Journalists Not Welcome

The New Idea is a "woman's magazine". Glossy, gossip, ads and news and items of general interest to women. It, Woman's Day, and Woman's Weekly are the big three general interest magazines for women. Vogue and dozens of others all serve niche areas but the big three are head and shoulders above the rest.

So when the Editor of New Idea flew to the USA to interview Olivia Newton John about breast cancer, it wasn't necessarily going to be a big deal for either of them. That is, at least until Sue Smethurst, the editor of Woman's Day arrived in the USA and declared herself to be a journalist. International journalists are apparently no longer welcome in the USA. Today's Sydney Morning Herald also carries this story about poor Sue's experiences.

Interestingly it comes not long after The Great Outdoors television reporter Ernie Dingo was knocked back for visa irrregularities. Normal travellers and tourists no longer need visas for entry into the USA but journalists and television reporters do, as Ernie found out to his chagrin and inconvenience. I'm not sure what the problem was with Sue's visit, and I can't see myself buying New Idea just to find out.