RUMOUR CONFIRMED: The AFL is facing a fresh legal showdown, this time with its own media department.
While the league cosies up with media companies in search of a big new broadcast rights deal, it's not talking to its own reporters at the AFL website and AFL Record.
The reporters want better conditions more in-line with the journalism award.
Frustated by a lack of success, the reporters enlisted the journalistic union - the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance - to help broker a deal.
But it's believed the AFL won't talk to the union because the league claims the reporters aren't journalists, but communications specialists.
Lawyers have now been called in to end the stalemate.
Maurice and Blackburn lawyers confirmed to 3AW Breakfast that they are representing the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance in a pay dispute between the AFL and journalists they employ.
The AFL has invested heavily in its media department over the past five years, often insisting it stands alone as an independent media unit.
I think they may have ■■■■■■ themselves by calling them "specialists". easy to disprove in most cases. should have called them entry level egotists and keyboard operators.
Oh my goodness, 'the best in the business newsbreaker' is running the afl's communications.
Seriously though, most of the afl.com.au writers (i.e. Cal Twomey) deserve to be called journos imo. It's just a shame that the first 2 names that come to mind when I think of afl media are Barrett and Matt Thompson, who definitely don't deserve to be treated as journos.
Did you know that Joseph Goebbles once worked as a ‘journalist’? We all knew that he then went on to become a ‘communications specialist’ for you know who.
They should just give in and take the ‘communication specialist’ title. They don’t want this dragging on too long and potentially affecting next year’s Walkley’s.
They should just give in and take the 'communication specialist' title. They don't want this dragging on too long and potentially affecting next year's Walkley's.
Oh wait, they are lawyering up? Why?
Just plead guilty already!
yes but this is their livelihoods we're talking about here.