The Bulletin was hailed as Australia’s “most respected” news magazine. It had a 128 year old history. Some of Australia’s top journalist and famous authors contributed to it. So what happened to sink such a prestigious old vessel?
There’s been a lot of buzz around the death of the Bulletin in the past 12 hours, but the emergent theme is that the internet killed it. Why would people wait a week for in-depth news and commentary when they have the internet? one pundit pondered. Why indeed?
But it has to be more than just the internet that did it in — after all, it DID have a web site.
The political writers contributing to the Bulletin were the same people contributing to mainstream broadcast television and conglomerate-owned newspapers. The Bulletin had a web site, but obviously it wasn’t enough to capture our attention.
The internet provides on tap news and information as it happens, commentary from a vast range of sources and the ability to challenge what’s written and conduct research on facets of the article you feel need more explanation. Plus the variety of writing style, reporting style and opinion available from professionals available online.
I get my news from a variety of sources. I watch the ABC to find out what’s happening locally. I listen to ABC news on the way to work. I scan the local paper for sales and local events. And I keep an eye on the news feeds I have coming in from several different sources for technology news, world news, education commentary, online events and news on innovations from fresh resources not beholden to big business interests. I tap into podcasts for interviews with people of interest to me.
Where do you get your news about the world, your local area, education, technology or other issues of interest to you? And would you wait a week for it to come out in print?
3 Comments
The Bulletin changed its role a lot in that 128 years Kerry. It was firmly linked to the nationalist fervour in the 1880s and 1890s that preceded Federation, and often published poetry and stories from people such as Henry Lawson and Banjo Paterson.
Certainly it has been looking for a niche for some time.
There is a potted history at http://www.theage.com.au/text/articles/2008/01/24/1201157560401.html
I had an interesting conversation with someone recently - who was very shocked when I told them that I didn’t read the newspaper or watch the news of the TV.
‘So how do you find out about what’s happening?’
Well - I listen to 5 mins of morning radio news before I get out of bed (and the occasional news item whilst driving - if I can convince the kids to ’shush’ for a sec) - and if there’s anything else that’s topical - I get it from my networks - my f2f and my online networks.
It was through Twitter that I recently heard about Heath Ledger. It was through email that I heard about the passing of a dear colleague. It was through a coffee & chat that I heard about the young lad who’s attracted a lot of media attention for his YouTube party invitation, which enticed 500 guests….
I think the way information is shared is changing - and the power of who is sharing it is changing. Perhaps the Bulletin just hasn’t worked that out yet?
My bookmarks bar and daggy ABC news radio on the a.m. dial keep me up to date. My ritual is The Age (i will NEVER buy the newspaper!), The Herald-Sun, BBC RSS feed, The Guardian (their technology in education section is ok) and then, the Australian. I think that it is interesting that I wouldn;t normally look at these newspapers in hardcopy - I am just interested to see what is deemed newsworthy as such.
The only news section that i wait to come out in print AND pay for is the arts section of The Financial Review (Australia) or maybe (just maybe) The Guardian Weekly for the quality of the writing!
If there is others that I should be opening my wallet for - i would love to know!
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