Media Watch is an Australian television series screening on the ABC. It currently screens from 9.15pm to 9.30pm on Monday, repeated on Wednesday at 11.50pm. Despite the limitations of this timeslot and its small production budget, it has been one of the most controversial and influential programs on Australian TV since its appearance in 1989. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is Australias national public broadcaster. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Media Watch's fans view it as a watchdog of the Australian media, seeking out and exposing journalistic failings and vested interests. Its detractors view it as an example of left-wing bias at the ABC, and have pointed to the fact that recent presenter David Marr was a journalist with The Sydney Morning Herald on leave. In politics, left-wing, political left, leftism, or simply the left, are terms which refer (with no particular precision) to the segment of the political spectrum typically associated with any of several strains of socialism, social democracy, or liberalism (especially in the American sense of the word), or with opposition... David Marr (born in Sydney 1947) is an Australian journalist and author. ... The Sydney Morning Herald is a prestigious and important newspaper in Australia, published daily in Sydney, the most populous city in Australia. ...

The show's presenters have taken some pride in the vehemence of the criticism it attracts; at one point, the opening credits were made up of a montage of such criticisms, prominently featuring a description of original presenter Stuart Littlemore as a 'pompous git'. More recently, in 2002 the then-editor of The Daily Telegraph, Campbell Reid, sent Marr a dead fish; a replica of it is now presented by the show as an annual "trophy" for bad journalism (in particular plagiarism, for which Reid was frequently criticised). 2002 (MMII) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Daily Telegraph is a tabloid newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, by Rupert Murdochs News Corporation. ... Plagiarism refers to the use of anothers information, language, or writing, when done without proper acknowledgment of the original source. ...

This ability to generate controversy even brought the show to a temporary end. Host Paul Barry was controversially sacked in 2000, and the program was itself axed in 2001 by Jonathon Shier, the head of the ABC. However, in early 2002, after Shier was himself sacked in equally controversial circumstances, the show returned with Marr as the new host. Paul Barry is an Australian journalist. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ...

The series initially presented a roughly even mix of amusing gaffes (such as miscaptioned photographs) and more serious criticism. Over the years, the emphasis has shifted towards the latter, although the show often begins or ends with a more humorous piece.

No part of the media is entirely safe from Media Watch, and it is a frequent critic of its own network, the ABC. During David Marr's tenure, the show often criticised his employer John Fairfax Holdings. The program has repeatedly targeted influential talkback radio hosts such as Alan Jones and John Laws, and the Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA), for their roles in cash for comment stories - accepting money from commercial interests in exchange for favourable editorial, without disclosing this sponsorship to listeners. It has persistently criticised the ABA as impotent or unwilling to police broadcasting media, and to properly scrutinise such figures as Jones and Laws; in 2004 Media Watch played a major part in forcing the resignation of ABA head David Flint, after it was discovered that Flint had sent Jones admiring and effusive letters at a time when the ABA was investigating Jones on allegations of cash for comment. John Fairfax Holdings Limited is an Australian-based newspaper publisher. ... Talk radio is a radio format which features discussion of topical issues. ... Alan Jones AO (b. ... John Laws (born August 8, 1935) is a prominent radio presenter in Australia whose on-air charm has earned him the nickname Golden Tonsils. He has won more awards than any other Australian radio presenter . ... The Australian Broadcasting Authority (commonly called the ABA in Australia) is an agency of the Australian federal government, responsible for regulating the television, radio, and Internet industries. ... The cash for comment affair was an Australian scandal that broke in 1999, concerning paid advertising in radio that is presented to the audience in such a way as to sound like editorial commentary. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Professor David Flint AM is a prominent Australian legal academic, best known for his controversial tenure as head of the Australian Broadcasting Authority and as one of Australias most prominent and enthusiastic monarchists, in opposition to Australian republicanism. ...

In November 2004, host David Marr announced his intention to step down as host of the program, and return to mainstream journalism. On February 2, 2005, former Four Corners reporter Liz Jackson was announced as Marr's replacement. Liz Jackson announced that she was returning to Four Corners in 2006 after Media Watch began it's 2005/06 summer break, a new host will be annonced before Media Watch returns in early 2006. For other uses, see November (disambiguation). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... February 2 is the 33rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Four Corners is Australias longest-running and most respected investigative journalism/current affairs television program. ... Liz Jackson is an Australian journalist, formerly working on the Four Corners program, who now hosts (as of 2005) Media Watch on Australian TV. Category: Australia biography stubs ... Liz Jackson is an Australian journalist, formerly working on the Four Corners program, who now hosts (as of 2005) Media Watch on Australian TV. Category: Australia biography stubs ... Four Corners is Australias longest-running and most respected investigative journalism/current affairs television program. ...

Hosts

• Stuart Littlemore (1989-1998)
• Richard Ackland (1998-1999)
• Paul Barry (1999-2000)
• David Marr (2002-2004)
• Liz Jackson ([[2005])

1989 (MCMLXXXIX) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1998(MCMXCVIII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... 1998(MCMXCVIII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) is a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... Paul Barry is an Australian journalist. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) is a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... David Marr (born in Sydney 1947) is an Australian journalist and author. ... 2002 (MMII) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Liz Jackson is an Australian journalist, formerly working on the Four Corners program, who now hosts (as of 2005) Media Watch on Australian TV. Category: Australia biography stubs ...

See also

• List of Australian television series

This is a list of Australian television series and television programs. ...

External links

• Media Watch website (includes transcripts)