The Sydney Morning Herald/The Age investigation into Merivale this week reported allegations relating to some unsavoury business practices.

The reporting is the latest in a long line of investigations this year at the Nine Publishing division that has had an impact – both on people and businesses exposed and the Nine business model.

Mediaweek spent time with The Sydney Morning Herald editor Bevan Shields and multi-award-winning journalist Kate McClymont to learn more about their investigative work.

Bevan Shields: It’s been a pretty big year. We had the Alan Jones investigation nearly this time a year ago. We’ve also had the Building Bad investigation that’s been a co-pro between our colleagues at The Age, our Sydney reporters and The AFR.

We’ve had Swillhouse, which was a huge story for Sydney and for the Herald. We’ve been kicking on with our deep dive into forever chemicals, which really gained a lot of steam this year. More recently we’ve had the Richard White and WiseTech story in the last couple of weeks, and now Merivale.

I’m thrilled for the team and proud of the work they’re doing. About this time last year, I looked at the size of the team, how many people we had in it. It was very clear that investigative reporting has to be a crucial offering for our subscribers.

We reallocated some people, which more than doubled the size of the team, That was really helpful because, as Kate will tell you, there’s almost too much to do. We needed more people, we found the right people.

The full-time reporters in our investigations unit are:
The Sydney Morning Herald: Kate McClymont, Carrie Fellner, Eryk Bagshaw, Patrick Begley, Chris Barrett, Ben Cubby, Harriet Alexander and Lucy Macken.

The people on The Age’s investigative team are Nick McKenzie, Michael Bachelard, Aisha Dow, Charlotte Grieve and Clay Lucas.

Outside of the ABC, we have the largest investigative reporting team in the country, certainly the largest for a publishing business.

It’s risky, it’s hard yakka for the journalists who invest themselves in it, often for a long time. It can be gruelling on the people who we ask to place their trust in us to tell their story, and if people decide to be silly and sue, it can be an expensive business as well for us.

The investigations are really critical for subscribers. We’ve got a subscriber business model that we’re really focused on at the moment, and people will only pay if they see depth and quality. And if they see something they can’t get anywhere else. Investigative journalism really ticks all those boxes.

It brings in new readers to our site and makes sure the existing ones are engaged and feel like they’re getting bang for their buck.

A team within Nine did some research earlier this year and found people very strongly identify The Herald and The Age with investigative reporting.

Bevan Shields

How long can an investigation take?

Kate McClymont: It does vary quite a bit, With the Alan Jones story, I had been working on that for literally years.

You can get to a point, maybe hit a wall, and then something else will come to you down the track. A lot of the time it’s perseverance. I look back on Eddie Obeid, I was writing about him for almost 20 years before he finally went to jail.

With the Richard White story, Nick McKenzie and I had mentioned ages ago that we both had information. But it was only Linda Rogan filing her affidavit and taking action in the Federal Court that gave us the impetus to combine our resources and get on top of the story.

You never quite know where you’re going to end up with whatever you’re looking at. You can do a story, like Eric Bagshaw’s Swillhouse, and it’s only after it’s published that others are prompted to come forward. Investigative journalism can be a long process.

Bevan Shields: There are some stories that pop up where an investigative reporter can apply their skills to research and write then publish within a week or two.

I’m a naturally impatient person and it can be frustrating sometimes when you’re waiting for something that might take six months.

If the team was only producing a story every six months, it would be good journalism, but there’s also just a beast to feed as well [for readers].

It’s a real skill, that not all reporters have, to be able to work on something in the background, keep it ticking along, and keep at it, while you’re also producing stories at a more regular pace.

Kate McClymont

Can the lawyers slow you down?

Kate McClymont: We are generally on the same page in that we have the same goal in mind. It often feels unnecessary to add in a couple of legal words. But it’s always wise to listen. With every story that I do, I always think if I get sued, who is going to go to court, who’s going to be in the witness box, will they be good?

Some stories can’t get published, because you know if that person sues, you don’t have a single person who’s going to step forward.

Especially with serious allegations like indecent assault and things like that, it’s why you look for a pattern of behaviour in an investigation. That’s what you’re looking for…something other than a one-off event, because that then boosts your story. If you can say something happened to seven people who don’t know each other, and even if none of those will go on the record, there is a pattern of behaviour that is compelling in itself.

Bevan Shields:  There may be differences of agreement along the way, we might have a tussle over how something is phrased, or a particular source we want that lawyers may feel uncomfortable with.

We share the same goal, which is public interest journalism, and that’s very clear to me in all my dealings with the lawyers, that they share the exact same goal, they’re not there to block at all.

