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SHOCK JOCKS OF PUBLISHING

“There was always only ever one natural buyer of Crikey,” writes Crikey.com.au proprietor Stephen Mayne, “and that was Eric and Di’s Private Media Partners.”

Good call. Private Media Partners publishes The Reader, which exhibits the same ruthless dedication to accuracy as Mayne himself. Consider this, from last year:

Dubbed the “shock jock” of blogging by The Sydney Morning Herald, journalist and Bulletin columnist Tim Blair has a history of stoushing with ABC TV’s Media Watch. More recently, he exposed a plagiarised story about the Redfern riots from the Chicago Tribune, resulting in the journalist’s sacking. Whether or not you agree with Blair’s often irrational diatribes, he’s arguably the most widely-read Australian blogger.

That’s two factual errors (the Trib firing was over an invented source; the “shock jock” line came from the Financial Review); one mischaracterisation (where are the “diatribes”?); and one unsupported assertion (“irrationalâ€?). All in just 64 words. Stephen’s site is in good hands.

   

Posted by Tim B. on 02/02/2005 at 10:15 PM
  1. I was going to ask about the “irrational diatribes” part.  Most journos seem to use it a lot, but I don’t think it means what they think it means.  Good to see you’ve got it covered.

    Posted by RebeccaH on 2005 02 02 at 11:32 PM • permalink

  2. Tim

    How about a few irrational diatribes for the faithful?

    I thought GWB’s state of the onion address was outstanding.

    He wants to protect his people and their children and extend freedom throughout the world.

    At the same time, our Canadian govt, which just returned to school yesterday, has introduced legislation to legalize same sex marriage and to set up a national govt funded daycare plan.

    Also in 2 weeks, our Kyoto commitment comes into force.

    Fuck Canada

    Posted by jlc on 2005 02 02 at 11:32 PM • permalink

  3. Don’t you mean Canada is, er FUBAR ?

    Posted by Fluent Idiot on 2005 02 02 at 11:41 PM • permalink

  4. Here’s a bit of an insider’s account of the takeover, including some advice about mixing champagne and lemonade (short version: don’t).

    Posted by TimT on 2005 02 03 at 12:17 AM • permalink

  5. “Stoushing”?

    Posted by BruceW on 2005 02 03 at 01:17 AM • permalink

  6. Stoushing (v) - Going the biff, having a blue.

    Fluent Idiot, I think the situation with Canada is FUMTU.

    Posted by Pauly on 2005 02 03 at 01:31 AM • permalink

  7. “Stoushing” = “fightin’ ‘n’ feudin”.

    Don’t mention it.

    And as one of Tim’s left-ish readers (God, the guilt! The terrible, terrible guilt!), may I make the observation that while I’ve sometimes found his diatribes contentious, and very frequently hilarious (in a good way), “irrational” isn’t a word I’d use.

    That’s an adjective better applied to Margonauts, and their deranged and equivocal ilk.

    Posted by Brendan on 2005 02 03 at 01:36 AM • permalink

  8. JLCHYDRO,

    As Monty Python once said: “Whither Canada?”

    Posted by Toryhere2 on 2005 02 03 at 01:44 AM • permalink

  9. George Bush/Hitler made his State of the Union address today. He was continually interrupted by angry politicians who demanded he sign up the U.S.for the Kyoto protocall. I saw a small box like object the size of a ciggarette pack on his back.

    That’s two factual errors one mischaracterisation and one unsupported assertion. Plus a couple of spelling mistakes.All in 43 words.

    Where’s my million? Waaaah!

    Posted by gubbaboy on 2005 02 03 at 02:52 AM • permalink

  10. Dear Mr. Tim Blair,

    Please stop with the mordant sarcasm and give us more irrational diatribes. Your public demands it.

    Signed,
    Your Public

    Posted by Jim Treacher on 2005 02 03 at 05:49 AM • permalink

  11. Someone paid money for it?

    Crikey.com had no assets, it was just a website with a bad attitude - and read by few.

    What the hell is the guy buying?

    Posted by ilibcc on 2005 02 03 at 07:23 AM • permalink

  12. You know I’m really beginning to wonder…just what IS a “shock Jock”? Is it someone who spews bile and abuse? Is it someone who relentlessly vilifies a particular population of people? Is it a populist who appeals to, and capitalises on, the hatred they themselves help to incite?
    If this is so, then why isn’t Phillip Adams a “shock jock”? Why isn’t Margo Kingston? Is it OK when the LEFT chooses to criticise and condemn is it? How come? If it’s Left-wing loathing, then it’s noble, if it’s Right-wing, it’s ignorant, narrow-minded, bigoted, intolerant. Where’s the logic!?

    Posted by Brian on 2005 02 03 at 09:00 AM • permalink

  13. Brian, Margo’s more of a ‘shock crock”

    Posted by Nic on 2005 02 03 at 09:13 AM • permalink

  14. What was it between David Marr and Crikey.com.au?  He was always giving it a favourable plug on Media Watch.

    Posted by 2dogs on 2005 02 03 at 01:27 PM • permalink

  15. jlchydro wrote
      “Fuck Canada”

    No thanks, too frigid.

    Posted by jorgen on 2005 02 03 at 04:00 PM • permalink

  16. libcc crikey.com did well to get >$1 for “intellectual property” - the buyers were obviously impressed - dont you just love free market economy?

    Posted by rog2 on 2005 02 03 at 04:23 PM • permalink

  17. They are only paying $200k to take it for a spin for a while. If they don’t enjoy the ride they give it back. Sort of like the Labor Party or the Dems trying out a new leader, but cheaper.

    Posted by blogstrop on 2005 02 03 at 06:31 PM • permalink

  18. Crikey was a good idea that went bad due mainly to its founder getting hijacked by Melbourne lefties. Had he played it up the middle he’d be knocking back offers 10 times that size. But no, that wouldn’t have got the weekly invites to appear with the luvvies at the ABC. Beecher, a former editor of the leftwing Sydney Morning Herald will use Crkey! to carry The Reader which is basically a dead-tree blog carrying opinion pieces from all over.

    Posted by slatts on 2005 02 03 at 10:12 PM • permalink

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