Ancestors

Toot

Written by Mark Newton on 2025-02-03 at 05:16

A 1980s historical drama which includes Michelle Grattan and Barrie Cassidy is a pretty good summary of what's wrong with Australian journalism, where people who were reaching the peaks of their careers 35 years ago are still hanging around like bad smells today.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-03/the-newsreader-season-3-fact-check/104877666

An industry this small can't undergo generational refresh unless the people at the top move on, and I feel like I've been hearing the same names and same opinions for my entire adult life. There is probably a vast population of up-and-comers better than Grattan and Cassidy who we've never heard of because they were in the way.

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Descendants

Written by Liam :fnord: on 2025-02-03 at 05:20

@NewtonMark [points] it’s all kingsmillism

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Written by Brian Grinter on 2025-02-03 at 05:27

@NewtonMark been looking forward to season 3 although the whole show also makes me feel old.

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Written by DrFriendless 🇵🇸 on 2025-02-03 at 05:27

@NewtonMark I like Barry Cassidy and Michelle Grattan (and Queen Laura).

I think the problem is that the people being groomed to replace them are not very good - Patricia Karvelas, Walid Ali, David Spears, all get tasks that are above their ability.

Sadly the very awesome Katherine Murphy joined Albo's team, rather than staying with the good guys who could hold him to account.

If the future turns out to be Charles Brice and Arianna Levy I'm gonna self-immolate in the ABC HQ.

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Written by Briala on 2025-02-03 at 05:34

@DrFriendless @NewtonMark PK was promising on Radio National Breakfast. For about 4 days. She couldn't get close to what Fran Kelly could easily do. And that's ignoring the problems of Kelly herself who peaked a long time ago.

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Written by Mark Newton on 2025-02-03 at 05:36

@DrFriendless Murphy spent three years writing weekly Saturday columns which all said, “Morrison is trying very hard but has a communications problem, what he should do is … (list of things he manifestly would not do)”

She ain’t the rising star you’re looking for.

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Written by DrFriendless 🇵🇸 on 2025-02-03 at 05:46

@NewtonMark But was she wrong that he should have done those things? He was pretty lazy...

I'll re-evaluate her next time I see her in action. However I can't think of any younger insightful people.

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Written by Mark Newton on 2025-02-03 at 07:12

@DrFriendless When a Prime Minister is lazy, it’s not the role of journalism to workshop ways to improve his standing.

So yes. It was wrong that she should have done those things.

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Written by trif on 2025-02-03 at 07:38

@DrFriendless @NewtonMark Amy Remeikis? But she left for The Australia Institute

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Written by DrFriendless 🇵🇸 on 2025-02-05 at 05:10

@trif @NewtonMark She's on my watch list but I haven't decided on her yet.

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Written by Trish Roberts on 2025-02-03 at 06:05

@NewtonMark @ajsadauskas Barrie Cassidy moved on,and look what happened?

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Written by Mark Newton on 2025-02-03 at 06:14

@treleanor "Nothing changed." @ajsadauskas

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Written by AJ Sadauskas on 2025-02-03 at 06:29

@NewtonMark @treleanor Fundamentally, I think the very idea of a dedicated "political reporter" is the wrong way to cover politics.

Take the worst article that Giles Parkinson from Renew Economy has written about energy, climate, or renewables policy in the past two years.

Now compare it to the best article that any ABC or NineFax Canberra Press Gallery stenographer has put out over the same period.

I know which article is better.

If the Canberra Press Gallery were abolished tomorrow, and replaced with a series of Giles Parkinsons covering health, education, defence, etc. policy as part of their beat, would be any less well informed?

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Written by Tingo on 2025-02-03 at 06:49

@ajsadauskas @NewtonMark @treleanor

Press Gallery is a closed shop controlled by old media. View themselves as players, which in a way, they are.

Press Gallery Committee Executive defines and gate-keeps who's an operative and who's not, decides who gets parliamentary access and who doesn't.

Mostly just a guild of lobbyists and agents for old media barons with their own dedicated wing in the Senate corridors. All very old school and anti-democratic.

Stretch to call the majority of them journalists.

https://pressgallery.net.au/committee/

[#]auspol

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Written by AJ Sadauskas on 2025-02-03 at 06:59

@fixatedpersonsunit @NewtonMark @treleanor From the website:

"The Committee was established to safeguard the interests of the Press Gallery at Parliament House, and to assist the more than 250 credentialed members. Its responsibilities include authorising Parliament House security passes for Press Gallery members, and approving new leaseholders in the gallery when space becomes available. More broadly, the Committee works closely with the Presiding Officers and the Department of Parliamentary Services on any matters that could affect its members. The Committee also helps negotiate Press Gallery pools and organises events including the annual Pollies vs. Press sports carnival and the Midwinter Ball."

https://pressgallery.net.au/committee/

So a committee that shouldn't exist doing tasks ("approving new leaseholders in the gallery when space becomes available", "authorising Parliament House security passes for Press Gallery members", "organises events including the annual Pollies vs. Press sports carnival") that shouldn't be necessary.

[#]auspol

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Written by Trish Roberts on 2025-02-03 at 07:03

@NewtonMark @ajsadauskas I rather think that Speers is not up to Barrie’s standard. By a country mile.

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Written by oberonsghost on 2025-02-03 at 07:08

@NewtonMark @treleanor @ajsadauskas It’s not just journalism that has longstanding folks at the top not budging.

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