MEDIABLAB NOVEMBER 16
November 16th 2007 02:32
NOV 16
MediaBlab daily media news service compiled by Peter OIszewski and published daily by Factiva
AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL NEWSPAPERS POST ABOVE AVERAGE SALES FIGURES WHILE METROS ARE ALL OVER THE SHOP
Sales of Australia’s two national newspapers increased by above average figures in the first directly comparable Audit Bureau of circulation figures released yesterday.
The biggest winner was the Australian Financial Review with weekday sales lifting 2.1 percent to 88,162 and sales of its weekend edition strongly increasing by 8.4 percent to 84,923, according to Audit Bureau of Circulation data.
Weekday sales of The Australian grew 1.48 percent in the three months to September to 137,000, and The Weekend Australian also lifted the number of copies sold to 303,000, an increase of 1.29 percent
The latest Roy Morgan readership figures, also released yesterday, revealed a 12 percent rise in readership for weekday edition of The Australian – 51,000 more people read The Australian each weekday in the year to September, with the total number of readers reaching 477,000.
The Weekend Australian readership grew a paltry 0.2 percent to 840,000.
Weekday readership of The Australian Financial Review declined 0.4 percent to 264,000, while the number of people reading its weekend edition fell 11.4 percent to 155,000.
Despite The Australian crowing today about its figures soaring to record highs, its performance isn’t really so exciting and rumours are circulating that the editor-in-chief’s position may be under scrutiny.
Among metro newspapers, The Sunday Age in Melbourne increased sales by 8.94 percent, the Saturday edition was up by 0.34 percent, and its weekday editions were up by 1.75 percent.
The Sydney Morning Herald weekday editions fell by 0.14 percent, while its Saturday edition rose slightly by 0.03 percent.
Sydney’s Daily Telegraph rose by 2.76 percent on weekdays, Melbourne’s Herald Sun fell by 1.76 percent on weekdays, and the Brisbane Courier Mail fell by 1.27 percent, with a 3.22 percent fall for its Saturday edition.
FORMER FAIRFAX HEAVYWEIGHT APPOINTED AS GENERAL MANAGER FOR GOOGLE AUSTRALIA AND NZ
Google has appointed Karim Temsamani, previously of Fairfax Media as its new general manager for Google Australia and New Zealand.
Regional managing director for South Asia, Richard Kimber said that Temsamani "will focus on continuing to build our sales and operations team and developing Google's strategic relationships with industry partners" in Australia and New Zealand.
Australia and New Zealand have always been important parts of Google's operations, with significant investments having been made in the region.
Temsamani's previous position within Fairfax Media was group director with Fairfax General magazines and commercial director for newspapers.
AUSTRALIAN GEOGRAPHIC MAKES IT INTO THE TOP 15 LIST OF MOST READ MAGAZINES
Australian Geographic magazine has posted a 4.3 percent rise year-on-year to make it into the top 15 most-read monthly, bimonthly and quarterly magazines.
The latest Roy Morgan Readership figures show the journal, which was bought by ACP Magazines in December last year, now has 463,000 readers.
Editorial director Dee Nolan said, “This is a significant endorsement of our strategy: bigger issues; people and landscapes on the cover for the first time in the journal’s 21-year history; and the launch of our documentary series, The Best of Australia, on DVD to our subscribers.”
The quarterly title has a substantial subscriber base of more than 150,000.
It was founded by Australian entrepreneur and adventurer Dick Smith in 1985 and the first issue of the Australian Geographic journal was published in January 1986. It was founded as an act of faith in the Australian public’s passion for their country and its history, natural history, geography and culture.
MONEY MUSCLES OUT BRW TO BECOME AUSTRALIA’S MOST WIDELY READ BUSINESS AND FINANCE MAGAZINE
After posting a 12.3 percent jump in readership Money magazine now has more readers than rival BRW, according to the latest Roy Morgan
Readership figures.
Defying the category trend, Money posted an increase to 192,000 readers and has cemented its position as Australia’s fastest growing business and financial magazine.
The business and financial magazine category fell by 0.9 percent, with BRW dropping readership by 13.1 percent in the year to September 30, 2007.
Editor Pam Walkley said, “To go against the category trend and show a solid increase is fantastic. We are determined to continue to innovate and inform and look forward to delivering an even stronger product for our readers.”
Money gives readers easy-to understand information to help them make and save money.
