Business of Media
‘It’s not over’: Joe Aston turns to writing a book on Qantas
Joe Aston, the former editor of The Australian Financial Review’s Rear Window column, has begun writing a book expanding on his year-long reporting on Qantas that ultimately led to the early retirements of chief executive Alan Joyce and chairman Richard Goyder, reports Nine Publishing’s Sam Buckingham-Jones.
Set to be published in the second half of 2024 by Simon & Schuster, The Chairman’s Lounge will include new reporting, interviews and details that build on the work he did before stepping down from Rear Window in October last year after 12 years.
Flanders government looks to force TikTok and YouTube to share revenue
Cute cat videos, fried chicken clips and viral dances could soon help to finance Belgian TV, with the Flanders government on the verge of passing laws to force TikTok and YouTube to share revenues with local television producers, reports The Guardian’s Lisa O’Carroll.
“Politically speaking, it is important in audiovisual and media services that there are obligations on companies to invest in local TV content,” the media minister for the Flemish government, Benjamin Dalle, told the Guardian.
Belgium already takes a cut of revenues generated by Netflix, Disney and other streaming services, but Dalle said TikTok and YouTube were so popular that it was important that they also paid their way.
H&M pulls ad after complaints over sexualisation of school girls
Fashion retailer H&M, opens new tab has withdrawn an ad featuring school girls after complaints that the campaign encouraged the sexualisation of under-age girls, reports Reuters.
The advert, launched in Australia, featured the slogan: “Make those heads turn in H&M’s Back to School fashion” above a photo of two girls wearing gray H&M pinafore dresses.
“We have removed this ad,” an H&M spokesperson said on Monday. “We are deeply sorry for the offence this has caused and we are looking into how we present campaigns going forward.”
Television
Australian Idol introduces world-first format tweak
When Australian Idol returns to Seven next week it will come with a world-first format change, which has been given the approval of producers Fremantle and Simon Cowell-controlled SYCO, reports TV Tonight.
Just 30 ‘Golden Tickets’ are on offer, down from 50 last year but how they are awarded will differ this year.
“If you look at a lot of the Reality Shows they end with a conclusion, whether it’s Survivor‘s Tribal Council, a Bachelor Rose Ceremony or a leaderboard score in My Kitchen Rules,” Seven’s Head of Scheduling Brook Hall tells TV Tonight.
Abbie Chatfield shocks fans with adult pleasure venture
Queensland TV sensation Abbie Chatfield has taken a daring leap with her latest business venture, launching a shockingly explicit new product – an anal play kit, reports News Corp’s Georgia Clelland.
The 28-year-old took to Instagram on Monday to reveal Option A – a modular anal play kit designed to break sexual taboos and explore the untapped potential of anal pleasure.
Beverly Hills, 90210 actor David Gail dies aged 58
Soap opera actor David Gail has died at age 58, reports the ABC.
He was best known for playing Stuart Carson, the fiance of Shannen Doherty‘s character Brenda Walsh, in Beverly Hills, 90210 and Dr Joe Scanlon in Port Charles.
Gail’s sister Katie announced his death on Instagram. She did not reveal the cause.
Entertainment
Rebel Wilson ‘pumped’ to host the 2024 AACTA awards
Homegrown Hollywood star Rebel Wilson will host the 2024 AACTA awards next month, reports News Corp’s Lisa Woolford.
The Pitch Perfect star who has been based back in Sydney with her family – fiancee Ramona Agruma and 13-month-old daughter Royce – since the new year, said she was pumped to be hosting the ceremony.
“Having spent the last months back in Oz making my debut feature (film The Deb), I’ve been reminded time and time again of the Australian film and television industry’s depth of talent, smarts, energy and just all-round awesomeness,” she said.