They understand we need to take risks, and look, that also extends beyond investigative journalism. One of the benefits of us spending less time in court on defamation matters over the last year or two, is that our lawyers have time to go to court now to argue against ridiculous suppression orders.

The lawyers are definitely of the same mindset of us, that there’s information that people don’t want out there, that we all want to get out there for the public interest.

Kate McClymont:  Talking to people from some of the other news outlets, they say that some of their stories cannot get over the line, because there is very little appetite for legal risk. We are slightly different, in that we’re prepared to take the risk. Smaller companies just cannot afford, or are unwilling to do that, because of potential legal actions and costs down the track.

Not every story gets published

Kate McClymont: There’s always hope. You always keep the files open. One thing I find absolutely amazing is that a person in one of my stories will later pop up in another one of my stories.

For instance, Eddie Obeid’s lawyer, Sevag Chalabian, who helped hide the $30 million of corrupt payments that he got out of a mine deal brokered by Ian MacDonald. How amazing is it that down the track, up pops Sevag Chalabian laundering blackmail money in the Adam Cranston tax fraud case. I always love it when there’s repeat offenders popping up.

People react differently to accusations

Kate McClymont: A lot of the people that I write about, I’m actually writing about them because they’re narcissistic sociopaths. They are the people who are least likely to ever say, ‘Fair cop, gov. Yes, I did it.’

It’s always the newspaper’s fault, the journalist’s fault. Other people, such as politicians, are much more adept at saying, ‘Right, okay, I can see how this is going to play out. I’m going to get ahead of it.’

Especially people with PR teams, who get in place, trying to ward off bad publicity.

Bevan Shields: What we have really tried to do is bring the rest of the newsroom around some of these bigger investigations when they do land to try and make sure that we amplify it as much as possible.

We follow up on that reporting, and we push our other contacts and sources, and we ask politicians what their views are on something and what they’re going to do about it. PFAS, or Forever Chemicals, is a good example of that. Carrie Fellner was really a one-woman machine working on that for a long time, and we’ve tried to broaden that out where our Canberra bureau is pushing federal politicians on that a lot more.

We’ve had other people in the environment team weigh in on that story, and I think that pressure and thinking about what you do the day a story lands, what’s next, helps generate some momentum.

Selling the story, testing headlines

[Nine Publishing had a couple of big stories running this week. ‘Sex, sleaze, and hospitality’ was a catchy line accompanying the Merrivale story. Another unconnected item screamed: ‘Gagged with a sex toy’.]

Bevan Shields: It’s a balancing act. There’s not a lot of point in doing amazing work and putting the world’s most boring headline on it where no one will read it. Equally, the headline has to match the story. That’s where a lot of media went wrong, particularly last decade, where you’d have a sensationalist headline that really didn’t match the story when you click, and then you end up disappointed.

I don’t mind a sexy amped-up headline provided when you read, the experience of reading and the content in that story matches.

Swillhouse is a good example of that. The headlines well and truly matched the content. The art of selling a story is something we put a lot more time and thought and resources into.

We have conversations about it, often days in advance of publication. We can do Sydney Morning Herald headline testing on homepages now where we might have two different headline options, and one headline will go to a small group of readers and another will go to another group.

We can test what the responses are and see how people respond to that headline and which one may be best. It’s always a balancing act, and despite all those sort of fun, shiny tools that we can use, you also need to rely on journalistic instinct to make sure you’re not pushing things too far.

What’s next in the investigation pipeline?

Bevan Shields: We’ve got a good slate of things coming up over the next few weeks and months in The Sydney Morning Herald. On Merivale and the hospitality industry, we believe there’s a lot more there to look at, and we’re definitely on that. We have encouraged people in our stories over the last couple of days to get in touch with us if they have an experience they wish to share.

See also: The Sydney Morning Herald editor Bevan Shields reaches out to subscribers

Not only is SBS marking 50 years in 2025, but the broadcaster will also welcome a huge slate of new and exciting programming from Australia and around the world, as well as industry-forward initiatives and launches.

Managing director of SBS James Taylor said: “Over five decades, SBS has evolved from two multilingual radio stations to one of the world’s most distinctive multiplatform broadcasters. Within an ever more competitive landscape, SBS stands alone with its long history of truly representing Australia.

“As SBS prepares to mark this 50th milestone next year and look to the next 50, we will continue to lead the way in being a media network for all Australians through storytelling that explores and reflects contemporary Australia, through digital innovation, and through our commitment to sustainability.”

James Taylor

Mediaweek caught up with Atomic 212°’s Barry O’Brien, Rebecca Segalla from Magna, and Avenue C’s Carolyn Northcote, who attended the event to get their thoughts on offerings and what piqued their interest. 

