Media Roundup: World leaders AI summit, Canva's big Adobe play, Disney+ takes on Kayo, Lattouf's legal woes and Woolies workers office orders
See the top industry stories trending today.
By Natasha LeePublished Feb 11, 2025
4 min read
Television
ABC received up to 45 complaints before Antoinette Lattouf axing
Just two days into Antoinette Lattouf’s ABC radio stint, 45 listener complaints had already landed - triggering a flurry of internal emails and high-level apologies.
As Joanna Panagopoulos reports in The Australia, then-chief content officer Christopher Oliver-Taylor repeatedly said sorry to former chair Ita Buttrose, admitting the backlash had put the broadcaster in a tough spot. "We are dealing with this… and apologise that you are receiving this correspondence," he wrote, hours before Lattouf was pulled off-air.
Buttrose was direct: “We will keep getting these complaints until Antoinette leaves.”
Tech
Canva takes aim at Adobe as it eyes bigger enterprise play
Canva is ramping up its challenge to Adobe, sharpening its focus on the enterprise market as it gears up for a potential public listing.
As Jared Lynch reports in The Australian, now valued at $US32 billion, the Aussie tech giant sees corporate design needs as its next big revenue driver. Last year, its annualised revenue jumped 13.6% to $2.5 billion, fuelled by 225 million monthly users, including 22 million paying subscribers.
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Businesses are already seeing the savings - Raine & Horne says Canva has cut its $20,000-a-month graphic design spend to zero.
Global leaders meet in Paris for AI summit
The Paris AI Action Summit kicks off today, bringing together world leaders, tech giants, and experts to hash out the future of AI governance.
As Sylvie Corbett and Kelvin Chan report in The Australian Financial Review, this latest global AI showdown comes as China’s DeepSeek - a low-cost, high-impact chatbot - shakes up the industry, forcing a fresh look at regulation and strategy.
Among the heavyweights: US Vice President J.D. Vance, making his first overseas trip, and China’s special envoy, representing President Xi Jinping - a clear sign that the stakes couldn’t be higher.
AI Job Cuts? Finance union calls for protections and reskilling
The Finance Sector Union is pushing for a ban on AI-driven job cuts, demanding that employers reskill and redeploy workers instead of axing roles, as fears grow that a third of the industry’s workforce could be wiped out.
A new union report reveals 53% of finance workers say AI is already in their workplace, yet 61% have had no training, and 67% fear for their jobs.
The report also flags concerns over "sentiment bots" monitoring customer calls - one worker was disciplined just for saying "unfortunately".
Streaming
Disney is making a big play in Australia’s sports streaming market, shifting NBA, NFL, and more to Disney+ in a move that puts Foxtel’s Kayo on notice.
As Calum Jaspan reports in The Sydney Morning Herald, from this year, ESPN will be bundled into Disney+ at no extra cost, giving subscribers access to some of the world’s biggest leagues without needing a separate sports platform.
With live sports now a major streaming battleground, Disney+ - already Australia’s third-largest streamer - is positioning itself to take on Netflix, Prime Video, and traditional pay TV in the fight for sports fans.
Paramount+ in hot water over offshore gambling ads during A-League match
Paramount+ has landed in hot water after broadcasting offshore gambling ads during last week’s A-League clash between Wellington Phoenix and Brisbane Roar, potentially breaching advertising laws.
As Henry Belot reports in The Guardian, ads for 8Xbet, known for its bikini-clad croupiers, were digitally imposed on the sidelines and aired across Australia and New Zealand, sparking scrutiny from media regulators who enforce strict bans on offshore gambling promotions.
A Paramount+ spokesperson blamed an external agency for the slip-up, saying the company is urgently working to prevent a repeat incident - but hefty fines or legal action could still be on the table.
Radio
2GB Backs ‘One-Iron’ Pitchford to Lead Sunday Continuous Call
2GB is shaking things up, handing the reins of its Sunday Continuous Call team to an in-house veteran, Gavin ‘One-Iron’ Pitchford.
As Phil Rothfield reports in The Daily Telegraph, Pitchford, best known as a panel operator and production guru, steps in for Mark Levy, who’s scaling back after taking over Ray Hadley’s weekday slot.
2GB boss Tom Malone is backing the move.
Retail
Woolworths orders staff back to the office
Woolworths is pulling its 10,000 office workers back to at least three days a week from October, joining a growing list of companies tightening remote work policies.
As Euan Black reports in The Australian Financial Review, The move follows Coles’ similar mandate last November and reflects a broader shift towards in-office expectations across corporate Australia.
"A key priority for 2025 is creating more opportunities for in-person connection to boost responsiveness and better serve customers,” Woolworths CEO Amanda Bardwell and chief people officer Caryn Katsikogianis told staff in a note seen by AFR.
Pictured: J.D Vance and Xi Jinping
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