Traditional media are coming under increased pressure from online sources of news. This week YouTube launched its own Citizen News Channel. At the same time, local newspapers in Australia face some tough challenges as they grapple with often meagre resources while trying to build online websites.

Trying to second guess where advertisers will want to put their money is just one of the imponderables. Trying to coax your staff into new multimedia reporting roles is another.

One newspaper that has risen to this challenge is Victoria’s Geelong Advertiser. In the past year the paper’s online platform has undergone a complete makeover and is now a vibrant interactive site with all the bells and whistles.

Colleen Murrell talked to the editor, Peter Judd (right).

For more information about the future of journalism:

• Newmatilda.com - What does the future of journalism look like?
• World Association of Newspapers - Action Plan
• mediamelon.net
• cyberjournalist.net

Technorati Tags: journalism, newspapers, Geelong, Geelong, Multimedia, reporters

The American democratic campaign trail rolls on from town to town, gathering column inches across the globe. In Australia, do we care? Should we care? Colleen Murrell discusses the significance of the campaign with Michael Gawenda, the Director for the Advanced Study of Journalism at The University of Melbourne.

Michael Gawenda was of course the editor of The Age for many years and has recently been their high-profile Washington correspondent. His latest book, American Notebook, examines the current political scene both in Washington and beyond the Beltway.

Technorati Tags: Michael Gawenda, journalism, The Age

Did you know that in Australia radio programmes are available in a range of languages? From Arabic to Ukrainian and passing through French, Spanish and Russian you can tune in to the latest news on SBS Radio. There are two key newsrooms in Sydney and Melbourne, where multilingual journalists work on programmes aimed at their communities.
Colleen Murrell went along to SBS Melbourne and spoke with Magica Fossati (above) to find out what is happening in Italian radio.

Technorati Tags: SBS, SBS Radio, Italy, Magica Fossati,

We live in a digital world. A modern age where almost anything you desire is a mouse-click away: even a career in entertainment.

Once, your typical garage band was confined to the garage and the occasional weekend gig at the local pub. A successful stand-up comedy career would seldom become a reality without a good dose of luck, and being in the right place at the right time.

Now MySpace is the right place, and any time can be the right time. Artists and bands such as Sandi Thom and My Chemical Romance have found success, at least at first, through this online world. All you have to do is set up an account and you’re out there for the world to see.

Deakin student Jemma Bald (above) explores the scene and talks with Geelong comedian Stefan Popovic and Geelong band Intrepid.

For more on comedy and bands on MySpace see:

• Marketing for Musicians: 100 Places to Promote Your Music Online
• Using the Indie Social Community Websites to Promote Your Music
• Cancelled TV show goes to MySpace
• MySpace and Comedy
• MySpace Comedy
• MySpace Music

Technorati Tags: music, comedy, Deakin, Geelong, MySpace, Jemma Bald

How do you get your first articles published? Are there any secrets out there for new players? Colleen Murrell spoke to three of her former Deakin students - Katherine Wilson (left), Nick Townsend (centre) and Liz Shingleton, who all managed to get their university assignments published. Katherine went on to win the 2006 ‘Sensis Award for Student Journalism’, judged by The Melbourne Press Club. Nick won the ‘Just Super Student Journalist of the Year Award‘, given by the Walkley Foundation. And Liz is continuing to write for ‘Equity’, the magazine that gave her that first crucial break.

Technorati Tags: Deakin University, freelance, journalism, The Melbourne Press Club, Walkly Foundation, Equity

In previous podcasts we’ve spoken with journalists in a range of metropolitan and national news organisations. In this mediapodcast I visit the editors of The Warrnambool Standard, and the Murray Valley Standard. Both have interesting observations about reporting in regional areas.

According to Rick Bayne, Editor of the Warrnambool Standard, regional newspapers have a much greater connection with local communities than their metropolitan counterparts.

“Here (in Warrnambool)…everyone knows where I work, so if they want to say something about a story, they let me know about it,” Rick says.

“You have to be responsive to local people, and you have to know what boundaries to set.”

At the Murray Valley Standard, Editor Travis Simmons says that responsiveness to local communities extends into recruiting new from the local area.

