Free Speech petition snowballs and more...

Free Speech petition snowballs
More than 170 WA journalists have signed our online Free Speech petition, including WAN CEO Chris Wharton, WAN Editor-In-Chief Bob Cronin, West Editor Brett McCarthy, Sunday Times Editor Sam Weir, ABC News Director Kim Jordan, Nine (Perth) News Director Adrian Beattie, Community Newspapers Editor-In-Chief Greg Thomson, The Australian WA Editor Tony Barrass and many other senior WA journalists – have you signed yet? Go to http://tinyurl.com/yf9zyw8 and urge your colleagues to get on board.

Italian stallion’s media rodeo
Ageing romeo Silvio Berlusconi may control most of Italy’s media, but was unable to hush up details of his scandalous love life. A great yarn from the Walkley Magazine’s man in Rome, Desmond O’Grady. Read more: http://www.walkleys.com/features/522/

Times hints at charging strategy
James Harding, the editor of The Times, gave a conference in the UK this week a few insights into the company’s thinking over how to charge for news on its websites. These include 24-hour access for a fee, subscriptions and an expansion of the Times + model which gives paying members access to additional services. Read the details here: http://tinyurl.com/yfuvzol

National, Metro papers take a small hit in latest ABCs
The AFR experienced the biggest fall in year on year sales, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, with a drop of -9.7%, while the Australian took a -4.2% hit over the same period. The Courier-Mail’s Saturday paper, by contrast, enjoyed an increase in sales of 4.9%. In the magazine market, ACP’s Famous showed a 35% increase. Full details can be read here, courtesy of mUmbrella: http://tinyurl.com/yj6mwfd

Courtesy of Australia's Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance.