Film funding a bridge too far? There are rumours the feature film adaptation of Arthur Miller’s famous play A View From The Bridge is now seeking direct subsidy from Screen Australian. First there was controversy — as reported in Crikey — over why an adaptation of an American classic set in New York (but shot in Melbourne) should be eligible for an Australian taxpayer subsidy of up to 40% of the Australian elements. Now the rumour is that on top of the 40% it is seeking a further federal subsidy from Screen Australia.

Director Robert Connolly is also a director of the board of Screen Australia, which, among other things, is the final arbiter of what is an “Australian film” under the Tax Act. If this is true perhaps Screen Australia will explain why such an investment fits within its Charter Of Operations, which says it “will promote an environment where audiences demand more Australian content” and that its priorities are to fund films which are “culturally relevant”?

Life of Cumberland: subbing dramas. Massive unrest at Cumberland Newspapers over the hashed transfer of regional subs to the much-touted sub-hub at Holt Street. Not only are the subs from the suburbs on lower pay scales they are also treated as second-class citizens in the hallowed halls of Holt Street. There is considerable anger that Cumberland Newspapers editor-in-chief Bob Osburn has happily washed his hands of the whole matter and walked away, leaving loyal and long-serving Cumberland subs to their fate.

Editors at the company’s newspapers have also been told in no uncertain terms of the fate that awaits them. They have been warned to be prepared to work “much, much longer” hours and include weekend shifts in their future planning due to bottlenecks in the production line — or make that sausage machine — that will be the new Cumberland subbing paradigm. Complaints by editors will not be tolerated and those who offer any differing opinions have been warned to start looking elsewhere for a job.

Also, the redesign seems to have become a “mishmash of confected wishlists”, as one editor described it. That’s what happens when focus groups are allowed to run a company and editors-in-chief seem to lose interest in their job and farm out decision making to faceless people sitting in North Sydney advertising agencies. Plenty of people at Parramatta think it’s time for changes at the very top of Cumberland before its papers lose their market share forever and the dramatic fall in readership and revenue that has been a feature of the company for the past 10 years becomes permanent.

Age pulls the plug (sorry about that). I think The Age has been reading Crikey and all the ex-subscribers’ claims that they are still receiving the paper. My paid weekend subscription was extended to include Thursday and Friday, unsolicited and at no cost to me. When I didn’t take up the extension within the specified time, it was discontinued. Sigh. No more free Green Guide for me.

Loaded questions in NewsPoll call. I was a respondent to NewsPoll on Sunday May 1. The question requiring an opinion on the introduction of a carbon tax was classic push polling. We were asked, and I paraphrase, “Would you support a carbon tax if it meant that the price of food and power would rise substantially?” The Australian reported, unsurprisingly, that only 30% said yes! Given that the question omitted any reference to the government’s promise of substantial compensation when the carbon tax is introduced, it is astonishing  that the figure in favour was as high as 30%.

SIGHTINGS: Swan’s lakeside contemplation. Treasurer Wayne Swan set off for a stroll around Lake Burley Griffin at dusk on Sunday, clearing his head for the big week ahead. He was walking alone, dressed in casual chinos and sweater tied around the waist, apparently immune to the biting cold Canberra chill.

SIGHTINGS: Latham hits Lygon. Mark Latham was carbo-loading for his remarkably agreeable spot on Andrew Bolt’s new Sunday morning TV chat-fest in Melbourne, spending a lazy Saturday at Lygon Street’s fabled Tiamo Restaurant.