Media Flash And Australian Media Job Directory

Media Flash

and Australian Media Job Directory

Monday, December 18, 2000

With Flash Updates at www.mediaflash.com.au

E-Mail: mediaflash@yahoo.com J Phone/Fax: 1-800 231 311

Flash Points

FOOTY TV & CABLE RIGHTS: Round 1 To Lachie RADIO RATINGS: All the Winners And Losers JONATHAN SHIER HITS BACK: ABC Chief's Letter To Staff AIR WAVES: Mid-Yawner McGowan Starts Antique Company GLASS HOUSE: The ABC of Newsreading STIX AND STONES: He's Back, With Facts And Cracks, For All Our Hacks MOVERS AND SHAKERS: Mud Throwing At GX Report AUSTRALIAN MEDIA JOB DIRECTORY: Slim Christmas Pickings

Join Our Growing List Of Advertisers EMITCH: Online Media Independent INSTANT WIN ONLINE PROMOTIONS: It's Your Selection CANDELA: Secure Your Dot Com P3TV: What Are You Paying For Your TV Production? ERIC SHACKLE: Freelance Stories Available ALISON GRAHAME: Effective Words THE MATURE AUSTRALIAN: Advertising Discount to Media Flash Subscribers COURIER NEWSPAPERS: Access To Multiple Markets VOODOO SOFTWARE: So You're Sick Of Software BYRON SHIRE ECHO: 'Australia's Most Sophisticated Market' FAIRFAX COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS (VIC.): 20 Vibrant Melb. Newspapers FAST BOOKS: Getting Started FORMAT: Monthly Newsletter For Publishers of Formatted Publications JOB DIRECTORY: Take Your Choice Of Australian Media Jobs NEWS LIMITED SUBURBANS: More Than 90 Titles Around Australia PRESSPASS: Now There's A Way To Get The Information You Want Quadrant MAGAZINE - Australia's Leading Independent Review of Controversy SUBS PLUS - Subscriptions: Save Money and Grow

To advertise in Media Flash, e-mail your ad by 5pm Friday. $110 for 200 words.

Fax: 1-800 231 311. Or E-Mail: mediaflash@yahoo.com

And Only In: Media Flash Confidential

Our Subscriber-Only Confidential Newsletter, E-Mailed Direct To You.

Annual Subscriptions Are Just $50 (That's Less Than $1 A Week).

Subscribe Online now at: www.mediaflash.candela.com.au

WHAT NOW? Lachlan's $500 Million First-Round Punch YOU WORK OUT THE SUMS: $70 Million Radio Deal Dissected INNER-CITY ANGST: More Lessons Yet For Melbourne's Metro News WHO'S SUING WHO? DMG Radio Takes 'Letter Campaign' To Court STREWTH? Truth Died Last Week. It's Back This Week ... AUSSIE MAG ON THE BRINK: The Inside Story. It Might Make You Money.

BREAKING NEWS

Radio's Winners And Losers

* SYDNEY. 2DAY, 14.1 (12.7). MMM, 13.5 (13.0) 2UE, 13.1 (14.2). MIX, 9.2 (8.9). 2WSFM, 7.8 (7.4). 2JJJ, 6.0 (6.9). ABC702, 6.5 (6.8). 2CH, 6.6 (6.8). 2GB, 3.5 (4.5). ABCFM, 3.1 (2.7). 2KY, 2.1 (1.7). 2SM, 1.0 (1.1). 2NEWS, 1.3 (1.3). 2RN, 1.6 (1.5).

* MELBOURNE. 3AW, 14.1 (14.5). FOXFM, 13.4 (13.4). 3MMM, 12.3 (10.4). ABC774, 10.4 (10.2). TTFM, 9.4 (11.2). MAGIC, 6.8 (7.0). GOLD, 7.1 (6.5). 3JJJ, 5.7 (4.6). 3MP, 3.0 (2.7). SPORT, 2.7 (2.8). ABCFM, 2.5 (2.6). 3RN, 1.8 (2.7). 3NEWS, 1.1 (1.4). 3AK, 0.9 (1.2).

