Broadcast Wars

About the book:

"Broadcast wars' is an explosive look at a tumultuous period (2003-2011) in Australian television as the Nine and Seven networks traded blows, new technologies emerged and old personalities and management clung on for dear life. As showbiz and media writer for both The Daily Telegraph and The Australian during this period, Michael Bodey watched it all unfold. From sneaking into the VIP section at Kerry Packer's memorial service to interviewing the personalities, such as Anna Coren, Eddie McGuire and Naomi Robson as they shone brightly and flamed out, and their chiefs, including Sam Chisholm, David Gyngell and David Leckie, Bodey was in the thick of it while also analysing the ratings and programming trends. Using interviews with the participants, thorough research and arch interpretation, 'Broadcast wars' analyses the personalities and machinations behind Australia's best-loved television: Dancing With The Stars, Underbelly, Packed To The Rafters et al. Providing readers with juicy insights into the major media events of the period, such as the Beaconsfield mine disaster, Eddie McGuire's rise and fall and Seven's ascent as the dominant network, it will also reveal the major changes in Australian television, told by the personalities who led or drove the changes. There is plenty ... [more]to cover, from a turkey slap to a boning ; from The Block to MasterChef and Big Brother to Packed to the Rafters. It is a period in which David Gyngell ran the Nine network twice and David Leckie ran two networks with spite. There are many secrets to reveal and a few scores to settle. 'Broadcast wars' is TV as it is and why it is."

My thoughts:

It never ceases to surprise me how brutal the Australian television industry is (it even amazes our UK and US cousins). Bodey documents all the main events and players in the industry since 2003 (with the exception of the ABC and SBS but they'd fill several volumes of their own) with many colour full stories. A must for anyone interested in the inner workings of the TV industry.

Open Season

About the book:"Say what you like about Jason Akermanis - footballer, showman, show-off, troublemaker - there's no denying that he's made an impression in his 15 years as an AFL star player. Now, after more than 300 games, three Premierships and a Brownlow Medal, the curtain has come down on his extraordinary career. No longer restrained by contractual obligations and free to speak at last, Aker looks at a stellar sporting career, including details of Aker's falling out with Leigh Matthews, his move to the Western Bulldogs, run-ins with fellow players, and his thoughts on the game. Interwoven throughout is the personal story of finding and reconciling with his biological father - a married man with a family of his own who lived next door. Told with trademark honesty and passion, this tell-all memoir is a must-have for all footy fans."
My thoughts:
I have to admit I had held off reading this book for some time. While Australian football does have a history of colour full characters, Aker always came across to me as something of a bighead. But after having it recommended to me by a friend I took the plunge and was pleasantly surprised.

Aker speaks openly and honestly about his time at both the Brisbane Bears/Lions and later the Western Bulldogs (neither of which came to a happy ending), even to the point where he concludes that his four years at Whitten Oval were a waste of time. Where he's made mistakes (and he has made a few) he's man enough to admit to them. In all it was a fascinating and refreshing read and probably the best book I've read in a while.

Sideshow

About the book:
After spending much of my life dedicated to the serious craft of politics, I have to admit that I am distressed by what it is becoming. Under siege from commercial pressures and technological innovation, the media are retreating into an entertainment frame that has little tolerance for complex social and economic issues. In turn, politicians and parties are adapting their behaviour to suit the new rules of the game — to such an extent that the contest of ideas is being supplanted by the contest for laughs.

The two key rules that now govern the practice of Australian politics are: (1) Look like you're doing something; and (2) Don't offend anyone who matters. These imperatives are a direct consequence of the interaction between media coverage and political activity — the aggregated outcome of countless individuals acting rationally in pursuit of their own interests. The sideshow syndrome, the overall result of these actions, is a direct threat to the nation's well-being.

My thoughts:
Part memoir, part critique. Lindsay Tanner makes some excellent observations about state of the news media in this country and it's effects on the political process, in particular on the 2010 general election (acknowledged by many as the worst campaign in living memory). It's thought provoking stuff, if a little dry in parts.

Say It with Feeling

About the book:Since his arrival in Australia from the United States in the early 1960s, Gerald Stone has been at the forefront of Australian news media from working on such legendary programs as This Day Tonight to founding executive producer of 60 Minutes.

His career has spanned the glory days of free-to-air television and made him an intimate of the most famous names in the industry – whether proprietors such as Kerry Packer and Rupert Murdoch, or stars such as Jana Wendt, Ray Martin, George Negus and Richard Carleton.

My thoughts:
I've read a few of Gerald Stone's books before and enjoyed them. But I was a little disapointed by this one. Not because it wasn't interesting, but I had the feeling I'd heard it somewhere before which  probably had. A large chunk of Stone's career was at Channel 9 and this had been covered before  in Compulsive Viewing and Who Killed Channel 9? But otherwise a good read.

The President's Vampire

About the book:

The Ultimate Secret. The Ultimate Agent. Nathaniel Cade returns. For 140 years, Nathaniel Cade has been the President's Vampire, sworn by a blood oath to protect the President and America from their supernatural enemies. Cade's existence is the most closely guarded of White House secrets: a superhuman covert agent who is the last line of defense against nightmare scenarios that ordinary citizens can only dream of. When a new outbreak of an ancient evil - one that Cade has seen before - comes to light, he and his human handler, Zach Barrows, must track down its source. To 'protect and serve' often means settling old scores and confronting new betrayals . . . as only a century-old predator can.

My thoughts:
Disappointing. I'd read the first book in this series, Blood Oath, and found it okay, but I struggled with this one. I ended up giving it away halfway through.

Fair Cop

About the book:

It's no surprise that Christine Nixon grew up to be a cop. Her father Ross brought his police work home with him often: she helped mull over crime-scene photos at the kitchen table and helped lug seized weapons in from the car. She was one of the first women in Australia to move into operational policing and ultimately became Chief Commissioner of Police in Victoria.

My thoughts:

When I heard that Nixon was publishing her memoirs I was really looking forward to reading the final work. Aside from being Australia's first female commissioner of police, she also spend a fair part of her career in the New South Wales Police Force (rising to the rank of assistant commissioner under Peter Ryan) and ended her career heading up the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority (in the wake of the Black Saturday bush fires of 2009).

I wasn't disappointed either. Nixon speaks freely and frankly about her life and career. She comes across as a decent woman who did the best job she could. And where she's make mistakes, she admits to them. My own view is I think it's really unfortunate that her reputation has been tarnished certain sections of the media. My only disappointment with the book is that she didn't spend a great deal of time covering her time in New South Wales, especially the Peter Ryan years. But that's a minor quibble in what was a very entertaining and interesting read.

The Goodies: A Tasty Second Helping

I have to admit I approached this DVD with some trepidation. It's been a while since I've seen any Goodies episodes and I was worried they wouldn't be a good as I remember.

Yes, I did enjoy this selection, especially as it's got three of my favorite episodes: Radio Goodies, Scoutrageous and Bunfight at the OK Tea Rooms. Movies is pretty good too, especially the final chase scene. I've included some clips of the best bits of each episode.



It may not be as smart or as clever as some, but I still think it's classic comedy.