The ultimate bury it on a Friday release.

December 19, 2008
SUE HOWARD

ABC Director of Radio and Regional Content, Sue Howard has announced she will be leaving the Corporation this month after an exceptional 22 year career.

“It’s very hard to leave something you are so passionate about, but in many ways this is the very best time of all. I am proud that radio finished 2008 on an historic high with its largest audience share on record. It’s very clear that millions of our listeners are telling us every week that we’re doing a lot right and it’s a terrific feeling to leave the medium I love in such a strong position,” Ms Howard said.

“ABC radio is poised, not just to meet the digital challenge ahead, but is ready to continue to lead Australian media into the new multi platform era.

“I’ve been proud and privileged to lead and work with the dedicated, enthusiastic and creative radio team across Australia and while of course I feel some sadness in leaving, there are other challenges and opportunities beckoning me that I feel I need to take.”

ABC Managing Director Mark Scott paid tribute to Sue Howard’s leadership and achievements.

“Sue has notched up some remarkable firsts for the Corporation. She leaves with our respect, thanks and warm wishes,” Mr Scott said.

“Under Sue’s 11 year directorship radio audiences across the country increased by more than 30% and the ABC became one of the largest creators of podcasting material in the world.

“Sue’s belief that the ABC needed to play a major role in the digital revolution saw the establishment of the Dig internet stations and the training and placement of the first radio online producers working in regional Australia telling local stories for radio, television and online; a move that has extended both the cross media content produced while capturing larger radio audiences the country.”

Sue Howard began her ABC career in 1986 behind the microphone. She was a highly popular presenter fronting Classic FM Drive, pioneering ABC Radio’s mid dawn shift and becoming the first woman to present a breakfast program on ABC metropolitan radio.

‘Tis the season to be jolly. Unless you’re 2GB’s Ray Hadley. He’s waged a one-man jihad against those he deems not Christmassy enough throughout the month of December. Aided by cells of listeners all over the country, he’s terrorised movie distributors and retailers. He reckoned Roadshow Films had changed the movie title Four Christmases to Four Holidays so “minorities” weren’t offended. More likely, they just wanted to hide the stink of a turkey due to the US reviews of Four Christmases.

Hadley’s views obviously appeal to his mean-spirited listeners as it prompted the likes of ‘Harley’ to rage that he has workmates who don’t celebrate Christmas due to their religion, yet “openly accept the Christmas company bonus, attend the Christmas party and I bet they accept the Christmas bonus from the Prime Minister too with open hands”. Other listeners judged and dobbed in shops for the heinous crime of not having enough Christmas decorations on display.

And that annual Australian Christmas tradition — false rumours that certain Christmas carols have been BANNED — got a flogging. The City of Greater Geelong council were forced to issue a denial about that old urban myth, the banning of the song White Christmas, after Fairfax’s Melbourne radio station 3AW did their best to spread some festive fear in claiming otherwise.

Perhaps George Costanza’s father Frank was right. Let’s call it Festivus (for the rest of us) from next year onwards. It’ll be less stressful all round. Happy Festivus! — Media mook

Palestinian journalists protest for release of Iraqi colleague who threw shoes at Bush. Several dozen Palestinian journalists took off their shoes Thursday in a protest in Bethlehem’s Manger Square, to show support for the Iraqi journalist who hurled his shoes at U.S. President George W. Bush earlier this week. The journalist currently remains in Iraqi custody and could face two years in prison for insulting a foreign leader. A spokesman for Iraq’s prime minister says Muntadhar al-Zeidi has apologized for throwing the shoes. In the Arab world, throwing shoes at someone is considered to be a sign of deep disrespect. In Bethlehem, al-Zeidi’s Palestinian colleagues waved Palestinian and Iraqi flags. They also held signs in English, reading “Bush deserved it.” — Associated Press via Haaretz

Your guide to alternative business models for newspapers. It’s easy to see the problems plaguing the business of daily newspapers in America. The Tribune Co. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The Christian Science Monitor said it would publish weekly in print instead of daily. Detroit newspapers announced they would be cutting home delivery to three days per week. Layoffs are rampant and newspaper company stocks are down in the dumps. What’s difficult is finding solutions to these business problems. — Media Shift

To back up yesterday’s brief by Michael Wolff… The Rupert I know. Longtime press baron and Murdoch frenemy Conrad Black on what Michael Wolff got wrong in his new biography of the media titan. — The Daily Beast

Herald & Times executive defends making staff reapply for fewer jobs. A senior executive at the Herald & Times Group in Glasgow is defending the decision to force all 250 editorial staff to reapply for 40 fewer jobs, claiming the recession is so severe that “extraordinary action” is needed for the papers to survive. Tom Thomson, the group managing editor for the Newquest-owned Herald, Evening Times and Sunday Herald, said the company had been forced to cut costs by imposing new pay rates and working conditions, and merging all three papers into a single group newsroom. “These are extraordinary times and therefore it merits extraordinary action,” he said. — The Guardian

Omnicom set to cut up to 3,500 jobs. The advertising industry’s largest holding company, Omnicom Group, is preparing a massive layoff of nearly 5% of its global work force of 70,000, according to executives close to the situation. The executives would not confirm which divisions or agencies would be affected by the estimated 3,500 job loss, but it is believed that BBDO, the agency for ailing Chrysler, which lost its flagship U.S. brand Pepsi business this year, would particularly feel the ax. Earlier today, Ad Age reported that Omnicom media agency PHD was laying off 30 people and closing its Atlanta office. — Advertising Age