Schwartz Media journalists banned from 7am podcast after Gaza episode prompts negative comments

The Guardian

2 days ago

Schwartz Media, publisher of the Saturday Paper, the Monthly and the Quarterly Essay, recently sold its 7am podcast to Solstice Media, with the promise its stable of journalists would still appear on the popular show.
But just a month out from the deal, the Schwartz journalists have been told they can no longer talk on the podcast.
The first episode published by the new owners was about Palestinians who were killed as they waited for aid, and a later Gaza-related episode interviewed the executive officer at the Jewish Council of Australia, Sarah Schwartz (no relation).
All appeared well asSchwartz journalists continued to make appearances on the podcast in July.
But some listener comments critical of Schwartz's coverage of the Israel-Gaza war were posted on 7am's social media pages.
Following the discovery of the public comments writers were told by Schwartz they can no longer go on the podcast and talk about their reporting – a big loss to the podcast, which has always showcased the insights of the stable.
Some of the posts Weekly Beast saw included: 'So glad you're moving away from them. Report on Palestine please'; 'Night and fucking day' and 'so glad you guys have gone independent and are now going to cover the genocide properly'.
Schwartz Media's chief executive and editor-in-chief, Erik Jensen, confirmed the direction to the writers and told Weekly Beast the decision had nothing to do with the journalism on 7am, 'which continues to be excellent'.
'It was made in response to offensive material that was left unmoderated on the show's socials.'
Solstice Media is rapidly expanding, this week buying up travel magazine Australian Traveller to add to its stable of South Australian and Queensland editions of InDaily, SA Life and the New Daily.
It will come as no surprise to anyone that the ABC's purpose is to produce content across TV, radio and online. But each managing director delivers his or her own 'new strategic direction': this week was Hugh Marks' turn. His big reveal? 'We must be a content-led organisation'.
Top of the agenda at an all-staff town hall was a set of 'refreshed ABC values', complete with colour-coded charts with four unique emojis: Aim High, Think Differently, Take Ownership and Deliver Together.
'In living these values, we always demonstrate respect, honesty and a commitment to diversity and inclusion.'
Some of the journalists in the room or on Zoom rolled their eyes at the corporate jargon; others were so bamboozled by the buzzwords they tuned out.
But to be fair to Marks, the presentation was far from former MD Michelle Guthrie's Google-style of management, which included a session in which attendees were asked to sit in a ring, select a plastic toy from the centre of the group that most represented how they felt and speak 'through' it.
There was some joy at Ultimo, however, and it was the recent success of triple j's Hottest 100 of Australian Songs, a journey through 50 years of Australian music. The event saw 3.13m live stream starts on triple j and Double J on Saturday, in addition to those listening to the countdown on broadcast.
There were over 50m views across Triple J's TikTok, Instagram and YouTube channels and more than 1.3m reads of ABC articles.
Marks was delighted. He said he lives in Paddington and he could hear the Hottest 100 parties as he walked around. He suggested TV should be involved next time. The audio chief, Ben Latimer, said the Hottest 100 was an 'incredible example of what we do well' and signalled the ABC will do more projects like it in the future.
But back to the ABC values. Marks said: 'When we do make mistakes, let's own them quickly' in what was interpreted as a nod to the disastrous decision to sack broadcaster Antoinette Lattouf. Later, during questions, Marks conceded management failed and processes were not followed in that case.
The direction to aim for quality and 'break more stories' irked reporters, who told Weekly Beast there isn't a day they aren't focused on that very task.
Two years after the Nine newspapers published the controversial Red Alert series – in which an expert panel asserted Australia faced 'the threat of war with China within three years' – Chris Uhlmann is presenting a Sky News program which appears to have a similar theme. The 'exclusive one-hour special event' is called The War Cabinet and asks: is Australia ready for war?
'Set in an immersive war cabinet environment, Uhlmann convenes a distinguished panel of former ministers, military leaders, and defence specialists to investigate if Australia is ready to defend itself and support our allies in a time of growing tensions in our region and across the world,' the blurb says.
Former ministers Alexander Downer and Joel Fitzgibbon and the former secretary of the Department of Home Affairs Michael Pezzullo have been assembled to discuss, among other things, China's increasing militarisation.
Back in 2023, Paul Keating was so incensed by the Red Alert series he called it 'the most egregious and provocative news presentation of any newspaper I have witnessed in over 50 years of active public life'.
The former Nine and ABC political correspondent even has two alumni from the Red Alert series: the executive director of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, Peter Jennings, and the retired major general Mick Ryan.
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The Australian Jewish News published a correction and apology on its social media pages this week after a news alert incorrectly named a reporter from The Australian in connection with an arson arrest
Instead of reporting the correct name of a man police had alleged was linked to the Adass Israel Synagogue arson, the AJN named young journalist Mohammad Alfares, who had written the report.
'Earlier today, we published a breaking news alert on our social media channels about an arrest connected to the Adass Israel Synagogue arson,' AJN said.
'In taking the information from an update from The Australian's website, we made a grievous error in wrongly taking the name of The Australian's journalist, Mohammad Alfares, and including it in the post as the arrested party.
'The post was removed as soon as we realised our mistake. We sincerely regret this error and the upset that it has caused for Mr Alfares and The Australian.'
We told you last week that ABC Middle East correspondent Matt Doran had warned that Palestinian journalists working with Australia's national broadcaster barely had the strength to hold a camera due to starvation.
His report came on the same day as a joint statement from BBC News, Reuters, AFP and AP which said 'it is essential that adequate food supplies reach the people' in Gaza and urged Israeli authorities to allow journalists in and out of the region.
At the aforementioned ABC town hall on Tuesday, the news director, Justin Stevens, was asked by journalists why the ABC didn't join the other news organisations in making that statement. He replied the ABC wasn't aware of it at the time but would be looking for opportunities to do so.
Following the robust questioning at the meeting, a statement was issued by Stevens on Thursday that said the ABC is 'deeply concerned' about the health and safety of stringers in Palestine.
'We're now seeing the effects of food shortages on journalists we work with, which our correspondents have reported on: The hunger crisis inside Gaza will affect the news you see about the war.
'The ABC calls on Israel to again allow international journalists to report independently from Gaza, to allow all journalists to move in and out of Gaza and to ensure journalists in Gaza are safe.'
In May the Norwegian royal house announced Princess Ingrid Alexandra will move to Australia to study at the University of Sydney, where she will live on campus while studying for a bachelor of arts.
The 21-year-old is second in line to Norway's throne after her father, the crown prince and heir apparent. The Murdoch press wasted no time publishing paparazzi shots of her before the university semester had even begun.
The Daily Telegraph framed Alexandra in an editorial as an anti-Meghan Markle figure, a 'truly normal and relatable royal'. The shot of the princess carrying a bottle of wine made the front page on Friday with the headline 'Heir to the throne of Norway kicks up her heels in Sydney'.
At news.com.au, the angle was the same: her 'tipple of choice was a $16 Italian prosecco'.
'She rocked the classic Aussie winter uniform – a minimalist navy cardigan and low-waisted, white baggy jeans,' their piece said. 'Her long brown hair was styled in an effortless middle part, and she classed up the look with a pair of gold hoop earrings.'
Which was a better description than the one offered by the Daily Mail: 'Her mousy blonde locks were tucked behind her ears and fell voluminously around her shoulders.'