Social media
TikTok leads pushback against YouTube’s age restriction exemption
TikTok, backed by Meta and Snap, is turning up the heat on Communications Minister Michelle Rowland over what it calls a “sweetheart deal” for YouTube.
As Amelia McGuire and Paul Smith write in The Australian Financial Review, the Google-owned platform has been spared from proposed age-gating laws set to shake up Australia’s social media landscape, leaving competitors demanding answers.
The controversy centres on a letter Rowland sent YouTube CEO Neal Mohan last December, guaranteeing the platform’s exemption would stay put if Labor retained government.
Election 2025
Political posts vanish from influencer’s feed after scrutiny
Satirical social media outfit It’s Not A Race, run by Sydney comedian Dan Ilic, has quietly wiped dozens of political posts from its Instagram page.
As James Willis writes in The Daily Telegraph, the content previously took aim at the Coalition during the 2022 federal election.
The clean-up follows reports the posts lacked the proper political authorisations required under electoral law.
Brands
Vodafone’s network play pays off as TPG wins market share from rivals
TPG’s $1.6 billion network-sharing deal with Optus is delivering early wins, with a 40% jump in new customers flocking to Vodafone since the agreement kicked in this January.
The move, designed to boost coverage and take on Telstra, appears to be resonating with price-sensitive Aussies ditching the big players for better value, reports Jared Lynch in The Australian.
The telco’s most active growth is coming from Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, up 80%, but it’s not just a regional story.
ABC’s billboard blitz raises eyebrows
The ABC is set to roll out a major outdoor campaign through a multi-year deal with oOh!media, placing its news content on billboards and street furniture nationwide.
According to James Madden in The Australian, the agreement, worth up to $16 million over four years, marks a bold push by the public broadcaster to boost visibility in high-traffic areas.
The move has stirred debate over the role of taxpayer funding in self-promotion, particularly as ABC chair Kim Williams continues to call for increased government support.
Tech
Google pulls school reviews in blow to digital reputation marketing
Google is scrapping its school reviews feature from April 30, removing all existing ratings and blocking new ones.
As Madeleine Heffernan and Kishor Napier-Raman write in The Age, the decision, aimed at curbing prank posts and potentially defamatory comments, signals a shift in how education institutions are managed in the digital space.
While flawed, Google reviews have influenced parent perceptions and enrolment decisions for years.
Retail
Shein hits $1.2b in Aussie sales as fast fashion reshapes the retail race
Shein has officially cracked the billion-dollar mark in Australia, pulling in $1.23 billion in sales last year, up from $979 million in 2022.
The Chinese-born, Singapore-headquartered giant now sits among the country’s retail heavyweights, edging closer to players like Accent Group and eclipsing brands such as Lovisa in revenue.
As Carrie LaFrenz reports in The Australian Financial Review, for local retailers, Shein’s rise, alongside global rivals like Temu and Amazon, has added serious pressure.
White Fox builds a global brand one billboard, and influencer, at a time
White Fox is making noise on the streets and in the feeds, blending bold out-of-home placements with a finely tuned influencer engine to build its reputation as the go-to label for Gen Z partywear.
The Aussie-born, online-only brand drops hundreds of styles weekly, leaning into scarcity, speed, and social proof, reports Lucianne Tonti in The Guardian Australia.
While rivals like Boohoo and Shein push volume, White Fox curates a more aspirational feel, working with creators who also land luxury and premium collaborations, blurring the line between fast fashion and lifestyle aspiration.
Streaming
Netflix eyes podcasters as next wave of premium content creators
Netflix is exploring a potential new lane in its content playbook: video podcasters.
Co-CEO Ted Sarandos flagged the opportunity during the streamer’s Q1 earnings call, hinting that as the format gains popularity, some podcast creators could land on the platform.
But as Caitlin Huston writes in The Hollywood Reporter, the offer only stands if the content hits Netflix’s definition of ‘premium’.
Stan leans into local as the last Aussie-owned streamer standing
With Binge now under UK ownership and Max launching locally under Warner Bros. Discovery, Nine’s Stan is officially the last Australian-owned SVOD left in the market, and it’s not wasting the moment.
According to David Knox who writes on TV Tonight, acting managing director Dan Taylor says the streamer is doubling down on its mission to deliver homegrown stories to local audiences.
Stan has commissioned more scripted Australian content this year than any other platform, according to the Australian Media & Communications Authority.
Television
Farmer Wants a Wife executive producer reveals major twist in show
Seven’s hit reality series Farmer Wants a Wife is back on 21 April, and this season comes with a headline-making twist.
Executive producer Sylvia D’Souza confirmed the unexpected twist that one of the farmers leaves the series midway through production, dramatically altering the course of the season, but there’s still a successful outcome.
“All the farmers in this season find love. Was it easy? Probably not… We’ve had two women walk out after 24 hours on the farm, and one farmer quits halfway through.”
Radio
Trust in podcasting: the fine line between freedom and responsibility
Podcasting’s explosive growth has opened doors for creativity, but it’s also created a unique challenge for advertisers… trust.
In this Op-Ed by Anthony Dockrill on Radio Today, Dockrill writes that while radio benefits from years of regulatory oversight and established editorial standards, podcasts operate in a less controlled, more spontaneous environment.
Podcasts like The Joe Rogan Experience have proven hugely popular but often blur the line between opinion and misinformation.