Bias at Four Corners — a Crikey reader writes: Very surprised that no-one seems to have noticed the most demonstrable piece of bias in last Monday’s Four Corners program on Muslim youth and associated issues — that is, NONE of the white critics of the Muslim community were identified. Not one. Not even the older woman who expressed moderate views. This was an undeniable attempt by Four Corners to de-humanise and de-personalise the local residents, thereby diminishing their views and credibility. Yet every Muslim interviewed was identified or captioned, as they should have been. This stark difference in handling interviewees was either undeniable bias, or gross incompetence on the part of Four Corners. There is no other explanation.

Face it, newsprint is dying: I am often accused of taking too negative a view of the future of newspapers. One commenter this week said I should stick up for our own trade instead of appearing to relish its death. But, as I said in response, I am merely recording what is happening and, based on that reality, predicting what will happen. In the face of the depressing truth, even if I was to “talk up” newspapers, it wouldn’t make a blind bit of difference. — Greenslade, The Guardian

CNN’s consumer generated news: Long providing an opportunity for viewers to send in videos, text messages, camera phone videos, comments and photos through an area called iReport, CNN.com has launched a true consumer generated news portal. It has its own url as ireport.com This is completely different from what iReport had been, which had solicited contributed content, then edited it to essentially augment main CNN coverage. The site provides members with the opportunity to upload and share much like most video sharing sites. Also, like video sharing sites like YouTube, DailyMotion, Blip.tv, etc, it allows users to create distinct channels. — Beet.TV

Armani banned me: Giorgio Armani does not want me at his fashion shows. In a letter to my editor earlier this month, he cites my “unnecessarily sarcastic comments” about his friends and family in a review of his last couture show and notes that I have “rarely found positive remarks” to make about his ready-to-wear collections, and then surmises that I have “an embedded preconception.” He concludes: “Going forward therefore, I see no real merit in inviting Cathy Horyn to my women’s shows.” The subject of banning journalists from fashion shows seems as quaint as the practice itself, neither a commendation to the industry nor a badge of honor to the critic. Indeed, fashion is the only creative field that attempts to bar the news media. — Cathy Horyn, The New York Times

Sorry, not enough hits: Gawker’s bloggers are paid a flat rate in anticipation of a target number of pageviews. Denton refuses to disclose this sum, but it is rumoured to be $7.50 per thousand views. Those who exceed the target are rewarded. Those who fail meet the same fate as Shnayerson. It’s a form of individualist remuneration which would be impossible in print-dominated media where no one can be sure – beyond anecdotal evidence and the occasional irate letter to the editor – whether anyone is reading it. — Media, The Guardian 

Last night’s TV ratings
The Winners: 11 programs with a million or more viewers. Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares, 1.527 million on Nine at 8.30pm. Seven News was next with 1.355 million and Today Tonight was third with 1.256 million. The Footy Shows averaged 1.235 million and Home And Away averaged 1.163 million at 7pm. Law And Order SVU averaged 12.142 million at 8.30pm for Ten and The 7pm ABC News averaged 1.068 million. Getaway was 8th at 7.30pm for Nine with 1.065 million, The Amazing Race finished on Seven in the 7.30pm slot with 1.046 million and Nine News was 10th with 1.045 million. Ten’s The Biggest Loser was 11th with 1.027 million at 7pm.

The Losers: Lost on Seven. 691,000. Dead and needs to be put on late on a Saturday night or sometime where the desperates will only watch. Saving Kids on Ten at 7.30pm: 797,000. Nice stories. That’s all. A Current Affair: 986,000. For the second Thursday in a row it fell under a million viewers. Tonight it celebrates 5,000 episodes. The comparisons between now and 20 years, even 10 years ago won’t be kind to the current version and Tracy Grimshaw. Out Of The Question, 671,000 at 8.30pm, beaten by Family Guy at 9pm with 711,000 (Which also beat Lost).

News & CA: Seven News and Today Tonight won nationally and in every market. Seven news won by 310,000, TT won by 270,000. Nine News and TT were again under 300,000 viewers in Sydney. Ten News is getting mow 18 to 49 viewers than Nine News is on some nights, and its also strong in 25 to 54s. Last night Ten News (which is on from 5pm to 6pm) was within 200,000 of Nine News nationally. Nine News and ACA have been weakest in Sydney and Perth (Perth is a basket case). Nine’s Nightline after the Footy Shows averaged 523,000. Ten News At Five averaged 854,000. The Late News/Sports Tonight, 397,000. The 7pm ABC news beat Nine in Sydney for second spot in the most watched list, while it beat Seven and Nine in Melbourne with 357,000 vs 339,000 for Seven and 314,000 for Nine. The 7.30 Report averaged 797,000 (it was within 11,000 of ACA in Sydney!). Lateline averaged 277,000; Lateline Business, 150,000 And when is Tony Jones going to stop leaning to the right, (almost overbalancing) when talking to the camera or doing interviews? He looks like he might fall asleep. World News Australia averaged 133,000, 176,000 for 9.30pm. 7am Sunrise, 402,000, 7am Today 278,000.

The Stats: Nine won 6pm to 12 midnight with 32.5% (31.0%) from Seven with 24.3% (25.2%), Ten with 22.7% (22.5%), the ABC with 15.8% (16.7%) and SBS with 4.6% (unchanged). Nine won all five metro markets. Seven leads the week 28.5% to 28.0%. Will the NRL push Nine home to tonight? In regional areas a win to WIN/NBN with 31.4%, with Southern cross (ten) second with 25.4%, Prime/7Qld with 23.7%, the ABC with 14.4% and SBS with 5.2%. Fusion Strategy said Nine won 6pm to 10.30pm with 26.16% (24.56%% a year ago) from Seven with 20.92% (23.42%), Ten with 19.60% (20.62%), Pay TV with 15.27% (15.21%), the ABC with 13.91% (11.46%) and SBS with 3.90% (4.73%). Pay TV’s share Saturday night will pick up with the first of the NRL games for the year.

Glenn Dyer’s comments: The Footy Shows came back last night and did the business for Nine. But the NRL program in Sydney and Brisbane is facing a tough year simply because it was more of the same old stunts, pratfalls and poor taste. There was little football related material in the first 30 minutes or so. A brief mention of the game between Brisbane and the Gold Coast (the program was broadcast from the Gold Coast) and nary a mention of the game the Sydney and most NSW fans will see. Souths and Easts. Lead host, Paul Vautin is now living on the Gold Coast. Let’s hope Nine remembers the NRL has lots of clubs in Sydney, and one in Melbourne who are the premiers. The success of Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares (except for the language which is appalling and should require it to be on at 9.30pm) last night shows up the paucity of thinking and production ideas with Nine’s The Chopping Block the night before. Ramsay is one restaurant and it’s him against the owner/s, That’s where the conflict comes: it’s him pushing someone to improve. The Chopping Block is a childish them against us with a food critic and a chef. Ramsay works because in the end there is a good result: there’s a solid story line and you don’t take sides. It’s overwhelming superiority is why Nine is now running both series (Nightmares and Nightmares USA) each week. Is Nine really that short of ideas, or is this just to cover us until Easter is over. The latter I think. Ramsay did very well in Melbourne with 523,000 and outrated the returning AFL Footy Show (462,000). Don’t tell me Melbournians take food more seriously than the Footy, or did they think they were watching Underbelly?

Source: OzTAM, TV Networks, Fusion Strategy reports