Paul Clitheroe, a respected financial adviser and commentator, is Money´s financial guru, answering readers’ questions each month.
The magazine also features prominent Australian writers including economic commentator Max Walsh, personal investment experts Peter Freeman and Susan Hely, and banking and finance specialist Effie Zahos.
Magazine content covers the key areas of money management, investing and real estate. A special share section featuring David Haselhurst, Ross Greenwood and Phil Rennie gives information about stock selection.
ACP INCREASES AUSTRALIAN MAGAZINE READERSHIP SHARE FROM 43.9 PERCENT TO 47 PERCENT
ACP Magazines has increased its readership share from 43.9 percent to 47 percent following the acquisition of Emap, according to the latest Roy Morgan Readership figures.
The publisher now has almost 2.5 times the gross readership of Pacific Magazines, which has a 19.4 percent share.
ACP Magazines also has almost four times more readers than the third largest publisher, News Magazines, which holds a 12.5 percent share.
In addition, the two most read magazines in Australia – The Australian Women’s
Weekly and Woman’s Day – are published by ACP Magazines, with The Weekly now the most-read title in Australia.
Phil Scott, group publisher men’s and specialist titles, ACP Magazines said that the solid performance in the men’s category was a particular stand-out.
“With Zoo Weekly now on board, and our existing titles delivering loyal and large numbers of readers, we have the strongest offering by far in this dynamic environment,” he said.
Highlights include ACP Magazines increasing its share of gross readership in the major women’s category to 54.9 percent; and publishing the top four titles in the men’s category – Zoo Weekly, Street Machine, Wheels, and Ralph.
Other highlights include Woman’s Day increasing its lead over New Idea; Take 5 jumping by 7.3 percent to equal highest readership ever and again closing the gap on That’s Life; Harper’s Bazaar becoming the fastest growing fashion title.
NEW ZEALAND’S PRINT MEDIA WATCHDOG TO NOW HAVE MORE BITE THAN BARK
New Zealand's print media watchdog will be given more teeth to handle complaints against publications and promote media freedom under proposals released yesterday, Australia’s Mediaweek reports.
The first independent review of the Press Council, by former High Court judge Sir Ian Barker and Victoria University economics professor Lewis Evans, recommends the council be given a new power of censuring publications and abolishing a litigation waiver before complaints are accepted for council adjudication.
The review wants the Press Council to become a separate legal entity, and to be "more amply resourced".
FACILITATEONE HIRES TWO BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SPECIALISTS
Australia’s fast growing provider of digital marketing services and solutions, Facilitate Digital has signed two new “top gun” business development specialists following the September launch of FacilitateOne, its comprehensive new digital marketing system that sets a new benchmark for integrating multi-channel marketing data.
Maurizio Marmotta has fifteen years experience building blue chip client lists for firms in new media advertising and direct marketing, IT & business consulting, and CRM and contact centre outsourcing. A Sydneysider, he has been working in London since 2002, most recently as UK product sales manager for Come & Stay, Europe’s leading email and mobile push advertising agency.
Simon Hislop joins Facilitate Digital from the Auckland office of Hitwise Pty Inc., where he served as business development manager for the leading online competitive intelligence service that has 1,200 global clients. Simon has consistently excelled in developing new business for former employers such as Nielsen//NetRatings NZ and Real Groovy Records Ltd, which operate New Zealand’s largest music stores.
Both will work out of Facilitate Digital’s Sydney office and will help meet the surging demand for digital marketing services in Asia Pacific.
“There is also the issue of supply and demand,” adds Kees de Jong, director of business development for Australia “With the interest in FacilitateOne and Facilitate Vantage we need industry knowledge to support our existing clients and reach those that have expressed interest, Simon and Maurizio can do just that.”
AUSTRALIAN RADIO REVENUE INCREASES 11.4 PERCENT IN OCTOBER
Peter Harvie, chairman of Australian FM radio group Austereo, said yesterday that the radio industry increased revenue 11.4 percent in October, following a strong September quarter in which radio revenue increased 10 percent on the corresponding period the previous year.
Harvie, in an ASX statement, said revenues for Austereo, which owns the TripleM and 2Day-FM networks, in October were "most satisfactory" and the total industry growth "exceeded our own predictions".
"At this stage, and subject of course to any significant changes which may influence the advertising market, it would seem that an industry growth figure of between 8 and 9 percent may be achieved for the half," he said in the ASX statement.
