Television
Women in Media drops Ita Buttrose from event
Women in Media Australia has quietly removed Ita Buttrose from its 20th anniversary fundraiser, following backlash over her involvement in the wake of the ABC’s Antoinette Lattouf dispute. The decision reflects ongoing tensions within the industry over diversity and representation in media leadership.
Attendees were notified on 11 March that Buttrose, the national patron of Women in Media, was “no longer able to participate,” with replacement speakers yet to be announced, according to Danyaal Saeed in Crikey.
Meanwhile, comedian Kitty Flanagan has been confirmed to host the group’s Women in Media Oration in late May.
Streaming
Foxtel’s DAZN sale nears approval
Foxtel’s sale to global sports streamer DAZN is edging closer to finalisation, with sources indicating the federal government could give the green light as early as next week. The deal, which shifts Australian broadcast rights for the AFL, NRL, cricket, and Formula 1 to DAZN, has been under Foreign Investment Review Board scrutiny for three months.
As reported by Calum Jaspan in The Sydney Morning Herald, Saudi-backed SURJ Sports Investment, linked to the Public Investment Fund, has played a key role in financing the deal.
While no cash is changing hands, DAZN – owned by British-Ukrainian billionaire Len Blavatnik – will take on Foxtel’s significant debt, repaying loans owed to both News Corp and Telstra.
Andrew Bolt backs Turnbull’s Trump critique
Andrew Bolt has defended Malcolm Turnbull’s right to call out Donald Trump’s trade policies, arguing the former PM shouldn’t be silenced to protect the US President’s ego. The Sky News Australia commentator took issue with media figures suggesting Turnbull should stay quiet after labelling Trump’s tariff war a “disaster” on American TV.
On his program Tuesday night, Bolt dismissed concerns that Turnbull’s comments could strain US – Australia relations, writes Samantha Maiden in The Daily Telegraph.
He pointed out that Turnbull speaks only for himself – not the government or Ambassador Kevin Rudd – and questioned whether Australians should self-censor to avoid upsetting Trump.
Radio
The woman shaping the way Sydney sounds
2DAY FM has undergone a major format shift, marking what music director Kiri Martin calls the “biggest change in commercial radio since Nova launched.” The move is part of Southern Cross Austereo’s (SCA) broader digital strategy following its television exit, positioning the station to better target younger audiences.
The transformation has been in motion since late last year, beginning with the launch of The Jimmy & Nath Show in the breakfast slot after the sudden departure of Hughesy, Ed & Erin.
Now, the station is doubling down on a youth-driven music format aimed at under-30 listeners, reflecting evolving audience habits in an increasingly digital audio landscape.
Legal
TEG faces workplace culture claims
TEG, the company behind Ticketek, is under scrutiny after a former senior lawyer circulated a 23-page document alleging a toxic workplace culture. The letter, sent to executives in September after the lawyer’s departure, described a pattern of staff being overworked and humiliated by managers.
As Sam Buckingham-Jones and Sarah Thompson write in The Australian Financial Review, the document reportedly urged TEG leadership to bring in an HR consultant to assess workplace issues and audit key executives.
As Australia’s dominant ticketing provider and a major player in live events, TEG’s workplace reputation could have broader implications for its relationships with industry partners and advertisers.
Tech
Kurt Burnette joins Cre8tive AI as content consultant
Former Seven West Media chief revenue officer Kurt Burnette has taken on a new role as a content consultant at Cre8tive AI. With 30 years in media, he brings deep expertise in monetising premium video content across entertainment, news, and sports.
Burnette highlighted his long-standing focus on technology and innovation, emphasising AI’s transformative impact on the industry. “AI and its all-encompassing game-changing capabilities are at the heart of it all,” he shared on LinkedIn.
Podcasting
Spotify pulls Andrew Tate content after user backlash
Spotify has removed an Andrew Tate podcast after receiving complaints from users, including an online petition signed by over 92,000 people. The podcast, titled Pimping Hoes, was found to violate Spotify’s content policies and was taken down alongside several other Tate-related uploads.
As Dan Milmo and Rachel Keenan report in The Guardian, The removal was first reported by 404 Media, which claimed that some Spotify employees had also raised concerns about Tate’s content internally.
One employee reportedly called it “pretty vile” in an internal message, though Spotify maintains the decision was based solely on policy violations.
Publishing
Meta wins ruling to block ex-employee’s book
Meta has secured an emergency arbitration ruling to temporarily block promotion of Careless People, a tell-all book by former global public policy director Sarah Wynn-Williams. The company argued the book could cause “immediate and irreparable loss,” according to the ruling published by Meta.
Described by The New York Times as “an ugly, detailed portrait” of the tech giant and its top executives, including Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg, the book reportedly exposes internal power struggles at Meta. Wynn-Williams did not attend the arbitration hearing.
Pictured: Andrew Bolt and Malcolm Turnbull