Ita Buttrose highlighted Sky News presenter Chris Kenny during his Andrew Olle speech last week, scolding him for saying he was too old when she was appointed to chair the ABC, at the age of 77, in 2019.
“I know a little bit about the hurdles of the race,” Buttrose said as he looked at Kenny, who was at the Sky News table on the ABC feature. “There was always a reason for someone to say no. I was too young or too old. When I was named president of the ABC, I was too old. Thank you Chris Kenny.”
Kenny, an associate editor of the Australian and renowned ABC critic, attended the black tie event at Sydney’s Ivy and told anyone who heard him that he was desperate to get someone on ABC to talk to him. for his documentary Sky News. ”On the ABC to commemorate its 90th anniversary. As he said on his program this week, it’s easy to get criticism from the ABC on his show, but he doesn’t find any aunt supporters ready to talk to him.
Everyone, from Buttrose and CEO David Anderson to former ABC employees Jonathan Holmes (Media Watch) and Jon Faine (ABC Melbourne Radio) have said “thank you, but no thanks” to Kenny’s producers ’approaches. As Faine wrote in Sunday Age: “I don’t think it’s possible for Chris Kenny to present a balanced assessment of the ABC.”
Not discouraged by the rejection, Kenny approached the 80-year-old people at his table after his long speech and involved her in a conversation. Having not convinced anyone inside, Kenny had a team of Sky News cameras waiting with him outside the venue and tried to collar the guests as they left. Broadcasters Patricia Karvelas and Annabel Crabb diverted him, but Anderson and Insiders host David Speers paused briefly to answer predictable questions about an alleged ABC bias.
It’s good to know that Kenny hasn’t lost any of his standing style on the doorstep of his days as a reporter on Nine’s A Current Affair.
Meanwhile, a group of employees caused some commotion, taking the opportunity to express their dismay at the plans to restructure the file division, displaying protest signs a few meters from Anderson and his executive team. .
Everything stings, without sausage
The Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance held a barbecue at Ultimo’s ABC on Wednesday to encourage both union members and non-members to come talk about wage negotiations. To encourage attendance, union organizers announced that a “democracy sausage” would be provided at Dot Strong Terrace. Only the barbecue didn’t light up, despite repeated attempts, and the ABC staff was left with a sad piece of bread and no sausage.
The flame goes out: the sausage stings that it wasn’t. Photography: Amanda Meade
Desired thinking
Australian Financial Review senior correspondent Aaron Patrick launched his new book Thursday night at Bar Lume under Nine Entertainment’s North Sydney headquarters. Patrick’s invitations said “Please join Malcolm Turnbull at the official launch of Aaron Patrick Ego’s new book: Malcolm Turnbull and the Liberal Party’s Civil War.” At least one journalist, Nick Tabakoff, of the Australian, accepted the invitation in writing: “And let’s say the person Patrick has prepared to launch the book is a surprise, to say the least.”
The invitation to the launch of Aaron Patrick’s book. Photography: Amanda Meade
“Who would have thought that Turnbull himself would want to launch a book that has as its basic thesis that the former prime minister had played a pivotal role in the destruction of the Morrison government? Either Patrick is an irrational optimist, or he has achieved the coup. of books of the year “.
Well, neither. If you look closely at the invitation, you will see an asterisk next to Turnbull * and in lower case * TBC. Patrick, who is well connected to the Liberal Party’s right, sees Turnbull as a “center-left impostor and opportunist” and was fired when he asked the former Wentworth member to revise his book.
We can confirm that Turnbull did not attend, because he was giving a speech in Paris, but he was bothered by the publicity stunt and complained to the editor. His son, Alex Turnbull, who has had clashes with Patrick over the same book, said, “The only people who will buy this book are the people who intend to file defamation lawsuits.”
False flag
One might think that a publication called TheDailyAus might recognize the Aboriginal flag, but the “social media first” website mistakenly put a German flag on an image of Sydney Harbor Bridge to illustrate government plans of New South Wales for the Aboriginal flag to have a permanent place at the end of the year.
It’s almost a coincidence that the editor, Billi FitzSimons, announced a data verifier the next day, and posted on LinkedIn that he wanted “someone with meticulous attention to detail who can critically examine the sources.” The German flag, which also has the colors yellow, red and black, was quickly replaced by the correct one.
The youth website TheDailyAus mixes its flags, with a mock-up of the German flag. Photography: TheDailyAus
Climate change
Sophie McNeill and Mark Davis reached the pinnacle of their profession as journalists, winning multiple awards for ABC and SBS, before leaving to pursue different careers.
Davis, a former Gold Walkley winner and host of SBS Dateline, now works as a lawyer, advocating for, among other things, climate activists.
McNeill, who left Four Corners to join Human Rights Watch as an Australian investigator, recently partnered with Davis to help protesters, who have been punished with heavy penalties.
McNeill: “Climate protesters are being increasingly and disproportionately subjected to demanding legal action by Australian authorities restricting their rights to freedom of assembly and peaceful expression.” Davis, who also successfully portrayed Friendlyjordies producer Kristo Langker when he was accused of harassing John Barilaro, represents climate activists at reduced rates.
Channel 10 defends Lisa Wilkinson
Channel 10 has defended its star presenter Lisa Wilkinson after widespread criticism of her Logies acceptance speech.
On Thursday, the ACT Supreme Court delayed Bruce Lehrmann’s trial for the alleged sexual assault of Brittany Higgins due to public comments on the case.
But Ten says Wilkinson’s comment report has been inaccurate and unfair: “This report is causing significant damage, and we call on these organizations to stop this harassment to allow Lisa the best opportunity to present her evidence in court and allow the trial to proceed in a fair and timely manner.
“We are closely monitoring all coverage of this issue and Lisa and Network 10 reserve their rights with respect to any future defamation claims.
“Network 10 continues to support Lisa in her total commitment and continues to do the right thing as a witness at trial.”
The case will now be known from October 4, for a trial of four to six weeks. Lehrmann denies that any form of sexual activity took place in early 2019 and pleads not guilty.