Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who or what is Business Spectator?
Q: Who or what is the KGB?
Q: What information can I find in Business Spectator?
Q: How often is Business Spectator updated?
Q: How is Business Spectator different?
Q: How do I see the news in chronological order?
Q: Is all the content really free to access?
Q: How do you make money if all your content is free?
Q: What do I get in my email newsletters?
Q: How do I register for newsletters and the KGB Dossier?
Q: I am not receiving my email newsletters.
Q How do I register for the newsletters and KGB Dossier?
Q: What benefits do I get from registering?
Q: Why am I asked to register to read articles?
Q: I have registered but still get asked to sign in.
Error : I can not log into my account.
Q: How do I change my email address?
Q: How do I temporarily suspend my email newsletters?
Q: How do I unsubscribe from emails?
Q: How do I contribute to Business Spectator?
Q: How do I contact Business Spectator?
Error : I can not post a comment to one of the Blogs.
Q: How do I advertise on Business Spectator?
Q: Our policy on advertising and editorial independence?
Q: Can you remove flashing, moving or noisy ads?
Q: What is RSS?
Q: How do I sign up to a Business Spectator RSS feed?
Q: How can I follow Business Spectator on Twitter?
Q: What web browsers can I view the site with?
Q: How do I increase the font size on the website to make it easier to read?
Q: Can I view Business Spectator on a mobile device?
Q: Is there a Business Spectator iPhone App?
Q: Can I watch Business Spectator videos on my iPhone?
Error : I am not receiving some of my newsletter updates.
Error : My newsletters arrive not formatted correctly.
Error : I have registered but still get asked to sign in.
Error : I can not log into my account.
Error : Page / Article no longer available...
Error : Page Load Error
Q : Why can't I see the website videos with my iPhone / iPad?
^ Back to Top of Page
Who or what is Business Spectator?
Business Spectator is a real-time, 24-hours-a-day business news and commentary website based in Australia. Established in 2007, Business Spectator provides timely and indispensable information for people in business, finance, government, the professions as well as investors. It is free to users and is funded by advertising revenue.
Business Spectator is published by Australian Independent Business Media Pty Ltd, which also publishes Eureka Report, a subscription-based online newsletter for thoughtful investors. The major shareholders of the company are Alan Kohler, Eric Beecher, Mark Carnegie, John Wylie, Stephen Bartholomeusz, Robert Gottliebsen and James Kirby. The board comprises Eric Beecher (chairman), Alan Kohler and Tony Faure.
Who or what is the KGB?
Business Spectator’s own KGB are Alan Kohler, Robert Gottliebsen, Stephen Bartholomeusz and Karen Maley - arguably Australia's most experienced and respected team of business commentators and analysts.
Alan Kohler/Editor in Chief: Former editor of The Australian Financial Review and The Age, former business editor of ABC TV’s 7.30 Report, former Chanticleer columnist for The Australian Financial Review and a former columnist for The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald. He is currently finance presenter on ABC Television News, host of Inside Business on ABC TV, publisher and founder of Eureka Report and Business Spectator. www.twitter.com/alankohler
Robert Gottliebsen/Associate Editor: Founder and launch editor of The Australian Financial Review’s Chanticleer column, founder and launch editor of BRW magazine, former host of the Business Daily on Sky News, former business columnist in the Fairfax newspapers and, until he joined Business Spectator, was national business commentator for The Australian. www.twitter.com/bgottliebsen
Stephen Bartholomeusz/Associate Editor: Former finance correspondent for the Sydney Morning Herald and senior investment writer for The Age. In 1987 he started writing a daily business analysis column for The Age and Sydney Morning Herald, which continued uninterrupted until he joined Business Spectator as a commentator and part-owner. www.twitter.com/stevebartho
Karen Maley: A former economics and banking writer for The Sydney Morning Herald and a senior feature writer for The Australian Financial Review, Karen was previously chief executive of EMC Consulting, a boutique corporate advisory group that specialised in infrastructure projects. www.twitter.com/karenmaley
What information can I find in Business Spectator?
* The latest Australian business news on the Home Page
* Respected analysis, commentary and insights from The Spectators, including
Alan Kohler, Robert Gottliebsen, Stephen Bartholomeusz and Karen Maley, as well as many other leading analysts from Australia and around the world.