* BRISBANE. B105, 25.3 (23.4). FM104MMM, 15.7 (17.0). 4KQ, 11.2 (11.3). 4BH, 9.5 (7.8). 4JJJ, 8.1 (8.2). 4BC, 7.8 (8.2). ABC612, 7.6 (7.3). ABCFM, 2.4 (2.8). 4RN, 1.8 (1.9). 4NEWS, 0.7 (0.9).

* ADELAIDE. SAFM, 26.0 (25.2). 5ADFM, 18.7 (19.4). 5AA, 11.7 (12.4). 5MMM, 10.4 (11.0). 5JJJ, 10.4 (8.7). ABC891, 6.5 (6.6). 5DN, 6.4 (6.6). ABCFM, 2.9 (3.1). 5RN, 2.09 (1.3). 5NEWS, 0.7 (0.7).

* PERTH. MIX94.5, 19.6 (18.6). PMFM, 15.7 (16.0). 96FM, 14.1 (14.9). 6JJJ, 12.0 (11.2). ABC720, 10.7 (9.8). 6PR, 8.5 (8.6). 6IX, 6.4 (7.9). ABCFM, 1.6 (2.2). 6RN, 1.6 (1.6). 6NEWS, 1.0 (1.0).

Lachlan Kicks First Goal

* LACHLAN MURDOCH, News Limited supremo, says his company's first round win of Australian Football League broadcasting rights for $500 million, may see the free-to-air TV rights sold to the Nine and Ten Networks. WAYNE JACKSON, AFL CEO, says the decision had come after 'a long and exhaustive process'. Media antennae went up when Mr Jackson said the decision had come about 'because it delivered the best possible coverage of our game for football fans'. No doubt $500 million is 'for the good of the game'. The Murdoch bid has been accepted with the the context of the first and last rights agreement with KERRY STOKES' Seven Network, which paid $20 million for that pre-condition. 'The issue of football's long relationship with Seven has weighed heavily in our deliberations, and it is now up to Seven to take the opportunities available to them through the last bid option,' Mr Jackson said.

Media Flashes

* ERIC BEECHER, JENNIFER BYRNE and CREIGHTON BURNS are judges for the GRAHAM PERKIN award for the Australian Journalist of the Year. Prize money is up to $15,000. Nominations must be in by February 1. Winner will be announced at the Melbourne Press Club Quill Awards on March 23. www.pressclubonline.com

* ROBERT MICHAEL AMOS, auditor, has been suspended by the Company Auditors and Liquidators Disciplinary Board after it was found Seven Network and Seven Network Operations 1998 financial results have been materially overstated. Colleague ALAN ROBERT DAVID WALSH has been severely reprimanded.

* JOHN B. FAIRFAX'S Rural Press Ltd is formally advising the group's corporate office returns to North Richmond from December 22.

* ANNA CURNOW at Wilson and Horton (NZ) advises in E-mails: 'I will be out of the office starting 08/12/2000 and will not return until 26/04/2005." That's long-term planning.

Three New Deputy Editors

* MICHAEL GAWENDA, Age Editor, has announced the appointment of three new Deputy Editors: SEAN O'CONNOR (News), JAMES BUTTON (News Packages), and JONATHAN GREEN (Saturday). The appointments take effect from late January. MIRANDA TAY has been appointed Editor of Domain.

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Internet Difficulties

* THE AGE and SYDNEY MORNING HERALD is now back on line in China, JOHN SCHAUBLE reported last week. Fairfax negotiated with the Chinese Embassy in Canberra, as well as with discussions in Beijing. The Chinese Government said the papers had been blocked because of 'technical reasons'.

* MEDIA FLASH has been a victim of the serious outages at Microsoft's Hotmail division over the past 10 days. A number of subscribers have not received their regular bulletins. DENNIS FISHER of eWEEK says Microsoft users were still experiencing problems after the company said the problems had been resolved.

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Relay For Life

* FELIX GANDER, boss of Melbourne's Independent News group, says $57,000 has been raised locally in a public appeal with Monash University - Peninsula Campus to fight cancer. Media partners include Channel 9 and Media Entertainment Group. Net cost for the appeal has been $557.

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Overseas Desk

* RUPERT MURDOCH may soon abandon his Wapping site in London, because of rising property prices. The print centre opened in 1986, and was a Union crushing operation, cheered by Prime Minister MARGARET THATCHER.

