Companies
Mike Sneesby resurfaces as MBC Group CEO
Former Nine Entertainment boss Mike Sneesby has landed a major new role, stepping in as chief executive of MBC Group, the Middle East’s biggest media company and the owner of streaming giant Shahid.
As James Manning reports in The Australian, Sneesby, now based in Riyadh, will officially take the reins on 1 May, as current CEO Sam Barnett exits.
Sneesby said his focus will be on scaling MBC’s global influence through “innovation, creativity and digital transformation”, familiar language for the executive who previously helped launch Stan in Australia.
Election 2025
As the federal election campaign cranks up, both major parties are taking the media on tour, but it’s less transparency, more five-star mystery.
Journalists covering the campaign are given minimal detail on accommodation or costs, despite outlets footing the bill, with independent media largely priced out of the experience, reports Daanyal Saeed in Crikey.
The Dutton campaign, in particular, has rolled through a string of premium hotels, from the W Brisbane and Fullerton Sydney to the Ritz-Carlton Melbourne and Park Hyatt.
What the data says about WFH
A landmark Stanford study led by Nicholas Bloom found hybrid workers, those at home two days a week, were just as productive, more loyal, and no less promotable than their office-bound peers.
As Euan Black writes in The Australian Financial Review, the research comes after Opposition Leader Peter Dutton quietly dropped his plan to force public servants back to the office full-time.
The issue now being used as something of a political yo-yo in the lead-up to the May election.
Television
Nine locks in $210m rugby rights deal with performance bonus baked in
Nine Entertainment has renewed its partnership with Rugby Australia in a five-year broadcast deal reportedly worth $210 million, a significant uplift from its previous $150 million package.
Antiques Roadshow gets an Aussie spin as producers hunt for hidden gems
A local edition of Antiques Roadshow is in the works, with producers now casting a wide net across Australia in search of rare finds, sentimental keepsakes and dusty treasures with a story to tell.
As Kyle Laidlaw writes in TV Blackbox, the long-running UK format has been a hit with audiences and advertisers alike, offering rich storytelling wrapped in nostalgia and surprise.
The Australian version will feature expert valuations across categories like jewellery, comics, glassware and Australiana.
SBS pairs Tony Armstrong and Courtney Act for Eurovision 2025 coverage
SBS has tapped two of its biggest personalities, Tony Armstrong and Courtney Act, to front its live Eurovision 2025 broadcast from Basel, Switzerland.
As SBS online reports, the duo will lead the local commentary across SBS and SBS On Demand, with early morning live shows from 14–18 May, plus prime time coverage during the Access All Areas event weekend.
Armstrong, a sports star turned TV favourite, and Act, a global drag icon, bring broad audience appeal and a strong social footprint, making them a savvy pairing for brands looking to tap into Eurovision’s growing Aussie fanbase.
Social media
Meta introduces new safeguards for its Teens Accounts on Instagram
Meta has introduced new built-in safeguards to its Teens Accounts on Instagram, to ensure an even safer, more age-appropriate experience for teens, and greater peace of mind for parents.
Over the next few weeks, the tech giant will be rolling out global updates to Teen Accounts on the photo sharing platform. Among the incoming innovations include teens under the age of 16 requiring permission from their parents to go Live and Live Stream.
In the past, the default setting was for teens to not be able to have that function but now 16 year olds can go live if they have permission from their parent.
Greens targeted in political Facebook ad campaign over security claims
A high-reach Facebook ad in Melbourne’s marginal seat of Macnamara is drawing fire from the Greens, who say it falsely links them to support for Hamas and misrepresents their national security stance.
The digital push is backed by former Labor MPs Michael Danby and Tony Lupton, urging voters to preference the Liberals ahead of the Greens.
As Henry Belot writes in The Guardian Australia, Meta estimates the ad could reach up to half a million users, a significant digital footprint in a tight electorate.
Radio
Nielsen’s three-minute shift boosts radio metrics and ad value
Nielsen Audio is shaking up US radio measurement, introducing a new three-minute qualifier to better capture today’s fast-twitch listening habits.
As Radio Today reports, the move, announced at the NAB Show, reflects the reality of shorter attention spans and more fleeting tune-ins, particularly in a landscape where listeners hop between formats in seconds.
Since switching to the three-minute rule, Nielsen has recorded notable gains: weekly audience increases of 9–13%, with standout quarter-hour growth in news (38%) and music formats like classical and rhythmic CHR (both up 24%)
Journalism
Seven still rules in WA, where media power remains a one-network show
Western Australia remains a media outlier, where Seven West Media holds a grip that feels more 1980s than 2020s.
With billionaire Kerry Stokes at the helm, the state’s media landscape is shaped by a single dominant player across print and broadcast, a throwback to an era when local news monopolies set the political tone.
As Christopher Warren writes in Crikey, The West Australian’s tabloid turn has ceded upmarket readers, prompting Seven to launch The Nightly, a digital play aimed at recapturing a more serious audience.
Legal
Ex-Seven producer sues network over credit card scandal fallout
Former Spotlight producer Taylor Auerbach is suing Seven West Media, alleging the network breached a non-disparagement clause and cost him his job at Sky News Australia.
Auerbach claims he suffered reputational damage after Seven allegedly briefed media on his use of a company credit card linked to the Bruce Lehrmann interview.
As Amanda Meade writes in The Guardian Australia, Auerbach had worked at Seven for nearly five years and played a key role in landing the Lehrmann exclusive, a deal that allegedly included expenses such as luxury hotels, dinners, and even a $1,000 massage booked on the network’s card.