Anthony Albanese’s social media ban facing delays, as tech giants push back
Anthony Albanese’s pre-election pledge to ban teenagers from social media is being undermined by tech companies refusing to enforce adequate verification barriers and delays in government trials of existing technologies to shield children from digital harms, reports The Australian’s Geoff Chambers.
Amid divisions in Labor ranks over the optimal age of children who would be banned from social media, the government is not expected to finalise its decision until late this year at the earliest following technology trials and sign-off from state and territory leaders.
The recalcitrance from tech giants including Meta, which has raised doubts over the social media ban, comes as children consume or share content on Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, gaming sites and encrypted messaging apps.
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland told The Australian: “There has been an active public discussion about what should be the appropriate minimum age for access to social media, with approaches typically ranging from 14 to 16 years.
Heston Russell demands meeting with Kim Williams amid doctored footage allegations
Heston Russell has written directly to ABC chair Kim Williams demanding a meeting following shocking allegations that the public broadcaster published doctored online audio in a news report depicting an Australian soldier firing multiple shots at unarmed civilians in Afghanistan, reports The Australian’s Ellie Dudley.
The former November platoon commander has also said journalists behind the story that contained the offending footage should be held accountable, despite the ABC saying Jo Puccini, Mark Willacy and Josh Robertson had “no role in the production and editing of the online video”.
The ABC has launched an investigation into how the incident occurred, after Seven’s flagship investigations program Spotlight claimed that audio accompanying a video for an ABC report of a November platoon soldier in 2012 firing shots from a helicopter at Afghan civilians included the sound of six shots rather than one.
‘Megaphone of the left’: Backlash against ABC fake news
A former ABC chairman has accused the national broadcaster of becoming “the shameless megaphone of the left” following claims the sound of five gunshots was added to a story about serious war crimes allegations by Australian soldiers, reports News Corp’s James Morrow.
Maurice Newman, who chaired the ABC from 2007 to 2012, described the revelation as ‘shocking’.
“What the latest revelation confirms is what many have been saying for a very long time,” Newman said.
“The ABC is a self-serving collective, which doesn’t let the truth stand in the way of a good story.
“(It) has become the shameless megaphone of the Left and operates in defiance of its act, its charter, its editorial policies and the interests of a cohesive society.”
The future of the Murdoch empire comes down to a court in Nevada
Over the next few weeks, the future course of one of the most powerful media empires on the planet will depend on secret proceedings set to take place inside a domed, Beaux-Arts-style courthouse in downtown Reno, Nevada, reports Jim Rutenberg in a New York Times feature republished by Nine Publishing.
There, the most powerful person in the room will be not the builder of that empire – K. Rupert Murdoch, a man who has made and broken leaders around the globe – but a mild-mannered county probate commissioner, Edmund Gorman Jr, who does much of his work without fanfare in his high desert city.
And next week, barring an unexpected last-minute settlement, it is Gorman who, after five days of testimony from Murdoch and his four eldest children in his hearing room, will recommend whether Murdoch should be granted his wish: to guarantee that his elder son, Lachlan, gains full control over the media dynasty after he dies.
High-profile BBC newsreader avoids jail over indecent images of children
One of Britain’s highest profile TV presenters, who delivered the news of Elizabeth II’s death, has been spared jail after he admitted charges of making indecent images of children, reports Nine Publishing’s Rob Harris.
Huw Edwards, who was paid up to £479,000 ($937,817) a year by the BBC, resigned from the public broadcaster earlier this year following a scandal over claims that he paid a teenager for explicit pictures. He was charged in June, and the following month admitted three charges of making indecent images of children.
A judge at Westminster magistrates’ court said Edwards’s long-earned reputation was “in tatters” as he handed him a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. Edwards, who was said to have a “low risk” of re-offending, must undergo a 40-day sexual harm treatment program and 25 days’ rehabilitation.
Andrew O’Keefe charged after overdose in Sydney’s eastern suburbs
Former television star Andrew O’Keefe has been charged with allegedly breaching his bail conditions and possessing drugs two days after being revived after an overdose at a party in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, reports Nine Publishing’s Christopher Harris and Riley Walter.
O’Keefe was treated by paramedics in the early hours of Saturday morning after overdosing at a home in Vaucluse. Emergency services, responding to a neighbour’s concern-for-welfare report, took the 52-year-old to St Vincent’s Hospital, where he was treated and later discharged.
When O’Keefe reported to meet previous bail conditions at Rose Bay Police Station on Monday afternoon – just over two days after his overdose – officers arrested him and allegedly found prohibited drugs in his nearby car.
Television
There’s no place like Rome! Emily in Paris is renewed for Season 5
Emily Cooper (played by Lily Collins) definitely isn’t done with Rome because Emily in Paris has been renewed for a fifth season, reports Netflix’s Tudum.
“We’re thrilled with the incredible response to this season of Emily in Paris and excited to return for a fifth to continue Emily’s adventures in Rome and Paris!” creator Darren Star tells Tudum.
Season 4 of the series saw the ex-pat spark up a romance with a handsome Italian fashion scion and then move into an Italian apartment to open a Rome office for Agence Grateau. But that doesn’t mean the name of the show is changing. “Emily’s going to have a presence in Rome,” says Star. “It doesn’t mean she’s not going to be in Paris, but she’s going to have a presence in Rome.”
Sending Emily to Italy to open up a new office was borne out of Star’s desire to “stay ahead of the audience and take them to unexpected places,” and prove “the show has the ability to have a bigger footprint.”
Sports Media
Bruce McAvaney makes return to AFL coverage via hosting role on Channel 7
Legendary sports broadcaster Bruce McAvaney is making a footy comeback for the biggest two weeks of the AFL season, reports News Corp’s Glenn McFarlane.
McAvaney will join Channel 7’s team including James Brayshaw, Luke Darcy and Abbey Holmes in a key hosting role for the blockbuster preliminary finals on Friday and Saturday as well as the 2024 AFL grand final on Saturday week.
It’s the first time the 71-year-old has been a part of the network’s football coverage since he called his final AFL match in the historic 2020 Richmond-Geelong grand final at the Gabba.
He won’t be calling the last three games of what has been an extraordinary season, but will take on a hosting role as part of Channel 7’s enhanced and expanded coverage across the next fortnight.
Tim Watson (briefly) addressed his future as 7News Melbourne sport presenter
“I haven’t been told I can talk about that,” said Tim Watson this morning on SEN 1116. Watson was responding to a comment from his SEN breakfast co-host Garry Lyon. When Lyon said his colleague has been in the news recently regarding his future with 7News, Watson indicated he would report on his future when given the OK by his Seven bosses.
The radio hosts also discussed the return of Bruce McAvaney to Seven’s AFL coverage.
Watson said that Seven is making a few changes, When Lyon admitted surprise at the return of McAvaney, Watson said he should stand by for news that Dennis Cometti might be coming back too.