* WEEKLY SPORT has been launched by Melton Enterprises in the Republic of Ireland. It is published by the proprietors of Daily Sport and Sunday Sport in the UK. Color page cost is IEP 600.

* THE IRISH INDEPENDENT is publishing an e-Government supplement on Friday (Dec. 15). It will outline government plans and projects for electronic delivery of government services to citizens. Keynote contributions come from An Taoiseach BERTIE AHERN, Ministers MARY O'ROURKE, MICHAEL MARTIN and DERMOT AHERN. And additional 5000 copies is being distributed by government to decision makers.

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Sydney Siders

* BRUCE GORDON'S WIN Television has done a deal with the New South Wales State Government for the upgrade of WIN Stadium in Wollongong. BOB CARR'S Government will pay $4 million.

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Quadrant

In December's Quadrant magazine:

Mark Latham MP on Globalisation's optimists and pessimists - Greg Melleuish reviews Blainey's History of the World - Alan Gill on Britain under the Jackboot: occupied Jersey 60 years ago - Sean Regan on our post-modern Pilger - Peter Ryan defends the reputation of the judge who sent Ned Kelly to the gallows - the final instalment of Keith Windschuttle's analysis of Aborigine massacres, and the lies of the missionaries - Sophie Masson on Harry Potter - new poems by Les Murray and others.

Quadrant is a magazine that has always been identified with searching out the truth, making sure that one orthodoxy is not mistakenly replaced with another. One of the great roles of Quadrant has been its questioning of political correctness. And when I reflect . on the idleness of so many in academia and, despite some notable and well-known exceptions, on the shameful assault on the reputation of Geoffrey Blainey, you will have in mind the sorts of things that I think are relevant to the role of Quadrant. - John Howard, Prime Minister of Australia.

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Melbourne Memo

* FELIX GANDER'S Independent News group on Melbourne's Mornington Peninsula has distributed impressive desk pads to clients, also listing the recently-new divisions of Letterbox Promotions and the Peninsula Print Group. On the down side, no news of the company's Frankston office which seems to have disappeared.

* GANDER'S company has lifted the stakes on the Peninsula, where NEIL COLLYER'S Fairfax team has purred the pigeons with the 61,000 48-page Flyer. Gander's Mornington Mail hit 88 pages, and had a Christmas edition headlined 'Who's Been Naughty And Who's Been Nice?' The Flyer didn't rate a mention in either column. The Indy's www.inews.net.au has become ' truly interactive', where readers' instant letters are in a forum. The group is also introducing online classifieds and suggests: 'Think about having a garage sale over the Internet.'

* GLEN ROHAN'S Metro News has removed any mention of circulation figures since its reincarnation. Original company was Metropolitan Media Pty Ltd. Phoenix-like, the current publisher is Metropolis Media Pty Ltd. Former Publisher NEIL MURDOCH is simply listed against a 'Special Projects' title. At least he hasn't been bundled off to 'Distribution'!

* BRUCE and RHYS WATSON have set up a test site for a Melbourne north-eastern suburbs online newspaper. It's called YarraBuzz.com

Does Someone Forward Media Flash to You? Get your own, free copy: send your name, company name, title and email address to: mediaflash@yahoo.com

West Wire

* STEVE PENNELLS, West Australian journalist in Sydney, joins Channel 9 as Chief of Staff on February 5.

* SHAUN MENEGOLA has been appointed News Director at Channel 7 Perth. His newspaper career started at the Narrogin Observer and The West.

* PUMP 100, Perth's internet music dance radio station, has been launched this month, according to CATIE LOW in WA Business News. CEO NICK MORGAN has an experimental internet licence to cover musician royalties.

South Australian Snips

* WAY OUT WEST (WOW-FM) is looking to become a permanent fixture on Adelaide FM radio deials, reports TOM SULLIVAN in the Portside Messenger. The Port Adelaide station wants to broadcast 24/7, and is answering the Australian Broadcasting Authority's invitation for permanent licence applicants. The station's volunteers are part-funded by a Port Adelaide Enfield Council grant.

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This Week In Byron Bay

* BYRON BAY FOLLIES: THE BYRON SHIRE ECHO is an independent locally-owned free weekly covering Australia's most sophisticated rural market.

