Crikey.com.au is an Australian based website which is based around media and news issues. The main feature is an email which you receive daily filled with news, gossip, reviews, commentary, rumours and links. A key factor of Crikey is that it allows via its medium two way information exchange. Members and readers are able to comment and post personal vies or information onto their own space which Crikey provides for them.
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Crikey was founded by Stephen Mayne a business journalist and former press secretary of Jeff Kennett in the year 2000 and is considered an underground news source. Since its origin Crikey became wildly popular with journalists, politicians, investors and business leaders. The driving force behind Crikey is a daily email which is sent to roughly 5300 subscribers via email. Crikey did encounter some setbacks on its rise to a respected media source. Within the first five years Crikey was forced to pay a total of $75 000 in damages to Steve Price and Nick Bolkus after a defamation court case. However in February on 2005, Crikey was bought by Private Media Partners a company owned by Diana Gribble and Eric Beecher. Crikey is still regarded and published as an independent news source which is opinionated and daring to publish all news, despite controversy or fear of retribution.
Crikey has been heavily and continually criticized for publishing non confirmed gossip, particularly those surrounding speculative articles. This is contributed by the two way communication strategy which the company employs. It clearly outlines and encourages readers to comment, blogg, give tips and whistle blow of issues and gossip. A key example was in the lead up the last election campaign where Crikey published a rumour that there was a salacious video of Mark Latham’s buck’s night. Crikey remains to its charter that they are a media source seeking to fully inform the Australian public. Further issues include the recent acquisition of Crikey by Private Media Partners. With the image and popularity of the founder being the driving force of Crikey in its establishment, questions are arising over the future success of the company and the desires to purchase the website based reporter by Private Media partners.
The system which Crikey uses to deliver the news is via email. According to Eric Beecher who recently purchased the company the value lies in sentiment one receives when receiving Crikey in the inbox, as it is considered the only electronic paper that delivers the same satisfaction as a paper over the fence. Furthermore the database of subscribers which Crikey holds which contains a large number of important figures in Australian politics, business and media. The list includes 150 federal parliamentary members and 130 people working at the ABC.
--Jaime marin 11:13, 28 Oct 2005 (EST)
