Business of Media
Staff urge ABC to stop ‘racking up costs’ and drop Lattouf case
Pressure is mounting on the ABC to end its legal stoush with Antoinette Lattouf, with unionised staff issuing a renewed push for the broadcaster to drop its costly defence and settle with the sacked stand-in radio host, reports Nine Publishing’s Calum Jaspan.
The ABC has rejected Lattouf’s recent settlement request of $85,000, a public apology and reinstatement as a fill-in radio presenter, and put forward an undisclosed counter-offer.
Lattouf brought the action against the ABC after the dismissal, and the national broadcaster is defending itself.
UK journalists’ union calls for action over increased violence against news gatherers
Violence from the far right against press photographers is getting worse, with the last few days in particular leaving them fearing for their safety, the journalists’ union has said, reports The Guardian’s Robyn Vinter.
The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) called for those intimidating news gatherers to be prosecuted, after a number of photographers, reporters and camera crew have been abused, attacked and had their equipment destroyed or stolen.
Bectu, the union for those who work behind the scenes in broadcasting, also backed the call, condemning “the appalling harassment and abuse” media professionals had faced in riots in the last week, as far-right violence has erupted in dozens of pockets of the UK, including Southport, Sunderland, Hull, Stoke-on-Trent and Rotherham.
Television
How Sam Pang became TV’s most likeable host
He makes it look easy. Sam Pang might be delivering delightfully deadpan quips on Ten’s comic quiz show, Have You Been Paying Attention? Or ribbing his co-hosts and a bouncy parade of AFL greats on Seven’s sports panel show, The Front Bar. Or donning a tux – for the first time in his life – to host the Logies, reports Nine Publishing’s Debi Enker.
Until his triumph last year, that was a gig widely regarded as a poisoned chalice given its damaging impact on some previous MCs. But to whatever he does, Pang brings an affable, relaxed quality, as if he’s cruising, not taking any of it too seriously.
But none of it is actually easy. It takes work: spot-on timing and astute judgment of tone; the ability to be cheeky and droll without getting nasty. A mastery of the pause-for-effect after delivering a gag. Quick wit and the capacity to land a killer ad-lib.
Arrest footage of former TV host Andrew O’Keefe released by court
The moment embattled former TV personality Andrew O’Keefe realised he was being arrested for a “violent and degrading” assault has been released by the court, showing the ex-host shouting at police as they handcuff him, report News Corp’s Nathan Schmidt and Aisling Brennan.
The former Deal or No Deal host was arrested at a Sydney apartment following claims he’d assaulted a woman and contravened an AVO days before his arrest in September 2021.
He has since been sentenced over the breach and the assault, where he had kicked, pushed and spat on a woman, but is currently appealing his criminal convictions.
Farmer Wants A Wife’s Sarah announces split from Joe two months after finale
Farmer Wants A Wife couple Joe Bobbin and Sarah Carey have split just two months after the finale aired, reports News Corp’s Lexie Cartwright.
Queensland woman Sarah, 31, managed to steal the NSW farmer’s heart on this year’s season of the Channel 7 reality series, with the pair leaving as an item during the final episode, which aired in late May.
Now, Sarah has taken to Instagram to announce the couple quietly went their separate ways in recent weeks.
“The Block didn’t turn out to be a holiday for everybody.”
In The Block‘s 20th season there are plenty of ‘firsts.’ The first ever holiday resort, at Phillip Island, is transformed into five luxury holiday homes. One will become a father for the first time during filming, reports TV Tonight.
And while one team quitting is not a first it’s never happened so deep into production.
“We went into it with five great teams, a really interesting bunch of people. But although we were renovating a holiday park, The Block certainly didn’t turn out to be a holiday for everybody,” executive producer Julian Cress confirms to TV Tonight.
Sports Media
Coach betting scandal rocks rugby league
North Sydney Bears coach Pat Weisner has been served with a breach notice for allegedly attempting to bet on the outcome of matches, reports Nine Publishing’s Adrian Proszenko.
Weisner will front a New South Wales Rugby League code of conduct hearing on Wednesday night after allegedly placing a “multi” bet, which included legs on NRLW and NSW Cup games, as well as non-league options.
It’s alleged Weisner attempted to place a bet on the outcome of the South Sydney-Canberra and Roosters-Blacktown NSW Cup games, as well as an NRLW market. The attempted wager was intercepted and rejected by Tabcorp.