Check it out on www.echo.net.au. Advertising enquiries to geoff@echo.net.au or ring (02) 6684 1777.

Press Gang

* DANNY FOX has taken over as Editor of Out & About, the monthly tourism magazine produced by TONY WHITING'S Border Mail at Albury-Wodonga. WARWICK RANDALL still files for the 56-page short color tabloid.

* BARBARA NORTHWOOD, Food Editor of Woman's Day, performed a cooking demonstration at Humphrey's Newsagency, Manly.

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PR Department

* JOHN PINKNEY is doing the publicity rounds to promote A Paranormal File. 'If you go to a dinner party with six or more people, almost always at least one person has had a paranormal experience,' Pinkney told KATRINA McGRATH of the Caulfield Glen Eira Leader. If that were the situation at a Media Flash dinner party, we'd change the wine.

* GOLD-FM joined as a sponsor of the Peninsula Pet & Expo Show with the Mornington Peninsula Shire and Independent News Group. Beacuse of its popularity, the event has blown out to a two-day fixture.

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Air Waves

* LEIGH DREW, 3AK Nightwatch mid-yawner, celebrated his 100th program on Friday morning. He is continuing a practice of asking listeners to send money made payable to him, for various functions. He announced a 2001 trip for 25-40 listeners to New Zealand. Other announcers who have travelled this road, no longer have the promotions in their own name.

* KEITH McGOWAN, 3AW night owl nemesis, has started a part-time business at Malvern and Camberwell, and is featured in this month's Collectormania, published by IAN WELSH. The business is called 'McGowantiques'.

* JOHN BURNS - 'SIR LUNCHALOT' - is widely tipped to join ROSS STEVENSON as 3AW's new breakfast co-host from the first week in January. Station Manager GRAHAM MOTT is keen for listeners not to think big changes have been made. LUNCHY was a 3RRR colleague of STEVENSON, prior to the AW stint coming along.

TV Guide

* CHARLES WOOLEY, who has a 60 Minutes job that JEFF McMULLEN hasn't, presents Continental Drift on New Years Eve on the Nine Network. The 7.30pm Sunday night thriller drives around Australia, looking at population trends. Can't wait for the ratings to return.

* RICHARD WILKINS (who else?) and CAROLYNE RANDOE have the Nine gig for the New Years Eve special from the Sydney Opera House. It airs from 9pm-10pm, with an 11.55pm-12.15am cross for the Sydney Harbour fireworks.

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Big Names Dept.

* BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING: JAMES MURDOCH has joined the Board of News Corporation, sitting alongside elder sibling LACHLAN.

* SAM CHISHOLM appears set to join the Foxtel board, after Directors meet this Wednesday (Dec. 20).

* GLENN MILNE, Seven Network political correspondent, has told readers of his column that he has cancer. Milne started his journalistic life as Motoring Writer for Valley Voice in Melbourne, circa 1979.

Smaller Names Dept.

* STEVE RAYMOND hung up the 2WS microphone on December 8 after 20 years as News and Current Affairs Director. 'They say the time to leave home is 21,' he told MICHELLE RAFFERTY of the Blacktown Advocate.

* LAURIE RYAN, Publisher of fortnightly Your Gazette (Craigieburn, Vic.), is heading a $1½ million charity fund-raiser for Melbourne's Northern Hospital. He says this involves the donation of 12 houses by the Urban Land Authority over 12 years.

* GEORGE SVIGOS, former Leader Newspapers scribe, has joined Education Times as a writer.

Absent Friends

* JACK AYLING - 'ACE', has been immortalised in paint. A portrait of the late Melbourne crime reporter has been completed by Peninsula artist BILL MILLAR, and was handed over this month to jockey ROY HIGGINS for the MCC Museums. The painting was sponsored by Somerville funeral director TED BULL. Ayling died at the age of 79 in August, just months before his beloved Truth newspaper also died for the (almost) final time.

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Movers And Shakers

* ALAN PEARSALL, 3AW weekend mid-dawn host, hosted the Monash Carols By Candlelight concert last night (Sunday). So, this is showbiz!

