The Schwartz family’s big quit, and Fox finally covers Paul Kent

Schwartz media 

This week, your correspondent brought you the news that Schwartz Media boss Morry Schwartz would be stepping down from the chair of the organisation, as well as from day-to-day operations as the company looks for a new CEO. Schwartz Media publishes The Saturday Paper, The Monthly, Quarterly Essay and the 7am podcast.

Schwartz told the Nine papers that the organisation’s coverage of the Gaza conflict wasn’t a factor in his decision to step down, despite it being a historic internal point of contention at Schwartz Media. 

“There’s lots of reasons,” Schwartz said.

“I’m stepping aside to give them the freedom to run the company. All of the people there are terrific. I’m going to give myself a holiday.”

In 2021, former Saturday Paper morning editor Alex McKinnon wrote to editor-in-chief Erik Jensen over his concerns regarding Schwartz’s Gaza coverage, saying there was “an unofficial but widely known editorial policy of avoiding coverage of Israel and Palestine” during his time at the organisation, describing it as “profoundly detrimental to Schwartz Media”.

Jensen replied at the time he saw Schwartz as “covering the issue and covering it substantially”.

Crikey understands that an early publication of Guardian Australia’s report of Schwartz’s resignation included reference to quotes from a Schwartz source that one could “make assumptions” it was related to the Gaza conflict and “the Anna thing”. Schwartz’s wife Anna recently ended the Anna Schwartz Gallery’s long-term professional representation of contemporary artist Mike Parr after his use of the words “Nazi” and “apartheid” as part of his recent work Sunset Claws, which remains on display at the gallery in Melbourne until mid-December, before herself resigning from the board of Preston contemporary gallery Gertrude Contemporary. 

A Guardian Australia spokesperson told Crikey “a partial quote was originally published owing to a production error. It was on the site for less than two minutes”.

Parr told ABC Radio National this week “Anna’s response [was] overwhelmed by her subjectivity”. 

“And perhaps her subjectivity in the face of what is happening now in this conflict between Israel and Palestine also obliterates not just my performance, but the debate that we’re all entitled to have about the disproportionate impact of what’s now happening in Gaza,” he said.

Crikey has contacted Morry Schwartz for comment.

Paul Kent found not guilty

High-profile rugby league journalist Paul Kent was found not guilty this week of assaulting and choking his ex-partner, after an incident in Sydney’s inner west in May. Kent, who presented Fox Sports’ NRL 360 and had a position at The Daily Telegraph, was stood down in May with a statement from Fox Sports at the time referring to his “personal matter”. 

Since then, there has been relative radio silence from Fox Sports on the case — Fox League’s only tweet on Kent at all has been the reporting of the not-guilty verdict. Fox Sports has published two articles regarding the trial, both syndicated court reports from NCA NewsWire from the last two days of the trial. 

Crikey understands there was also a directive this week given within the Fox Sports digital teams to cover the trial as if Kent were any other NRL personality.

One sports reporter in the industry told Crikey that “the non-reporting has been fascinating to see play out”.

“That statement at the start of NRL 360 [in May] said it all really,” the reporter told Crikey. “Incredibly poor.” 

Of course, those more astute among you would know better than to go to News Corp for content regarding their own employees’ alleged misdeeds. The Nine papers gave Kent’s trial comprehensive treatment, running 10 stories including an opinion piece from chief reporter Jordan Baker. Coverage of the trial also included contributions from columnist Danny Weidler, as well as Nine’s stable of court reporters. 

Another sports reporter told Crikey that while News Corp’s wire service did in fact diligently report on the Kent case, naturally it would have been an “editorial decision” to not prioritise the story.

Moves 

• Triple j music director Richard Kingsmill leaves the ABC this week, more than three decades after ageing out of the station’s target demographic. The Nine papers reported, however, that he did not depart voluntarily — according to ABC sources, he was made redundant from the role of music director he has held since 2003 as part of a restructure of the youth network. He said in a statement he was proud of starting the Unearthed program (designed for emerging Australian artists), as well as “uncovering the likes of Missy Higgins, Grinspoon, G Flip and Genesis Owusu”, describing it as “one of the great thrills and privileges for me”.
• The ABC also axed popular debate program The Drum this week, saying in a statement it was “informed by long-term audience trends”. Five redundancies are expected from the loss of the show, with key figures Julia Baird, Ellen Fanning and Dan Bourchier to be reassigned around the national broadcaster. 

Tweet of the week

Like most Australians I usually ignore Andrew Bolt. But on this occasion I won’t. His attack on First Nations people as “primitive” is racist and disgusting. News Ltd should sack him.

— Chris Bowen (@Bowenchris) December 13, 2023