Feb 26 2009
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Journalism

Face off on Facebook

Until today, I was a member of a Facebook group called “the BNP are nasty racists and shouldn’t be here” (For non-British readers, the BNP is the UK’s ultra-right wing party). The group was set up a couple of years back to protest against a BNP presence on Facebook and it eventually gained hundreds of members. While casually flicking through my notifications today, I noticed that it had changed its name to “the BNP are nice and should be on here“.

I clicked on the link to find out which joker had changed the name of the group. My boyfriend suspected that Facebook had asked moderators to change its name for some reason. But when I saw the group, I realised that not only had its name changed, but also its description, thus altering its philosophy completely. It now was a pro-BNP group. Worst of all, I was still a member! I promptly left the group (along with many other members) and posted a warning to my Facebook friends via my status update.

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Feb 19 2009
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Journalism

How architects can’t solve every problem

Earlier this month I attended a symposium at Melbourne University about public buildings from the modern era (1945 onwards) and how they could be preserved. The University’s school of planning and architecture managed to assemble speakersfrom around the world to share their views on why it is important to conserve our modern heritage.

One thing that struck me during the morning session is how public building programmes in post war Europe were often used to try and foster a national identity, with mixed results. A speaker from Belgium talked about how in the Flanders region of the country, a series of cultural centres were built to reinforce local people’s Flemish identity.
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Feb 11 2009
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Journalism

Inside Lonely Planet

Lonely Planet guides have been a faithful companion to scores of backpackers over the years. Even in the digital age, a guide by Lonely Planet or one of their rivals, features prominently on most travelers packing list.


More than three decades on from the first edition of South East Asia on a Shoestring and the basic format of the Lonely Planet guide has remained largely intact (with a few tweaks). But its publishers are changing – last year founders Tony and Maureen Wheeler sold the company to the BBC, though Lonely Planet’s HQ remains here in Melbourne.


Last week, I was privileged to get the chance to get a look inside of Lonely Planet’s Footscray offices to find out more about the company’s latest projects. My guide Matthew, from Lonely Planet’s digital division, has recently exchanged rainy London for Melbourne and is working on lots of exciting initiatives following the BBC’s purchase of the company.


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Jan 27 2009
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Journalism

Supersizing news

At the Future of Journalism event I attended in November, one speaker talked about how Fairfax, owner of the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, has dumbed down its web coverage. The speaker in question memorably contrasted how Fairfax bosses were selling a slap up meal in print and fast food on the web.

Unfortunately, I can’t recall the name of that particular speaker, but it could well be Michael Gawenda, a former editor at the Age. This week I came across an article he has written arguing that these newspapers’ inferior online versions are only succeeding in trashing their once revered mastheads.

He says their mistake has been trying to address their weaknesses rather than building on their strengths. He goes on to call on newspapers to get back to their core business – breaking great stories. You can read more on The Australian.

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Jan 21 2009
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Pictures

Obamamania

A mural in Williamsberg, Brooklyn

A mural in Williamsberg, Brooklyn

Last year we spent several weeks touring America and Obamamania was evidence almost everywhere we went. I have written about this already on my travel blog and for the regeneration magazine New Start.

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Dec 10 2008
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Exclusives, Journalism, News

No jumpers for goalposts here

There’s no shortages of free things to do in Melbourne, which is good news if you are out of work! Last week was a perfect example – this year’s Homeless World Cup kicked off last Monday and all games were held smack bang in the heart of the central business district, with free entry to boot.

I managed to get media accreditation for the Homeless World Cup and was surprised at the lack of a British media presence at the games. I got an interview with the games founder Mel Young who gave me an exclusive about the tournament’s future, which appeared in Social Enterprise magazine.

The Homeless World Cup is a tournament where all the players have either been homeless, refugees or asylum seekers. They make up four-a-side teams, with one player having to stay in their own half. This makes for high scoring games. Nigeria put 15 past one unlucky team the other day, while England’s striker got a hat-trick in a minute against Ireland (a match refereed by Kim Milton Nielson who sent David Beckham off in the 1998 World Cup).

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Nov 30 2008
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Journalism, News

Black, white and dead all over

The supposed decline of the print newspaper industry has commanded many column inches in the UK and around the world. Just after arriving in Melbourne, I attended journalism union Media Alliance’s conference on the future of journalism and wrote a story on it for Press Gazette.

A report launched alongside the event confirmed that the trends that have sent print media in the US and UK into decline are gathering pace in Australia. A keynote speech from US media expert Phil Meyer suggest that a leaner, more technologically driven industry will emerge from the ashes of the old one. This raised questions about how journalists would adapt to the changing environment.

In a discussion on the economics of journalism, Ivor Ries, head of research, EL&C Baillieu Stockbroking, predicted that newspapers are in for “ten years of hell”, but that things would improve once titles work out how to make money from the internet. Old mastheads were seen by most participants as the best place for this innovation, but one speaker said that if these titles can’t come up with the goods they should be bought out by someone who can.

There was also some debate on how journalism schools and the employers should prepare new entrants to the industry. Continue reading →

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Jun 30 2008
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Features, Journalism

Green wedding lists

Green wedding lists: Eco-conscious couples are increasingly opting for green wedding lists, BBC Green 

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Mar 24 2008
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Exclusives, Features, Journalism

Spice up your cuttings with a work place …

I spent January of last year working on the Indian newspaper New Indian Express. You can read a full account of my experiences at my blog Deadlines and Dosas. I also had a piece on overseas work placements published in Press Gazette.

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