Motiv is understood to have made an informal approach this month to acquire Fairfax Media’s events business, which houses marquee events including The City2Surf, the Night Noodle Markets and Australian Openair Cinemas. Denver-based Motiv runs events such as the Golden Gate half marathon in San Francisco and other digital and live experiences.

Its interest in expanding in Australia comes after Nine and Fairfax outlined their agreed merger plans in July. The cross media tie-up requires shareholder approval at a November meeting.

The proposed transaction has also spurred plenty of discussion about the potential for Nine to offload parts of Fairfax’s portfolio, particularly its regional newspaper business, Australian Community Media, and its New Zealand division Stuff.

Fairfax’s events division has been valued by Macquarie Equities at around $60 million, or around a 6 times estimated 2018-19 multiple for earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation.

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The company made the decision to remove its two co-founders and shake up its board in October last year, bringing in former Australia and New Zealand managing director at Nasdaq-listed marketing automation software company Marketo, Aden Forrest, to take on the top job.

Simple unveiled its new marketing resource management platform, built on Microsoft Azure’s intelligent cloud, on-stage at the tech giant’s Inspire partner conference in Las Vegas in July.

The platform lets marketers plan and put together a campaign and track its performance.

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On Sunday’s episode of Nine’s current affairs program 60 Minutes, Wooley fired back at the commentary that greeted his “sexist” interview with Ardern in February, in which he was lambasted for asking the then-pregnant PM about her “conception” and quipping about her appearance.

“I’ve met a lot of Prime Ministers in my time, but none so young, not too many so smart, and never one so attractive,” Wooley said on Sunday’s episode, defending his questioning.

“The online reaction was swift, judgment was passed and it was mostly unforgiving,” he added.

The segment also saw Wooley proving apologist for Kevin Bloody Wilson’s routine, with its gaudy emphasis on PC-baiting humour. (Wilson was “the only comedian” willing to talk to him about political correctness, Wooley said.)

“People are gonna say that you’re a dinosaur…” Wooley told Wilson.

“I’m fine with that, I’ve made a very good living out of being a dinosaur… I’m probably just reflecting what most of Australia, certainly what all of my mates, are thinking,” said Wilson.

Comedian Lehmo asked on social media after the report: “Charles Wooley, no comedians would speak to you? How many did you ask?”

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Former News Corp Australia boss John Hartigan, who spent more than four decades at the media company including as editor of several major newspapers, said it was “nonsense” that showed Rudd needed to “pull his head in”.

“I’ve not known an editor in this country that has ever suggested Rupert Murdoch or any family member has instructed them to do anything [political with their news coverage]. I’ve spent 42 years in the joint and I certainly didn’t see that,” Hartigan said.

Former News Corp chief executive Kim Williams, who left the media company in 2013 amid reports his management style had alienated senior editors and members of the Murdoch family, said the influence of the press on politics was “massively exaggerated”.

“People love a conspiracy, particularly in Australia, but if it’s a choice between a conspiracy and a stuff-up I’d guess a stuff-up any day,” he said of the recent leadership debacle.

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The Canadian singer will perform exclusively for smoothfm listeners.

They can win tickets to this exclusive event only by entering smoothfm’s new Michael Bublé’s Million Dollar Call competition from today, August 27, on-air through Mellow Music with Cameron Daddo.

Callers need to register their details at www.smooth.com.au and answer their phone with the words “I love smoothfm” to be put in the draw to make Michael Bublé’s Million Dollar Call. A registered listener will be randomly selected. If Bublé answers on the phone number chosen by the listener, they will win a million dollars. Everyone who registers will have the chance to win an exclusive invitation for four people to experience smooth’s Feel Good Night with Michael Bublé in Sydney.

Bublé will be returning to Australia for one show at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium on October 5 and will perform exclusively for smooth’s Feel Good Night on October 6.

Bublé launched Nova’s smoothfm network in May 2012.

Jones told The Australian yesterday that he had “communicated” with the Prime Minister following last week’s events, while Hadley confirmed he had “exchanged texts over the weekend” with Morrison.

Hadley’s resumption of contact comes 16 months after he banned the then-federal treasurer from his show, saying at the time he had “become boring” and “doesn’t say anything”.