* PETER COLEMAN of The GX Report has a little bit of playful muck throwing at The Australasian Printer and PETER KOHN'S Tec Print this month. DAVID LOVEJOY of The Byron Shire Echo does the same with a reference to his rival editor GARY CHIGWIDDEN: 'Oh dear, I didn't want to waste my precious attitude space on this old chestnut, but the Byron News has been flinging mud about again, and if I don't respond some of it may stick. Two weeks ago Council voted to continue to place its advertising in The Echo and The News is very unhappy about it ...'

Court Report

* MARK CONROY and MICHAEL QUAYLE, Frankston (Vic.) Mayor and Labor Party identity, have announced plans to sue the Herald Sun, a journalist and political rival DAVID DAWN, alleging defamation. GEOFF EDWARDS of the 148-page Frankston Standard reports that Dawn, a former Mayor, made allegations about election preferences.

* PETER COUCHMAN, former ABC TV and radio frontman, pleaded guilty to assaulting a 12-year-old boy in the changing room of Middle Brighton Baths last year. Prosecutor SEN. CONST. PAUL ROLFE accepted that Couchman did not touch the boy. Couchman was placed on a 12-month good behavior bond, and ordered to pay $500 to the Court Fund.

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FORMAT

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The Local Report

* MARK BRUER, News.com.au General Manager, is releasing commercial property market reports on his site. 'Commercial Property' draws on content from metro, regional and suburban News publications.

Glass House

* KATHY BOLAND, ABC Melbourne newsreader, went to air on Saturday night with the words of ABC Sydney host MICHAEL TROY coming out of her mouth. Works at Aunty's Mount Dandenong transmitter are blamed. Early in the day, The Age reported about management talks, on Page 3: 'Victoria's weekend ABC television news bulletins would be replaced by a national news service produced in Sydney.'

* STEVE HARRIS and MICHAEL GAWENDA, chief smiths at The Age word factory, waxed much about the broadsheet in their third annual report to readers at the weekend. The eight-page Connecting Our Community reviewed just about every one of the newspaper's activities from throughout the year. Just about everything ... 'cept the strikes.

* STEVE HARRIS said earlier this year that the strikes were the first time in the paper's 146-year history that The Age had been prevented from hitting the streets. We checked the Media Flash diary, and seem to recall The Herald, Sun and Age had problems in August 1975 when negotiating VDTs and the conversion from hot metal to computer. RUPERT MURDOCH dropped into town to fill the void, and produced The Daily Truth. Do 'Flashers' know of any other Age-less times?

* RUSSELL BROCK, Editor of the Drummoyne-Five Dock District News, wins this week's award for briefest headline: 'NEW COUNCILLORS GO TO FIRST MEETING WITH TREMENDOUS RESPONSIBILITIES AND EVEN LAST MINUTE UNCERTAINTIES'.

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FIRST MULTI-NATIONAL E-BOOK A South African computer expert and an Australian writer have published what they believe is the world's first multi-national electronic book. The free book, "Life Begins at Eighty ... On the Internet" by veteran Sydney journalist Eric Shackle, is posted on Barry Downs's Kimberley Web site, http://www.bdb.co.za/shackle/ebook.htm linked to other sites in the United States, England, Scotland, Australia and Bangladesh. Articles from the various sites cover a grab-bag of topics: the world's biggest turkey and largest hailstones, computer-generated anagrams, mysterious lights in Texas and Queensland, 15 towns named Rugby, Global English, and how to cultivate a herb said to ease arthritic pains. "Like most of my generation, I used to regard the Internet as a fearsome monster rapidly devouring the world we knew," 81-year-old Shackle says in the introduction. " Then at the age of 79, I bought my first computer, studied David Pogue's hilarious book The i-Mac for Dummies, and began a new life. Captivated by the magic of the World Wide Web, I began writing freelance articles about my discoveries. Some of them have been published by the New York Times, the Globe and Mail (Toronto, Canada), the Straits Times (Singapore) and the Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) ... "Read some of my articles [which] I hope will inspire other retirees to join the world's largest library, and share its magical allure."

Editor's E-Mail

* FELUR GIBBONS replies to LAWRENCE GIBBONS' Sydney City Hub editorial, supporting Media Flash: 'Thanks Lawrence - I couldn't agree more with your views. I think the Australian media is in a tragic condition. I'm off to Westpac.'