* Latest Australian business news and analysis on 25 major industry sectors, as well as financial markets, economy, politics and climate change
* Authoritative industry opinion from our Industry Commentators
* Interviews with business leaders, politicians and experts.
* Video Interviews with business leaders on KGBTV.
* The latest news on mergers and acquisitions in Wheels and Deals, and daily video updates on DEALS TV with Madeleine Heffernan.
* Australian Stock Exchange Charts and Indicies, ASX company announcements, major stock rises, major stock falls, most widely held stocks and company prices.
* News Updates and profiles on the ASX Top 20 Companies.
* Business news from around the Asia Pacific and the rest of the world, including
China, Japan, India, New Zealand, The Americas, and Europe, The Middle East and Africa
* In The Conversation you can submit your feedback and opinions to articles and commentary.
* Search all of our articles, news and commentary using our advanced search.
For a directory of Business Spectator's content, visit our sitemap
How often is Business Spectator updated?
Continuously. Our newsroom operates 24 hours a day except for a few hours on Saturday and Sunday nights. We publish hundreds of articles a day and update our home page and industry pages constantly with the latest breaking news and commentary.
Our home page has an auto-refresh feature that ensures you see the latest headlines and ASX market movement every four minutes.
Our editors work around the clock using all the resources we have available to analyse, not just report, the news. Our editorial team take pride in our ability to get business news to you first and accurately. We have talented editors and reporters with unique insights and because we operate around the clock, you get the latest international and Australian business news, as it happens, when it happens, first.
How is Business Spectator different?
Business Spectator is updated 24 hours a day and is completely free. On any given day we publish hundreds of articles, so you're sure to find lots of information on the topic(s) you're interested in and searching for.
Business Spectator is focused on bringing you the best coverage of business and finance news that affects you, and the analysis and insights to help you understand what it means.
Every article on Business Spectator has links to more Related Industry, Related Company and Related People news and resources, helping you make connections and find related and relevant news and commentary on the topics you’re interested in.
Can I view the news in Chronological Order?
Yes, you can view the latest Business Spectator news in Chronological Order. There is a link on the home page below the Latest News headlines to “View all stories by date”.
You can also subscribe to the latest breaking news via RSS News Feed.
Is all the content really free to access?
Yes. You will have unlimited and free access to all of the Business Spectator content and resources when you sign up for a free registration.
How do you make money if all your content is free?
Business Spectator is supported by advertising. Access to all our content is free for registered users. See our editorial independence policy at the bottom of the about us page for more information.
^ Back to Top of Page
What do I get in my email newsletters?
Business Spectator offers a range of standard email newsletters.
KGB Dossier: the latest business analysis and commentary from Alan Kohler, Robert Gottliebsen, Stephen Bartholomeusz and Karen Maley, delivered each morning after 11am, Monday to Friday.
Morning Update: breaking business news, including the latest results from Wall Street and an outlook for the Australian markets, as well as commentary on the morning’s big business issues, delivered Monday to Friday after 8am.
Afternoon Update: breaking business news of the day, including commentary published during the trading day, delivered Monday to Friday after the Australian market closes.
Weekend Spectator: a more leisurely read of interesting and insightful commentary and analysis, as well as the latest news headlines and some of the most popular articles of the week in case you missed them, delivered on Saturday each week.
Daily and weekly industry or regional newsletters: news and analysis on more than 30 different industry sectors and regions, including Financial Markets, Property, China, Financial Services and Resources & Mining. We package up everything we publish on the topics that interest you and deliver it to you, via email, free.
As-It-Happens news alerts: Email alerts sent whenever we publish news or commentary about ASX companies you specify.
Build your own email newsletter: Select any combination of up to eight industries, commentators, regions and ASX companies, and Business Spectator will package up an email newsletter covering all our latest news and analysis on your areas of interest. Choose from daily or weekly frequency.
For more information on email newsletters and tips for setting up your personal email alerts, see our email newsletters information page.
How do I register for newsletters and the KGB Dossier?
For a free registration to Business Spectator, simply fill in some details on our registration form, with your email address and your own password. You will be offered our daily email newsletter pack (Morning Update and KGB Dossier), as well as a free trial to our sister publication, Eureka Report.
Once you're registered, click on the Newsletters link in the main navigation bar near the top of the screen, and explore all the options within your account. For more information, see our email newsletter information page.
I am not receiving my email newsletters.
