Alana Buckley-Carr | April 09, 2008
MORE than 100 staff from The West Australian newspaper have asked Seven Network boss Kerry Stokes for assurances he will not turn the paper into an eastern-states-style tabloid, believing that if he did they would lose even more readers to The Australian.
In a letter signed and sent to Mr Stokes yesterday, journalists, photographers and other newsroom staff said they were "uneasy about the direction you wish the paper to take" and asked Mr Stokes to commit to a charter of editorial independence if he wins two seats on the board of the newspaper's publisher, West Australian Newspapers Holdings.
Mr Stokes and fellow Seven director Peter Gammell have forced an extraordinary meeting of shareholders on April 23 after their attempts to gain seats on the board were unsuccessful. The current board has fought their appointment, saying that Mr Stokes, who already holds a 19.4 per cent interest in the company, should pay a fair price for the shares if he wants to gain control.
In the staff letter, approved during a half-hour meeting at The West's offices, Mr Stokes was asked to outline what opportunities he saw for the newspaper's editorial department under a "Stokes-influenced WANH".
It is understood that during the meeting, staff accepted an invitation from Mr Stokes for a meeting. It was also agreed that staff would seek a similar meeting with the board.
Outlining five questions to Mr Stokes, the letter asked for his reassurance that his vision for the paper supported "a potent, intelligent newspaper respected and taken seriously in its community".
"1. Will you promote and encourage The West Australian to be an advocate for journalism that probes, questions, campaigns and informs without fear or favour?" the letter asked.
"2. Is the Attorney-General, Jim McGinty, correct to assert that winds of change are blowing for The West, with the inference that strong questioning of government ministers would not be encouraged under a new regime?
"3. Will you commit to a charter of editorial independence, similar to that in place within Fairfax?
"4. Will you outline what opportunities you see for The West Australian's editorial department under a Stokes-influenced WANH?
"5. How would you see us following the model of The Daily Telegraph (Sydney) and Herald Sun (Melbourne) tabloids without losing some readers to an upmarket broadsheet such as News Limited's The Australian?"
A spokesman for Mr Stokes said the Seven boss looked forward to responding and would do so in the next few days. "We are only seeking two seats. We are seeking to make The West Australian a strong and vibrant newspaper for WA," the spokesman said.