Julie Posetti
Encyclopedia
Julie Posetti is an Australian journalist and academic best known as the subject of a threatened lawsuit because of statements she made via Twitter
.
, then worked as a news reporter and reader for WIN
i98 commercial radio in Wollongong in the late 1980s, moving to work as a radio and television journalist with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
(ABC) where she reported on politics, industrial relations, research and higher education, and social affairs, eventually becoming the ABC's Regional News Editor. During the 1990s, Posetti moved to Sydney as a reporter with ABC TV Documentaries, then worked as a radio reporter for ABC current affairs. In 1997, Posetti was appointed political correspondent for ABC Radio AM, PM and The World Today working in the Canberra Press Gallery. In 2003, she was appointed journalism lecturer at the University of Canberra
and is currently researching a doctorate on the Twitterisation of Journalism.
lawsuit however there has so far been no writ issued. On 25 November 2010 while at the Journalism Education Association of Australia conference in Sydney, Posetti used Twitter to cite part of a presentation by rural reporter Asa Wahlquist
, who suggested that the editor in chief of The Australian had been prescriptive about her election coverage of environmental stories.
The three tweets that were subject to debate were:
The following day, Chris Mitchell
, the editor-in-chief of The Australian
, stated that he had been defamed by the tweet and was considering suing Posetti for the statements.
By Nov 29, Mitchell's lawyers had sent a letter demanding an apology.
However with a tape recording of the conference proceedings supporting Posetti's side of the story, a lawsuit increasingly seemed unwinnable.
Posetti's employer, the University of Canberra, expressed their support for Posetti and on Dec 9, Posetti's lawyers replied refusing an apology and inviting Chris Mitchell to attend lectures on journalism at the University of Canberra.
.
Posetti's supporters also created a Facebook page to support her case.
Journalist Jonathan Holmes pointed out that the case was significant because "It's not every day that the editor of a newspaper threatens to sue a journalist simply for reporting a matter of public interest. To put it mildly, it's a somewhat counter-intuitive action for a newspaperman to take."
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
.
Career
Posetti graduated with a journalism degree from the University of CanberraUniversity of Canberra
Over the years the Stone Day program has gradually become larger and larger, taking up a whole week and now Stonefest is one of Australia's most popular music festivals. The first foundation celebrations were held in 1971. In 1973 Stone Day celebrations were held over two days, which was expanded...
, then worked as a news reporter and reader for WIN
Win
A win is a victory.Win may also refer to:* Win , the opposite of the internet meme fail* Win , a 1975 song by David Bowie* Win , a statistical credit given to a pitcher* Win , a Scottish band...
i98 commercial radio in Wollongong in the late 1980s, moving to work as a radio and television journalist with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
(ABC) where she reported on politics, industrial relations, research and higher education, and social affairs, eventually becoming the ABC's Regional News Editor. During the 1990s, Posetti moved to Sydney as a reporter with ABC TV Documentaries, then worked as a radio reporter for ABC current affairs. In 1997, Posetti was appointed political correspondent for ABC Radio AM, PM and The World Today working in the Canberra Press Gallery. In 2003, she was appointed journalism lecturer at the University of Canberra
University of Canberra
Over the years the Stone Day program has gradually become larger and larger, taking up a whole week and now Stonefest is one of Australia's most popular music festivals. The first foundation celebrations were held in 1971. In 1973 Stone Day celebrations were held over two days, which was expanded...
and is currently researching a doctorate on the Twitterisation of Journalism.
"#Twitdef"
Posetti achieved notoriety as the subject of Australia's first threatened TwitterTwitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
lawsuit however there has so far been no writ issued. On 25 November 2010 while at the Journalism Education Association of Australia conference in Sydney, Posetti used Twitter to cite part of a presentation by rural reporter Asa Wahlquist
Åsa Wahlquist
Åsa Wahlquist is an Australian journalist. For over twenty years she has been writing and speaking on rural issues, focusing mainly on Australian climate and water issues. Wahlquist recently resigned as the rural writer for the newspaper The Australian...
, who suggested that the editor in chief of The Australian had been prescriptive about her election coverage of environmental stories.
The three tweets that were subject to debate were:
- 'It was absolutely excruciating. It was torture': Asa Wahlquist on fleeing The Australian after being stymied in covering #climate
- Wahlquist: ‘Chris Mitchell (Oz Ed) goes down the Eco-Fascist line’ on #climatechange.’ I left because I just couldn’t do it anymore”
- Wahlquist: ‘In the lead up to the election the Ed in Chief was increasingly telling me what to write.’ It was prescriptive.
The following day, Chris Mitchell
Chris Mitchell
Chris Mitchell is an Australian journalist and is editor-in-chief of The Australian. He began his career on the former afternoon tabloid, The Telegraph, in 1973 and after working on The Townsville Bulletin, The Daily Telegraph and the Australian Financial Review, became editor of The Australian in...
, the editor-in-chief of The Australian
The Australian
The Australian is a broadsheet newspaper published in Australia from Monday to Saturday each week since 14 July 1964. The editor in chief is Chris Mitchell, the editor is Clive Mathieson and the 'editor-at-large' is Paul Kelly....
, stated that he had been defamed by the tweet and was considering suing Posetti for the statements.
By Nov 29, Mitchell's lawyers had sent a letter demanding an apology.
However with a tape recording of the conference proceedings supporting Posetti's side of the story, a lawsuit increasingly seemed unwinnable.
Posetti's employer, the University of Canberra, expressed their support for Posetti and on Dec 9, Posetti's lawyers replied refusing an apology and inviting Chris Mitchell to attend lectures on journalism at the University of Canberra.
.
Posetti's supporters also created a Facebook page to support her case.
Journalist Jonathan Holmes pointed out that the case was significant because "It's not every day that the editor of a newspaper threatens to sue a journalist simply for reporting a matter of public interest. To put it mildly, it's a somewhat counter-intuitive action for a newspaperman to take."