THE NEWSROOM is on holidays, see you in 2013!
The Newsroom’s last day of operation was Friday 30 November, 2012. We will be online again in 2013.
Blogging a future in journalism
When I look at my Facebook profile I’m always disappointed: it’s boring in comparison to the social media masters I know. Nifty netizens comically update their status, post funny pictures and comment on stuff, mostly in ripping one-liners. The social side of Facebook is lots of fun but the news feed is where people get…
DetailsAWU scandal turns spotlight on the media
Julia Gillard: After months of acusation, nothing of relevance appears to have surfaced. The media usually agree on big stories but The Australian Workers’ Union (AWU) scandal has split opinion over the past weeks as several prominent journalists declared the story a dead end, while others ploughed on and on. New Matilda wrote, “The nation’s political…
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We need a cleaner Australia, no butts!
It is National Recycling Week, so what’s clogging our streets? Cigarette butts have been the leading form of litter on Australian streets for the past 15 years. City of Sydney council cleaners pick up 15,000 butts every day – just a fraction of the estimated 7 billion Australians throw away each year. According to Clean Up Australia, butts are often…
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Gambling on a $12 billion reform
Australia has the highest rate of gambling in the world with 600,000 Australians playing poker machines at least once a week. Recent research shows 18-24 year olds spend more on poker machines than any other age group. Charlie Skelly, 20, began playing poker machines when he turned 18, literally. His first bet was on his 18th birthday. He…
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US voters legalise pot, gay marriage and more
Recreational marijuana use, same-sex marriage, porn actors forced to use condoms and the death penalty were among 170 changes to state laws voted on across the United States yesterday. Both Washington state and Colorado passed bills to regulate the sale of marijuana while Oregon rejected the proposal. In Washington, it is now legal for adults to…
DetailsWhat climate change? Romney v Obama
Both US presidential candidates are campaigning on the future of America and its children, but their rhetoric about what is important to those children is very different. Before Hurricane Sandy, climate change was not a priority in the race for the White House. For the first time since 1988, climate issues were not raised during the…
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US election, “Pinocchio” or the guy with his pants on fire?
How many fibs have Barack Obama and Mitt Romney told in their campaign for the White House? “Fact checkers” have kept score for US voters making charts to explain the tall stories told. The Washington Post developed a Pinocchio rating for politicians’ statements and has published in-depth analyses into the truthfulness of their claims. Currently, Obama has a 2.1 Pinocchio rating while…
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Fundraising for Sandy
Online activist groups are using social media to raise money for the victims of Superstorm Sandy. As Rupert Murdoch pledged $1 million for relief efforts on Twitter last week another lesser known Twitter account was actively helping the victims. Occupy Wall Street joined members from 350.org, recovers.org, and interoccupy.net to create an online social media hub called Occupy Sandy.…
DetailsToxic Politics, when will it end?
Australian politics is “turbo-charged at the moment in a toxic direction“, many political commentators write that the “toxic nature of debate, the poisonous character assassinations and the absence of any positive intent has gone on long enough“.Today The Australian is echoing that call. The Chaser summarised another aspect of our ‘toxic’ political debate earlier this week when they…
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