The Queensland Rail ban on bubblers has been reversed by Transport Minister Scott Emerson after the policy was revealed by Newsbytes. Mr Emerson said he became aware of the water fountain ban on Friday and scrapped it on Saturday. Newsbytes reported on the policy last week following investigations by student journalist Melissa Archer. Mr Emerson […]

An Australian documentary about bees won the prize for best science reporting at the Commonwealth Broadcasters Association conference in Brisbane this week. The UNESCO Award for Science Reporting and Programming was awarded to SBS’s Eniko Toth for the documentary, “Honeybee Blues”. “Honeybee Blues was the epitome of all that was good about public service broadcasting […]

“Not Campbell Newman” (@Can_Do_Campbell) was a mystery guest at the Lord Mayor’s Forum in Brisbane yesterday. @Can_Do describes (pictured left) himself on Twitter as “the Qld Premier of Parody. Ex-Fake Lord Mayor, but am still so very fake.” @Can_Do began tweeting as the fake Lord Mayor two years ago after receiving a car-parking fine which […]

Three of Brisbane’s five Lord Mayoral candidates faced off in a live forum and debate at the ABC Brisbane studios yesterday. Independent candidate Chris Carlton arrived late and Australian Sex Party Rory Killen failed to show. Pictured left to right: Andrew Bartlett (Greens), Ray Smith (Labor), Graham Quirk (LNP). ABC drive presenter Tim Cox questioned […]

It can be an advantage to be a female journalist in war zones, according to war correspondent Sally Sara. People are often more willing to speak to women journalists, especially other women, she said. In particular it was possible to have access to homes and speak to women, something often denied to men in traditional […]

It was a life-changing experience to be a hostage without knowing whether he’d live or die or ever be released, Australian photojournalist Nigel Brennan said in Brisbane this week. Brennan and Canadian journalist Amanda Lindhout were kidnapped in 2008 just outside the Somalian capital Mogadishu. He told his story to a group of aspiring journalists, […]

Natural disasters proved the importance of public broadcasting, Queensland Governor Penelope Wensley said in Brisbane last night. Opening the Media Leadership in Crisis, Disaster and Emergency Conference, Ms Wensley said Queensland’s 2011 disasters proved the critical role of public media, when the Australian Broadcasting Corporation played a major part in informing people of flood and […]

Young journalists should be critical but not cynical, urged Walkley award-winning journalist Tony Koch at Jschool’s annual graduation ceremony on Friday. Mr Koch, who received an honorary doctorate from Jschool in recognition of his contribution to journalism, said recruits to journalism should uphold the values of the profession and respect their role in society. They […]

Gold Walkley winner Hedley Thomas has described ABC newsman Paul Lockyer as a “truly outstanding storyteller” and has urged young journalists to follow his example. In his keynote speech at the 2011 MediaPass Student Industry Day in Brisbane, The Australian newspaper’s national chief correspondent paid tribute to the veteran ABC journalist who was killed last […]

It seemed like a relatively straightforward task for Newbytes trainee journalist Abanob Saad, but it resulted in extraordinary behaviour from some of Brisbane City Council’s “media advisors”. Saad’s job was to research and write a news story about the BCC’s recent installation of speakers and Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) in Fortitude Valley and the Brisbane […]

When someone held in high regard speaks her mind it’s hard to ignore. But prominent Brisbane film identity Anne Demy-Geroe says she is speaking out about the restrictions on Iranian filmmakers because it means so much to her. Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof are two Iranian filmmakers who have suffered a great deal for their […]

When you walk into a gallery you never expect to leave haunted by an image that you saw. South African photographer Jodi Bieber captured the very confronting image of a disfigured Afghan girl who had both her ears and nose cut off as retribution for fleeing her husband’s home. This photograph is so powerful in […]

The combination of a great photo and explanatory text is powerful. The shock of the image stays in your mind in a way that even the most descriptive story never does. World Press Photo 11, the 54th annual World Press Photo exhibition of photojournalism is showing at Brisbane Powerhouse. It has been publicised with a […]

Brisbane photographer Ashton Welsh has raised almost $1000 to help flood-affected Queenslanders. He has put together a Fundraising Photo Book, giving 100 percent of profits from sales to the Premier’s Disaster Relief Program. Surrounded by suburbs submerged by flood waters in January, Ashton began his project after being turned away due to an overabundance of […]

Sandwiched between a stairwell and office space in a narrow Brisbane side street are the modest, compact headquarters of community radio station for the print handicapped (4RPH). Catering to the vision impaired, the station was started by philanthropic Greek businessman, the late Spero Dragona. The first broadcast of an hour-long newspaper reading aired in 1982. […]