As far as outlook goes, Harvie told Austereo shareholders that advertising conditions should be favourable in the January to June half "but there are signs that the market growth may settle a little".
Last year, Austereo grew sales 6.6 per cent, which was above industry growth of 3.4 per cent.
LARGE DISSENTING VOTE AGAINST REELECTION OF SEVEN NETWORK DIRECTOR
Seven Network director Peter Gammell yesterday faced a large dissenting vote against his re-election to the company's board at its annual general meeting, The Australian newspaper reported today.
Two major proxy advisers both recommended a "no" vote on the basis that Seven lacked independent board members.
The Australian said, “he protest vote has come as Seven executive chairman Kerry Stokes said he anticipated further discussions with West Australian Newspapers chairman Peter Mansell about Seven gaining additional board seats at the Perth-based group.
More than 37 million shares - or just over 21 percent of the total vote - were registered against Gammell being reappointed to the Seven board, following the advice of proxy advisory firms RiskMetrics (formerly ISS) and CGI Glass Lewis. Both firms recommended a "no" vote on Gammell's reappointment.
HARPER’S BAZAAR WINS BRITISH SOCIETY OF MAGAZINE EDITORS AWARD
The Guardian, the Observer, the Spectator, GQ and Yours magazine have all won British Society of Magazine Editors awards, but Lucy Yeomans, of Harper's Bazaar, was the big winner.
She won the editors' editor of the year award, voted on by the full membership of the society, for reinventing Harper's Bazaar and overseeing its change from Harper's & Queen.
The Guardian reported that the Observer's Nicola Jeal scooped the best newspaper magazine award for Observer Woman, while Guardian Weekend editor Merope Mills won the Fiona MacPherson new editor award against Owen Blackhurst of Golf Punk,
CNN LAUNCHES ITS BIGGEST EVER EXPANSION OF INTERNATIONAL NEWSGATHERING RESOURCES
Cable news network CNN Worldwide will increase its staff of correspondents by 10 percent as part of a multimillion-dollar investment to increase its ability to produce its own reports, the news network said yesterday.
CNN Worldwide, a unit of Time Warner, said it would invest almost US$10 million to add 15 or 16 correspondents to its staff of 150.
In what it billed as the biggest expansion of international newsgathering resources in its 27 year history, CNN Worldwide said its worldwide increase of staff corespondents yesterday will include two new correspondents for the network's Johannesburg bureau.
It will also open a regional newsgathering hub in the United Arab Emirates, invest in a London-based digital-production unit, and make major investments in CNN's International Newsource and CNN's in-house wire operations.
“This is all about owning more content; these new resources will have a huge impact across all of CNN's networks and platforms,” said Tony Maddox, executive vice president and managing director of CNN International. “Owning the content we broadcast, publish and make available to affiliates and other platforms is the backbone of this business. This multimillion dollar investment in staff and resources bolster our world-class, award-winning journalism, as well as giving us the power to move swiftly into developing new business models.”
New operations are also planned for Afghanistan, Belgium, India, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, the Philippines, Poland and Vietnam, as well as an additional correspondent at both its London and Istanbul bureaux.
Investments are underway in CNN's Asia Pacific newsgathering hub in Hong Kong to increase staffing, and the network plans to assign additional correspondents in Beijing, Jakarta and Pakistan.
At the same time, CNN is also revitalising its Tokyo bureau to encompass additional reporting duties in South Korea to work within the current structure.
CNN will significantly expand both its newsgathering and production facilities in the UAE, bringing to bear more resources across the region in terms of programming and reporting, including more business coverage.
CNN's International Newsource operation will also expand to provide additional editorial, content and newsgathering services to CNN's more than 1000 affiliates worldwide.
CNN's in-house wire service is also being strengthened with additional staff to ensure swift and accurate dissemination of all of the additional material becoming available across all of CNN Worldwide services and networks.
In Mexico, CNN en Español will strengthen its presence with the hiring of an anchor and correspondent and an additional editor working from the network's Mexico City newsgathering bureau and production centre. CNN en Español also will add to its editorial team in Atlanta to better service the increased volume of affiliate and stringer content and the development of new digital services.
MURDOCH TV STATION IN GEORGIA STILL OFF AIR AFTER ACCUSATIONS OF PLOTTING RUSSIAN-BACKED COUP
Georgia will probably lift its state of emergency today, but a court order could keep the main opposition television station off the air.
Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, which controls Imedi, the country’s main opposition television station, said it had been informed that Imedi’s licence had been suspended and all its equipment put ‘under arrest’ by court order.
Media Network Weblog reported that Martin Pompadur, chairman of News Corp Europe, said Georgian authorities had justified the move by saying Imedi was ‘somehow involved’, along with the station’s founder and part owner Badri Patarkatsishvili, of plotting a Russian-backed coup.
“To allege that News Corp is involved in a Russian-backed coup in Georgia is beyond ludicrous,” Pompadur said.
News Corp is appealing the decision.
YAHOO REACHES OUT-OF-COURT SETTLEMENT OVER JAILING OF TWO CHINESE JOURNALISTS
The Financial Times reported that Yahoo has reached an out-of-court settlement with the families of two Chinese journalists who were jailed in their home country after the internet company identified their online activities to the authorities.
The Times said the ending of a human rights lawsuit brought by the families in a San Francisco district court came just a week after Jerry Yang, Yahoo chief executive, was strongly criticised by a congressional committee and urged to make recompense for his company's actions.
Yahoo has agreed to cover the legal costs of the plaintiffs but said details of the settlement were confidential. It said it would work to provide financial, humanitarian and legal support to the families. It would also create a humanitarian relief fund to support other dissidents and their families.
NO EXPLETIVES DELETED AS SEVEN NETWORK BOSS RAILS AGAINST THE ABC’S CHASER TEAM
Seven Network boss David Leckie let fly at the ABC’s Chaser team of irreverent satirists, probably ruling out any chance The Chaser program will be bought by Channel Seven.
The Australian reported that Seven and the ABC have been trading barbs since two of The Chaser team entered Seven's Sydney headquarters on Tuesday as part of a stunt aimed at Today Tonight host Anna Coren.
Late on Tuesday, Seven won an injunction stopping The Chaser's War on Everything showing footage from the stunt on its show on Wednesday night.
The Australian reports that yesterday Seven chief executive David Leckie verbally abused The Chaser team as he walked from his offices to the network's annual general meeting in Sydney.
"Where's The Chasers? What about The Chasers team? They're just f...ing wankers. They're nothing but a bunch of tossers, they're f...ing wankers," a Fairfax photographer reported Leckie as saying.
Later told a reporter he wished he had not sworn.
MediaBlab daily media news service compiled by Peter OIszewski and published daily by Factiva
AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL NEWSPAPERS POST ABOVE AVERAGE SALES FIGURES WHILE METROS ARE ALL OVER THE SHOP
Sales of Australia’s two national newspapers increased by above average figures in the first directly comparable Audit Bureau of circulation figures released yesterday.
The biggest winner was the Australian Financial Review with weekday sales lifting 2.1 percent to 88,162 and sales of its weekend edition strongly increasing by 8.4 percent to 84,923, according to Audit Bureau of Circulation data.
The latest Roy Morgan readership figures, also released yesterday, revealed a 12 percent rise in readership for weekday edition of The Australian – 51,000 more people read The Australian each weekday in the year to September, with the total number of readers reaching 477,000.
The Weekend Australian readership grew a paltry 0.2 percent to 840,000.
Weekday readership of The Australian Financial Review declined 0.4 percent to 264,000, while the number of people reading its weekend edition fell 11.4 percent to 155,000.
Despite The Australian crowing today about its figures soaring to record highs, its performance isn’t really so exciting and rumours are circulating that the editor-in-chief’s position may be under scrutiny.
Among metro newspapers, The Sunday Age in Melbourne increased sales by 8.94 percent, the Saturday edition was up by 0.34 percent, and its weekday editions were up by 1.75 percent.
Sydney’s Daily Telegraph rose by 2.76 percent on weekdays, Melbourne’s Herald Sun fell by 1.76 percent on weekdays, and the Brisbane Courier Mail fell by 1.27 percent, with a 3.22 percent fall for its Saturday edition.
FORMER FAIRFAX HEAVYWEIGHT APPOINTED AS GENERAL MANAGER FOR GOOGLE AUSTRALIA AND NZ
Google has appointed Karim Temsamani, previously of Fairfax Media as its new general manager for Google Australia and New Zealand.
Regional managing director for South Asia, Richard Kimber said that Temsamani "will focus on continuing to build our sales and operations team and developing Google's strategic relationships with industry partners" in Australia and New Zealand.
