“Nine Has The Ethics Of An Alley Cat”: Ex-PM Paul Keating Slams Fairfax Takeover

“Nine Has The Ethics Of An Alley Cat”: Ex-PM Paul Keating Slams Fairfax Takeover

Former Prime Minister Paul Keating has let fly on the Nine-Fairfax merger, dishing out some scathing criticism of the TV broadcaster’s approach to news management.

In a column on The Guardian, Keating described the takeover deal as “an exceptionally bad development” in Australia’s media landscape, and warned what will happen if Nine – who holds the majority stake in the new entity – runs the editorial policy.

“The problem with this is that, in terms of news management, Channel Nine, for over half a century, has never other than displayed the opportunism and ethics of an alley cat,” he wrote.

“There has been no commanding ethical or moral basis for the conduct of its news and information policy.

“Through various changes of ownership, no one has lanced the carbuncle at the centre of Nine’s approach to news management. And, as sure as night follows day, that pus will inevitably leak into Fairfax.

“For the country, this is a great pity.”

However, Keating wasn’t done there, with the former PM putting his boot even further into Nine, in an appearance on ABC’s 7.30 last night.

“Channel 9 is such a low-brow outfit. I have said, cheque book journalism, not foot-in-the-door journalism,” he said.

“It’s a low-brow show and it always has been. And people who have worked there have been happy to take the money working for a low-brow outfit.”

Nine declined to comment when contacted by B&T.




Please login with linkedin to comment

    Latest comments
    1. OMG – the recession we had to have and the man who coined a “conga line of suckholes”… he champ I was around when you screwed Australias middle class senseless – Fairfax deserves to die . It has been on life support via Domain and not its “brilliant” journalism . Die SMH and Age your faux integrity and values is about to become a game show for Nine – and if your lucky Go :)))))

Fairfax Nine Paul Keating

Latest News

Fast 10: Scoundrel’s Tim Bullock Explains What Shane Warne & Salt-N-Pepa Have In Common
  • Advertising

Fast 10: Scoundrel’s Tim Bullock Explains What Shane Warne & Salt-N-Pepa Have In Common

In this latest instalment of the Fast 10 series, Greg ‘Sparrow’ Graham chats with Tim Bullock, director and founder of production house Scoundrel. You know Bullock’s work, even if you don’t know his name, having directed huge spots for the likes of VB and Toyota, working with creative agencies such as The Monkeys and Saatchi […]

Outbrain Snatches Chris Oxley From Foxtel Media
  • Advertising

Outbrain Snatches Chris Oxley From Foxtel Media

Outbrain has appointed Chris Oxley as the country manager for Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. Bringing over 18 years of experience in digital media, Oxley will lead the charge in driving the expansion of Outbrain’s advertising business across ANZ and Singapore. In his role, Oxley will oversee the development and implementation of Outbrain’s commercial strategy […]

oOh!media & POLY Partner With Greening Australia For OOH Awareness Campaign
  • Campaigns

oOh!media & POLY Partner With Greening Australia For OOH Awareness Campaign

To mark oOh!media’s community partnership with Greening Australia, creative and innovation hub, POLY has developed a two-phase campaign that leverages weather triggers and dynamic digital executions to drive brand awareness and donations. Greening Australia is a national not-for-profit organisation with over 40 years of experience restoring Australia’s diverse landscapes and protecting biodiversity. oOh! announced its […]

Are Media Cares For The Carers In Its Latest Social Change Campaign
  • Campaigns

Are Media Cares For The Carers In Its Latest Social Change Campaign

Are Media together with Carers Australia and a coalition of carer support and advocacy groups, are joining forces to call on both the Federal Government and the Opposition to add superannuation to the fortnightly Carers Payment. Last month, The Inquiry into Unpaid Carers recommended the Australian Government consider options to incentivise and recognise the impact […]

In A Fragmented World, Engagement Is King
  • Partner Content

In A Fragmented World, Engagement Is King

Media executives from Australia’s top agencies sat down with B&T TV to discuss how media fragmentation is impacting advertising spend. Few will deny that measurement is key when it comes to deciding where to allocate ad dollars. With media more fragmented than ever, which metrics to use is less clear. As Nik Doble, Mindshare’s national […]

Partner Content

by B&T Magazine

B&T Magazine
Sydney Comedy Festival: Taking The City & Social Media By Storm
  • Media

Sydney Comedy Festival: Taking The City & Social Media By Storm

Sydney Comedy Festival 2024 is live and ready to rumble, showing the best of international and homegrown talent at a host of venues around town. As usual, it’s hot on the heels of its big sister, the giant that is the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, picking up some acts as they continue on their own […]

Global Marketers Descend For AANA’s RESET For Growth
  • Advertising

Global Marketers Descend For AANA’s RESET For Growth

The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) has announced the final epic lineup of local and global marketing powerhouses for RESET for Growth 2024. Lead image: Josh Faulks, chief executive officer, AANA  Back in 2000, a woman with no business experience opened her first juice bar in Adelaide. The idea was brilliantly simple: make healthy […]