Sometimes, despite our best efforts emails are classified as SPAM. We recommend you set-up an exception in your email in-box or with your ISP for mail sent from Business Spectator. Doing so will indicate that you definitely want to receive emails from us and improve your chances of receiving the Business Spectator emails you have requested in you in-box.
Alternatively, you may have set up your email settings with Business Spectator some time ago, and due to system upgrades or changes to our news categories, your original settings may no longer be valid.
It may be that the companies you have selected to receive email alerts on are not in the news very much at the moment, so we have nothing to alert you about.
If you have any questions about your email settings or status with Business Spectator, please select contact us. (top right of page in the navigation menus.)
^ Back to Top of Page
How do I register for the newsletters and KGB Dossier?
You can register here by completing the form, ensuring the required fields and check boxes are completed, and clicking the Register Now button. Registration is free and takes only a minute.
You will need to provide your email address (which will also be your username) and a unique password.
You can decide whether or not to receive some of our email newsletters, and whether or not you would like us to send you emails about special offers or promotions from our advertising partners.
What benefits do I get from registering?
Your Free registration entitles you to:
- Unlimited access to all Business Spectator articles and video.
- Our popular Morning Update and KGB Dossier daily emails containing the latest business news, analysis and commentary from Alan Kohler, Robert Gottliebsen and Stephen Bartholomeusz.
There is no “premium version” of Business Spectator – your free registration gives you access to everything on the site.
With your free registration to Business Spectator, you will also be offered a Free 21 day trial with Eureka Report, Business Spectator's sister publication.
From time to time we may email you with special offers or benefits from our advertising partners, available for registered Business Spectator readers. You can opt out of receiving these messages.
Why am I asked to register to read articles?
We ask you to register for a couple of reasons. Some of our content providers require registration as a part of their Terms and Conditions. A free registration also entitles you to email newsletters and the popular KGB Dossier and helps us to provide better services to you.
However, we do allow you to read up to three articles per month before we ask you to sign up for a free registration. We like to give you a feel for what you will receive and hope you will join the many others in reading the latest Australian business news, commentary, analysis and insights from Australia's business experts.
I have registered but still get asked to sign in.
We use “cookies” in your web browser to remember registered users so that you should not have to sign in every time you visit Business Spectator. However, many browsers have security settings that may delete cookies on a regular basis – such as every month, every day, or even every time you close your browser.
If your browser’s cookies are deleted, we are not able to recognise you next time you visit Business Spectator, and you will be asked to sign in.
You can avoid this by checking your browser’s settings, and if required allowing cookies from Business Spectator, so that we can attempt to keep you signed in each time you visit the site.
^ Back to Top of Page
How do I change my email address?
You can change your email address through your account dashboard. Sign in to Business Spectator using your original email address and password, then click on "My account" in the main navigation bar near the top of the page. Then, look for the "Email and Password" tab where you can enter your new email address. You'll have to re-enter your existing password and confirm the change by clicking the Save button.
How do I temporarily suspend my email newsletters?
If you are going on holiday or for whatever reason want to stop receiving Business Spectator email newsletters for a defined period, go to your Account Dashboard by signing in and clicking My account in the navigation bar. Look for the "Suspend emails" tab, then enter the dates you wish to start and end your break for emails. You can also suspend emails indefinitely -- note that we may contact you in future to remind you to switch emails back on again, in case you forget. If you want to completely unsubscribe from Business Spectator emails, use the "Unsubscribe" tab rather than the "Suspend Emails" tab.
How do I unsubscribe from emails?
You can unsubscribe from Business Spectator email newsletters at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of any email we have sent you. This will create an email which you must send to us, which will enable us to remove your email address from our system. Alternatively, you can unsubscribe by going to your Account Dashboard by signing in and clicking My account in the navigation bar, and use the "Unsubscribe" tab. Note that this will delete all preferences and settings you may have with Business Spectator, and prevent you from accessing parts of the website. You can re-register at any time if you wish, but any email preferences you have will be lost.
^ Back to Top of Page
How do I contribute to Business Spectator?
The Conversation section of Business Spectator combines the best of a letters-to-the-editor page, a blog, an online forum and a roundtable discussion. This is where Australia's business community can exchange views, react to the news and set agendas. The Conversation is updated throughout the day as contributions roll in. Comments are submitted for publication by filling in the form which appears at the bottom of many Business Spectator articles and on The Conversation home page.
How do I contact Business Spectator?
