Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo

Cleo magazine holds a very, very soft spot in my heart... it was the first ever grown-up magazine I bought and introduced me to a whole new world of publishing appreciation.

I bought my first copy at age 15, when I was in year 10. The October 1987 issue was my first. I was mesmerised. The next issue, November 1987, was the publication's 15th birthday issue, and by then I was hooked (I still have that issue!).

And now, ABC TV is bring the story of Cleo to life. This Sunday April 17 and Monday April 18, Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo will screen on ABC1.

The two-part mini-series stars Asher Keddie as Ita Buttrose (the magazine's launch editor) and Rob Carlton as an unnerving version of the late mag magnate Kerry Packer.

Interestingly, research and marketing analysis showed the whole Cleo project would be a failure and the magazine was vehemently opposed by the powerful head of the Packer clan, the domineering Sir Frank Packer (known to his employees as “God”).

Yet Ita and Kerry, knowing the consequences of failure would be more than dire, decided to follow their gut instincts anyway.

When I received the press kit for the series in the post I was blown away by the details. Presented as a glossy magazine, with cover lines and a free lippy, it reads like a mini edition of Cleo. Being a beauty buff, I studied the attached lipstick, and realised the Revlon lippy - in a shade called Blasé Apricot - was the exact shade of the mag's masthead.

A few emails to the network's PR and it's revealed that this was tracked down for the press pack as it's the exact shade Ita herself has always worn (and still wears to this day) - and therefore the one Asher sports during the entire series.

Asher's nail polish shade is an OPI hue called My Chihihuahua Bites (of course!) and Ita dons that in the series (and in real life) too.

It's all about the accuracy of the little things, people! Watch Paper Giants: The Birth of Cleo on ABC1 this Sunday April 17 and Monday April 18, at 8.30pm.

NineToFive magazine: a fond farewell

Industry sources have revealed today that NineToFive magazine will - as of next week - be no longer.

The full colour freebie weekly mag has been a welcome greeting on a Monday morning - handed out around Sydney train stations and the CBD - for eons.

So many people I know got their start here. Even people I didn't work with have later told me they got their break at the mag - in advertising, as the editorial office junior, the workie even. NineToFive has always been that nurturing kind of environment, where you could learn the ropes of the industry and perfect your skills as a writer. Many an editor has steered a damn talented team here - my own editor in chief Renate Ruge (when I was associate editor at sister publication City Weekly) always described our little crew as "the dream team." They were good times.

And sadly now it's all coming to an end.

An industry insider says this of the much-loved mag:

"NinetoFive has been Sydney’s most popular Monday morning wake up call since June 20, 1988.

In the beginning, the magazine was a new concept in magazine marketing; a magazine directed specifically to the commuting worker, the urban warrior travelling to work everyday, nine to five, Monday to Friday, 48 weeks of the year.

Every week, NinetoFive was filled with jobs, placement ads for bankers, accountants, stockbrokers, secretaries and so on, eventually developing into an invaluable guide full of information about what’s happening in Sydney in the entertainment, travel, features, fashion and celebrity scene. What you found in the pages of NinetoFive each week was what was happening every day on the Sydney scene.

22 years later, NinetoFive is closing up shop. While we live in a competitive and saturated market, we hope our readers will look back on NinetoFive with fond memories. We certainly will."

Here are some of the many covers. It went from featuring models on the covers, to celebs, to international stars, to edgy fashion shoots - the latest slew of covers especially were pretty fabulous.

Prisoner returns to TV: launch photos

Prisoner is returning to the Australian small screen from Monday March 7.

The cast are featured here at an event in Melbourne earlier this week to celebrate the return of Prisoner to television (MC'ed by TV guru Andrew Mercado).

Based around the lives of the staff and inmates at a high security all female prison, Wentworth Detention Centre, Prisoner was an instant hit among viewers with its winning formula of power struggles for ‘Top Dog’ status (that was usually Bea Smith), escape attempts, drug taking, alcohol-making and murder.

Prisoner also tackled the big issues: suicide, homosexuality, domestic violence and social reform.

