WM Project - Document Title

Media Diversity and Investigative Journalism

Sale of Fairfax to Nine Entertainment

Oh no... Postscript 1st August 2018: Just when I thought I was finished outlining this revised version of the Waltzing Matilda Dot Com Project, another potentially serious issue, allegedly 'based on media reports' raised its head.

That is; the sale of Fairfax to Nine Entertainment.

First off, there is no way a 70+ year old nobody is going to make public comments on any sale that involves $4B dollars. No need to anyway; from ex PM Paul Keating on the negative case; to now ex Prime Minister Turnbull on the plus, with everybody else in between on both sides of the debate; there is more than enough diversity on the Internet for you to make up your own mind on the sale of Fairfax.

My concerns are more national on the potential loss of diversity and independent journalism in Australia (and the world) as a result of the severe loss of advertising dollars (the rivers of gold) to Facebook and Google. Investigative journalism is the mortar of our democracy and it does not come cheap.

The loss of revenue to the print media is now a worldwide problem and someone or something, needs to be done to help that business model.

As long as journalistic independence is maintained right across the board into the future (Waltzing Matilda Dot Com will still be around) then all is well. For example; Domain, the property website will probably feed the dollars for Fairfax to continue, but as Facebook has found out recently when they lost $161 Billion in just one day's trading, no matter how big your presence on the Net - you will always be vulnerable to we the people.

For probably the first time in history, ordinary people, thru New Power, now control the destiny of any web site that relies on the people accessing a business website.

Advertising dollars only flow when you have a willing audience.

This is a powerful tool but must be used responsibly.

The Waltzing Matilda Dot Com Project will also be exposed to that same volatility. It is no accident that high profile philanthropy and the ethos of the Fair Go are the pillar stones of this project, a project that will, and must, be built on TRUST and on TRUST alone.

My only public statement is that if media diversity and investigative journalism fails - for example the collaboration between Fairfax and the ABC, (or any collaboration of good and honest investigative journalism for that matter) - and journalism right across the print media, cannot, or will not, fulfil the needs of the people in a western democracy like Australia; then all is not lost - at least not for investigative journalism in this country.

Which brings me to the point of this postscript.

The original version of the WM project, now mothballed, has a small Media Division still on the books.

Also mothballed in the original Stage I cyberspace divisions, is a number of proposed high profile websites.

These sites, based on a fair go for business pricing structure, were expected to be successful in their own right. Amongst other things, the market they would enter is centred on the traditional advertising revenue streams of the commercial media.

Note: I know what you are thinking. I am no better friend to the print media, than all the other websites that have all but destroyed the rivers of gold the print media relied so heavily on.

To some extent that is right, however that horse had already bolted and it is what it is. All I can do now, is to use my proposed web sites for the good of the nation in general.

For example; one site in particular has been fully documented on an Excel spreadsheet consisting of approximately 3800 lines. Its contents details all the database tables/descriptive fields etcetera required to build the database.

When I designed the business functionality of the database, I looked at existing industry standards, then made that functionally my basic starting point. I then increased functionality and services exponentially on my proposed website, including objects not provided on any of the existing service providers' websites.

I see no reason why the WM project could not create the software for the application.

Once operational, allocate a healthy percentage of the revenue stream to fund a dedicated team of investigative journalists, should at some point in the future, our democracy is compromised due to lack of diversity - at least in investigative journalism stories or the lack thereof.

I have another website concept when designed and coded, will in part, be dedicated to helping Australians suffering as a result of domestic violence events. Based on highly profitable websites, but supercharged with extraordinary financial commitments to specific domestic violence victims.

Financial outcomes that would be hard to copy by any rival enterprise wholly reliant on its share price dividends and business & customer service pricing fees. This is a proposed site that all Australians would be proud and most likely to support wholeheartedly.

Obviously both proposed sites are not part of this revised Stage I Start-up, but mentioned nevertheless to big business philanthropists, as there is so much more to the Waltzing Matilda Dot Com Project than what is contained in this document. END Postscript