ABC ops staff hit back. The ABC’s broadcast operations staff held their ‘redundancy wake’ last Monday at the ZanziBar in Sydney’s Newtown. The highlight of the evening (if you’d call it that) was watching Media Watch concentrate on ABC stuff ups. There’s no doubt that the future of television is changing. All BOPS staff would agree that change was necessary and due.

However, the way staff had been treated by middle and upper management during this two-year transition has been nothing other than a shameful display of arrogance and incompetence at the highest level. Throughout the period, management showed stunning ignorance, a lack of understanding of the simplest procedures and shameful disrespect of staff. It is interesting how ABC values (collegiality, collaboration, respect and a host of other buzz words) were completely ignored, by the very people applying that sham mantra. — former ABC staffer Zac Badenoff

Courier Mail loses political stalwart. Craig Johnstone, a veteran political reporter and assistant editor at News Limited tabloid The Courier Mail, has quit the paper for a job spinning for local government. Johnstone confirms he’ll take up a position with the Local Government Association of Queensland in October and is “currently working out my notice” with the paper.

At least one reader has pointed out that Johnstone continues to write about council matters, including a recent piece on the Sunshine Coast Regional Council budget. Said Johnstone: “The piece on the Sunshine Coast Council budget was a straight news story and, in any case, my new job will be with the LGAQ not that council.” So should he disclose the potential for conflict? “I think journalists should be aware of any potential conflict in their reporting and I think I have handled the situation properly,” he told Crikey. — Jason Whittaker

Orders given to restrict media access to US military

“Defence Secretary Robert Gates ordered military officials Friday to get Pentagon clearance for interviews and other media contacts after President Barack Obama fired the top general in Afghanistan for embarrassing comments in a magazine article.” — Huffington Post

Take a pay cut, BBC presenter tells colleagues

“Terry Wogan has suggested that the most highly paid BBC stars should take a “responsible” 10-15% pay cut, arguing that high-profile presenters should not be exempt from public sector cuts.” — The Guardian

You Tube comments catch virus, Beiber fans find p-rn

“The bug allowed users to inject HTML (the code that most websites are built with) that could be executed on the site, whereas HTML within comments is supposed to be restricted. The hackers did everything from force pop-up messages to appear over the site declaring that it had been hacked to redirecting Bieber video pages to sites hosting p-rnography and malware.” — Mashable

Bainimarama tightens Fiji media control

“The challenges facing Fijian media got tougher last week when the government released The Media Industry Development Decree, a sprawling 36-page document that tightens state control over local newspapers, radio, television and internet.” — The Australian

Combating TV privacy — air the show first

“According to ACMA, the Seven Network is considering airing programmes of US origin at the same time as they are screened in the United States in order to combat piracy.” — TV Tonight