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Brian Watson's Daily Top 5 Picks: Friday

1. The Place Beyond The Pines stars Ryan Gosling as a stunt motorcyclist who turns to robbing banks to pay support for his illegitimate son and Bradley Cooper as the cop who becomes his deadly adversary. Fifteen years later their sons wind up at the same high school and the movie shapes up as an epic drama. Full marks to the teen actors Dane DeHaan and Emory Cohen but especially to Eva Mendes and Rose Byrne as their mothers.

2. Remember Bon Iver, the indie group whose eponymous second album enjoyed worldwide success two years ago and won two Grammy Awards? Many of their fans still prefer their first album, For Emma, Forever Ago (2008), which included their original version of “Skinny Love”. Imagine my surprise to find one of its tracks, “The Wolves (Act I and II)”, plays right through the end credits of The Place Beyond The Pines. The music supervisor certainly had good taste.

3. Another surprise this week was the name of Bart the Bear in the end credits of this week’s episode of Game of Thrones, “The Bear and the Maiden Fair”. Bart, an Alaskan Kodiak bear, appeared in many movies and TV shows before he died in 2000. This week’s Bart is another Alaskan Kodiak, born in 2000, raised by the same trainers, with a similarly long Hollywood career. If you haven’t already seen it, be prepared for his terrifying appearance in this week’s episode.

4. I’m excited about an ad on TEN for their upcoming show The Americans. A dozen or so episodes have been shown on the US FX network and the premise is intriguing. Keri Russell from Felicity and Matthew Rhys, who played the gay brother in Brothers & Sisters, are highly trained Russian KGB agents posing as a American couple in suburban Washington DC in the early 80s. Also in the cast are Richard Thomas, who won an Emmy as John-Boy in The Waltons, and Margo Martindale, who won an Emmy as the villain in season two of Justified. Critics say it’s a gripping spy thriller.

5. The Music Is You is a newly released tribute to John Denver. Artists including Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams, Amos Lee, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Dave Matthews perform his songs and the most successful tracks tend to be the biggest hits – some of the others are pretty forgettable. My favourite is “Leaving on a Jet Plane” with My Morning Jacket breathing fresh life into Peter, Paul and Mary’s hit.

Hansika Bhagani's Daily Top 5 Picks: Thursday

1. PolitiFact has launched in Australia, and in the lead-up to September's Federal election, is sure to get a workout. So far the site proves interesting reading, with some media commentators claiming some of the fact-checking is being selective. Find ex-SMH editor Peter Fray's new venture here.
2. Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution has gone global and this weekend there will be events to celebrate the chef's Food Revolution Day. You can participate by cooking and sharing your fresh homemade food at the Love Real Food Picnic at Centennial Park this Saturday. As the food revolution is all about fresh, homemade tucker – and being equipped to prepare it yourself – the organisers are challenging people to home-make "absolutely everything for their picnic loot – crackers, dips, thermos soups, salads, meats, home-made lemonades. EVERYTHING!! No packets."

3. It's taken eight long years but How I Met Your Mother has revealed the identity of Ted Moseby's wife and the "mother" of the series. Cristin Milioti showed her face for a fleeting minute in the season finale, buying a train ticket to Barney and Robin’s wedding in “Farhampton,” the show’s fanciful, fictitious stand-in for the East Hampton. Milioti will appear regularly next season, the show’s last, beginning in September.

4. The John Singleton/Gai Waterhouse saga has been given ample coverage in Sydney's daily papers but Four Corners on Monday night will be worth watching for exclusive insights and historical background. Marian Wilkinson reports on Four Corners, Monday at 8.30pm on ABC.

5. Head On Photo Festival opens tomorrow as part of Vivid Sydney. Head On is Australia's largest photo festival and the world's second largest festival. With over 200 events at 100 venues, the 2012 festival was a resounding success for everyone who participated: galleries and other venues, photographers, Head On partners and the viewing public and the 2013 festival is already looking like being even bigger!

Lauren Barripp's Daily Top 5 Picks: Wednesday

1. One by one, stars are arriving in the south of France for this year’s Cannes Film Festival, which is held from May 15-26. CEO of the invitation-only festival, Thierry Fremaux, describes the purpose of the event as a way to “draw attention to and raise the profile of films with the aim of contributing towards the development of cinema, boosting the film industry worldwide and celebrating cinema at an international level.” The president of the jury at this year’s event is director, Steven Spielberg.

2. Aussie comedian Rebel Wilson has landed herself her own TV series on the US Network ABC, called Super Fun Night. The series will revolve around three nerdy women friends on a "funcomfortable" quest to have "super fun" every Friday night. The show will be co-produced by Connan O’Brien.

3. Despite the predicted debut weekend sales of $US30 million, The Great Gatsby has outperformed expectations by taking $US51.1m on its opening weekend in more than 3500 cinemas across the United States. The movie, shot in Sydney, is directed by Baz Luhrmann and stars actors Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire and Carey Mulligan.

4. The British Academy of Television and Film Arts Awards (also known as The BAFTAs) were held in London on Sunday night. Sheridan Smith won best actress for her role in Mrs Biggs, and my guilty pleasure, Made In Chelsea, won best reality or constructed factual show. As per any awards ceremony, the fashion stakes were high and as glamorous as ever, despite the typical wet British weather.

5. Olympic gold medallists and Celebrity Splash judges Matthew Mitcham and Greg Louganis will get a chance to show off their credentials as the pair have a chance to dive together during tonight’s grand finale which will air at 8.45pm on Channel 7.

