The decision by Fairfax Media to lay off a quarter of its journalists has sent alarm bells ringing across the country, not least of all as concerns the future of arts journalism and criticism in Australian. Amongst the 125 jobs to be terminated are “all dedicated arts, film and books writers at the Age and the Sydney Morning Herald, along with two deputy arts editor roles,” believes The Guardian. Along with that, the number of casual writers at both mastheads will be reduced and pay rates cut to “less than half of what they currently receive” – this again according to The Guardian.

The impact these job losses are likely to have on music is plain to see. The amount of concert reviewing will be seriously decreased, and the voices of many articulate, informed and intelligent writers lost. Bernard Zuel and John Shand, writing respectively in rock and jazz, are two music critics at Fairfax who have lost their positions. In his Facebook page, Zuel deplores what will be left: “There will be no specialist arts writers, no dedicated staff covering culture in all its forms. This apparently can be done by the contributors who will struggle...