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Articles on Fairfax

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The problem with Fairfax’s “soft paywall” is that many readers may sample as much content as they can before going elsewhere. Image from www.shutterstock.com

A paywall is not enough —Fairfax must become bespoke or fail

Fairfax Media is introducing a “soft” paywall for The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald (SMH). Initially, the paywall will only affect readers outside Australia, but a domestic version will follow. Fairfax…
Neuroresearch has suggested that readers find Fairfax’s “compact” newspapers more engaging than broadsheets. AAP

Going tabloid: one way out of the red(top) for Fairfax

Much of the commentary surrounding Fairfax Media’s decision to go tabloid (or “compact”, as described by Fairfax) has centred around the perceived changes to content. Content certainly matters, but not…
The Age has gone tabloid, but missed an opportunity to be brave. AAP/Julian Smith

Fairfax shrinks in size, shrinks from hard decisions

The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald today managed the long-anticipated shrink to a tabloid format without any major loss of dignity. No shrill DIRTY ROTTEN CHEATS headlines or the like (100 drug probes…
Will reading habits change with paper size? AAP/Fairfax Media

The end of an era for Fairfax: but does size matter?

After 159 and 172 years respectively, the broadsheet tradition has ended for the weekday editions of The Age and Sydney Morning Herald (SMH). Today, both these Fairfax Media mastheads became tabloid-sized…
Fairfax chief Greg Hywood says The Guardian is not a competitive brand in Australia. AAP/Paul Miller

Fairfax delays paywall, dismisses threat from The Guardian

Fairfax chief executive Greg Hywood has dismissed the threat from the impending Australian launch of UK media group The Guardian, telling shareholders it is not a strong competitive brand in Australia…
Fairfax chairman Roger Corbett today welcomed Gina Rinehart’s investment in the company. AAP

Fairfax backs mastheads and multi-platform strategy

Fairfax Media Group has ruled out a breakup and sell off of its business, with chairman Roger Corbett telling shareholders today such a move would destroy value. In his address at today’s Annual General…
Roger Corbett told shareholders at today’s AGM that Fairfax Media was in good stead for the future, despite the price of the company’s stock falling by half its value since the beginning of the year. AAP

Fairfax’s strategy for ‘structural change’ does little to shake that sinking feeling

The Fairfax Media AGM took place in Melbourne today against a backdrop of financial meltdown in the company’s fortunes. The share price — currently at 38 cents — has halved since the beginning of the year…
Fairfax CEO Greg Hywood said that the company’s 6% decline in revenue was “disappointing” - with no expectations of recovery in the short term. AAP

Black and white and dead all over? Fairfax’s $2.7b loss suggests its future is far from rosy

Newspapers love a bold, standout headline. But not when it is about them and the news is bad. Fairfax Media today announced its annual results with a whopping headline figure of a net loss after tax of…
Gina Rinehart is seeking a board position at Fairfax. AAP

Fairfax result will make it difficult to reject Gina Rinehart: experts

Today’s major loss and writedown of mastheads and goodwill by Fairfax will make it more difficult for the company to resist the demands of major shareholder Gina Rinehart, say media experts. Fairfax has…
Newspapers are finally embracing the digital future: but what do the journalists really think of this? Image from www.shutterstock.com

Digital future or race to the bottom? What journalists really think

As major newspapers in Australia prepare to move to digital-first models, the old idea of a journalistic “priesthood” imparting wisdom to many is shifting. Our recently released survey, Journalism at the…
Under pressure: Fairfax chairman Roger Corbett has extended an olive branch to Gina Rinehart. AAP/Dean Lewins

Rinehart closes on Fairfax seats as ally joins board

Fairfax Media’s decision to offer a board seat to Jack Cowin, a close confidant of Gina Rinehart, is likely an attempt to appease the world’s richest woman - notwithstanding claims to the contrary by CEO…
If Twitter allows us to follow (and share) our interests, then can it make a reliable measure of influence for media groups? AAP/Tracey Nearmy/Twitter

How to measure influence: using Twitter to rate Australian news sites

News of significant job losses and organisational restructuring at Fairfax has thrown new spotlight onto the continuing transformation of the Australian media landscape. It’s clear that newspapers in their…
James Packer’s raid on Echo Entertainment has put Australia’s takeover laws under the spotlight. AAP

ASIC’s review of creep provisions puts corporate raiders on notice

It’s been an interesting time for Australia’s corporate watchdog. Financial manoeuvres by Gina Rinehart and James Packer, which saw them increase their holdings in Fairfax Media and Echo Entertainment…
If she is unable to gain seats on the board, Gina Rinehart can still establish a control base by initiating a takeover of Fairfax and offering a premium to shareholders. AAP

Paying a premium could shore up Rinehart’s control of Fairfax

Fairfax Media Ltd’s constitution enables the board to allocate board places in addition to the existing directors up to the maximum number of directors allowed in the constitution - not more than 12 unless…
Certain obstacles - such as Fairfax’s 51% shareholding in New Zealand incorporated company Trade me - play a role in Gina Rinehart’s decision to lower her stake in Fairfax to 15%. AAP

What’s behind Gina Rinehart’s Fairfax sell-down?

Hancock Prospecting’s explanation for selling down to 15% of Fairfax suggests it is unlikely either to bid or sell down further in the short term. Its stated reason was to clear an obstacle - arising from…
Media proprietors have complained about Federal Government plans for a public interest test - but are they using freedom of speech arguments to protect their commercial interests?

Dear media CEOs, stop meddling in our democracy

Dear media CEOs, Thanks for your recent letter to Prime Minister Julia Gillard outlining concerns some of you have about regulation of the news media industry. First a question regarding your views of…
The problems facing the Australian news media are global; our companies must start providing solutions that their readers are prepared to pay for. AAP

There’s life in them yet: why it’s too early to call the death of print

It took a while, but the Australian news industry has finally caught up with the crisis of journalism which has been affecting the rest of the world for quite some time. I say “crisis”, but let’s be clear…
The late Sir Zelman Cowen negotiated The Age’s Charter of Independence. Flickr

The Fairfax Charter: balancing media, markets and democracy

After the purchase of the London Telegraph and Evening Standard, someone asked Lord Beaverbrook why he bought it, given the apparently limited financial returns that could be expected. His answer was simple…
As the “rivers of gold”- classifieds - dry up, there are alternative revenue models emerging - although none offer a simplistic panacea to the media industry. AAP

As the ‘rivers of gold’ dry up, what business model will save media?

Journalists have never been particularly fond of advertising or advertisers – to most journalists, advertising was space and time taken away from good stories and advertisers were commercial interests…

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