 

Entries in Kim Williams (21)

Thursday
May092013

News Limited starts the meter running, adds news+

DateMay 9, 2013

The chief executive officer of News Limited, Kim Williams, has announced the launch of a new digital subscription service for The Daily Telegraph and Herald Sun together with a fresh addition: news+, a product enhancement to support the company’s rollout of digital subscription products across its network.
The launch includes the integration of content from Fox Sports with News’ masthead sports content and an enhanced ability to serve local audiences with targeted content which meets specific interests and needs. The new subscription products will offer enhanced local content to subscribers in a range of completely renovated digital sites with exclusive sports content and a new metered subscription model for access to those key mastheads.

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Monday
Apr222013

Mark Hollands replaces Tony Hale at Newspaper Works

DateApril 22, 2013

The chairman of The Newspaper Works, Kim Williams, has announced the appointment of Mark Hollands as the organisation’s new chief executive officer.
Williams said: “The Board is delighted that Mark has accepted the position of CEO of The Newspaper Works. He has a long record of achievement in the media sector and joins the organisation at a time rich with real opportunity as a result of the transformation of our sector.
“Mark will take the organisation forward at a time when media companies are investing in new relevant ways for the provision of journalism and a rich diversity of products from it.

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Thursday
Nov292012

Kim Williams' speech to the Melbourne Press Club

DateNovember 29, 2012

If I was asked to sum up in a single word what the media profession needs more of today, my answer would be ‘optimism’.
Our job in the media industry is ultimately about story-telling, so let me start with a story – a somewhat dismaying one for all of us – which was related to me recently.
It involved a hard-bitten senior newspaper sub-editor offering insights and advice to a recent journalism graduate hunting for his first full-time job. To cut to the chase, the insight was that there’s no future in journalism; and the advice was that he should be realistic and seek a different career.
In other words, give up all hope. To which the tyro responded by saying that he’d in fact already given up and was applying for jobs in corporate P.R.

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Monday
Nov262012

Fiorella Di Santo appointed News Ltd group director - sales

DateNovember 26, 2012

The chief executive officer of News Limited, Kim Williams, has announced the appointment of Fiorella Di Santo as the company’s group director – sales.
Di Santo, who has been promoted from the role of deputy director of sales, reports to Williams and succeeds Tony Kendall who resigned from the company last week. The appointment is effective immediately.

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Wednesday
Sep122012

News Limited CEO Kim Williams Speech to 2012 PANPA Forum

DateSeptember 12, 2012

6th September 2012

For those of us with ink in our corporate arteries and veins, today’s PANPA Future Forum finds us living in the most turbulent of times. Across our region and around the world, the pace and depth of the changes being driven by consumers and the digital economy has hit newspapers with a combination of punches. The blows have left some managers hanging onto the ropes like prize-fighters struggling for ideas and others doing large arm thrusts of victory.

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Tuesday
Sep112012

Neil Breen leaves Sunday Telegraph & quits News Ltd 

DateSeptember 11, 2012

News Limited’s chief executive Kim Williams has announced that Neil Breen has resigned as editor of The Sunday Telegraph. After six-and-a-half years in the role and more than 20 years with News Ltd, Breen has decided to leave the company.

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Friday
Jul062012

Herald Sun editor Simon Pristel departs

DateJuly 6, 2012

Simon Pristel has been editor of Australia's largest-selling daily newspaper for four years, as well as overseeing the digital integration of the newsroom, launch of the digital paywall, iPad app and mobile site.
Before editing the daily Herald Sun, Pristel was editor of the Sunday Herald Sun, taking it to record circulation.

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Thursday
Jun212012

New Limited announces new strategy for growth

DateJune 21, 2012

The chief executive of News Australia, Kim Williams, has announced a number of major initiatives to grow its businesses. The changes include a restructure of its national, Queensland, NSW and Victorian operations to deliver better customer outcomes. Williams also announced one intended acquisition and one completed acquisition.
Williams confirmed the company has submitted a conditional proposal to acquire 100% of the shares in Consolidated Media Holdings (CMH). If the proposal is accepted News would own 100% of FOX Sports and 50% of FOXTEL. The proposal to acquire the CMH assets will take time as there are regulatory and legal issues the parties need to work through.
Williams also confirmed that News has acquired Australian Independent Business Media (AIBM), the publisher of Business Spectator and the Eureka Report.

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Thursday
Apr192012

New editors for The Advertiser and The Sunday Times

DateApril 19, 2012

News Limited chief executive Kim Williams has announced four senior editorial appointments across the business.
Melvin Mansell, currently editor of The Advertiser in Adelaide, has been appointed to the new role of state editorial director, SA, WA and NT. In this role, Mansell will have editorial oversight of The Advertiser, Sunday Mail and Messenger community titles; The Sunday Times in Perth and the NT News in Darwin.
Sam Weir, currently editor of The Sunday Times in Perth, has been appointed editor of The Advertiser.
Christopher Dore, currently deputy editor of The Sunday Telegraph, has been appointed editor of The Sunday Times.
Claire Harvey, currently features editor and columnist for The Sunday Telegraph, has been appointed deputy editor of The Sunday Telegraph.

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Thursday
Mar222012

Former Foxtel boss Kim Williams is ASTRA Pioneer

DateMarch 22, 2012

The Australian Subscription Television and Radio Association (ASTRA) presents the third annual ASTRA Pioneer Award to former Foxtel CEO Kim Williams today for his contribution to the industry. The award will be presented by the Hon Steve Bracks, Chairman of ASTRA at the 2012 Conference being held in Sydney.

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