Media Roundup: Pub slammed over Kent, Musk ad pulled, Aussies ditch books, Virgin tops Qantas and TV icon dies

Washington Post pulls ad targeting Elon Musk

A full-page ad demanding Elon Musk be fired from government roles was set to run in The Washington Post this week - but was abruptly pulled, according to advocacy group Common Cause.

As Julie Creswell reports in The Australian Financial Review, the ad was planned alongside the Southern Poverty Law Center Action Fund, and was designed as a wraparound, covering the front and back pages of select editions delivered to the White House, Pentagon, and Congress.

While a separate full-page ad on the same issue was approved for inside the paper, both groups opted to cancel it entirely. The ads were set to cost $115,000.

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New survey finds half of all Australians don't read books

Australia is split on reading - 54.9% identify as readers, while 49.8% don't engage with books at all, according to Understanding Australian Readers, a study by Monash University and Australia Reads.

As Jane Sullivan reports in The Age, reading rates are declining, and Australia lags behind other nations. However, there’s a silver lining - half of all respondents said they want to read more.

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Brands

Virgin Australia takes top spot in domestic travel market

Virgin Australia has overtaken Qantas as the country’s leading domestic airline, boosted by the collapse of Rex and an expanded fleet.

As Robyn Ironside reports in The Australian, according to the latest ACCC airline monitoring report, Virgin’s market share jumped 3.1% in the second half of 2024, reaching 35% in December - just ahead of Qantas at 34.6%.

Virgin's rise was driven by the addition of three Boeing 737s previously leased by Rex, along with new Max 8s joining its fleet throughout the year.

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Streaming

Meghan Markle rebrands lifestyle venture ahead of Netflix show

Meghan Markle has rebranded her lifestyle brand after trademark issues forced a rethink.

As Victoria Ward reports in The Sydney Morning Herald, the brand, originally launched as American Riviera Orchard (ARO), gained attention last year when 50 jars of branded strawberry jam were sent to celebrity friends. On Instagram, Meghan announced the business will now be called As Ever, in partnership with Netflix.

The reveal comes just two weeks before the debut of her lifestyle series, With Love, Meghan.

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Stan’s showcase unveils slew of new drama and sport content for 2025

Nine Entertainment-owned streaming platform Stan has detailed key programming for the remainder of 2025 and beyond. The details were released during a Showcase event at Linseed House, The Grounds in Sydney.

The event featured appearances from Brooke Satchwell, Claudia Karvan, Natalie Erika James, Madeleine Madden, Michael Atkinson, Morgan Turinui, Matt Burke, and Tyson Pedro, with acting managing director Dan Taylor leading the presentation.

Marking 10 years of Australian storytelling, Stan highlighted its collaborations with entertainment figures and sports personalities, as well as its ongoing investment in supporting emerging creatives.

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Saudi investment arm takes stake in DAZN ahead of Foxtel takeover

Saudi Arabia’s SURJ Sports Investment has acquired a minority stake in DAZN, the UK-based sports streaming platform set to buy Foxtel from News Corp in a $3.4 billion deal.

As The Sydney Morning Herald reports, the move strengthens DAZN's ties with Saudi Arabia, where it has an established presence. SURJ, part of the country’s $1 trillion Public Investment Fund, has reportedly committed at least $1.6 billion, according to Bloomberg, though financial details remain undisclosed.