Barry O’Brien

Atomic 212° chairman Barry O’Brien told Mediaweek SBS successfully positioned itself against the streaming services rather than the other free-to-air networks. He called the move “very smart” and “no small feat” as it placed SBS at the top of the Apple and Android app stores.

O’Brien called the broadcaster’s news and current affairs offerings “quality journalistic coverage” and food and cooking programs “first class”.

Among his highlights were the different programs led by local stars such as Rachel Griffiths, Jacki Weaver, Claudia Karvan, Melissa Leong, and Alone Australia season three, as well as The Jury: Death on a Staircase.

“SBS On Demand will become the 24/7 home for both their video and live audio offering driving their digital offering,” he said.

O’Brien noted SBS’ challenge to the industry on its focus on planning and buying against the 25-54s which the broadcaster argued should shift to a 40+ or 35-64s focus.

“I believe this narrative from SBS has real merit given we are an ageing population, but it will need work getting the broader marketing community to get on board.”

For O’Brien, SBS’s The Premium Effect research “speaks to the uniqueness of its audience and the incremental reach that can be achieved by shifting spend to SBS.

“They have conducted the research across TV and BVOD, which has a huge upside for them and marketers. This is the first time these numbers have been done in a VOZ world, and it will capture good revenue upside,” he added.

O’Brien also called out SBS’ focus on the FIFA World Cup 2026. He said: “With major announcements about the ad packages coming soon and the launch of a FIFA FAST channel on SBS On Demand, which will no doubt be a strong revenue generator for them across 2025-26.”

Rebecca Segalla

Rebecca Segalla, group investment director at Magna, applauded SBS for being a network “that knows who they are” and emphasised that messaging throughout the presentation from audience to programming, technology and sustainability.

Segalla applauded the broadcaster’s call out of the industry’s “outdated focus” on the 25-54 demographic.

“It’s very easy to throw People 25-54 onto a linear TV media plan and think nothing more. These conversations are already in play with clients to review and /or make the shift to the more effective and cost-palatable 35-64 and 40+ demographics. Complemented with BVOD and the industry’s move to VOZ, this seems like a natural progression we, as an industry, should also be considering,” she added.

She also highlighted SBS’s updated “The Premium Effect” research, why increased investment on linear TV to 10% provides campaign cost savings of 19% should not be ignored and the need to make the conscious effort to include “beyond 3 per cent”.

“Overall, a well-rounded presentation with lots to look forward to with SBS in 2025, on their 50^th birthday,” Segalla said.

Carolyn Northcote

Carolyn Northcote, media director at Avenue C, called SBS’s Upfront a “punchy hour” of the broadcaster’s summary of its 50 year history, the year that was and the next 12 months.

“SBS seems to shun the over-the-top flashy fanfare and instead celebrate cultural diversity, especially showcasing our Indigenous communities.”

She  commended Indigenous comedian Steven Oliver’s opening, which asked the audience to “open our minds and hearts to learn from all cultures, past and present.”

“This messaging was consistent throughout the session, with a focus on ‘looking back’ over past lessons and stories so that we can understand who we all are now and how we can best proceed for a strong(er) future.”

Northcote also highlighted SBS’s commitment to continuing its journey of sharing stories from all across the country and led by Australian talent, including The Idea of Australia presented by actor Rachel Griffiths, and Australia: An Unofficial History with actor Jackie Weaver.

“SBS’s Australian-made content slate is and has always been exciting. It’s insightful, well-researched, impeccably high quality and engaging. I’m sure I’m not the only attendee who adds almost the entire SBS feature reel to their ‘must watch’ list for the year ahead.

“And despite wooing us with delectable delights and inspiring content reels, SBS remains a ‘challenger brand’ in the media landscape despite reaching 13.2M Aussies every month,” she said.

Northcote noted the broadcaster’s On-Demand platform was utilised to watch over 140M hours over the last 12 months to deliver free, with minimal ad-clutter

“Yet they feel under-appreciated, it seems, even though they are perhaps the only consciously sustainable media vendors. They mockingly asked the audience if, in 2024, we should all still be chasing the old P2554 demo. Given the aging population and increasing diversity, it’s not a bad question to be asking.

“They also flagged that less than 3% of ad revenue is invested in Indigenous media when we need to be planning for ‘Beyond 3 per cent’ across the likes of NITV to enable more of our First People’s voices to be heard.”

Northcote highlighted the programming coming over the next year, including Alone Australia S3, The Jury: Death of the Staircase, and season six of The Handmaid’s Tale. She also pointed to its sports content, notably the Tour de France Femme, the Tour de France, and the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with qualifying matches, a FIFA FAST channel and football panel properties.