Australia and New Zealand have always been important parts of Google's operations, with significant investments having been made in the region.
Temsamani's previous position within Fairfax Media was group director with Fairfax General magazines and commercial director for newspapers.
AUSTRALIAN GEOGRAPHIC MAKES IT INTO THE TOP 15 LIST OF MOST READ MAGAZINES
Australian Geographic magazine has posted a 4.3 percent rise year-on-year to make it into the top 15 most-read monthly, bimonthly and quarterly magazines.
The latest Roy Morgan Readership figures show the journal, which was bought by ACP Magazines in December last year, now has 463,000 readers.
Editorial director Dee Nolan said, “This is a significant endorsement of our strategy: bigger issues; people and landscapes on the cover for the first time in the journal’s 21-year history; and the launch of our documentary series, The Best of Australia, on DVD to our subscribers.”
The quarterly title has a substantial subscriber base of more than 150,000.
It was founded by Australian entrepreneur and adventurer Dick Smith in 1985 and the first issue of the Australian Geographic journal was published in January 1986. It was founded as an act of faith in the Australian public’s passion for their country and its history, natural history, geography and culture.
MONEY MUSCLES OUT BRW TO BECOME AUSTRALIA’S MOST WIDELY READ BUSINESS AND FINANCE MAGAZINE
After posting a 12.3 percent jump in readership Money magazine now has more readers than rival BRW, according to the latest Roy Morgan
Readership figures.
Defying the category trend, Money posted an increase to 192,000 readers and has cemented its position as Australia’s fastest growing business and financial magazine.
The business and financial magazine category fell by 0.9 percent, with BRW dropping readership by 13.1 percent in the year to September 30, 2007.
Editor Pam Walkley said, “To go against the category trend and show a solid increase is fantastic. We are determined to continue to innovate and inform and look forward to delivering an even stronger product for our readers.”
Money gives readers easy-to understand information to help them make and save money.
Paul Clitheroe, a respected financial adviser and commentator, is Money´s financial guru, answering readers’ questions each month.
The magazine also features prominent Australian writers including economic commentator Max Walsh, personal investment experts Peter Freeman and Susan Hely, and banking and finance specialist Effie Zahos.
Magazine content covers the key areas of money management, investing and real estate. A special share section featuring David Haselhurst, Ross Greenwood and Phil Rennie gives information about stock selection.
ACP INCREASES AUSTRALIAN MAGAZINE READERSHIP SHARE FROM 43.9 PERCENT TO 47 PERCENT
ACP Magazines has increased its readership share from 43.9 percent to 47 percent following the acquisition of Emap, according to the latest Roy Morgan Readership figures.
The publisher now has almost 2.5 times the gross readership of Pacific Magazines, which has a 19.4 percent share.
ACP Magazines also has almost four times more readers than the third largest publisher, News Magazines, which holds a 12.5 percent share.
In addition, the two most read magazines in Australia – The Australian Women’s
Weekly and Woman’s Day – are published by ACP Magazines, with The Weekly now the most-read title in Australia.
Phil Scott, group publisher men’s and specialist titles, ACP Magazines said that the solid performance in the men’s category was a particular stand-out.
“With Zoo Weekly now on board, and our existing titles delivering loyal and large numbers of readers, we have the strongest offering by far in this dynamic environment,” he said.
Highlights include ACP Magazines increasing its share of gross readership in the major women’s category to 54.9 percent; and publishing the top four titles in the men’s category – Zoo Weekly, Street Machine, Wheels, and Ralph.
Other highlights include Woman’s Day increasing its lead over New Idea; Take 5 jumping by 7.3 percent to equal highest readership ever and again closing the gap on That’s Life; Harper’s Bazaar becoming the fastest growing fashion title.
NEW ZEALAND’S PRINT MEDIA WATCHDOG TO NOW HAVE MORE BITE THAN BARK
New Zealand's print media watchdog will be given more teeth to handle complaints against publications and promote media freedom under proposals released yesterday, Australia’s Mediaweek reports.
The first independent review of the Press Council, by former High Court judge Sir Ian Barker and Victoria University economics professor Lewis Evans, recommends the council be given a new power of censuring publications and abolishing a litigation waiver before complaints are accepted for council adjudication.
The review wants the Press Council to become a separate legal entity, and to be "more amply resourced".
