Hugh Marks: “It’s easier to criticise than to create”

Nine NEO Hugh Marks penned an article in The Australian this week on the company’s investment in creativity, and how hard it is to succeed.

“Success in the media world is harder than it looks. We all know it is far easier to criticise than to create. No better evidenced than when I’m at a barbecue, or any other function. Even by the sideline at kids’ sport. Everyone is an expert on what will and won’t work. Who is good and who is not. And the problem is we can all have a view, and a reasonably informed one at that,” he wrote.

“But when you are in the ­driver’s seat making decisions on what we should create to engage millions of Australians daily, the formula for success is a careful balance of science and art.”

Noting Nine’s $700m investment in creating and acquiring content he again raised issues around a lack of a level playing field in investing in Australian content.

“Unfortunately, some of the new players, the big ones with global valuations of more than half a trillion dollars, talk the talk but are yet to be seen to take action on a lot of these fronts. Everyone in our industry must equally contribute to its social and cultural responsibilities: accuracy of news; recognition for the value of creativity and the creation of content; responsible handling of privacy issues; and proper use of data.”

Free TV has also recently called on an ACCC Inquiry into digital platforms to include issues related to the recent Cambridge Analytica scandal.

‘The ACCC must consider how Facebook and other digital platforms make information about individuals and their commercial, political and social preferences available. This is a real opportunity to adopt measures to ensure that Australians are clearly aware of the full extent of the data they are handing over,” said CEO Bridget Fair.

“When even Mark Zuckerberg is saying that Facebook needs to be regulated, we should be taking this as a golden opportunity for change.”