Adgemis venues, including Noah’s Backpackers, sell for $130m. 

Detected Manipulations & Suggested Changes

Appeal to emotion / Mild sensationalism

Use of emotionally loaded or vivid language that can subtly shape readers’ perceptions beyond neutral fact-reporting.

Phrases such as: - "the one venue bankrupt pub baron Jon Adgemis had wanted to hang on to" - "now dilapidated and covered in graffiti" These descriptions go beyond strictly necessary factual detail and can evoke a negative emotional impression of Adgemis and the property. Calling him a "bankrupt pub baron" is a label that frames him in a somewhat sensational way, and highlighting the property as "dilapidated and covered in graffiti" adds color that may not be essential to the transactional focus of the piece.

3 suggestions

Replace "the one venue bankrupt pub baron Jon Adgemis had wanted to hang on to" with a more neutral formulation such as: "the one venue that Jon Adgemis had sought to retain prior to his bankruptcy proceedings".

If the condition of the property is relevant, present it in a more neutral, factual way, e.g.: "Adgemis had bought the prominent Campbell Pde, Bondi Beach corner site, which is currently in poor condition and has visible graffiti, for $68m."

Avoid labels like "pub baron" unless they are directly relevant and clearly attributed (e.g., "often described in the industry as a 'pub baron'") and explain why that label matters to the story.

Selective use of sources / Anonymous or vague sourcing

Relying on unnamed or vaguely described sources without sufficient context can reduce transparency and make it harder for readers to assess reliability.

The article states: "James Cowan, Head of New South Wales Investment Services for Colliers, has been contacted but said he couldn’t confirm the sales or discuss a purchaser. Other sources though have confirmed them." The phrase "Other sources though have confirmed them" does not specify who these sources are (e.g., industry insiders, people close to the deal, legal filings), how many there are, or their proximity to the transactions. While this is common in business reporting, it is still a form of selective and partially anonymous sourcing.

3 suggestions

Clarify the nature of the unnamed sources, for example: "Two industry sources with direct knowledge of the transactions, who requested anonymity because the deals are not yet publicly announced, have confirmed them."

Where possible, supplement anonymous confirmation with documentary evidence (e.g., public records, filings) or indicate that such evidence exists: "Property records lodged with the NSW Land Registry, as well as two industry sources, confirm the sales."

Explain briefly why named parties declined to comment and why anonymity was granted, to help readers evaluate the weight of the claims.

Appeal to authority / Promotional language (in quotes)

Quoting highly promotional or subjective descriptions from interested parties can introduce bias, especially if not clearly framed as marketing language.

The article quotes a Colliers representative: - "a truly iconic beachfront property located at Sydney’s most famous beach." - "a rare blank canvas and the opportunity to transform the building into a landmark that defies coastal living". These are clearly marketing-style statements from a commercial agent with a vested interest in presenting the property in the best possible light. While they are attributed, they are not explicitly framed as promotional language, which may subtly influence readers’ perceptions.

3 suggestions

Explicitly frame these quotes as marketing or sales language, e.g.: "In marketing materials, Meynell described the former backpackers as 'a truly iconic beachfront property...'"

Balance promotional quotes with neutral or independent descriptions, such as planning documents or objective features (size, zoning, approvals) without evaluative adjectives.

Remove or reduce highly subjective phrases that add little factual value, or paraphrase them more neutrally: e.g., "He described the property as a rare redevelopment opportunity at Bondi Beach."