AUSSIE FOOTBALL SHOW HOST GROPES DUMMY FEMALE JOURNALIST ON AIR
May 10th 2009 09:53
MEDIABLAB WEEKEND DIGEST MAY 9-10 2009
AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL SHOW PRESENTER OFFICIALLY CENSURED FOR GROPING A MANNEQUIN DRESSED AS WELL-KNOWN AUSSIE FEMALE JOURNALIST
An Australian TV football show presenter who groped a mannequin dressed as an Australian female journalist has been found to be in breach of the country’s television code of conduct.
The presenter, Sam Newman of the AFL (Australian Football League) Footy Show was taken off air briefly after the incident, and underwent “professional training.”
The Australian newspaper reports that the ruling by media watchdog the Australian Communications and Media Authority comes 12 months after the controversial episode was broadcast by the Australia’s Nine Network television.
He was taken off air for a short period and underwent professional training.
"The broadcast was likely, in all the circumstances, to have provoked severe ridicule against the journalist on the grounds of gender," the Australian Communications and Media Authority said in a statement on Friday.
But the authority said steps taken by the network following the sketch "were an adequate response to the presenter's actions''.
Nine provided a private apology to Wilson, dumped Newman for a number of episodes to undergo "professional anti-discrimination training'' and broadcast an apology on its news bulletin prior to his return.
Newman provoked further outrage when back on-air by making crude remarks about troubled former Tasmanian politician Paula Wreidt.
Late last year, Newman signed a new A$3 million (US$2.3 million) deal to stay with The Footy Show.
PRETORIA HIGH COURT TEMPORARILY GAGS MAIL AND GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER FROM PUBLISHING DETAILS OF AN ‘EXPLOSIVE’ INTERNAL REPORT ON THE SOUTH AFRICAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION
The Pretoria High Court on Thursday, 7 May 2009, interdicted the Mail & Guardian newspaper from publishing the details of an explosive draft internal report into alleged abuses of power and intimidation at the South African Broadcasting Corporation, the state-owned broadcaster in South Africa that and provides 18 radio stations and four television broadcasts.
SAPA reports that according to Ferial Haffajee, the Mail & Guardian newspaper's departing editor, the interdict was brought by a senior staff member of the South African Broadcasting Corporation who said that he had not been given adequate time to comment.
"The Mail & Guardian respects the decision of the court," she said. "We will request comment from him and publish once he has formulated his responses with adequate time."
She added that the staff member had interdicted the newspaper in his own capacity and not on behalf of the South African Broadcasting Corporation.
MYANMAR GOVERNMENT RESTRICTS FIRST ANNIVERSARY COVERAGE OF CYCLONE NARGIS DISASTER
Mizzima News reports that the Myanmar censorship board has restricted coverage of the anniversary of the deadly Cyclone Nargis.
The editor of a weekly journal told Mizzima, “We can report on the Nargis anniversary. There have been many news reports appearing in the media this week. But the censorship board has rejected some news based on the content of the story.
“The censorship board mainly rejected stories and pictures that show the severity of destruction and people still struggling for recovery after a year.
"We have to be careful while writing the stories. We cannot be critical of the government’s efforts on recovery. If our stories say that victims are still suffering it gets rejected. We must report that the situation is progressing from an optimistic viewpoint.”
Cyclone Nargis lashed Myanmar on May 2 last year and left about 140,000 dead or missing.
The censorship board has also restricted and banned stories that speak of the relief efforts being carried out by international and local non-governmental organisations.
But news reporting on rehabilitation work in the cyclone-hit region in Irrawaddy Division, Laputta, Bogale and Pyinsalu are being allowed to be published.
After Cyclone Nargis, the government arrested 21 journalists and aid volunteers who provided voluntary services to victims. They were charged and handed out prison terms.
CBS REPORTS A NET LOSS OF $55 MILLION BUT GIVES OPTIMISTIC OUTLOOK
American broadcaster CBS reported a net loss of $55.3 million in the first quarter of 2009 versus profitability of $244.3 million in the same quarter last year.
Company revenues also shrank, $3.16 billion compared to $3.65 billion for the same quarter last year, due to lower advertising revenues.
But CBS Interactive more than doubled revenue during the period, rising to $133.6 million from $52.9 million the year before. Much of this was due to the CNET acquisition in this first-quarter period.
Television revenues dropped 12 percent lower to $2.2 billion versus $2.5 billion in the period before; radio declined 29 percent to $259.7 million from $363.6 million; and publishing fell 20 percent to $161.7 million.
From an operations standpoint, only television and radio posted operating income, with $184.7 million and $43.7 million, respectively. All other units were at an operating loss: outdoor at $38.2 million; interactive at $11.6 million; publishing at $2.1 million; and corporate at 33.0 million.
