Business of Media
On day 146, screenwriters reach deal with studios to end their strike
Hollywood’s bitter, monthslong labor dispute has taken a big first step toward a resolution, report The New York Times’ Brooks Barnes and John Koblin,
The Writers Guild of America, which represents more than 11,000 screenwriters, reached a tentative deal on a new contract with entertainment companies on Sunday night, all but ending a 146-day strike that has contributed to a shutdown of television and film production.
In the coming days, guild members will vote on whether to accept the deal, which has much of what they had demanded, including increases in compensation for streaming content, concessions from studios on minimum staffing for television shows, and guarantees that artificial intelligence technology will not encroach on writers’ credits and compensation.
Lachlan Murdoch to take over from his father – but for how long?
The dust is still settling from Rupert Murdoch‘s announcement last week that he would be stepping down from day-to-day operations of the family’s media companies, reports the ABC’s 7.30.
While the great Murdoch succession drama is far from resolved, the move doesn’t protect Lachlan from his jostling siblings in the future. Norman Hermant reports.
See Also: Rupert Murdoch steps down from News Corp & Fox, Lachlan sole chair of both
Spotify tests voice translation feature for podcasts
Spotify Technology is testing an AI-powered feature that will translate podcasts from the likes of Dax Shepard and Lex Fridman to other languages, the audio-streaming company said on Monday, reports Reuters.
The feature marks the latest attempt by the Swedish company to capitalize on generative artificial intelligence, the technology that has taken the world by storm after the rise of ChatGPT, to tap new users and boost revenue.
The translated versions, powered by Microsoft-backed OpenAI’s newly released voice generation technology, would mimic the original speaker’s style and will be more natural than traditional dubbing, Spotify said.
Radio
3AW’s new drive host Jacqui Felgate reveals more paid partnerships as Nine remains under scrutiny by regulator
More lucrative deals and new details of paid partnerships held by recently appointed 3AW drive host Jacqui Felgate have been revealed, two weeks after the Melbourne radio station said the lack of disclosure over her sponsorship agreements was “an innocent oversight,” reports The Australian’s Sophie Elswworth.
Felgate, who will take up the drive slot permanently in 2024, has 15 paid partnerships and three of these were only published on the station’s website on Monday morning, including with Melbourne Airport, sleepwear company Fine-Day and furniture business GlobeWest.
The extra deals are worth a minimum of $25,000 each and the 15 deals she now holds are worth a minimum of $375,000.
Television
ABC and Daniel Johns clash over why Australian Story doco part one was taken down from iView
The makers of the Australian Story two-part documentary A Silver Lining, interviewing Silverchair bandmates Ben Gillies and Chris Joannou ahead of the release of their memoir this week, released a statement explaining the “rights issues” and said they are “reviewing their position” on whether the first half of the documentary will return to ABC iView, reports News Corp’s Kathy McCabe.
“Australian Story approached Daniel Johns for an interview during filming of A Silver Lining and he declined to take part. The door is always open to him to appear on Australian Story,” the statement read.
“We negotiated with Sony Music to license the use of Silverchair’s music video clips in the program for broadcast and for ABC iview. Each band members’ approval was required. While Ben Gillies and Chris Joannou approved the use, Daniel Johns said he would only approve if he had access to an advance copy of their book, which was not a decision for the ABC or Australian Story.”
Sports Media
‘I’m pretty rattled, to be honest’: Lachie Neale claims second Brownlow Medal after stunning count
Brisbane Lions star Lachie Neale joined an exclusive club of those who’ve won multiple Brownlow medals after edging Marcus Bontempelli to claim the sport’s highest individual honour in an extraordinary count on Monday night, reports Nine Publishing’s Jon Pierik.
Neale, who was in Brisbane with his Lions teammates preparing for Saturday’s grand final against Collingwood, added to his 2020 medal by polling 31 votes, ahead of Bontempelli (29) and Nick Daicos (28). Sydney dynamo Errol Gulden (27) stormed home, while Port Adelaide’s Zak Butters (27) also had a strong finish to the season.
Already the fourth Brisbane Lion to win the league’s best and fairest, in 2020, Neale, the Lions’ co-captain, became the 16th player to have claimed multiple medals, and the first since Nat Fyfe tasted success in 2015 and 2019.
Tom Browne praises successor Mitch Cleary
It’s official — footy media’s worst kept secret is a reality. Mitch Cleary will take over from Tom Browne as Channel 7’s chief football reporter, reports News Corp’s Jackie Epstein.
“It’s exciting,’’ Cleary told Time On.
“It was something I naturally thought could eventuate and for me, I’ll continue to go as hard as I do each day whether I’ve got the title or not.”
Ben Cousins’ long road from prison to prime-time TV as Channel 7 sports anchor
On Channel Seven Perth, Ben Cousins looks and sounds like another TV sports anchor, rattling off the headlines and bantering with his colleagues, reports The Australian’s Claire Harvey.
But Ben Cousins has never been ‘just another’ anything – and his presence on morning television is the latest chapter in a life story that’s been triumphant, tragic and terrifying. He was a supremely gifted AFL footballer – the son of a beloved Geelong Cats star, who rocketed to nationwide fame with the West Coast Eagles.
But every moment he wasn’t playing or training, Ben Cousins was going wild.