Use the Contact Us link at the top right corner of the page, next to the Sitemap link and Search box.
Error : I can not post a comment to one of the Blogs.
Users need to be registered and signed in to post a comment on most Business Spectator blogs. This is to reduce the risk of abuse and encourage those who comment to identify themselves.
If you are signed in but the comments section still asks you to sign in using a link at the top of the page, the best thing to do is log out (the link will be at the top of the page, on the left hand side), then sign back in again using your email address and password, before returning to the blog post and making your comment. Occasionally, despite our best efforts, sometimes web browsers’ treatment of cookies means that we cannot always tell that a user is correctly signed in to post comments. Signing in again during your current browser session ensures that you can post blog comments.
^ Back to Top of Page
How do I advertise on Business Spectator?
Business Spectator is part of the First Digital Media network. You can advertise with Business Spectator by visiting the First Digital Media website for more information or you can email First Digital Media directly.
Business Spectator is in a unique position in the Australian media space. Advertisers should visit the First Digital Media website to find how to reach some of Australia's most influential and affluent business demographics using some or all of our affiliate publications:
Business Spectator : Latest Australian business news and commentary.
The Eureka Report : Independent investment analysis and insights.
Crikey.com.au : Media, politics, culture.
SmartCompany : Entrepreneurs and business owners.
First Digital Media : Advertising enquiries across one or all of these publications.
Our policy on advertising and editorial independence.
Business Spectator has a strong commitment to editorial independence and integrity. A clear separation exists between the journalists and the non-journalist owners of Business Spectator and this concept is enshrined in the Shareholders' Agreement of our parent company, Australian Independent Business Media Pty Ltd, which says: "For the avoidance of doubt, the parties agree that the Board is not permitted to influence or control the editorial policy of the Company or any Subsidiary in relation to any publication of the Company or any Subsidiary..."
Furthermore, our two non-journalist shareholders, Mark Carnegie and John Wylie -- principals of the corporate advisory and private equity firm Lazard -- have non-voting shares and do not sit on the board of Australian Independent Business Media.
There is also a clear delineation between our editorial and advertising sales operations. It is an article of faith for us that advertisers have no influence on the editorial content of Business Spectator.
Can you remove flashing, moving or noisy ads?
Business Spectator is free for users because we sell advertising on the site. We have strict standards on the type of advertising we allow on Business Spectator. We do not allow ads that automatically expand to cover the page, or ads that play sound without the reader first clicking to activate.
For further information, please email First Digital Media or visit the First Digital Media website. If you feel that we are showing ads that are offensive or appear to breach the standards you would expect us to meet, please use the link next to the sitemap link and the Search box to contact Business Spectator.
^ Back to Top of Page
What is RSS?
RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication. It allows you to stay up to date with the latest news from websites and applications in one place. Find out more here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rss)
How do I sign up to a Business Spectator RSS feed?
Look for the orange "feed" icon to find websites and applications that produce feeds. Business Spectator offers over 50 different RSS options across different areas of the site. Click the orange feed icon wherever you see it to view the RSS feed.
See our full list of RSS news feeds.
Can I follow Business Spectator on Twitter?
Yes you can follow us on Twitter with one of our Twitter feeds:
- twitter.com/businessspec
- twitter.com/alankohler
- twitter.com/bgottliebsen
- twitter.com/stevebartho
- twitter.com/karenmaley
- twitter.com/wheelsdeals
- twitter.com/ausdollarnews
^ Back to Top of Page
What web browsers can I view the site with?
Business Spectator is designed with the latest versions of the most popular web browsers in mind. However, we also understand some large corporations are still using some older browsers, so we cater for them too.
If Business Spectator is behaving strangely, we recommend you:
- Download the latest version of Microsoft Internet Explorer
- Download the latest version of Mozilla Firefox
- Download the latest version of Apple Safari
- Download the latest version of Google Chrome
- Download the latest version of Opera
Note : If you are having problems signing in or accessing Business Spectator, many of these issues can be quickly resolved by deleting cookies from your web browser.
Or you can use the Clear Business Spectator Cookies link to only clear the Business spectator cookies. You will then be able to sign back in.
How do I increase the font size on the website to make it easier to read?
To increase the size of the screen and fonts, there are several options available from with-in your computer.
Select or Press the CTRL and + keyboard buttons together to increase the font / screen size in your web browser and most other applications.
