Business of Media
Kim Williams: Mix of newsrooms – ABC and commercial – important for democracy
In a speech on Wednesday night, ABC chairman Kim Williams said all journalists needed to recommit themselves to objectivity, reports ABC reporter Matthew Doran.
Williams said the ABC’s journalists were “capable of remarkable work” and had “demonstrated it time and again”, and he wanted to “up the energy of serious journalism” at the taxpayer-funded institution.
But he did warn of financial pressures and the threat they posed to strong journalism.
The ABC chair pointed to tech giant Meta’s decision to end commercial deals with Australian news organisations, worth tens of millions of dollars, as imperilling jobs and the viability of media companies.
“New ideas are needed to restore the commercial health of our commercial newsrooms,” he said.
“It’s my hope that they succeed — Nine, Seven, News Corp, the smaller independent players like Schwartz and Crikey.
“All are vital parts of our democracy.”
Apple, Google, parents should stop kids using social media apps: Meta
Social media behemoth Meta wants the Australian government to force Apple and Google to police the age of phone users and give parents the ability to block their children under 16 from downloading social media apps, reports The AFR’s Sam Buckingham-Jones.
But two executives at Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook, denied they were “shirking responsibility” for age verification by shifting the onus onto the owner of phone operating systems.
Antigone Davis, Meta’s vice president and global head of safety, flew to Australia to front a government inquiry into social media use for a second time after a hearing in June. She joined Mia Garlick, Meta’s ANZ policy director. The pair faced questions about Instagram and Facebook’s age policies, scams and their decision not to renew deals with media companies under the news media bargaining code.
Garlick could not say how many scam ads had been taken down by Meta in Australia, but rejected suggestions the company profited from them.
See also:
The Australian – Meta cornered on news content, online harms and scam ads
Reynolds v Higgins
Linda Reynolds in final plea: ‘Nail those lies’ spread by Brittany Higgins
Linda Reynolds’s lawyer has called on the West Australian Supreme Court to “nail the lies” spread by Brittany Higgins, spelling out what he said was a “demonstrably false” statement used by her to secure a $2.445m commonwealth payout, reports The Australian’s Paul Garvey.
As Senator Reynolds’s blockbuster defamation trial against Higgins reached its conclusion on Wednesday, Martin Bennett used his closing statement to highlight what he said was the “mocking” of a hospitalised Senator Reynolds by Higgins and her now-husband David Sharaz.
News Brands
The Sydney Morning Herald carries apology prominently on the front page and its home page:
Wednesday’s front page of The Sydney Morning Herald print edition made serious allegations of criminality about a number of persons.
That article contained a serious error, being the inclusion of a photograph of businessman Michael Ibrahim.
Businessman Michael Ibrahim, pictured below, had nothing whatsoever to do with the people or allegations in that front page article.
The Herald apologises to Mr Ibrahim and his family for the shock and hurt that this caused.
See also:
The Daily Telegraph – SMH front page mistakes Sydney businessman for crime figure
The Sydney Morning Herald has apologised for mistakenly running a front page photograph of businessman Michael Ibrahim instead of the jailed crime boss of the same name.
In an article on Wednesday about the conviction of building industry figure George Alex for tax fraud, the SMH wrote that Alex used Michael Ibrahim to clean money from drug and illegal tobacco imports.
An apology was posted on the SMH website just after midday on Wednesday.
Television
Australian Story to feature Lachlan Murdoch across three separate episodes
In a three-part Australian Story special, journalist and author Paddy Manning examines Lachlan Murdoch. The PR from the ABC calls the son of Rupert Murdoch “one of the media industry’s most enigmatic and least understood characters”.
Australian Story asks who is Lachlan Murdoch? And how has he been shaped by the family legacy, the years at his father’s side and those spent estranged from the media empire?
Episode one, Blood, explores the origins of the Murdoch media empire and the lessons learned by Lachlan as he watched his father’s voracious global expansion. It also exposes the roots of the rivalry between Lachlan, his older sister Elisabeth and younger brother James.
The series features and interview with James Packer. When asked one question about what drives Lachlan, Packer replies: “I’m not his psychiatrist.”
The three episodes of Australian Story are produced by Lisa McGregor, Paddy Manning and Greg Hassall.
Sunday night Elle vs Packer battle: Missing the Gold medal moments
Current affairs program 60 Minutes will air a shorter version on Sunday as the Nine Network appears to have rushed an episode to counter lacklustre ratings and to beat Seven, which broadcasted the most watched Paralympic Games in history in 2021, reports News Corp’s Jonathon Moran and Brenden Wood.
With Seven landing a major exclusive of James Packer and Robbie Williams for Spotlight on Sunday, Nine has suddenly decided to bring forward Tracy Grimshaw’s interview with Elle Macpherson.