“SBS don’t want us media folk to follow the status quo; they want us to lean in and become better. It’s not a message that will resonate with everyone and may not be possible for all/many advertisers, but when has it ever been wrong to ask?”

Australia’s most prestigious media event, the Mediaweek 100 lunch, returns for 2024 at the Pearl Ballroom, Crown Sydney, on November 22.

The Mediaweek 100 celebrates the leaders who are at the top of their game, alongside the teams driving their success at Australia’s leading media companies.

After what has been a turbulent year, this annual event attracts the industry’s most influential people.

You can buy your tickets here. 

This year’s list is set to look quite different from previous years as there have been many big changes in the industry. In 2023, spots #1 and #2 were taken by former Seven CEO James Warburton and former Nine CEO Mike Sneesby, respectively and both are no longer in those roles. 

Warburton placed in the #5 spot on 2022’s list while Sneesby placed #1 that year.

Other execs who appeared in 2023’s top 10 lineup included Nova’s Peter Charlton, oOh!media’s Cathy O’Connor, Are Media’s Jane Huxley, Paramount’s Beverley McGarvey, ARN’s Ciaran Davis, SCA’s John Kelly, Foxtel’s Patrick Delany and News Corp’s Michael Miller.

See the full list of names for 2023 here.

James Warburton, former CEO of Seven West Media

You can view the full criteria and enter the Mediaweek 100 here.

While you don’t have to be nominated to make the list, our application portal is open to encourage submissions. 

KEY DATES

Submissions close: Tuesday, 12 November 2024 (11.59pm AEST)

Event Date: Friday, 22 November, 2024 (12pm AEST)
Location: Pearl Ballroom, Crown Sydney

Tickets are available here.

It was a busy morning for Sky News Australia Washington correspondent Annalise Nielsen when Mediaweek caught up with her. She was in Washington DC for the final few days of the US presidential campaign.

She had just done a cross to the Sky News breakfast show hosted by Peter Stefanovic. However, the breakfast anchor was also in the US, on this morning reporting on the election from Arizona.

Nielsen will be co-anchoring the channel’s election coverage as the votes are counted. She will be on a rooftop location backing onto the Capitol Building, working alongside Paul Murray.

Nielsen often crosses live to Murray’s Sky News primetime program. She shared with him earlier this week how many of the locals feel about the drawn-out campaigning.

“Everyone is looking forward to this election being over,” Nielsen told Mediaweek.

“Trump has now been campaigning for two years. When you travel around the swing states in the US there are non-stop advertising text messages. People are really getting worn out with it.”

Nielsen has been covering the US for Sky News since mid-2020, just over three years after she joined the channel.

Annelise Nielsen at a Trump rally

She’s hoping this will be a long-term appointment. Nielsen met the man who became her husband after she arrived. “I love living in DC and covering US politics,” she said.

“It’s just it’s always so interesting and it’s always so consequential to what happens and it matters to the rest of the world. There’s so much history to it. I find it fascinating.

“Living in DC you just feel like you’re in the heart of everything.”

Engaging with a YouTube audience

One thing Sky News Australia has done in recent years is build a big US audience watching on YouTube. Something that’s very apparent when Nielsen travels the country.

“When we travel people do know Sky News. Even when we were in Erie, Pennsylvania at the early voting line, there were people who recognised Sky News and were interacting with our content.

“It’s really cool knowing what we’re doing is reaching such a global audience. It gives us new opportunities for storytelling which at the heart of everything we do in journalism.”

Avoiding the press pack

“We really try and avoid the main campaign,” Nielsen explained.

“The feedback we get from our viewers is everyone sees all of that as a huge press pack following all the big events. We get a lot more value going out and talking to the real people and it’s something that not a lot of outlets do or do well.

“We really prioritise hearing from real Americans and talking about what’s influencing people out in the real world. As much as you might have a strong message put through campaign ads and rallies, when you talk to people just one-on-one you find what’s really influencing them.”

Is there a normal day on the Washington beat?

“We tend to have the mornings to ourselves. Things pick up around lunchtime and I’m doing Australian breakfast TV mid-afternoon going through to the evening. It’s definitely not the most social job I’ve ever had – quite the contrary.

“You have to work twice as hard as everyone else in America because you have to always make the case about why they’d want to speak to foreign news. Explain what our audience is like and why we are interested in these stories. They often ask, is the rest of the world really that interested in what we do and I have to tell them yes, the entire world is obsessed with what’s happening here.”

While working as a video correspondent sometimes means lugging all the gear yourself, Nielsen has been spoilt recently.

