The Age finally gets its writ. The much-trumpeted defamation writ from the Football Federation of Australia to The Age newspaper finally arrived on Monday morning, but the first directions hearing is not until October 11 — which means that nothing much will happen until the bid to host the World Cup is decided at the end of the year.
The statement of claim, lodged in the Supreme Court of New South Wales, names The Age and its journalists Nick McKenzie and Richard Baker as defendants, and alleges articles published on June 30 and July 1 this year contained defamatory meanings, including that the FFA had deceived the government by creating two balance sheets and concealing the true balance sheet, and concealing that $11.37 million of government money was being paid to two controversial European lobbyists.
The FFA also claims that the articles amounted to allegations of dishonesty, corruption and bribery by the FFA. Whether that is actually what the articles said is open to debate, and in theory will be for the courts to decide. But the timing suggests we shouldn’t hold our breath. — Margaret Simons
NT News: new look, same attitude. Crikey‘s favourite newspaper — News Limited’ croc-bitten red top the NT News — is getting a makeover. A “vibrant” new-look paper will hit newsstands on Monday, the spin goes, “enhancing its reputation as one of Australia’s most entertaining innovative newspapers”. The redesign promises a new masthead, “brighter design” and “sharper in-depth content”. But the real change, says GM Grant Galvin, is in “the way we interact with the readers and evolve our 24/7 news producing platform”.
Importantly, the paper promises not to lose its “quirky image”. It’s proud of its mix of bikini babes and croc hunting, boasting in a press release: “Most recently our ‘Topless fire-fighter’ story went around the world faster than a croc after a crab.” And that’s what we love about the NT News — tabloid, and unashamed. — Jason Whittaker
When online ads work. Someone earned their advertising dollars today…
Apps now part of the news
“Newspaper and magazine publishers will push for the inclusion of apps subscriptions in official readership and circulation figures.” — The Australian
Playboy soon to go private
“In an unexpected move that could reshape the legacy of Americas most virile octogenarian publishing mogul, Mr. Hefner on Monday made a bid to take Playboy Enterprises private.” — New York Times
Al-Awlaki plans fatwa for another cartoonist
“[Norris] should be taken as a prime target of assassination… This campaign is not a practice of freedom of speech, but is a nationwide mass movement of Americans…[who are] going out of their way to offend Muslims worldwide.” — Huffington Post
Beavis and Butthead are back!
“Beavis and Butt-head — the show that celebrated the slacker way of life and helped make MTV into a network that did more than just play music videos — is coming back.” — New York Post
BBC tailors its news for America
“At a time when many newsrooms are contracting or consolidating, the BBC is growing its editorial operations with an original news site aimed at the American audience.” — AdvertisingAge
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