menzies in the northern Goldfields.

He came into our office today and provided photos of the grisly find.

Earlier, one of my staff had called me aside to say he suspected whose body it might be. Read more »

Tags: crime, justice, law, media, murder, news
5 comments


7 May 2008

Australian killed in South African mine

This story has surprisingly received no coverage in the national or international media, so I’m posting it here in the hope someone picks it up.

An Australian mine worker, Matthew Norman, was among the nine people killed in an accident at the South Deep gold mine operated by Gold Fields near Carletonville outside Johannesburg last Thursday. Read more »

Tags: Australia, media, mining, news, South Africa
5 comments