“For this campaign, I have had a camera operator I’ve been working with for five weeks. Normally when I’m in DC, I work out of the Fox News bureau and I use their studio. I used to do more video journalism and I’ve kind of taken a step back from that because it’s just a very hard job.”

Nielsen hasn’t applied for any leave just yet. The post-election climate could be even wilder than what we’re going through now.

Then there is the change of power in January. Whatever happens, there will be a new president.

Nielsen: “Oh my god, this is going to be the first female president or Donald Trump is coming back for the first non-consecutive term since Grover Cleveland. That will be the ultimate comeback story of our time. It promises to be an amazing inauguration either way.”

Sky News lands in the USA

A planeload of Nielsen’s colleagues arrived in the US this week, spreading out across different parts of the US.

“It’s really nice having everyone here and we work so well as a team,” Nielsen said. “There are no egos and everyone is pitching in and pulling together to put out the best product. We are really hitting the battleground states and I don’t think any other Australian outlet is really doing what we are doing.”

See also: Sky News unveils dedicated international election channel

The editor of The Sydney Morning Herald Bevan Shields will look at the subject of newspaper editorials in his subscriber letter this week.

In the US, The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times upset many of their subscribers recently, by deciding not to publish editorials endorsing either of the candidates for US President.

Covering its own story this week, the Washington newspaper reported:

At least 250,000 Washington Post readers have cancelled their subscriptions since the news organization announced Friday that the editorial page would end its decades-long practice of endorsing presidential candidates. The figures represent about 10 percent of The Post’s digital subscribers.

On a visit to The Sydney Morning Herald this week, Mediaweek asked Bevan Shields about his policy on election editorials and endorsements.

“Everyone has a different view on this, and I understand the arguments for not doing it,” Shields told Mediaweek. “It’s been pretty messy in the US in that they claim to have made a call that’s about impartiality, seemingly at the last minute.

“My personal view is I’m still a big believer in newspaper editorials. I think readers want a sense or an understanding of what the paper believes in. I think readers are smart enough to know that editorials don’t change the course of history and don’t necessarily influence things a lot.

“People want a sense of what the paper believes in. And that doesn’t mean it has to influence our news coverage. My view is if you’re doing an editorial every day of the week on whatever you think might be important that day, it’s pretty implausible to sit out the biggest news event, potentially for decades, and not have an opinion on that.”

Shields said he doesn’t feel election editorial would change votes. And he added they do annoy some readers.

He also noted that US election coverage is generating strong traffic at the Nine Publishing title.

“It’s something that has been ticking along for a while. Notably from February this year when I think we realised that Trump was actually a serious prospect of getting the nomination and possibly winning.

“It has really engaged readers. Our reporting has been great, and particularly in the opinion space for us too. It’s been a really big topic for subscribers and new subscribers coming to us.”

See also: From Alan Jones to Merivale: The SMH’s Bevan Shields and Kate McClymont on major investigations

BIG W has issued an apology and pulled a Halloween costume following online backlash.

In a LinkedIn post on Thursday, Rachel Green, CEO of SANE Australia, voiced her concerns regarding a Halloween costume sold by BIG W, urging the retailer to reconsider its product offerings.

Big W pulls Halloween costume.

“We are sorry for any impact we may have caused to the community in having this costume available in our Halloween range,” a Big W spokesperson said.

“Hey Spotlight Retail Group (SRG) and BIG W, check out my selfie…this is what a #mentalpatient really looks like. Living with mental health issues isn’t a #halloween costume. Please do better and pull these products from sale. We’re people, like you,” she wrote. 

In response to the online backlash, BIG W issued an apology and confirmed the immediate removal of the controversial costume from its online marketplace on October 29. A spokesperson for the retailer acknowledged the community’s concerns, stating, “We are sorry for any impact we may have caused. As soon as we were made aware, we took action.”

BIG W has committed to collaborating with SANE Australia to deepen its understanding of the stigma surrounding mental health and the lived experiences of individuals affected by these issues. This partnership reflects the retailer’s alignment with the values of mental health advocacy and its dedication to fostering a supportive community.

The costume was available exclusively through BIG W Market, a platform for trusted third-party sellers, and was not listed in physical BIG W stores. The retailer emphasised that it conducts regular product reviews to ensure compliance with health and safety standards, as well as alignment with its brand ethos.

Paul Hutchison, chief executive officer of Bohemia Australia, has announced he will be stepping down from his role at the media agency.

In a LinkedIn on, Hutchison wrote: “Our Australian adventures are coming to an end.

“Almost two years to the day since we left the UK for our Australian Adventure, Patty, Penny and I will be returning to the UK. It’s been a wonderful experience and one we will cherish forever in a country of outstanding natural beauty. All three of us feel extremely lucky to have had the opportunity to experience life in Australia.

