Nauru police detain TVNZ reporter interviewing refugees, the Australian media goes nuts for John Millman, SBS has a position vacant, and other media tidbits of the day.
Nauru detains journalist. A TVNZ reporter was detained on Nauru for several hours yesterday after interviewing a refugee. The Kiwi broadcaster’s Pacific correspondent Barbara Dreaver was held at a police station for several hours, TVNZ reports. She was also stripped of her accreditation for the Pacific Islands Forum, but this was returned this morning.
Most of the Australian media (except News Corp) has boycotted the forum, hosted by Nauru, over its government’s decision to ban the ABC from attending. Dreaver told TVNZ in an interview that she was told she’d breached her visa conditions, and that she’d barely started interviewing the refugee in a street when three Nauru police officers turned up and took her to the police station.
In a statement, the Nauru government said Dreaver “did not follow procedures”. “We expect that some will attempt to portray this as Nauru preventing press freedom, however this is not correct,” the statement said. “Media from across the world are in Nauru and none have been restricted. Police and security agencies are genuinely concerned about safety and security risks should media take it upon themselves to enter refugee residential settlements where emotions are high.”
We’re for John. Australian tennis player John Millman’s shock win over Roger Federer at the US Open yesterday has provided a feel-good picture story for most of the nation’s newspapers this morning. The Courier-Mail — published in Millman’s home state of Queensland — is particularly excited, changing its “We’re for you” tagline to “We’re for John”.
Wanted: SBS managing director. The SBS has posted its job ad for the broadcaster’s top job, managing director. The current boss Michael Ebeid steps down next month, and is moving to Telstra. Applications for the position are open for another two weeks, and asks for an “accomplished executive and leader” to be the public face of SBS.
Save Our SBS president Steve Aujard said he hoped the successful candidate had skills broader than identified in the ad. “A key criteria for Save Our SBS is that the new Managing Director must want to, and succeed in, returning SBS to its pre-2006 state, where ads were before and after programs only, but not in them. That will focus SBS back to meeting its Charter obligations,” he said.
The revolving door. Fairfax’s Allure Media — which runs websites Popsugar, Who What Wear, Byrdie and MyDomaine Australia — has appointed Amanda Bardas as executive editor of women’s lifestyle, replacing Alison Rice, who leaves at the end of this month. Bardas will be taking the job as a promotion from her current role and editorial director in the same division.
Glenn Dyer’s TV Ratings. Nine’s night, thanks to The Block on 1.42 nationally, 1.02 million in the metros and 398,000 in the regions, dominating Tuesday night. This was helped by True Story With Hamish and Andy 1.02 million nationally. Seven’s Take Me Out is on its way to the departure lounge — 771,000 nationally, down from 859,000 on Monday night. The series has been made and wrapped, so no more. Another couple of weeks of ratings pain for Seven after Dance Boss became Dance Floss and tangoed its way to ratings oblivion. Read the rest on the Crikey website.
Concerning John Millman’s victory over Roger Federer, I draw the attention of Crikeydom to The Betoota Advocate’s headline: Australian Tennis Star Manages To Make A Name For Himself Without Being A Fuckwit. While one might disagree with that august organ’s use of capitals, the headline’s sentiments are worthy of applause.
Good on you TVNZ for having the courage to do your job properly. A rare trait these days, and one that our government hates.
Good on you TVNZ for having the courage to do your job properly. A rare trait these days, and one that our government hates.