The supermodel however has already been doing the rounds of press, appearing on television and radio, as well as print magazines, through the week.
The interview will air over 45 minutes from 8.30pm while Spotlight will run for an hour at the same time.
Rich, white and dead: Has TV’s favourite formula gone stale?
Midway through the first episode of The Perfect Couple, the shiny new Netflix series about a wealthy Nantucket family whose picture-perfect life is derailed by a shocking murder, there is a moment that, perhaps unintentionally, epitomises the dominant TV trend of our time, writes The Sydney Morning Herald’s Thomas Mitchell.
Abby Winbury (Dakota Fanning), a well-to-do high society type, is being interviewed by police following the discovery of a body on a property owned by her mother-in-law, famous novelist Greer Garrison Winbury (Nicole Kidman).
You’d be forgiven for thinking The Perfect Couple was yet another adaptation of a Liane Moriarty book. The best-selling Australian author has become synonymous with murder mystery novels set in wealthy, tight-knit communities just like this one.
While The Perfect Couple might seem like an AI version of a story we’ve seen before (even Nicole Kidman is in it!), it appears our appetite for rich and not-especially-nice white people behaving badly shows no signs of letting up.
Shogun v The Bear: Who will dominate this year’s Emmy Awards?
When the Emmys hands out its statuettes on September 16, it will be one of the more unpredictable ceremonies in years, reports Nine Publishing’s Louise Rugendyke.
With no Succession dominating the drama and acting categories (it won six awards in this year’s strike-delayed 2023 Emmys, making it a total of 19 wins over its four seasons), a power vacuum has opened up.
Does that mean it’s The Morning Show’s time to shine or will Shogun, with its 25 nominations, put its competition to the sword? It’s just as unpredictable in the comedy category: will The Bear repeat its six wins for season one, or will the trophy go to an actual comedy (you know, those things that make you laugh)?
‘Making a mockery’: Waleed’s brutal question makes Raygun squirm
Rachael “Raygun” Gunn has finally faced the music in her first sit down interview since the furore erupted over her controversial Paris Olympic performance, reports News Corp’s Andrew McMurtry.
Channel 10’s The Project landed the world exclusive after the Aussie break dancer made headlines around the world for all the wrong reasons.
Waleed Aly questioned Gunn about the savage reaction she copped from within the breaking community itself.
Aly quoted Aussie hip hop legend Spice, who said: “I feel like it’s just pushed our scene in Australia into the Dark Ages.
“It made a mockery of the Australian scene and I think that’s why a lot of us are hurting.
“In hip-hop, we have this thing – you step up or you step off. You need to know your place.”
Aly asked if there was merit to the criticism.
“It is really sad to hear those criticisms,” Gunn responded. “I am very sorry for the backlash that the community has experienced.
“But I can’t control how people react.
“Unfortunately, we just need some more resources in Australia for us to have a chance to beat world champions.
“Historically, unfortunately, we haven’t had the best track record of winning World Championships, so I don’t think that’s just on me.”
Grant Denyer waiting patiently to see if Nine will pick up his TV concept
Grant Denyer is hoping for a phone call from Channel Nine, reports TV Tonight.
If it comes it could be good news that Nine has picked up a new TV concept he has developed with a production company.
“I’m keen to get some of my own projects up. I’ve still got something sitting with Channel Nine at the moment, so hopefully something happens there that’s in partnership with a production company and just building some ideas,” he recently told TV Tonight.
But in the game of development and formats getting the green light can be a long waiting game. Even when you’re a Gold Logie winner.
Nine’s Head of Content, Production & Development is Adrian Swift who has a busy slate of projects in various stages of consideration.
“I keep texting him every now and then he goes, ‘Yeah, it’s still on the boil. We still love it,’ but getting them to commit it’s a slow game, this kind of shit. I’ve been told sometimes a network can have an idea in the drawer for five years before they bring it out. So I think patience is the game.”
Sports Media
Nathan Buckley confirms his commitment to Fox Footy
Nathan Buckley says he is loving his time with Fox Footy and isn’t going anywhere, reports News Corp’s Jackie Epstein.
As the musical chairs in football media have begun to spin, Buckley confirmed his commitment.
“I’m really comfortable there,’’ he said.
“It’s been great, with the broadcast rights the opportunities grow so to be able to be involved in calling more games, I’m looking forward to that (next year).
“That’ll open up a whole different experience and being able to share your thoughts in real time. Fox have done really well in owning Saturdays.
“From what I’m told you won’t be able to see live AFL anywhere else other than Fox on a Saturday. That’ll be a really powerful thing.”
See also:
Is Seven talking to a Fox Footy host to join Kane Cornes on new shows?