Newsletter
Newsletter 560
Tuesday, October 8th, 2024 Newsletter,“Pursuing new digital strategies…” Having been (allegedly) superseded by “new digital strategies” at the Sydney Morning Herald, I’ve decided it’s high time to pursue my own on-line re-invention. As of this week I’m shifting my mailouts to Substack, which is not only an Internet mailing service, but an intellectual community of writers who have decided […]
Newsletter 559
Saturday, September 28th, 2024 Newsletter,“Blessed are the meek,” Matthew 5:5, “for they shall inherit the earth”. A contemporary variation might read: “Blessed are the mediocre, for they shall inherit the media.” For those who have been wondering what the Sydney Morning Herald will do to replace the dedicated art column that has been a feature of the weekend paper […]
Newsletter 558
Friday, September 20th, 2024 Newsletter,Dear Gerry Harvey, I can’t help noticing the huge role your business, Harvey Norman, plays in the Sydney Morning Herald nowadays. In fact, with the diminishing amount of actual journalism, and fewer journos to write stories, you may be the newspaper’s major source of content! With this in mind, I feel I should alert you […]
Newsletter 557
Thursday, September 12th, 2024 Newsletter,Much as I’d love to riff on the Harris-Trump debate, which made for rivetting TV entertainment this week, I have some big personal news. After more than 40 years the Sydney Morning Herald has decided to dispense with my services. I can’t say I’m surprised, as I’ve felt out-of-step with the direction the paper has […]
Newsletter 556
Sunday, September 8th, 2024 Newsletter,One story that has been unfolding over the past three weeks, and getting steadily more bizarre, is the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra’s stoush with piano virtuoso, Jayson Gilham. To recap briefly, on 11 August, as part of an MSO solo recital, the pianist played a piece called Witness, written by his friend, Connor D’Netto, in honour […]
Newsletter 555
Monday, September 2nd, 2024 Newsletter,It’s widely believed the media today is a toothless tiger, lacking the will to go after any big story. Therefore, one can only admire the boundless energy and determination of teen reporter, Nancy Drew (writing in Australia under the pen name, Gabriella Coslovich). After relentlessly hammering away at a story accusing the National Museum of […]
Newsletter 554
Monday, August 26th, 2024 Newsletter,Looking at the works assembled by Deutscher and Hackett for their auction on 28 August, among the highlights were three small sculptures by Bertram Mackennal – Circe (c.1902-04), Truth (1894) and Salome (1897). Although not much talked about today, Mackennal (1863-1931), may well be the most internationally successful Australian artist of all time. This was […]
Newsletter 553
Monday, August 19th, 2024 Newsletter,It’s amazing what stories exercise the mind of the Australian media and public. I thought we’d heard enough about the Raygun saga last week, but it seems we’ve only just got started. While the outrageous destruction of the Powerhouse Museum continues apace, with the complicity of a state Labor government that has betrayed its promises […]
Newsletter 552
Monday, August 12th, 2024 Newsletter,Returning to my hotel after the awards ceremonies for the NATSIAA in Darwin, I flipped on the TV to idly watch the Olympics. Half asleep, I suddenly found myself electrifed by Raygun’s performance in the women’s Breaking. It’s not surprising to learn this little Aussie battler has “broken the Internet” with her efforts. Raygun made […]
Newsletter 551
Monday, August 5th, 2024 Newsletter,Even though I haven’t been sitting up all night watching obscure sports I’ve never followed before, if I start watching the Olympics, I still find it hard to tear myself away from the screen. I’m sure a lot of people have the same problem. There’s something incredibly sticky and addictive about the games, although in […]