Welcome to The Spy Report at Media Spy - a handy guide to what’s making news in the media industry. Our team of contributors will help keep you up to date on developments in the industry and what we’re talking about in the forums.


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Press Releases

SBS ‘losing its way’

Former prime minister Malcolm Fraser has joined a number of public figures in supporting a statement that says SBS is not only “becoming less special, but it is also losing sight of the original idea of the service”.
Others to endorse the statement include author Raimond Gaita, playwright Stephen Sewell, human rights lawyer Julian Burnside, poet […]

BigPond launches 24/7 online and mobile news

Telstra BigPond has launched Australia’s first online and mobile dedicated 24 hour news channel.The new channel, called BigPond Live TV News, is a continuous live video stream of general news, politics, finance, sport and weather. It will combine regular news bulletins with wider coverage of business, health, environment, entertainment and technology. The new channel is […]

October 10th 2008 — 2:17 pmPress Releases
Reuters drops coverage of cricket tour

Reuters will not cover the Australian cricket team’s upcoming tour if India as a result of ‘unacceptable’ terms. The international news agency says that it has failed to successfully negotiate accreditation terms with Cricket Australia and the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
In a statement, the organisation said that if an agreement is not […]

October 9th 2008 — 1:02 pmIndustry, International, Press Releases, Print, Talking Points
ACMA: Ten’s ARIA awards advertising was subliminal

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has found that Network Ten breached the commercial television industry’s Code of Practice during its coverage of the 2007 ARIA Music Awards last October.
Media Watch revealed last November that the network had inserted advertising for sponsors including Toyota, KFC, Telstra, and Olay (amongst others) which appeared on screen […]

Steve Bracks appointed ASTRA head

Former Victorian premier Steve Bracks has been appointed as the new independent chair of the pay-TV lobby group ASTRA (the Australian Subscription Television and Radio Association).
His appointment comes as the pay TV sector fights the federal government’s push to change anti-siphoning laws restricting the appearance of first-run sports programming on commercial digital multichannels.
Bracks replaces another […]

Seven to change Lotto broadcasts

Seven Network have announced changes to the way it broadcasts Lotto draws, in a move that the broadcaster says will streamline broadcasts and meet the demand all viewers.
Under a new agreement being negotiated with the Australian Lotto Bloc (operators of national Lotto games), only draws with major prizes exceeding $15 million will be broadcast, while […]

October 3rd 2008 — 1:35 pmPress Releases, Television Programmes
New Foxtel channels to launch in November

Foxtel will launch three new family-oriented channels this coming November. BBC Knowledge and CBeebies will launch on November 1 alongside Channel 111, a general entertainment channel to be based alongside the Comedy Channel in Melbourne.
BBC Worldwide anounced their intentions to bring Knowledge and CBeebies to Australia in June, while TSR reported on rumours in August […]

September 17th 2008 — 6:41 pmPress Releases, Subscription Television, Talking Points
Nine Presser: Sunday and Nightline axed… statement

The Nine Network today announced the closure of the Sunday program from Sunday, August 3, to be replaced by a weekly one-hour News bulletin on Sundays at 8.00am.
Nine’s nightly late night news program, Nightline, will also wind up tonight, with the Network scheduling more newsbreaks through the evening to provide viewers with regular news updates.
The […]

July 25th 2008 — 4:00 pmPress Releases