“We leave full up with wonderful new memories, new lifelong friends and many learning experiences.

“All three of us are excited by what’s ahead when we return to the UK, more of that to come very soon. But for now it’s just a massive thank you to everyone we have met who has helped us settle into life in Australia and made this Australian Adventure and experience one we will never forget.

“We will be back to visit you all, of that there is no doubt.

“And if you haven’t had the chance to visit we’d highly recommend you pop down under to say g’day.”

An M&C Saatchi spokesperson told Mediaweek: “After careful consideration, Paul Hutchison has made the personal decision to return to the UK. Paul has been a valued member of the Bohemia and M&C Saatchi family, contributing significantly during his time with us.

“We respect his decision and are grateful for his passion and dedication. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors. A search is currently underway for his replacement.”

Bohemia Australia appointed Hutchinson as CEO in May 2023, after he spent four years as the chief executive of Wavemaker UK. He stepped into the role in place of Brett Dawson, who was taking on a broader remit within the AUNZ Group.

Hutchinson also led Bohemia’s new positioning and brand refresh that tapped into a combination of intelligence and intuition to “handcraft memorable media.”

In Feburary 2023, he told Mediaweek it was the right time to relaunch the brand, and to solidify the message that Bohemia is sending to the market.

“Based on what I’ve heard, I think for the past couple of years we’ve been a little bit quiet and not as present in the market as perhaps we should have been. People were beginning to say, ‘we’re not quite sure what you’re up to at the moment and what you stand for, but we are very interested to know, because we’re sure there’s something really interesting going on’.

On his move Down Under, Hutchinson said: “The thing that really stood out is just how open and welcoming the market has been here, and the interest there is in the plans for Bohemia. I’ve experienced through meeting many, many partners and clients, just how much positivity there is towards Bohemia – but also the interest in what we’re going to do next.

“For me, the most important thing so far has been listening – listening to our clients, listening to potential clients, listening to Bohemians. I’ve managed to have a one-to-one with all 50 of us so far, that’s at least an hour with everybody. I’m really looking at what we’ve got and what we can build on to craft the next chapter for our growth,” he said.

–

Top image: Paul Hutchison

Are Media, an Australian media company today revealed the judges and sponsors for one of the most important events on its 2024 calendar;  the fifth annual Marie Claire Women of the Year Awards.

Presented by Swarovski and supported by Volvo, Revlon, Dr LeWinns, Max Mara and G.H. Mumm, the coveted awards celebrate the trailblazing women who are driving real change in Australia as well as forging new futures. The winners will be announced during an inspirational evening at the Commercial One in Sydney on Wednesday, 13 November.

The judges of the Marie Claire Women of the Year Awards include journalist and TV presenter Edwina Bartholomew; producer and CEO of film production company Hello Sunshine, Sarah Harden; actor and activist Chloe Hayden; marketing director of Volvo Car Australia, Julie Hutchinson; journalist, newspaper and TV presenter, Narelda Jacobs OAM; chef and author, Kylie Kwong; and activist and author Grace Tame.

The judging panel also includes SBS World News presenter Janice Petersen, Are Media chief executive officer Jane Huxley, and Marie Claire editor Georgie McCourt.

Georgie McCourt said: “For nearly 30 years, Marie Claire has promoted and championed women, from the high-profile to the lesser known, all of whom who are all making a difference in many fields, including politics, tech, business, sport, social justice, advocacy and the arts. These awards are the perfect extension of what we’ve been doing as a brand for decades.”

Are Media general manager of Luxury, Nicky Briger, said: “These awards give us the opportunity to recognise the women who are forging real change, and we hope that by publicising their achievements we will inspire the next generation of game changers.

“I’d like to thank our presenting sponsor Swarovski and all our supporting sponsors for joining us on this journey. They’ve all become true champions of these awards, and we’re looking forward to a night of inspiration on 13 November.”

Swarovski PR and media executive, Tegan Whitfield, said: “We are truly honoured to be the presenting partner of the 2024 Marie Claire Women of the Year awards. Since 1895, founder Daniel Swarovski’s vision was to deliver extraordinary everyday style to women around the world. Championing women is part of our DNA and through our ongoing partnership with Are Media it only makes sense for us to collectively celebrate female leaders, innovators and creatives who’ve steered us forward. The importance of women within both our customer and employee base in inimitable – we are proud to champion women within our workforce and global community.”

Volvo Car Australia marketing director, Julie Hutchinson said: “After spending the last 20 years working in the male dominated automotive industry, I am proud to represent Volvo Car Australia, where 50% of our leadership team is female. As a brand, we champion women in the areas of tech and sustainability, and I am delighted to continue that focus through our involvement with the Marie Claire Women of the Year Awards, and as the presenting partner of the Eco Award.”