Regarding outlook, Les Moonves, president/ceo of CBS Corp, said,
“We are confident that the second half of the year will bring improved results due to a strong slate of syndication releases, the effect of cost reductions that were made last year and early signs of an improving local advertising marketplace."
THOMSON REUTERS CELEBRATES FIRST ANNIVERSARY BY POSTING QUARTERLY PROFIT AND REVENUE INCREASE
Thomson Reuters reported an increase in revenue and profit on its first anniversary as a merged global news agency. The company, formed last April from the merger of Reuters and Thomson, said that revenue in the first quarter of 2009 rose three percent year-on-ear to US$3.12 billion on a like-for-like basis.
Press Gazette said the company it expected 2009 full-year revenues to be ahead of 2008.
Reuters Media, which provides newswire services, photos, graphics and video to news organisations, saw revenues fall eight percent year-on-year to US$89 million.
But the company said revenues at its core Reuters news agency business were down just two percent, because clients were cutting costs and relying more on agency copy.
Thomson Reuters said it was on track to achieve US$975 million in cost savings in its first year as a merged company, slightly below the US$1 billion originally expected.
SURVEY SHOWS THAT MORE NEW ZEALANDERS THAN EVER ARE WATCHING LOCAL TV PROGRAMS
Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union reports that NZ on Air’s annual survey of the amount of local programming on New Zealand television has found that New Zealanders are watching more locally made TV than ever.
The Local Content Report 2008 found that more than 11,600 hours of local programming were screened in 2008 on the six national free-to-air channels.
This is the highest level recorded to date and a 7 percent increase on last year. Thirty-four percent of the free-to-air schedules featured programs by New Zealanders, for New Zealanders.
Chief executive Jane Wrightson said that healthy competition in broadcasting was leading to excellent on-screen results.
“New Zealanders’ desire to see themselves reflected on screen remains undiminished,” she said.
NZ On Air is New Zealand's funding agency for television, radio and local music content. It invests nearly US$50 million in local programs each year, along with broadcasters and other funding sources.
AMERICA NEEDS A DIGITAL WARFARE FORCE SAYS HEAD OF PENTAGON’S NEW CYBER COMMAND
The head of America's National Security Agency says that America needs to build a digital warfare force for the future.
Lt Gen Keith Alexander, who also heads the Pentagon's new Cyber Command, outlined his views in a report for the House Armed Services subcommittee. In it, he stated that the US needed to reorganise its offensive and defensive cyber operations.
The general also said more resources and training were needed. During the past six months, the Pentagon spent more than US$100 million responding to and repairing damage from cyber attacks and other network problems. General Keith Alexander's new department will be part of the US Strategic Command, currently responsible for securing the US military's networks, and will work alongside the US Department of Homeland Security.
MAJOR US DAILY NEWSPAPERS LOSING SUBSCRIBERS AT RECORD RATES OVER SIX MONTHS PERIOD
The Centre for Media Research says that according to a new report from the Audit Bureau of Circulations, for the six months ended March 31, 2009, the largest American daily newspapers are losing subscribers at a record pace, with circulation down 7 percent compared with the same period in March 2008. For Sunday newspapers, circulation was down 5.3 percent.
In addition to sinking circulation, newspaper ad revenue is plunging. McClatchy ad revenue plummeted 29.5 percent in the first quarter of 2009 compared to the same quarter last year, while The New York Times Co saw ad revenue plunge 27 percent.
Zenith Optimedia predicts that ad spending for newspapers will sink 12 percent in 2009.
During this 6 month period ending Mar. 31, 2009:
Circulation at the New York Times slipped 3.5 percent during the week and 1.7 percent on Sundays
The Washington Post fell 1.6 percent daily and 2.3 percent on Sundays
USA Today fell 7.4 percent during the week on a decline in copies ordered from hotels The Chicago Tribune fell 7.4 percent daily and 4.5 percent on Sunday
The Los Angeles Times slipped 6.5 percent and 7.5 percent
The Boston Globe plunged 13.6 percent during the week and 11.2 percent on Sundays
The New York Daily News was down 14 percent during the week
New York Post, down 20 percent
The Miami Herald (-15.8 percent)
The San Francisco Chronicle (-15.7 percent)
The Philadelphia Inquirer (-13.7 percent)
The Houston Chronicle (-14 percent)
PROTEST IN YEMEN AFTER GOVERNMENT SUSPENDS PUBLICATION OF EIGHT NEWSPAPERS
More than 100 Yemeni journalists held demonstrations on Thursday to protest the government's decision to suspend publication of eight newspapers over the past three days that authorities said helped foment unrest in the country's south. Ten Yemeni troops and three civilians have been killed in the south over the past week.
