Over the next month, Crikey will be publishing birthday messages from a few prominent Australians — today it’s ABC managing director Mark Scott:
The RBA just turned 50, Lateline 20 and now Crikey is 10. A big week for the national icons.
Crikey is, of course, a little more respectable these days. It was hard to imagine years ago that a Crikey email would one day contain bylines such as Eric Beecher, Richard Farmer and Margaret Simons. Even Stephen Mayne seems to have mellowed a bit, although he remains exceedingly tall.
Like many in the Australian politico-media complex, I do develop a Pavlovian twitch about 1.30 when the latest espistle from Crikey Central hits the inbox. And when it lands, it can entertain, dismay and annoy (particularly on a Blackberry — it is really hard to read on a Blackberry).
But I have to admit, no matter how many former editors we recruit, Crikey continues to break plenty of stories, can set a robust news agenda — and gets less outrageously wrong than it once did. It fills a place in the media landscape like no other. It is almost mainstream.
And in this era, you have got to admire an organisation that can get an internet pay model to work — needing no government funding and no cross-subsidies from the Avatar division. It is quite impressive. I understand Sophie Black now wants Crikey to bid to run Australia Network.
First Dog also wants a TV show, but I am not sure the nation is ready for the artistic hound.
Mark Scott
Yes, a note to the web-designers, *PLEASE* make a mobile readable version of Crikey.
[First Dog also wants a TV show, but I am not sure the nation is ready for the artistic hound.]
In our dreams Scotty.
Last heard of, that bloody dog was seen peeing on the ice and howling Waltzing Matilda during the curling at Vancouver. 🙂
Thank you Mark Scott for pointing out the absurd situation most of us face trying to read Crikey on our damned Blackberry’s. Imagine paying full price for a newspaper and then only being able to read the front few pages until you can get to a desk, often days later when the edition is out of date. Don’t take it as a criticism. Take it as a sign of how much we like to read your stuff.
A generous tribute Mr Scott, though 10 years is hardly enough to achieve iconic status. Yet how many other modern media moguls will be offering their congratulations, I wonder? Where’s Mr Murdoch (or his minions)?