Yesterday, Hadley said: “The Prime Minister and I have exchanged texts over the weekend about a number of issues. They’ve been sent with courtesy, and the replies have come back in the same vein.”

Jones appeared to strike a conciliatory tone: “Scott Morrison deserves a clean slate until he dirties it. My view is… he’s a new Prime Minister and deserves the respect that goes with that status.”

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“I contacted certain MPs, yes, and encouraged them to recognise that if they wanted to go, Australia wanted to go the same way, there had to be change,” he told the ABC’s 7.30 program on Monday.

“I didn’t turn against Turnbull, but I turned against the [energy] policy,” he said.

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Watch the ABC 7.30 interview with Alan Jones here.

The NSW Law Society, which represents the state’s 30,000 solicitors, announced on Monday it had “pulled all advertising from 2GB, effective immediately” after Jones used the phrase “n—– in the woodpile” during his breakfast radio show last Thursday.

The society, which condemned the comments as “inappropriate and offensive”, is one of a small number of advertisers to boycott the radio station in the wake of Jones’s comments, for which he subsequently apologised. Vodafone also suspended advertising in the wake of the controversy.

Adam Lang, chief executive of 2GB’s owner Macquarie Media, said the company was “aware of entities on social media that are agitating clients of our company to remove their advertising from the program and from 2GB”.

“We respect the decision of the few companies that have chosen that option and will welcome them back at an appropriate time,” Lang said.

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I was targeted. Vilified. Mocked for my appearance. Been subjected to false and malicious commentary. Like those three, I’ve experienced emails demanding the Powers That Be sack me. Fortunately in my case, no-one listened.

Much of this turned on the commentary of Alan Jones and his cronies, which was then amplified in the pages of The Australian and The Daily Telegraph.

Why did they do that? I was part of something they didn’t like. In 2012, with a bunch of brilliant women and men I didn’t know at the outset, I campaigned to ask advertisers to rethink their support of the Alan Jones program because of his vile comments about Julia Gillard. Those comments weren’t about her policies. They were about her father. Jones said Gillard’s father died of shame. The Destroy The Joint campaign cost Macquarie Radio Network more than 1.5 million bucks. The then chief executive of Macquarie Radio Network begged us to stop.

It truly surprised me that the response of Jones and his allies was to pick on a boring, middle-aged mother of three without any real political power – and it was then I got some insight into what it would be like to actually challenge the trogs. I understood what it was like to feel utterly powerless as the subject of their commentary. But much more importantly, I also know what it felt like to fight back on someone else’s behalf and to know exactly how good that feels.

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Armstrong will play Alice Wells, a demure and kind-hearted shortbread baking nanna. However, it quickly becomes clear that there is more to Alice than a mixing bowl and rolling pin, as she cooks up a shocking plan involving one of Ramsay Street’s favourite households.

Kerry Armstrong said: “It is not often you get to be so creative in your own backyard so when the producers asked me to play the role of Alice Wells in Neighbours it was simply irresistible.

“Alice is a character who pushes every boundary and is a force to be reckoned with. I was looking to challenge and stretch myself to the limits playing a phenomenal character and Alice is just that”.

Neighbours’ executive producer Jason Herbison said: “Kerry is a legend of Australian film and television and we are honoured to have her in Neighbours. This character is one of my all-time favourites and she is the perfect actress to bring her to life. We had a lot of fun plotting the storyline and Kerry has the crew mesmerised with her performance.”

Network Ten executive producer of Neighbours, Sara Richardson, said: “We are so delighted to have Kerry on Ramsay Street. It has been so much fun watching her bring such a compelling energy to the character Alice. She is a force to be reckoned with.”

Armstrong’s guest role follows recent appearances on Neighbours by industry icons Magda Szubanski and Debra Lawrance. Armstrong will appear on television screens in late October.

The building that has caused so much anguish and drama (and we’re not talking about its shady past) is almost complete, and the five couples have started to advertise the fruits of their hard labour, along with their amazing bathrooms.

The listings show prices for apartments will range from $2.2 million (the lowest price range on pilot and air hostess couple Courtney and Hans’s apartment) to $2.75 million (the highest price range on Queensland couple Jess and Norm’s penthouse).