The recent wave of protests started April 27, the anniversary of a southern separatist uprising in 1994 that was crushed by government troops.
AP reports that the Yemeni Information Minister Hassan al-Louzi said on Thursday that the eight papers that were suspended “ran anti-national unity coverage and published material that harm the supreme interest of the nation.
He said, “They incited the masses to violate the law, spread hatred and enmity among the Yemeni people and called for tearing up national unity, which is a crime.”
More than 100 Yemeni journalists demonstrated outside the Press Syndicate in San'a on Thursday to protest the newspaper suspensions. Dozens more held a similar protest in Aden, the former capital of South Yemen.
DOW JONES INKS DEAL TO LAUNCH A JAPANESE-LANGUAGE ONLINE VERSION OF THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Brand Republic reports that Dow Jones has inked a partnership with Japanese financial services provider SBI Holdings to launch a digital, Japanese-language version of The Wall Street Journal at the end of the year. The joint venture, Wall Street Journal Japan K.K., will include Japanese translations of The Wall Street Journal and other Dow Jones publications' editorial.
It will also will include video and multimedia capabilities and develop mobile products, each overseen by a newly appointed managing editor who will oversee website material.
According to Dow Jones, the site will be The Wall Street Journal's second major Asian-language site following Chinese.WSJ.com, which launched in 2002 and claims more than 500,000 registered users. The move further parallel's Dow Jones' distribution deal with The Yomiuri Shimbun in February that has allowed the printing of The Wall Street Journal Asia in Japanese.
INTERNATIONAL EXPATRIATE-FOUNDED CHINESE NEWS TV SERVICE EXPANDS ITS REACH IN THE US
Media Network Newsletter reports that New York-based New Tang Dynasty Television (NTDTV) began broadcasting all day every day on RCN Channel 490 in New York, , Washington DC, Boston, Philadelphia and Chicago at the end of April.
NTDTV, established in February 2002, is an independent, nonprofit television broadcaster created by overseas Chinese. Through a network of satellites, it broadcasts unencrypted signals simultaneously to Asia (including China), Europe, Australia and North America 24 hours a day.
With correspondents in over 60 cities around the world, NTDTV provides uncensored, comprehensive reports on both international and local incidents of concern to Chinese communities worldwide.
NTDTV executive vice president Samuel Zhou said the launch was a milestone for the network.
He said, “New York, Washington, DC, Boston, Philadelphia and Chicago are the five metropolises with vast Chinese communities and the key political, economic and cultural centers in the US. We are very happy to reach these audiences via the RCN service.
“In the meantime, our programs promote authentic Chinese culture and therefore bridge the gap between the East and the West.”
MELBOURNE BECOMES THE FIRST EAST COAST AUSTRALIAN CITY TO INTRODUCE DIGITAL RADIO
Most major commercial radio stations in Melbourne, Australia will begin broadcasting the first permanent DAB digital radio services on the east coast of Australia.
Joan Warner, chief executive officer of Commercial Radio Australia, the industry body that has steered the move to digital radio said today is another milestone for the industry in Australia following the switch on of DAB digital radio in Perth just under two weeks ago.
“The possibilities for digital radio in the sport loving state of Melbourne are very exciting. Football final calls on radio with scrolling text scores and stats or the Melbourne Cup with photos of winners or pause and then rewind if you missed the end of the race, these are all possible with the new capabilities of digital radio,” Warner said.
“The switch on of digital radio is a culmination of seven years work with the federal government, the Australian Communications and Media Authority, commercial broadcasters, the ABC and SBS, together with retailers and manufacturers of digital radios to ensure a comprehensive and coordinated switch on of a compelling new way of listening to radio.”
Warner said for the first week to 10 days the DAB broadcasts in Melbourne will be in interference test mode which means that the power may be lower at night while any interference is assessed.
HULU SIGNS DEALS WITH INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM PRODUCERS AS PART OF THE FIRST STEP TO GOING GLOBAL
The Financial Times reports that Hulu, the US online video service owned by NBC Universal, News Corp’s Fox and Walt Disney, has signed its first batch of video deals with international television producers, the first step towards a world launch.
The company was set up 18 months ago by the media companies as a viable alternative to YouTube for professionally produced video. But Hulu is still only available in the US although the group said on Wednesday it was in talks to launch the site in eight major countries.
The new video deals will bring a host of UK programming to the site following agreements struck between Hulu and Endemol, the producer of Big Brother, and Digital Rights Group. The site has also struck deals with Saavn, one of the largest distributors of Bollywood movies.
In most cases, the launch of the programs on Hulu will be the first time they have been seen by a US audience, with the advertising on the site generating a new revenue stream for the producers.
Hulu is also in conversation with ITV and the BBC about eventually carrying their programs.
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