At a time when PM Julia Gillard has urged journalists not to "write crap, " the nation knee -deep in excreta which fraudulently poses as "news", a welcome development in the Australian media scene will be the launch in February of GLOBAL MAIL , an online venture designed to produce public interest journalism. Backed by internet entrepreneur and philanthropist,Graeme Wood , its editor- in- chief will be former ABC journalist , Monica Attard, winner of five Walkley Awards Attard also hosted the ABC's Media Watch for two years.
Attard has attracted former ABC colleagues Ellen Fanning and Stephen Crittenden to the team . Another interesting member is Mike Bowers , former Sydney Morning Herald chief photographer, presenter of the entertaining TALKING PICTURES weekly round up of political pix on the popular ABC’s INSIDERS . Wood has guaranteed Global Mail for five years for up to $20million , saying he is worried by the decline of good journalism. He donated $1.6 million to the Greens before the last federal election , the largest individual political donation in Australian history. He also gave $15million to set up the Global Change Institute think tank at the University of Queensland. The funding model of Global Mail is based on Pulitzer Prize –winning US website propublica.org which kicked off in 2007 with a $30million gift from billionaire philanthropists Herb and Marion Sandler. Global Mail , with a yearly budget of $3million, will have a staff of 17 and provide investigation , analysis and colour , updated each day.
Attard has attracted former ABC colleagues Ellen Fanning and Stephen Crittenden to the team . Another interesting member is Mike Bowers , former Sydney Morning Herald chief photographer, presenter of the entertaining TALKING PICTURES weekly round up of political pix on the popular ABC’s INSIDERS . Wood has guaranteed Global Mail for five years for up to $20million , saying he is worried by the decline of good journalism. He donated $1.6 million to the Greens before the last federal election , the largest individual political donation in Australian history. He also gave $15million to set up the Global Change Institute think tank at the University of Queensland. The funding model of Global Mail is based on Pulitzer Prize –winning US website propublica.org which kicked off in 2007 with a $30million gift from billionaire philanthropists Herb and Marion Sandler. Global Mail , with a yearly budget of $3million, will have a staff of 17 and provide investigation , analysis and colour , updated each day.
It already has five foreign correspondents,including Wood’s stepson, Nick Olle, son of the late ABC journalist , Andrew Olle , seen on assignment in Darwin, once when the ABC management refused to allow him to talk on the "illegal" radio with East Timor. Global Mail will not charge readers , not sell ads. Updates will be run in Little Darwin.