Revlon head of marketing, Amy Kingon Smith, said: “On behalf of the team at Revlon, we are thrilled to announce our partnership with Marie Claire as the official beauty sponsor of their Women of the Year Awards. This partnership signifies a strong commitment to empowering women and celebrating their achievements. It aligns with our brand’s core values of beauty, confidence, and self-expression and allows us to highlight and honour inspiring women who have made significant contributions across various fields, reinforcing the idea that beauty comes from strength and resilience.”

Alissa Cuthbert, marketing manager Hair & Skin, McPherson’s, said “We’re thrilled to partner with Marie Claire for the Women of the Year Awards. Dr LeWinns is an Australian brand dedicated to empowering women to feel confident in their skin, so we are honoured to celebrate Australian women’s achievements.”

The winners of the 2024 Women of the Year Awards will be featured in the December issue of Marie Claire, which is on sale from 14 November.

The 2024 Marie Claire Women of the Year Awards cover 11 categories: The Changemaker, Advocate of the Year, The Eco Warrior, The Voice of Now, Champion of the Year, Entertainer of the Year, Creative of the Year, Designer of the Year, Rising Star, The Powerhouse and The Icons.

Journalist Sally Sara (pictured) has been announced as the new presenter of Radio National Breakfast in 2025, with audiences hearing the news on the program this morning from outgoing presenter Patricia Karvelas.

Sara has reported from more than 40 countries as an ABC foreign correspondent, including across Africa, Iraq, India and Afghanistan, and worked for Landline and Foreign Correspondent. She has extensive experience in audio journalism and since 2020 has been presenter of The World Today.

“I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to join the Radio National Breakfast team. I can’t wait,” Sara said. “I will work hard to engage the audience with stories from across the country and around the world.”

Joining Sara on Radio National Breakfast will be political correspondent Melissa Clarke, business correspondent Peter Ryan and news presenter Luke Siddham Dundon.

Breakfast team will include political correspondent Melissa Clarke, business correspondent Peter Ryan and news presenter Luke Siddham Dundon.

Melissa Clarke is the ABC’s national affairs editor, based at Parliament House in Canberra. She has worked in the parliamentary press gallery for 16 years and has been the ABC’s deputy editor, politics and political correspondent for News Breakfast, AM and the 7pm News bulletins.

Peter Ryan is the ABC’s senior business correspondent with almost 40 years’ experience in journalism. He joins Radio National Breakfast after a long career with flagship ABC programs such as AM, The World Today and PM and is a former ABC business editor and Washington bureau chief.

Luke Siddham Dundon has been a familiar voice on Radio National for five years, bringing listeners the latest news on breakfast and filling in as host on Life Matters and The World Today. He has also worked on News Breakfast and Insiders.

After 10 years with Radio National, Patricia Karvelas is moving to a cross-platform role with ABC News presenting Q+A, Afternoon Briefing and podcasts Politics Now and The Party Room, as well as writing analysis for ABC News online.

“Sally is one of the ABC’s most experienced journalists and beloved foreign correspondents,” Karvelas said. “I’m so happy for the Radio National listeners who will not only receive first class news and analysis every day but also benefit from Sally’s deep international experience at this time of great global upheaval.”

ABC director, news Justin Stevens said: “Sally Sara is a hugely experienced journalist and broadcaster and it’s wonderful to welcome her to this key role on Radio National Breakfast.

“Patricia Karvelas has contributed enormously in this role, following on from Fran Kelly’s 17 years with the program, and Sally will continue a great tradition.

“Sally Sara, Peter Ryan, Melissa Clarke and Luke Siddham Dundon make a formidable team who will bring great expertise and insights to audiences and be part of setting the national agenda every day.”

Sally Sara will present Summer Breakfast from 16 December to 3 January. The complete new line-up will start on air from 20 January, with the program changing its start time to 5.30am AEDT.

Paramount+ has revealed the new exclusive original documentary Larger than life: Reign of the boybands will premiere on the platform on Wednesday, 13 November.

Produced by MTV Entertainment Studios in partnership with Gunpowder & Sky, the documentary delves into the evolution of boy bands, one of pop culture’s most enduring musical movements, highlighting the genre’s rich history from the influence of The Beatles to the global rise of K-pop and shining a spotlight on the iconic groups of the 1990s and 2000s.

Larger Than Life weaves together different stories into a curated playlist, transitioning from one group to the next to reveal what it was truly like to be a member – or a fan – during each group’s reign. From the exhilaration of success to the realities of fame, the film uncovers the raw, unvarnished experiences behind the spotlight, offering insight into the frenetic era.

