Business of Media
Government gives ABC an early Christmas present
The federal government has handed the ABC an early Christmas present, giving it an additional $83 million over two years from July 2026, as it continues its push to legislate a longer funding term for the public broadcaster, reports SMH’s Calum Jaspan.
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said on Monday that the government will deliver the additional funding to the ABC over two years from 2026-27, with ongoing funding of $43 million extra thereafter. There was no additional funding allocated to SBS.
The decision to pump more into the public broadcaster comes after its chair Kim Williams launched a concerted campaign for increased funding. Williams, who replaced Ita Buttrose in March, has used a series of speeches since his appointment to extol the importance of the ABC in the local media landscape and why it needs to be better funded.
“When public investment in the ABC is discussed, it is often observed that its annual budget is over a billion dollars. This is true, and the board takes the responsibility of investing this money wisely very seriously. The fact remains, however, that the budget allocation has not kept pace with rising costs,” Williams said.
The ABC received $1.137 billion from the federal government across 2023-24.
TV
Em & Mercedes win Love Island 2024
Sydney model Em Miguel Leigh and US model Mercedes Knox (no relation!) have won Love Island Australia 2024, reports TV Tonight’s David Knox.
The duo drew the most audience votes in the reality grand final which screened Live on 9GO! and 9Now yesterday. They won the $50,000 prize ahead of finalists Mia & Niko and Eric Kaylah.
Both had expressed their devotion to one another after a series of temptations, challenges and hot contenders. The finale attracted the most votes across its six seasons, filming multiple endings in its festooned Spanish Villa. But finalists didn’t know who won until it screened last night, with a follow-up call from producers.
“We’re just so grateful to even be here. And then the last couple of weeks, in the Villa, with the most amazing people,” said Em (pictured left). “Watching Mercedes and I has been so sweet, he was definitely my comfort in the Villa and it’s been nice watching that back and seeing how unserious and goofy we were together.”
Bluey, Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett and Naomi Watts nominated in 30th Critics Choice Awards
Nominees were recently announced in the Critics Choice Awards, to be held on January 12 (US) at the Barker Hangar at the Santa Monica Airport, California, reports TV Tonight’s David Knox.
Ludo TV’s Bluey is nominated in the Best Animated Series while Sam Reid, Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett and Naomi Watts are all nominated.
Chelsea Handler will return as host for the third year running.
Paula Abdul settles sexual assault lawsuit against former co-worker
Singer Paula Abdul has settled her year-long legal battle with former co-worker and British television producer Nigel Lythgoe in a California court, the ABC’s Velvet Winter, Mawunyo Gbogbo and Anna Kelsey-Sugg report.
“This has been a long and hard-fought personal battle,” Abdul said in a concluding statement. “I hope my experience can serve to inspire other women, facing similar struggles, to overcome their own challenges with dignity and respect, so that they too can turn the page and begin a new chapter of their lives.”
Abdul launched legal action against Lythgoe last December, alleging that he had sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions while working together on popular reality shows American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance.
The singer alleged that Lythgoe first assaulted her during auditions for an early season of American Idol. Abdul said Lythgoe groped her in the elevator of their hotel after a day of filming and “began shoving his tongue down” her throat. Abdul pushed him away and ran to her hotel room when the elevator doors opened.
News Brands
Independent ABC conduct review submitted almost two months late
An independent probe into the ABC’s coverage of Australian soldiers in Afghanistan has been labelled “unacceptable” after its findings were submitted almost two months late, The Daily Telegraph’s Kaitlyn Hudson-O’Farrell reports.
The final review, commissioned by the public broadcaster’s managing director David Anderson in September, was sent in by reviewer Alan Sunderland yesterday, it can be revealed.
This is despite Mr Anderson claiming in September the review would be delivered in full by the end of October.
The review by former ABC news director Mr Sunderland was set up to probe the ABC’s conduct in coverage of the Australian Defence Force’s decorated November platoon, after Channel 7’s Spotlight program revealed now-deleted footage of a soldier shooting at people from inside a helicopter had additional gunfire sounds added to it.
“It’s now what, a week and a bit before Christmas. It’s unacceptable,” Mr Russell said.
“He’s not independent by any legal or literary definition of the word, he’s a former employee,” he said. “I want the ABC to appoint someone who’s truly independent … I just want to hold that handful of people to account.”
Judge slams delay in Lisa Wilkinson $1.8m legal fight after Lehrmann lawsuit
TV journalist Lisa Wilkinson will have to wait until next year to learn how much of her $1.8m legal bill Network 10 needs to cough up after a judge cleared her of defaming Bruce Lehrmann, The Daily Telegraph’s Nathan Schmidt reports.
Justice Michael Lee dismissed Lehrmann’s high-stakes lawsuit earlier this year after finding, on the balance of probabilities, he had raped Brittany Higgins in Parliament House in 2019.
He has appealed the decision. Lehrmann sued Network 10 and journalist Lisa Wilkinson, claiming he had been defamed in an interview with Ms Higgins on The Project in which she said she was raped by a colleague.
Following the bruising loss, the former Liberal staffer was ordered to fork up $2m for the failed suit, though Justice Lee noted there was not “any real likelihood” he would be able to pay it.
Ms Wilkinson is separately seeking about $1.8m from Network 10 after she sought outside legal representation, with a referee appointed to determine what costs are subject to indemnity.
Radio
Drive show host Chris O’Keefe leaves 2GB
2GB Sydney’s drive show host Chris O’Keefe has resigned from the broadcaster and will quit the Australian media industry after more than a decade to advise businesses and politicians as a private consultant, The AFR’s Zoe Samios reports.
O’Keefe told listeners on Friday afternoon he had made the decision over a few months, and that his next role would be start-up Emerald House Advocacy. He is the second host to leave 2GB this year, after Ray Hadley announced his retirement in November.
“I’m a young father, and I am looking at what the next 10 years looks like for me and my family,” O’Keefe said. “And as we all do from time to time, I have had to answer this question.
“I am very proud of the stories we have broken, the people we have helped and lives we have made better.”
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Top image: Em and Mercedes