Writer’s Festival in Sydney was very enjoyable. Media Dragons handed Cold River over to Kate Grenville of Secret River fame …
Without knowing the story of Cold River a British rock band of the late 60s and 70s conveyed a nice message about the future of extreme isms
“Yes, there are two paths you can go by but in a long run, there is still time to change the road you’re on”
-Led Zeppelin, Stairway to heaven
If bloggers are all wannabe journalists and journalists are all complacent hacks, why do so few manage to cross over? Rachel Hills talks to four blogger/journalists who’ve excelled in both fields: Erica Bartle, Tim Blair, Margo Kingston and Antony Loewenstein If bloggers are all wannabe journalists
As always Antony summarises the Writers Festival blogging sessions as no one else
The Sydney Writer’s Festival was a blast at the end of May. One of the highlights was speaking and hanging with the author of Stuff White People Like, Christian Lander. Funny man, a very funny and perceptive man.
Extract from Margo: Paul McGeogh kinda pushed me into citizen journalism via what was once the Herald’s Webdiary, and I’m not sure whether to thank or sue him. The interaction with readers was the best thing that happened to me in journalism. Webdiary contributors included concerned expats and rural readers. Journos often put on a persona of detachment because they don’t want their own personal failings exposed whilst quite happy to expose the same failings in others. Many future blog-related jobs will be about moderating comments, and those employed have a high burnout rate. Currently sub-editors do this. To blog or not to blog?; The 2009 Sydney Writers' Festival is on and this year's program included a number of newmatilda.com regulars Newmatilda.com regulars
Coathanger City Write of passage Guest post: With The Punch we will celebrate journalism
In this guest posting, David Penberthy, editor of newly-launched The Punch explains what he and his team are trying to achieve.
The launch today of thepunch.com.au adds a new dimension to the Australian journalistic landscape and fills what we believe is a gap in the market for readers.
There are many excellent opinion sites in Australia but there is no mainstream opinion site aimed at general readers with a love of broad discussion and debate.
Our political contributors include Mike Rann, Maxine McKew, Anthony Albanese, Joe Hockey, Mark Arbib, Nick Xenophon, Barnaby Joyce, Bronwyn Bishop and Peter Dutton, as well as Mark Textor, Peter Lewis and Tim Gartrell. Our sportswriters include Kate Ellis, Ben Buckley, Anthony Sharwood and Luke Foley, on business and economics we have Clive Mathieson, Steve Keen, Frank Zumbo and Cameron England, and a broad suite of writers including Catharine Lumby, Tracey Spicer, Fergus Linehan, Ed Charles, Matt Kirkegaard and Nedahl Stelio covering entertainment, technology, food, fashion and trends.
• You won't take your eyes off this blog Punch; [(Actually, it was courtesy of Tim Blair, according to Andrew Bolt: “It's made [Clare Werbeloff] instantly famous, thanks largely to Tim Blair Akerman begins his latest article by pondering the chk-chk BOOM ...; The Australian book industry is fighting for its life, writes Richard Flanagan. I am reminded standing here of my cousin, Arthur "Mad Dog" Kemp, a professional boxer of falling note in the late 1960s, who featured occasionally on the Golden Gloves TV show, and who was once described by the old Melbourne Sun as having taken the once noble art to a new all-time low Losing our voice - Picture that's worth a thousand motivations]
• · Remember when Tim Blair's commenters combined to take on a
Six year old boy? And lost.; Tim Blair; Blogotariat
• · Much has been written about the evils that will be visited on Australia by "unelected judges" under a national charter of human rights. Not only is this wrong, it misses the point. Wisdom of politicians is frail shield for our rights; MORE judicial review is the last thing Australia needs. So nobody should be distressed that the push for an Australian Charter of Rights is now exhausted. A charter, according to its supporters, is a list of rights and allows the High Court to make findings of "incompatibility" between these and Commonwealth legislation. So, whose rights reign supreme? Causes of political ripples ; BOB Carr's criticism of a proposal for an Australian Human Rights Act ("So, whose rights reign supreme?" Comment, 5/6) is completely misconceived on two grounds Commentariat ; Or does Bob Carr think Big-W will stock the complete Gore Vidal just for him … Losing our voice
• · · Tony Stewart goes to the Court of Appeal later this month. His fall from grace comes down to claim and counterclaim, write Damien Murphy and Linton Besser A question who to believe ; Making Graeme Wedderburn the power behind the NSW throne was old hat. Guaranteeing him a place in the Senate could prove more of a problem. At the Pool Caffe, overlooking Mahon Pool, Maroubra, the deal the Labor party machine believes saved Nathan Rees's bacon was sealed. Over egg-white omelettes in late January, the powerbrokers - Senator Mark Arbib and NSW Labor general secretary Matt Thistlethwaite - met the former premier Bob Carr and his former chief of staff Graeme Wedderburn. Rebuilding the Carr legacy
• · · · The NSW Labor Government is in such dire straits that no single individual can save it. But its latest recruit, Graeme Wedderburn, can and will make a difference. Can Graeme Wedderburn save NSW Labor?Alex Mitchell writes; Australian guy publishes and comments on leaked documents alleging government and corporate misconduct.Wikileaks
• · · · · WE'LL talk in the library," Clive James says, as if that would make our destination obvious. I look around the hallway and all I can see are books - walls and walls of books, in half a dozen languages, themed in alphabeticised rows along hand-made wooden cases lining every room. It is like standing in a bookshop. As far as I can tell, the room we settle in can only have been designated the "library" on account of being the biggest, thereby containing even more books than anywhere else Old dog's new tricks; Chain of Passages
• · · · · · GIVE that woman her own series. The most watched piece of television so far this summer has been Jelena Dokic's last match during the Australian Open, which attracted 2.3 million viewers in the mainland capitals. The men's final, which has been the most watched program of several previous years, drew only 2.2 million this year Two heroes actually worth talking about; I was under the impression that auditors counted the wounded after the battle and it was the receivers who shot them … Good radio backgrounder on tax havens …