Alex Ristevski, Channel Manager 111 HITS said, “This show is as iconically Australian as Vegemite, but with greater export success. I hope a new generation will get to enjoy and appreciate it as much as we did.”

The 692 episode series cemented a place in history with characters such as inmates “Queen Bea” Smith, Doreen Anderson, Franky Doyle, Chrissie Latham, Margot Gaffney, Gladys “Marilyn” Mason and the much loved Lizzie Birdsworth along with prison guards aka ‘screws’, Meg Jackson, Vera “Vinegar Tits” Bennett, Joan “The Freak” Ferguson and Jim “Fletch the Letch” Fletcher.

You can see the original series photos here: http://josiesjuice.blogspot.com/2011/03/prisoner-returns-to-tv-on-111-hits.html

Singer songwriter Ella Hooper from The Verses has re-recorded a version of the theme song “On The Inside” to celebrate the return of Prisoner. “On The Inside” by Ella Hooper can be seen on www.facebook.com/111HITS or www.youtube.com/111Hits.

Prisoner will screen nightly on 111 Hits from Monday March 7, 2011 at 6.30pm.

(All launch photos by: Laurent Villeseche).

Prisoner: returns to TV, on 111 Hits

Prisoner is returning to the Australian small screen from Monday March 7.

That's right, people. Vinegar Tits and all your fave twisted inmates are again up against The Freak and all the other screws in this cult Aussie television series.

Prisoner was part of the regular viewing schedule at our house. Which I found very unusual, yet completely normal.

Unusual, because I'd heard from some school buddies that they weren't allowed to watch it.

I was a bit baffled by that - we had free rein... although when my Italian-born folks cottoned on that rudie Australian words were spoken on the show, they tried to limit/banish Prisoner-watching. Didn't really work - they loved it too. My theory is that we - and plenty of other European families in the 1980s - lifted the ratings somewhat because the olds had no clue how cheeky the series was... bless.

Based around the lives of the staff and inmates at a high security all female prison, Wentworth Detention Centre, Prisoner was an instant hit among viewers with its winning formula of power struggles for ‘Top Dog’ status (that was usually Bea Smith), escape attempts, drug taking, alcohol-making and murder.

Prisoner also tackled the big issues: suicide, homosexuality, domestic violence and social reform.

Alex Ristevski, Channel Manager 111 HITS said, “This show is as iconically Australian as Vegemite, but with greater export success. I hope a new generation will get to enjoy and appreciate it as much as we did.”

The 692 episode series cemented a place in history with characters such as inmates “Queen Bea” Smith, Doreen Anderson, Franky Doyle, Chrissie Latham, Margot Gaffney, Gladys “Marilyn” Mason and the much loved Lizzie Birdsworth along with prison guards aka ‘screws’, Meg Jackson, Vera “Vinegar Tits” Bennett, Joan “The Freak” Ferguson and Jim “Fletch the Letch” Fletcher.

Someone who can definitely distinguish between Bea Smith and Chrissie Latham - and likely name every single guest star - is Australia's TV guru Andrew Mercado. See him talk about the return of Prisoner here: http://theplaylist.com.au/

And you can catch The Playlist on Foxtel's Showcase channel regurlarly - 'Series Link' it like I have so you never miss an episode.

The cast gathered in Melbourne earlier this week to celebrate the return of Prisoner to television (MC'ed by Andrew), and you can see the photos here: http://josiesjuice.blogspot.com/2011/03/prisoner-returns-to-tv-launch-photos.html

Singer songwriter Ella Hooper from The Verses has re-recorded a version of the theme song “On The Inside” to celebrate the return of Prisoner. “On The Inside” by Ella Hooper can be seen on www.facebook.com/111HITS or www.youtube.com/111Hits.

Prisoner will screen nightly on 111 Hits from Monday March 7, 2011 at 6.30pm.

21st century Australians - phrases and symbols that define us

I dunno about you but I love research reports.

Call me a nerd but anything that offers a snapshot of our society as it is today excites me.