* DIANA GRIBBLE, Chairman of Text Media Group, has written with a suggestion for our new book, Long Shots.

* JULIE DALZELL, Publisher, Cuisine Publications, New Zealand, writes: 'Dear Ash, All is not gloomy in the New Zealand media scene. Cuisine magazine continues to grow in circulation and readership and recorded a best-ever sale for September issue. On 4 December we launched our interactive website. One reader also said "Never stop being what you are. life without Cuisine would be like kissing your lover through a plastic bag". Cuisine magazine won the Best Consumer Magazine in New Zealand in this year's New Zealand Magazine Publishers Association Awards. "The functionality of the site is far in excess of any food and wine site in New Zealand, offering as it does a large library of recipes and wine reviews and tastings from Cuisine archives," Ms Dalzell added.It features over 1,000 recipes by established Cuisine magazine contributors, among them LAURINE JACOBS, RAY McVINNIE and JULIE BIUSO. The magazine's wine editor, BOB CAMPBELL, oversees this department, which includes tips on food-wine pairings, shopping, searching, tasting and cellaring, plus features on wine regions and "best of the bunch" selections.

Stix And Stones

* STEVE STICKNEY, Editor at The Manly Daily, we live in a world of shocks and jocks, blockers and knockers:

* 'Take a look for yourself. It's all written here in the registry' - a clerk offers bureaucratic proof to Indian LAL BIHARI that he is, indeed, dead. Mr Bihari's demise was part of an elaborate ruse by deceitful relatives seeking to cheat him out of his entitlement to a tennis block-sized plot of family land. New York Times.

* 'I put me jocks on top of my head and they got wet and I sucked the moisture out of them'' - an obviously not-too-fashion-conscious HOWARD RODD tells how he survived when his fishing boat was swamped off the coast of South Australia. Daily Tele.

* 'We were just a bit worried about the sort of people it might bring in' - La Petite Aroma, a legal brothel in Chatswood, does a neat turn of the traditional tables while explaining why it is objecting to plans to build a church 50m from their business. Willoughby Council papers.

* 'If we roll over, we will be going against the community's wishes' - Manly Councillor BARBARA AIRD'S injudicious choice of words in explaining why she objects to local brothels. Manly Daily.

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We paid a Kenyan witchdoctor, Ndungi Gitare to put a charm on a traditional doll which gives 100% protection for your computer against electronic bugger ups. WHAT YOU GET. Authentic traditional, African doll (not made in Taiwan) approx 4" with a peel tab so that it can attach on the surround by your monitor. FREE colour photo of our witchdoctor putting charm and the guarantee including text `....charms essentially work on the basis of faith and belief. If you have sufficient faith this voodoo doll will totally protect your computer. On the other hand, should your computer still be effected by glitches, virus or any type of malfunction then it is quite clear the operator has insufficient faith in the protective powers of the doll and the doll suppliers cannot be held in any way responsible.' Nonetheless, there is still a FULL ... MONEY BACK GUARANTEE. In the event of the user being struck by lightning return the doll and we will give you a full refund.' Ideal novelty gift for the computer geek who has everything. $15 plus $5 for post and registration. Forward Money order or $20 note to The African Bazaar / P.O. Box 1094 Byron Bay 2481. Or place order with credit card number by e mailing to: hmartin@mullum.com.au

Media Money

* $1.3 MILLION - $1.6 MILLION: price achieved for TV-radio footy man RON BARASSI'S Mountain View Hotel, by top Melbourne real estate man STEVE CROPLEY.

* $2.218 MILLION: advertising budget blowout of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (Vic.), according to Opposition Waste Watch Chair DAVID DAVIS.

* $3 MILLION - $5 MILLION: estimated liabilities of the Satellite Media Group, according to Administrator TONY McGRATH.

* $20 MILLION is the price tag on PETER HARVIE'S Austereo Group's purchase of a 5 per cent in UK regional broadcaster, UKRD Group, which has 15 provincial stations.

The Last Word

* CARLONE GARDAM, Editor of Minni, has an Editorial Comment for her readers: 'Yeah, Brisbane can be a little small-town, and is sometimes small-minded. But I'm not about to suggest we sell our fashion industry down the river just yet. We are just about to get our shit together - why let some southern ego take all the credit for twenty years worth of groundwork? Parochial? You bet. Someone has to be.'