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The BBC Earth channel will showcase a broad range of factual programming including natural history, human interest stories, adventurous travels and scientific investigations, and will feature programs from expert presenters such as Sir David Attenborough, Michael Mosley, Louis Theroux, Professor Brian Cox and Steve Backshall.

Titles in launch week include Planet Earth II, Spy in the Wild, My Year with the Tribe, Without Limits and Trust Me, I’m a Doctor.

Closely following the launch, BBC Earth will host Being Human, a season of programs airing in November exploring the human race, how we might improve the way we live and what the future could hold for civilisation. Shows will include Future Human: AI, The World’s Most Extraordinary People and Meet the Humans.

Tim Christlieb, BBC Studios Australia and New Zealand’s director of branded services, said: “We are delighted to be launching the BBC Earth channel on Sky, offering best-in-class premium factual programming fronted by the BBC’s renowned presenters. BBC Earth is a well-established global brand that uses compelling stories to engage audiences with the wonders of our universe. We are confident that this new channel will resonate with local audiences given New Zealanders’ strong connection to their natural environment, cultural curiosity and love of travel.

“While many of the familiar faces and shows on BBC Knowledge will transition to BBC Earth, we’ll be adding more natural history and adventure to the mix, and moving factual entertainment programs like Who Do You Think You Are, Dragons’ Den, Traffic Cops and Top Gear to BBC UKTV.”

Sky’s director of entertainment Travis Dunbar said: “The BBC is globally renowned for the quality and diversity of its factual content and we are delighted to be bringing BBC Earth to Sky customers.”

“Through this global brand they can now access this unique mix of premium content while still watching the favourites they’ve come to know and love.”

BBC Earth will join existing BBC channels – BBC UKTV and BBC World News – on the Sky platform as part of its Entertainment package. It will also be available to live stream on Sky Go and selected shows are available for catch-up on Sky Go and Sky On Demand.

About BBC Earth programs to be available in launch month

Planet Earth II (22 October) A decade ago, Planet Earth redefined natural history filmmaking, giving us the ultimate portrait of life on Earth. Ten years on, advances in both filming technology and our understanding of the natural world mean we can reveal our planet from a completely new perspective. Now, Planet Earth II allows us to experience the world from the viewpoint of animals themselves.

Spy in the Wild (22 October) Animals love, mourn, deceive and invent – just like us. A new generation of spy cameras reveals how similar we are by using highly entertaining footage combined with fascinating scientific details.

My Year with the Tribe (22 October) Living in treehouses and using stone tools, the Korowai were only discovered in the jungles of West Papua 40 years ago. Will Millard visits this tribe to better understand the pressures they face and how much of their traditional hunting and gathering lifestyle still exists. What he finds shocks, surprises and confounds him, as he witnesses the last gasp of an ancient way of life that once defined us all.

Trust Me, I’m a Doctor (24 October) The doctors are back to get behind the hype and headlines to find the truth about what’s good for your health.

Without Limits (28 October) Six disabled people ride out on an epic journey along Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh trail to discover a country of contrasts and a place to find themselves. Their journey highlights the beauty of Vietnam and challenges how the participants view their own disabilities.

Wild New Zealand (27 October) This series reveals the country’s rich and intriguing wildlife stories, from the bustling communities of penguins hiding away in giant daisy forests to the kakapo – Earth’s only species of flightless nocturnal parrots. New Zealand was also the last place to be visited and settled by people from western civilisations, who brought with them new animals like sheep and new predators like the stoat. Finally, Wild New Zealand meets the pioneering conservation heroes who are fighting to save some of its most endangered species.

The top two teams, Richmond and West Coast, already the most profitable Australian sporting clubs, are likely to make combined operating profits of more than $10 million as crowds surge.

AFL attendances for the 2018 season hit a record of 6,894,700 spectators, up 2.7% from last year, figures to be released by the league today will show.

An average of 34,822 fans watched each AFL game, making the league the fourth most-attended across any sport in the world, behind the NFL, German Bundesliga and English Premier League.

Defending premiers Richmond, which topped the ladder this season and heads into the finals series as grand final favourite, signed a record 100,726 members, up 38% from last year, and had its highest home attendance average of 61,175.

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