“Where possible we try to source journalists locally,” Travis says.

We give locals the opportunity to develop a career at the local newspaper, becuase that local focus is very important to what we do”.

I then travel to Canberra to talk with the CSIRO about the Total Wellbeing Diet book. Sales have exceeded all expectations, but were they ready for the criticism from some quaters?

Finally I talk with Laura Stewart about some volunteer opportunities for Deakin PR students. The Geelong campus’s DRT is looking for some PR help - it’s a great way for one, or a small number of students, to get some practical PR experience before they graduate.

And congratulations to 2006 graduate Cara Ash on being appointed Geelong Football Club’s new Marketing Assistant. It was a hotly contested role, and a credit to Cara who was a fantastic student, and I’m sure will be a great asset to the Cats. Go Cats! Check out Cara’s 2006 podcast with Dave Hughes at NOVA FM.

Show notes

1:23 Regional Newspapers

1:59 Rick Bayne, Editor, Warrnambool Standard

16:15 Travis Simmons, Editor, Murray Valley Standard

28:00 Marilyn Chalkley, Manager Media Liaison, CSIRO

34:30 Laura Stewart, Communications Officer, FRH Group

theMediaPod 26 February 2007

It’s the start of another radio semester at Deakin University’s Journalism Department. And it’s a good opportunity to discover what a life in radio is like. Colleen Murrell caught up with Deakin graduate Emily Hoskins, who is the Breakfast Editor and Morning Newsreader for Gold 104.3 and Mix 101.1 in Melbourne.

Colleen Murrell talks with radio journalist Emily Hoskins.

Roy Greenslade is one of Britain’s best-known journalists and media commentators. He has written three books, including a history of British newspapers called Press Gang: How Newspapers Make Profits from Propaganda. In a long career, he has edited The Daily Mirror, and held senior jobs at a number of other newspapers including The Sunday Times and The Sun. Today he writes a daily blog for The Guardian newspaper in London, which deals with issues in the international media scene.

He is also Professor of Journalism at City University in London.

This month he’s been down under, attending a media conference organised by the Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand.

Colleen Murrell caught up with him to ask about his website and other future trends in the media.

Colleen Murrell talks with Roy Greenslade.

Ever wondered what it is like to work on a Sunday newspaper here in Australia? And how would you go about chasing stories for a specialist round? Colleen Murrell tracks down Deakin graduate Mary Papadakis and finds out how she climbed the greasy pole to become Education Reporter on the Sunday Herald Sun in Melbourne.

Colleen Murrell talks to Mary Papadakis

A collection of dolphins is described as a pod, so when theMediaPod went looking for someone to talk about political communication, who better to ask than South Australia’s own parliamentary dolphin, Isobel Redmond.

Wikipedia details how Mrs Redmond, the Liberal Member for Heysen, whilst working as a solicitor on a native title land claim was bestowed the Aboriginal name Joondinya, meaning dolphin. In this MediaPodcast Mrs Redmond talks with Lee Hopkins about that experience, her thoughts on electronic communication, and how she communicates with her constituents. It’s a warm, funny and very informative interview that we’re sure you’ll enjoy (and recommend to your interested colleagues).

For more information about political communication you may like to read:

Davis, A. (2002), Public relations democracy, public relations, politics and the mass media in Britain, Manchester University Press.

McNair, B. (2003) ‘Party political communication II: political public relations’ in Introduction to political communication London: Routledge,

Stockwell, S. (2002), ‘Taxonomy of the political campaign’ paper to the Australian and New Zealand Communication Association conference 2002.

Stockwell, S. (2004), ‘Public Relations in Government’ in, Public relations, theory and practice. Jane Johnson, and Clara Zawawi, (Eds.) Crows Nest: Allen & Unwin, 2004.

Wring, D. (2005), ‘The public relations state’ in Politics of marketing the labour party Houndsmill: Palgrave Macmillan.

Young, S. (2004), ‘The pr state’ in Persuaders, inside the hidden machine of political advertising North Melbourne: Pluto Press.

Interview with Isobel Redmond