Main stream media wants news blogs to pay for approval - now I've heard it all

It has been obvious for some time that the Mainstream Media is not only worried about revenue and profit margins, it is also worried about online competition from some of the larger blogs which carry a degree of credibility when it comes to political and social commentary as well as sometimes displaying an investigative element in presentation of news items.

The lure of money and wider readership has been used in the last couple of years to try and corral some well-known bloggers within the confines of 'old' media.

Now the MSM is casting its net wider and without the financial bait - it wants to invite certain websites to pay it for a credibility tick and an over the shouder policeman.

According to Mumbrella on 14 May 2009:

He also warns that the funding of the Press Council is "rapidly falling apart". This week, The Australian reported that its members were threatening to cut its budget by a third.
Kennedy suggests that a way to bridge the funding gap would be to invite news websites and other organisation to come under its remit.
He said: "For online publications, which don't have a high traffic flow, we could come up with a system similar to the Standards Association tick which is keenly sought by companies wanting to give their products credibility. We have 'street cred', built up over the past decade. For a fee, we could offer a Press Council tick, logo etc to online companies which subscribe to our principles and agree to be part of the complaints procedure. The selling attraction is that, as online news sites become more prevalent, they will be seeking some way to establish a point of difference between a credible site (Crikey.com.au, for example) and one drummed up in the garage of a bunch of anarchists."

If it wasn't so desperate a measure it would be funny.........

Image from The Wall Street Journal

Silly snark from Senator Helen Coonan

The rise in the pension age is interesting, but that does not even begin until 2017 and takes full effect in 2023 when Mr Rudd will be 67 and will have safely attained his pension age prior to the measure catching him! [Helen Coonan at the CPA Budget Breakfast on 13 May 2009]

I wonder who will tell the seriously silly Ms. Coonan that, leaving aside the staggered introduction of the new retirement age (which sees the age go up in six monthly increments), Kevin Rudd will only be 66 years of age in 2023, having been born in September 1957.

Pollies and top public servants feel the pain (at least for another four months)

This week the Remuneration Tribunal announced it has deferred its annual pay review for federal politicians and government agency heads.
Before everyone goes "Oh, that's a shame!" remember that the Chair of the Australian Communications and Media Authority - which is never happier than when it is censoring the Internet - is still comfortably off on an annual salary package of $408,560 ("Mr Christopher Chapman will receive a personal loading .... while he occupies the office") as well as getting Tier 1 travel.
Christopher Robin was until January 2006 a director of Babcock & Brown Investor Services Limited.
ACMA's Deputy Chair gets $296,260 and an Member gets $272,690, with the same travel allowance.
Of course they are not among the highest salaries paid from government coffers as the Chair of APRA comes in at a cool $603,130 each year, with a specified superannuation loading.

Joe Hockey's version of teh troof

Transcript of Opposition Treasury Spokesperson Joe Hockey's truly convoluted performance on the ABC TV 7.30 Report, 19 May 2009.

Puzzled from Ballina writes.....

Why is Joe Hockey crowing about delivering "budgets with less debt, less deficit and more jobs" when the bookies are still backing Labor to win at the next federal election and the latest Newspoll looks like this?
Even if all the uncommitted suddenly went to Turnbull, more voters would still think that he'd wouldn't make a good prime minister and probably wouldn't throw their vote in with the Libs. Perhaps Joe is hoping he'll replace Malcolm before too long and lead the party to glory.

PUZZLED
Ballina

* Guest Speak is a North Coast Voices segment allowing serious or satirical comment from NSW Northern Rivers residents. Email ncvguestpeak at live dot com dot au to submit comment for consideration.

A question for the NSW Government and Planning Minister Keneally concerning West Yamba

If Clarence Valley Council accepted a report which stated that the effects of ocean storm tides (predicted to increase due to climate change) might be felt around 16kms inland from the coast as the crow flies, why would anyone seriously consider placing another 2,000 - 2,500 people within 2kms of the coast on flood storage land at West Yamba?

Flooding in the Lower Valley is subject to influence from the ocean. Ocean storm tide consists of three components: normal astronomic tide, storm surge and wave set-up.....
This will have greatest impact on the coastal communities at Yamba and Iluka, and may also have a secondary influence on flood behaviour up to about Maclean, especially for more frequent events such as the 5 year flood.
[GRAFTON AND LOWER CLARENCE FLOODPLAIN RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN, June 2007]

Mid-North Coast producer wins gold medal in 2009 Vogue Entertaining + Travel Produce Awards

News Space reported this month on the 2009 Vogue Entertaining + Travel Produce Awards:

The complete list of winners and medallists were:

• WINNER: FROM THE DAIRY - HOLY GOAT LA LUNA, VIC
• MEDALLISTS: Woodside Cheese Wrights (SA), Ballycroft Barossa Artisan Cheese (SA), Bruny Island Cheese Co (Tas), John Bignall Tasmanian Highland Cheese (Tas), Meredith Dairy (Vic).
• WINNER: FROM THE EARTH - DAYLESFORD ORGANICS HEIRLOOM VEGETABLES, VIC
• MEDALLISTS: Cuttaway Creek raspberry vinegar (NSW), Darling Mills Farm herbs and salad leaves (NSW), Bunnyconnellen olive products (Qld), Bauer's Organic Farm sweetcorn (Qld), The Australian Caper Company (SA), Joseph olive oil (SA), Ashbolt olive oil and elderberry products (Tas), Frogmore Creek garlic (Tas), Lentara Grove olive oil (Tas), Murray River Salt (Vic), Thorogoods Cider (SA).
  
• JOINT WINNERS: FROM THE SEA - PRISTINE OYSTER FARM, SA AND SPANNER CRABS NOOSA, QLD
• MEDALLISTS: Ferguson Australia lobster products (SA), Woodbridge Smokehouse Smoked Ocean Trout (Tas), Spring Bay Mussels (Tas).
  
• WINNER: FROM THE PADDOCK - WHITE ROCKS VEAL, WA
• MEDALLISTS: Papanui eggs (NSW), Redgate Farm Jurassic Quail (NSW), Macleay Valley Rabbits (NSW), Mayura Station wagyu (SA), Pure Suffolk Lamb (SA), Daylesford Organics eggs (Vic), Sher Wagyu (Vic), Blackmore Wagyu (Vic), Glenloth Free Range squab (Vic), Castricum Brothers lamb (Vic), Green Eggs (Vic).
• WINNER: PRODUCER OF THE YEAR - HOLY GOAT, VIC
• JOINT WINNERS: THE REGIONAL AWARD - DAYLESFORD MACEDON, VIC, AND ORANGE, NSW
• WINNER: FOODHERITAGE/SUSTAINABILITY AWARD - SPRING BAY MUSSELS, TAS
• WINNER: BEST NEW PRODUCT - REDGATE FARM JURASSIC QUAIL, NSW
• WINNER: CONSISTENTLY EXCELLENT PRODUCT - BLACKMORE WAGYU, VIC
• WINNER: OUTSTANDING SUPPLIER - AUSTRALIA ON A PLATE, NSW
• WINNER: OUTSTANDING USE OF REGIONAL PRODUCE BY A CHEF - DAN HUNTER, ROYAL MAIL HOTEL, VIC
• WINNER: OUTSTANDING FARMERS' MARKET - WILLUNGA, SA
• WINNER: THE MAGGIE BEER AWARD FOR AN OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO AUSTRALIAN FOOD - STEPHANIE ALEXANDER

Congratulations to Macleay Valley Rabbits on the NSW Mid-North Coast for coming away with a well-deserved gold medal this year.