A new report from McCrindle Research shows the top 5 “Best regarded Aussie words by Australians" are:

1. Mate
2. G’day
3. Arvo
4. Tucker
5. Snags

And the “Top 5 most uncomfortable Aussie words" are:

1. Cobber
2. Sheila
3. Strewth
4. Dunny
5. Crikey

Australia has many phrases and symbols and icons that define us as a nation. But which of these actually resonate with Aussies?

In this new study from McCrindle Research, Australians spoke about which flags, symbols and language they are proud of, and which have fallen from grace. “Mate” and “arvo” (love this word - the former, not so much) came up trumps, with 65.6% of respondents indicating they were extremely/very proud of "mate".

Not surprisingly “g’day” came in as second most popular (60.7% extremely/very proud of the word) followed by “arvo”, “tucker” and “snags”.

Of all Australian terms, “arvo” is the most used by Australians (73.2% use this term) followed by “g’day” (71.1%).

Mark McCrindle, Social Researcher and Director, McCrindle Research, said, “Our unique language is still a strong part of our national brand. From our colourful language to our unique humour, the Aussie lexicon is one of fun. Only in Australia is a redhead called “Bluey”, and a stranger is called “mate.””

However there is some well recognised local slang that Australians feel uncomfortable using. The top 5 words which Autralians hesitate to use, are “Cobber”, “Sheila”, “Strewth”, “Dunny” and Crikey”.

We have affection for iconic Aussie phrases with “No worries” a clear winner (73.7%extremely/very proud), followed by “G’day mate“ (71%) and “She’ll be right” (56.7%).

Stat overload yet? What about the top 5 best regarded Aussie phrases:

1. No worries
2. G’day mate
3. She’ll be right
4. Too easy
5. Fair dinkum

The top 5 “too ocker” Aussie phrases are:
1. Not within coo-ee
2. Woop woop
3. Dinky-di
4. Stone the crows
5. You beauty

Isn't Alf from TV show Home & Away the only one who still says "Stone the Crows?"

The most suprising stat from this report that only 13% of those surveyed use the word “woop-woop” (about 80% seem to use it on Facebook), while the ubiquitous chant “Aussie aussie aussie – oi oi oi” split Australians, but overall was rated more positively (45.5% proud) than negatively (37.5% uncomfortable). Me? About 95% uncomfy when I hear it now...

McCrindle said, “As Australians we love our iconic phrases and particularly those that communicate our down-to-earth attitude and community values. From the relaxed “no worries” to the generous “too easy”, and anything ending in “mate”, our favoured phrases radiate warmth.”

“However there is a self consciousness and even a cringe factor which sets in with words like ‘cobber’, ‘sheila’ and 'stone the crows’. We have affection for our quirky language but this is balanced with a 21st Century sophistication,” continued McCrindle.

And the BEST news of all? Australians are pushing back on the Americanization of spelling. Really? So, some Aussie are still deliberately making spelling mistakes?

According to the report, less than 1 in 20 Australians (4.5%) embrace American standard spelling (color, organize, center etc) with almost 4 in 5 Australians (79%) strongly or significantly opposed to the trend. Probably all the tired, weary sub-editors and journos.

And lastly - our flag. We love the flag (79% of Australians are extremely or very proud of the Australian flag) and the “Australian Made” symbol (67.1% very/extremely proud) but have mixed views on the Southern Cross symbol. Both the Australian Aboriginal Flag and the Boxing Kangaroo had a larger proportion of Australians who were proud of them, while 1 in 4 Australians (23%) were “slightly” or “very” uncomfortable in the use of the Southern Cross.

McCrindle said, “Australians have always been proud of their nation, but in an understated, assumed-not expressed manner. Of recent years this patriotism has been more visible, particularly seen through a fond embrace of the Australian flag.”

“Yet it is not surprising that in this land of the “fair go” symbols which articulate exclusivism rather than belonging decline in popularity. The Eureka Flag has long been viewed this way, being joined more recently by the Southern Cross,” continued McCrindle.

Our Icons in order of “most proud”
1. Australian flag
2. Australian Made
3. Australian Aboriginal Flag
4. Boxing Kangaroo
5. Southern Cross
6. Eureka Flag

So there you have it - happy Oz-traylia day, cobbers!