FACILITATEONE HIRES TWO BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SPECIALISTS
Australia’s fast growing provider of digital marketing services and solutions, Facilitate Digital has signed two new “top gun” business development specialists following the September launch of FacilitateOne, its comprehensive new digital marketing system that sets a new benchmark for integrating multi-channel marketing data.
Maurizio Marmotta has fifteen years experience building blue chip client lists for firms in new media advertising and direct marketing, IT & business consulting, and CRM and contact centre outsourcing. A Sydneysider, he has been working in London since 2002, most recently as UK product sales manager for Come & Stay, Europe’s leading email and mobile push advertising agency.
Simon Hislop joins Facilitate Digital from the Auckland office of Hitwise Pty Inc., where he served as business development manager for the leading online competitive intelligence service that has 1,200 global clients. Simon has consistently excelled in developing new business for former employers such as Nielsen//NetRatings NZ and Real Groovy Records Ltd, which operate New Zealand’s largest music stores.
Both will work out of Facilitate Digital’s Sydney office and will help meet the surging demand for digital marketing services in Asia Pacific.
“There is also the issue of supply and demand,” adds Kees de Jong, director of business development for Australia “With the interest in FacilitateOne and Facilitate Vantage we need industry knowledge to support our existing clients and reach those that have expressed interest, Simon and Maurizio can do just that.”
AUSTRALIAN RADIO REVENUE INCREASES 11.4 PERCENT IN OCTOBER
Peter Harvie, chairman of Australian FM radio group Austereo, said yesterday that the radio industry increased revenue 11.4 percent in October, following a strong September quarter in which radio revenue increased 10 percent on the corresponding period the previous year.
Harvie, in an ASX statement, said revenues for Austereo, which owns the TripleM and 2Day-FM networks, in October were "most satisfactory" and the total industry growth "exceeded our own predictions".
"At this stage, and subject of course to any significant changes which may influence the advertising market, it would seem that an industry growth figure of between 8 and 9 percent may be achieved for the half," he said in the ASX statement.
As far as outlook goes, Harvie told Austereo shareholders that advertising conditions should be favourable in the January to June half "but there are signs that the market growth may settle a little".
Last year, Austereo grew sales 6.6 per cent, which was above industry growth of 3.4 per cent.
LARGE DISSENTING VOTE AGAINST REELECTION OF SEVEN NETWORK DIRECTOR
Seven Network director Peter Gammell yesterday faced a large dissenting vote against his re-election to the company's board at its annual general meeting, The Australian newspaper reported today.
Two major proxy advisers both recommended a "no" vote on the basis that Seven lacked independent board members.
The Australian said, “he protest vote has come as Seven executive chairman Kerry Stokes said he anticipated further discussions with West Australian Newspapers chairman Peter Mansell about Seven gaining additional board seats at the Perth-based group.
More than 37 million shares - or just over 21 percent of the total vote - were registered against Gammell being reappointed to the Seven board, following the advice of proxy advisory firms RiskMetrics (formerly ISS) and CGI Glass Lewis. Both firms recommended a "no" vote on Gammell's reappointment.
HARPER’S BAZAAR WINS BRITISH SOCIETY OF MAGAZINE EDITORS AWARD
The Guardian, the Observer, the Spectator, GQ and Yours magazine have all won British Society of Magazine Editors awards, but Lucy Yeomans, of Harper's Bazaar, was the big winner.
She won the editors' editor of the year award, voted on by the full membership of the society, for reinventing Harper's Bazaar and overseeing its change from Harper's & Queen.
The Guardian reported that the Observer's Nicola Jeal scooped the best newspaper magazine award for Observer Woman, while Guardian Weekend editor Merope Mills won the Fiona MacPherson new editor award against Owen Blackhurst of Golf Punk,
CNN LAUNCHES ITS BIGGEST EVER EXPANSION OF INTERNATIONAL NEWSGATHERING RESOURCES
Cable news network CNN Worldwide will increase its staff of correspondents by 10 percent as part of a multimillion-dollar investment to increase its ability to produce its own reports, the news network said yesterday.
CNN Worldwide, a unit of Time Warner, said it would invest almost US$10 million to add 15 or 16 correspondents to its staff of 150.
In what it billed as the biggest expansion of international newsgathering resources in its 27 year history, CNN Worldwide said its worldwide increase of staff corespondents yesterday will include two new correspondents for the network's Johannesburg bureau.
