General Press Release No. 278 (May 2007)

Annual Address 2007:
Newspapers and the challenge of the Internet

David Kirk, the CEO of Fairfax Media, will deliver the Australian Press Council's 2007 Annual Address at a media lunch to be held on Thursday 10 May in Sydney. His Address is entitled: "Convergence: The Print Media, the New Media and Press Freedom".

Mr Kirk's speech covers several issues that have seen Fairfax Media in the news in recent weeks:

• The merger with Rural Press is the first major industry restructure following the recent introduction of new rules governing cross-media ownership.
   
• Plans to reduce the width of their broadsheet newspapers address issues of the future of the traditional print model.
   
• Reports on the increase in traffic visiting their newspaper Internet sites and controversies about blogs within newspaper websites (and the standards that should apply) spotlight the issues affecting the mainstream press as they branch into on-line delivery of news and comment.
   
• The AFR Access experiment raises questions about the possibilities of successful commercialisation of the Internet.

In general Mr Kirk's address will look at the evolution of Fairfax Media into a digital media company in a time of convergence and deregulation, and key issues affecting press freedom in the context of an election year.

The Lunch will be held from 1230 pm in the Ballroom, Four Points by Sheraton, 161 Sussex Street, Sydney, with the Address to start at about 1.15 pm.

After the Address, there will be the opportunity for questions to the speaker and some audience discussion of the issues raised. The Annual Address is one of the events organised by the Council to encourage discussion of matters related to the freedom and the responsibility of the press.

The Australian Press Council comprises representatives of the public and of the industry and acts to preserve the freedom, and the responsibility, of the Australian press by dealing with complaints about the content of publications (including the Internet sites of its member publications) and by making representations to governments (and others) about threats to press freedom. It was founded in July 1976 and has been in continuous operation for over 30 years.

Members of the public are invited to the lunch. The cost is $80/head (with tables of eight for $500). Bookings (info@presscouncil.org.au) are required.

See also
The transcript of Mr Kirk's speech

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