UNEXPURGATED , ILLUSTRATED BROADSIDE AUTOPSY

Demise   set   back  Australian  media ,  freedom  of  expression,  democracy  

 

As promised , the  autographed  last edition  of  the  brave  l969 magazine , Broadside , edited by  Pete Steedman , arrived   inside   an official   envelope  bearing his  title  from the time   when  he was the ALP Member for  Casey , Victoria ,  in  the   l983  Hawke Government . It  was  either  a challenge to  the Guinness  Book  of  Records for the slowest   delivery of  the  Royal Mail   or  else   Steedman   is  a   hoarder , a  recycler , we   summise  the  latter .   

Broadside was  pulled and pulped by David Syme and Company  Limited, publishers of  The Age,  Melbourne , supposedly because of  an anti Vietnam War  drawing   which  showed  a  naked  man with a  25 pounder  field gun  as  his  genitalia, even  using  it to slope arms,   near  an  article  dealing  with  the  nation's defence .

It was also deemed on  high , the  Melbourne Club included   ?,   the  issue promoted   ALP  rising  star   Gough  Whitlam , an  election looming .   While Whitlam and the Australian Labor Party  received considerable coverage in  Broadside  , a  two-page Leunig  cartoon portrayed  Gough in more  positions  than  the Karma Sutra   in  a boxing match  with  Prime Minister  John  Gorton , unable to land a blow  on the PM  ,  the  bout ending  when Jolly John  kicked  him  in  the  groin,  possibly the Caucus  as well.

Ouch!

In no way could  this  be  seen  as  promoting Whitlam . On page 13 there was  disturbing  news that  Fabula needed help .  She , of course , was the  curvaceous , whip wielding,  very close   personal  assistant  to  the  leader of  a  great Southern Continent  , the comic  strip said to be a  thinly veiled   reflection of Australian politics  .  Due to  circumstances  beyond the control of Broadside, it  said Gerald Carr , who drew the "out- of- control"  strip,  was   departing . It was the old story ,  make them a star and they leave you . Broadside urgently needed  an  illustrator  to continue Fabula  in her present   form .  Cartoonists of the world were urged  to unite, they had  nothing  to  make  but  money . It has been pointed out  by a sharp eyed  individual   that  the  book end  figurine  above the PM writing  his  memoirs  in the Fabula  strip below  has  an uncanny resemblance  to former  Australian  PM   Sir Robert Menzies  in  his  clobber  as  Lord Warden   of   the  Cinque Ports .

 

However the  whips  were wielded in The Age corridors of power ,  Steedman  was  lashed , departed  and  patriotic  Fabula   never  got  another  chance to  come  to the  aid  of  the  PM  and  the  nation . 

 

The  back cover of  the   last edition of the  fortnightly Broadside   was a  full page advertisement  for   another doomed  David Syme   venture  Newsday , contributors included   Dame  Zara  Bate ,formerly married to  PM Harold Holt , Bill Peach , Johnny Young  of the Top 30 ,  Michael Leunig , John O'Grady ( author of They're a Weird Mob) , Lindy Hobbs   of  the  young  pop scene , fashion writer   Pat Von Wolff.

Newsday had been planned  as a  Sunday, but because  print unions would not work on Saturdays  and newsagents  did not open on the  sabbath, it was launched as  a daily afternoon paper on  September 30, l969 , up  against the  long established Melbourne Herald.

 

It ran into circulation problems  and after extensive marketing  closed  in May 1970, putting  67 journalists out of work , including  Cameron Forbes, Lindy Hobbs, Jack Darmoudy , Phil Cornford, Bruce Wilson, Piers Ackerman and , Mike  Sheahan.  A few weeks after Newsday  was  closed,  David  Syme's launched   the  Sunday  Observer .

 

Using  colourful,  non-medical  terms, Pete Steedman  recently  explained   factors which led to the  death  of  both  Broadside  and Newsday .  In  the case of Broadside, he had  wanted it to be a  broadsheet newspaper, Broadside and  broadsheet  going  together in  his mind  . Instead , it had been decided by others  that  it  be in the small magazine  format . As  explained earlier in this blog , he ran the  show on the smell of  an oilrag , failed to receive the promised  company advertising support ,  and  he  almost  plaited  Fabula's whip, as well  as  writing the script for  her  well  read  frolics . 

  

In the case of  ill fated Newsday venture, he had warned  David Syme's managing director , Ranald  Macdonald , about the  problem of  Sunday  sales  outlets.   Losses  in the failed ventures had enabled the Sydney  Fairfax newspaper organisation,  with  a  small  shareholding in the company , to eventually  take over The Age .

UPCOMING: Reading the  Broadside entrails and  Bob  Dylan's  nasty experience  in  Melbourne .