The Age digital subscription, rip off.

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the first apps that got on my iPad was 'The Age', it was terribly buggy initially but after a year or so it was up to scratch.

The beginning of July Fairfax the owners of The Age introduced a digital subscription. While I think paying for good journalism is the right thing to do, I also think that the options should be broader than what is currently on offer at fairfax at the moment.

I don't think paying $25 a month is worthwhile for me considering I really only ever read Saturday or Sunday additions. That means I'm paying close to $4 for the two days a week which I read the paper. This is on top of a $500 dollar device that I payed for, and it's also my bandwidth I've pays for it as well.

Having an option just to purchase just that day, is what I want. It's actually the fair thing to do.

So now it's the ABC, and BBC that keeps me informed. Or if I'm desperate I'll go to the library or a cafe for a physical copy.

 

What Hacking?

I don't buy the Melbourne Herald Sun, I haven't for a a few years. The reasons are are a few reasons

• I like good journalism which is more about what happens rather than opinion.
• I want to support media diversify; independent of the Murdoch's.
• I'm not really interested in first page headlines of 'cute cats up trees'

I have of late with the 'News of the World' hacking drama, looked at the free Herald Sun in McDonald's and the Library. What has surprised me is compared to the Fairfax papers which has the subject front page or close to the front. The Herald Sun has put it way back and today's reporting was more about Murdoch's wife Wendy Deng and her hit! (Bizarre: there are people out there reporting this could bring down the British government!) I was surprised that The Herald Sun's editorial was related to the 'hacking' but more of a defense from Julia Gillard who had her concerns with impropriety of the Murdoch empire in Australia.  You would think that the paper would be out there scrutinizing it operation and convincing its readers that they are squeaky clean...Mind you would bite the hand that feeds them?
I find it hard to believe that The Herald Sun can be impartial and have good journalism when its owners are the Murdoch's. Unfortunately this is is just reinforced when I read the paper.
It just convinced me more that we need more media diversification, instead of been owned by one or two.