Told through those artists who experienced it firsthand, the managers who orchestrated their rise, and other key music players, Larger Than Life is an ode to the ones who were tearin’ up our hearts. From The Beatles and The Jackson 5 through New Edition, *NSYNC, New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys, to SEVENTEEN and more, the documentary offers an inside look at the era’s defining boy bands. Featured personalities who discuss their journeys include AJ McLean, Chris Kirkpatrick, Donnie Wahlberg, Donny Osmond, Jeff Timmons, HANSON, Lance Bass, Michael Bivins, Nick Lachey, SEVENTEEN (HOSHI & VERNON) and Tiffany – all reflecting on their impact and the trajectory of boy band popularity in the zeitgeist.

Larger Than Life is produced by acclaimed music manager Johnny Wright and Van Toffler for Gunpowder & Sky, alongside executive producers Barry Barclay, Floris Bauer and Joanna Zwickel for Gunpowder & Sky and Bruce Gillmer, Vanessa WhiteWolf and Michael Maniaci for MTV Entertainment Studios. Tamra Davis (Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child) directed.

Vanderpump Rules is back for season 11, premiering on Tuesday, 5 November at 9.30pm on 7Bravo and 7plus, and while the dust has settled on ‘Scandoval’, the drama continues between the former SURvers.

The friends attempt to navigate lines drawn in the sand while rebuilding friendships, developing their businesses and healing from past relationships.

Leading the return are Lisa Vanderpump, Ariana Madix, James Kennedy, Katie Maloney, Lala Kent, Scheana Shay, Tom Schwarts and Tom Sandoval. James’ girlfriend, Ally Lewber and Scheana’s husband, Brock Davies, also return to the reality show. 

The new season will see Vanderpump working hard to restore some peace between two feuding exes as she attempts to provide perspective. She is refocusing her expertise on opening a new restaurant in Lake Tahoe and continuing her success with additional ventures in Las Vegas, following the closure of her West Hollywood mainstay PUMP.

For Madix, she is determined to make the best of a difficult situation. Although she still shares a home with her ex, she is moving on and dating a new long-distance boyfriend. While working to open the doors to her and Katie’s sandwich shop, Something About Her, Madix is embracing the countless opportunities that have come her way, from a stint on Dancing with the Stars to a new cocktail book.

Kennedy’s friendships within the circle are stronger than ever and his DJ career is booming. He has also bought a house in the Valley and is settling into suburban life with his girlfriend, Ally Lewber, along with their cat and a dog from James’ past.

Maloney is exploring life as a single woman and dating following her divorce, even if her pursuits strike too close to home for her ex-husband, Tom Schwarts. A previous indiscretion will come to light and threatens to upend her and Scheana Shay’s renewed friendship and her cordial post-divorce relationship with Tom. With permit hold-ups and ongoing issues, Something About Her is a work in progress, and opening a restaurant is proving to be more challenging than anticipated.

Meanwhile, Lala Kent is still in the middle of a challenging custody battle, but being the best mom to Ocean remains her priority. Wanting to give her daughter a sibling, Lala explores fertility treatments and looks for a sperm donor as a single mother. She finds an unlikely connection with Tom Schwartz, forming a friendship that neither saw coming, but creating tension between her and the rest of the girls as her forgiveness for the Toms grows.

Celebrating their one-year wedding anniversary, Shay and husband Brock Davies are struggling to connect as they leave the honeymoon stage and settle into their life with a toddler. Scheana works on new music as a way to express herself and cope with her postpartum OCD. She finds herself straddling the lines in the sand within the group as she navigates her relationships with her longtime friends, and feuding exes, Ariana and Tom.

In the aftermath of a scandal that changed his romantic relationships, dynamics within the group and the success of his businesses, Tom Sandoval is working on bettering himself. In a fragile state, he focuses on repairing the foundations of his friendships. When he isn’t on the road touring with his band, Tom Sandoval and the Most Extras, he and Ariana live under the same roof locked in a stalemate for the house.

Tom Schwartz is mending a challenged friendship after taking the heat for his part in his best friend’s shocking deception. Embracing a new identity, Tom bleaches his hair, evades exclusivity with a friend-potentially-turned-girlfriend, and winds up in a surprising love triangle with a new flame and his ex-wife.

Vanderpump Rules is produced by Evolution Media. Alex Baskin, Jen McClure-Metz, Joe Kingsley, Jeremiah Smith, Natalie Neurauter, Lisa Vanderpump, and Ken Todd as executive producers.

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Top image: Vanderpump Rules cast