Select or Press the CTRL and - keyboard buttons to reduce the font /screen size
Can I view Business Spectator on a mobile device?
We use automatic browser detection for most of the popular mobile devices, so you should be able to view the mobile site using the normal Business Spectator website address: www.businessspectator.com.au.
What about Blackberry devices?
The Business Spectator website is better suited to Blackberry browser Version 5.
What about older mobile phones?
If you have an older handset that does not have a fully featured web browser, you can view our .mobi mobile website: www.businessspectator.mobi
The Business Spectator mobile site is designed to suit mainly older mobile phones with small screen displays. The mobile website displays five news headlines (with short summaries) and up to five of our latest commentary articles, which you can read in full in mobile-friendly text-only format.
Is there a Business Spectator iPhone App?
Yes! You can download the Business Spectator iPhone App from the Apple iTunes App Store.
Can I watch Business Spectator videos on my iPhone / iPad?
Yes you can. Go to the Business Spectator YouTube Channel to watch Business Spectator videos from KGBTV, DealsTV and the other business news channels.
I am not receiving some of my newsletter updates.
Sometimes, despite our best efforts emails are classified as SPAM. We recommend you set-up an exception in your email in-box or with your ISP for mail sent from news@businessspectator.com.au. Doing so will indicate that you definitely want to receive emails from us, thus improving your chances of receiving Business Spectator emails you've requested get in your in-box.
Alternatively, you may have set up your email settings with Business Spectator some time ago, and due to system upgrades or changes to our news categories, your original settings may no longer be valid.
It may be that the companies you have selected to receive email alerts on are not in the news very much at the moment, so we have nothing to alert you about.
If you have any questions about your email settings or status with Business Spectator, please select contact us. (top right of page in the navigation menus.)
Error : My newsletters arrive not formatted correctly.
If your newsletters appear in your inbox (or junk email folder) with lots of links and no pictures, the format of your email is incorrect. Try to change the format of your email to HTML.
This may have occurred with a recent software update or a change in configuration to your email client.
In microsoft Outlook, for example, there may be a highlighted bar at the top of the email saying line breaks were removed. If you click on this highlight, an option to display the email as HTML may appear. By selecting the HTML option, the newsletter should reappear as we sent it.
Error : I have registered but still get asked to sign in.
We use “cookies” in your web browser to remember registered users so that you should not have to sign in every time you visit Business Spectator. However, many browsers have security settings that may delete cookies on a regular basis – such as every month, every day, or even every time you close your browser.
If your browser’s cookies are deleted, we are not able to recognise you next time you visit Business Spectator, and you will be asked to sign in.
You can avoid this by checking your browser’s settings, and if required allowing cookies from Business Spectator, so that we can attempt to keep you signed in each time you visit the site.
Error : I can not log into my account.
You may need to clear your web browser cookies. Cookies help us make your time on the site a better, more personalised experience. However, sometimes they need to be cleared, as part of good house keeping. You can clear all your cookies using your browser tools and options.
Or you can choose to clear only the Business Spectator cookies (recommended).
To clear the Business Spectator browser cookies go to the Clear Business Spectator Cookies page. This will clear the only the Business Spectator cookies. You should then be able to log into your account.
If ever you have trouble logging in, just try the Clear Business Spectator Cookies page.
Error : Page / Article no longer available...
Some of our content is licensed from third parties such as Reuters or AAP. The licence may allow us to display an article for a limited time only, after which it is removed from our system. We apologise for any inconvenience. The majority of articles on Business Spectator are not subject to this restriction and remain available in our archives indefinitely.
On very rare occasions an article may be removed from the site for other reasons, such as a correction, or a technical error means the page address (URL) has changed.
Error : Page Load Error
Sometimes old versions of our site are seen by your browser. You may need to refresh the page to clear older versions of the site from your computer’s memory.
- Use the browser Refresh Button, usually near one end of the Browser Address Bar OR
- Press and Hold the CTRL, SHIFT and F5 keyboard keys together.
Q: Why can't I see the website videos with my iPhone / iPad?
Business Spectator uses Adobe Flash for all the videos on the website. Currently, Apple iPhones do not support Flash Plug-ins for their browser.
However, you can visit the Business Spectator YouTube Channel to view Business Spectator videos from KGBTV, DealsTV, Lunchtime Spectator, CheersTV and more using your iPhone, and iPad.
^ Back to Top of Page