It will also open a regional newsgathering hub in the United Arab Emirates, invest in a London-based digital-production unit, and make major investments in CNN's International Newsource and CNN's in-house wire operations.
“This is all about owning more content; these new resources will have a huge impact across all of CNN's networks and platforms,” said Tony Maddox, executive vice president and managing director of CNN International. “Owning the content we broadcast, publish and make available to affiliates and other platforms is the backbone of this business. This multimillion dollar investment in staff and resources bolster our world-class, award-winning journalism, as well as giving us the power to move swiftly into developing new business models.”
New operations are also planned for Afghanistan, Belgium, India, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, the Philippines, Poland and Vietnam, as well as an additional correspondent at both its London and Istanbul bureaux.
Investments are underway in CNN's Asia Pacific newsgathering hub in Hong Kong to increase staffing, and the network plans to assign additional correspondents in Beijing, Jakarta and Pakistan.
At the same time, CNN is also revitalising its Tokyo bureau to encompass additional reporting duties in South Korea to work within the current structure.
CNN will significantly expand both its newsgathering and production facilities in the UAE, bringing to bear more resources across the region in terms of programming and reporting, including more business coverage.
CNN's International Newsource operation will also expand to provide additional editorial, content and newsgathering services to CNN's more than 1000 affiliates worldwide.
CNN's in-house wire service is also being strengthened with additional staff to ensure swift and accurate dissemination of all of the additional material becoming available across all of CNN Worldwide services and networks.
In Mexico, CNN en Español will strengthen its presence with the hiring of an anchor and correspondent and an additional editor working from the network's Mexico City newsgathering bureau and production centre. CNN en Español also will add to its editorial team in Atlanta to better service the increased volume of affiliate and stringer content and the development of new digital services.
MURDOCH TV STATION IN GEORGIA STILL OFF AIR AFTER ACCUSATIONS OF PLOTTING RUSSIAN-BACKED COUP
Georgia will probably lift its state of emergency today, but a court order could keep the main opposition television station off the air.
Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, which controls Imedi, the country’s main opposition television station, said it had been informed that Imedi’s licence had been suspended and all its equipment put ‘under arrest’ by court order.
Media Network Weblog reported that Martin Pompadur, chairman of News Corp Europe, said Georgian authorities had justified the move by saying Imedi was ‘somehow involved’, along with the station’s founder and part owner Badri Patarkatsishvili, of plotting a Russian-backed coup.
“To allege that News Corp is involved in a Russian-backed coup in Georgia is beyond ludicrous,” Pompadur said.
News Corp is appealing the decision.
YAHOO REACHES OUT-OF-COURT SETTLEMENT OVER JAILING OF TWO CHINESE JOURNALISTS
The Financial Times reported that Yahoo has reached an out-of-court settlement with the families of two Chinese journalists who were jailed in their home country after the internet company identified their online activities to the authorities.
The Times said the ending of a human rights lawsuit brought by the families in a San Francisco district court came just a week after Jerry Yang, Yahoo chief executive, was strongly criticised by a congressional committee and urged to make recompense for his company's actions.
Yahoo has agreed to cover the legal costs of the plaintiffs but said details of the settlement were confidential. It said it would work to provide financial, humanitarian and legal support to the families. It would also create a humanitarian relief fund to support other dissidents and their families.
NO EXPLETIVES DELETED AS SEVEN NETWORK BOSS RAILS AGAINST THE ABC’S CHASER TEAM
Seven Network boss David Leckie let fly at the ABC’s Chaser team of irreverent satirists, probably ruling out any chance The Chaser program will be bought by Channel Seven.
The Australian reported that Seven and the ABC have been trading barbs since two of The Chaser team entered Seven's Sydney headquarters on Tuesday as part of a stunt aimed at Today Tonight host Anna Coren.
Late on Tuesday, Seven won an injunction stopping The Chaser's War on Everything showing footage from the stunt on its show on Wednesday night.
The Australian reports that yesterday Seven chief executive David Leckie verbally abused The Chaser team as he walked from his offices to the network's annual general meeting in Sydney.
"Where's The Chasers? What about The Chasers team? They're just f...ing wankers. They're nothing but a bunch of tossers, they're f...ing wankers," a Fairfax photographer reported Leckie as saying.
Later told a reporter he wished he had not sworn.
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