* JANE KENRICK, Melbourne Independent Newspapers Editor, fresh from the closure of three editions of the Southern Cross (Vic.) in 18 months, has a more reassuring message for Emerald Hill Times readers: 'When the first edition was published back in August 1978, the sceptics warned that it wouldn't last until Christmas. Twenty-two Christmases later the paper is still going stronger and we have plenty of plans for 2001.'

P.S.

* JONATHAN SHIER, ABC CEO, wrote to staff this month: '

It is not pleasant for any organisation to experience industrial action of the sort undertaken by ABC staff this week.

As Managing Director, I apologise to all members of our audience for the disruption to radio, television and online services. Our viewers and listeners may also be assured that ABC management and staff will continue to talk.

There is, however, one thing on which the staff and I are in complete agreement: at stake is the future of national public broadcasting in Australia. And it is time we confronted the issues head-on.

The first is editorial independence. I am accused by some of threatening this fundamental principle of public broadcasting, largely on the basis of a decision by the Director of ABC Television not to renew Paul Barry's 12-month contract as the presenter of Media Watch.

No matter, it seems, that the program will re-appear in 2001 with what will be its fourth presenter. It will continue to be a probing - yet responsible - critic of Australian media, including the ABC.

Editorial independence is one matter. It is surely another matter for management to make judgements about the performance of ABC Television and take decisions on what programs will be broadcast and who will present them.

Very few people in Australia have come in for as much media criticism as I have. There have been many critics within the ABC. I have not lashed out at anybody over this. Indeed, on Thursday I did three interviews on the ABC and the line of questioning was professional, tough but fair - as it should be.

I am also accused of trying to dismantle the ABC's television science unit through the cancellation of the TV science series, Quantum, after May next year. In fact, other science programs will take the place of Quantum. Moreover Science and Health is one of the specialist development units in the new ABC structure with a brief to initiate projects not only for television but also for radio and new digital media.

The cancellation of one program format after 16 years can hardly be said to represent the end of ABC science. The ABC is totally committed to making quality programs in-house. That is the main reason for our existence.

For many years the ABC has been a symbol of quality in Australian broadcasting; and, for that, we must acknowledge the commitment and creativity of program makers and support staff. But that is not the whole story. The ABC cannot rest on its laurels. As a result new programs will, from time to time, replace some established programs.

I make no apology for requiring all managers to continue striving for greater efficiency and improved programming performance. In this respect, we are no different from any other public corporation. There will be no long-term future for the ABC unless it adapts to the challenging environment of new media.

For the ABC this includes the Internet and additional TV channels available through digital technology. When the Corporation established ABC Online, some critics complained it would drain resources from the core business of radio and television.

Now, for the first time, abc.net.au has registered 7.1 million accesses in a single week and, for the fifth year in a row, has been rated as Australia's best media Internet site. It has gone way beyond the point of being an add-on. It is the third ABC network.

This year we increased the budget for new media services from about $4 million to $13 million. This is out of a budget of around $479 million for all content areas including news and current affairs which receives $112 million.

Can that truly be said to reflect an unwise management fixation with new media?

The ABC Board and management remain committed to the full range of existing services, including four national radio networks, local radio in each capital city, 48 regional radio stations, a television presence in each state and territory, the online network, Radio Australia and 14 international news bureaux.

My task as Managing Director is to strengthen the capacity of the national broadcaster to further lift its effectiveness in informing, educating and engaging all Australians. That means, in part, convincing government to increase funding.

This week the ABC Board announced a number of 'national interest' proposals for which we seek additional funding from Canberra.

They include extended television and multimedia services for regional and rural Australia; television, radio and multimedia coverage to assist Australians of all ages to participate in the nation's economic life; multimedia programming for children; and media-rich curriculum support for primary and secondary schools.

I did not come to our national broadcaster to watch it shrivel into irrelevance or disrepute. The ABC will be revitalised. It will talk to all Australians. It must have adequate resources to do its job.

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Australian Media Job Directory

Fairfax Community Newspapers

Sales Display Sales Representative Fairfax Community Newspapers (Vic), an established and fast-paced publisher of twenty quality suburban newspapers has an opportunity for a self-motivated Sales Professional to sell advertising into one of it's market leading suburban newspapers, The Advocate, based at our Footscray Office. We are seeking to appoint a self disciplined individual who will take responsibility for further development of this well-established masthead. The role will require you to have a proven record of accomplishment in developing new business and retention of client base. The role is both challenging and diverse and will require you to possess the following skill set.

1.. Proven record of accomplishment in sales

2.. Time management skills

3.. People management skills to enhance and develop new clients whilst maintaining a current client portfolio

4.. Strong presentation and negotiation skills

Whilst individuals with a media background will be highly regarded, this should not deter individuals who have strong sales background within other industries. This is a demanding position and hence the candidates will need to demonstrate high energy levels, combined with tenacity to drive to meet the challenge. A salary/incentive package with car/phone allowance awaits the successful candidate. Written applications should be forwarded no later than Wednesday, January 17, 2001. Attention: Norm Hollow

West Sales Manager

PO Box 2209

Footscray 3011

Email: nhollow@fcnvic.fairfax.com.au

Employment

* GARRY HOWE, Editor at South East Newspapers (Vic.), is recruiting a Sub-Editor. garry.howe@senews.com.au

* MARY LE GASSICK advertises for an Accounts Officer at Leader Community Newspapers, Melbourne. Associated company, Image Digital Publications, requires a Copy Centre Co-Ordinator (Traffic Control).

* RICHARD GRAYDEN, Technical Operations Manager at Cumberland Newspaper Group (NSW), is advertising for a Junior Technician.

* JOHN BALL at The Moree Champion (NSW) requires a 'good, fast, accurate Sub' for a 'hard hitting, old established and independent'. For what we've seen, one of those Subs would be handy for the FAQ bi-weekly.

Work Wanted

* Advertise your 'Work Wanted' notice in Media Flash. During December and January, we'll print your 'Work Wanted' ad for free. Simply E-Mail it to us by 5pm Friday at mediaflash@yahoo.com

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Effective Words

If you are looking for someone who can create advertising copy, write media releases and proofread in a single bound (well almost) then I'm your woman. I'm a freelance writer with a variety of government and private sector clients. My career in both the media and education goes back 25 years. If you want effective words and you want them quickly and at very reasonable rates then call Alison Grahame (that's me) on 02 4324 3328 or fax 02 4324 0061.

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*Publisher's claim

TO SUBSCRIBE: For your own free E-Mail subscription to Media Flash, E-mail your request to: mediaflash-subscribe@egroups.com VOLUNTARY PAID SUBSCRIPTION: $50 for a full year's subscription. Pay by credit card at www.mediaflash.candela.com.au TO UNSUBSCRIBE: Send an E-Mail, quoting the Mail Batch Number (it's in the subject line) to: mediaflash@yahoo.com THIS WEEK'S DISTRIBUTION: More Than 6400 Copies Printed, published and distributed by Ash Long, who accepts responsibility for election and referendum comment. © Copyright 2000, Ash Long. ARBN No. 91 003 450 207 Head Office: 30 Glen Gully Road, Eltham, Vic. 3095. Telephone/Fax: 1-800 231 311 Sydney Address: 125 Oxford Street, Bondi Junction, NSW 2002 Brisbane Address: Suite 131, 7/421 Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley, Qld 4006 While the information available in this Confidential E-Mail is obtained from sources believed to be reliable, Media Flash gives no assurances or guarantees that the information is accurate, complete or current. The information is provided for information only and is not intended to constitute legal, financial or professional advice. It has taken into account and has no regard to the needs, objectives or circumstances (financial or otherwise) of particular recipients, and is not an exhaustive coverage. Appropriate professional advice should be obtained prior to acting on any information contained herein. No warranty is given as to the accuracy of this information, and the persons who rely on it do at their own risk. To the extent permitted by law, neither Media Flash nor its officers, employees and agents, is liable for any claim, loss, damage or expense sustained or incurred by any person directly or indirectly arising as a result of reliance on an opinion, advice, recommendation, representation of the information expressly or impliedly contained in this E-Mail notwithstanding any error or omission including negligence.

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