Business of Media
Daniel Andrews denies print ad ban is related to critical coverage
Daniel Andrews has defended axing government advertising in newspapers within weeks saying taxpayer dollars would be directed to news websites and television, reports The Australian’s Damon Johnston.
The Victorian Premier has denied the decision is related to critical coverage in the Herald Sun and The Age during last year’s state election, claiming it simply reflected the growth in digital audiences.
‘‘We are going to be advertising on (newspaper) websites still,’’ he said on Tuesday.
‘‘We make judgments about where the audience is and we’re not making any apology for focusing our efforts much more online, digital, television.
‘‘That’s where the audience is, that’s where the return on investment for taxpayers is.
There will be lots of ads, there might even be more ads on the website.’’
Tucker Carlson posts first installment of new show on Twitter
Tucker Carlson, the sidelined prime-time Fox News host, on Tuesday released the first installment of what he said would be his new show on Twitter, potentially setting up a confrontation with the cable network, where he remains under contract until early 2025, report The New York Times’ Katie Robertson and Jeremy W. Peters.
The 10-minute video, Carlson’s first extended commentary since Fox took him off the air in April, was similar to a stripped-down version of what his roughly three million Fox viewers would have seen on his nightly program.
There were no guests or produced segments — only a monologue from Carlson, in which he hit some familiar themes. He expressed sympathy for President Vladimir Putin of Russia and mocked President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine. He accused the mainstream media of lying. He wrapped up by declaring that U.F.O.s and extraterrestrial life are “actually real.”
“As of today, we’ve come to Twitter,” Carlson said in the video. “We’re told there are no gatekeepers here. If that turns out to be false, we’ll leave.”
He signed off the show, called “Tucker on Twitter,” by promising to be back with “much more, very soon.”
See Also: Superstar TV news hosts out: Tucker Carlson gone at Fox, Don Lemon fired by CNN
News Brands
CNN chief Chris Licht exits after brief and chaotic run in charge
CNN chief executive officer Chris Licht has stepped down from the cable news channel after a brief and tumultuous tenure at the company, reports Bloomberg’s and Reuters’ Gerry Smith.
The move marks a swift downfall for Licht, a longtime television executive who in 2022 replaced CNN’s well-liked leader, Jeff Zucker, who had failed to disclose a consensual relationship with a longtime co-worker.
Licht’s departure is immediate, and the company will look for a replacement, CNN’s parent company Warner Bros. Discovery said in a statement.
In an email to staff, Warner Bros. Discovery President and chief executive officer David Zaslav wrote that the company will be conducting a wide search, internally and externally, for a new leader.
“This job was never going to be easy, especially at a time of great disruption and transformation, and Chris poured his heart and soul into it,” Zaslav wrote.
He added: “Unfortunately, things did not work out the way we had hoped – and ultimately that’s on me.”
David Zaslav picked Chris Licht to revamp CNN. Now what?
The media mogul David Zaslav handpicked Chris Licht last year to run CNN, handing the reins of one of the country’s top news organizations to a longtime show producer. On Wednesday, just 13 months later, Zaslav said that he was reversing course, and Licht was out, reports The New York Times’ Benjamin Mullin.
So what’s Zaslav’s next move?
After appointing Licht, Zaslav said he didn’t want CNN to be an “anti-Trump network,” a reference to his plan to air a wider range of political viewpoints, including from conservatives.
Zaslav is still committed to that strategy, said two people familiar with his thinking, but he faces a major hurdle: Recruiting a replacement for Licht who shares that vision for CNN and can win back the trust of the newsroom, which had bristled at Licht’s leadership.
Zaslav must also figure out a financial future for CNN, which relies heavily on the decaying businesses of cable affiliate fees and TV advertising. Profit at the company fell below $1 billion last year, the lowest in many years, including $200 million in one-time losses for the shuttered CNN+ streaming service.
‘Malicious’: ABC deliberately tried to prejudice my rape trial, says Bruce Lehrmann
The ABC deliberately tried to prejudice Bruce Lehrmann’s rape trial when it broadcast an address by Brittany Higgins and Grace Tame at the National Press Club knowing he had been publicly named and charged, according to documents just filed in the Federal Court, reports The Australian’s Stephen Rice.
Lehrmann first filed his claim against the ABC in April but now claims it broadcast the Press Club event with “an improper motive”, namely to prejudice upcoming criminal proceedings against him, and that the broadcaster’s recklessness was so extreme that it amounted to “wilful blindness and constituted malice”.
On 9 February 2022, the ABC broadcast the National Press Club speech after the club promoted the sale of tickets to the event referring to Higgins’ decision to “publicly allege she was raped by a colleague inside Parliament House”.
Although the speech did not name him, Lehrmann was identifiable from what was said, having been named in multiple media reports after being charged with sexual intercourse without consent in August 2021, according to his lawyers.
UK: Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph newspapers to be put up for sale
The Daily and Sunday Telegraph are to be put up for sale in a deal that promises to reshape the media landscape after the Barclay family lost control of their crown jewel media assets in a bitter row over nearly £1bn of unpaid debts, report The Guardian’s Mark Sweney and Alex Lawson.
The Bank of Scotland has appointed the firm AlixPartners as official receiver, to seize the shares owned by the Barclay family in the holding company that ultimately controls the national newspapers and the Spectator magazine.
A spokesperson for the bank said it had been left with no other choice but to put the publisher’s holding company into receivership, saying debts were default with “no sign they would be repaid”. It said discussions with the owners had been held “over a long period”, but that “no agreement could be reached”.
The bank, which has taken the action after becoming frustrated at the lack of repayment of loans worth close to £1bn, is seeking to remove Barclay family-appointed board members, replace them with independent directors, and move to auction off the Telegraph titles and the Spectator.
Among those being removed from the holding company, B.UK Limited, is Aidan Barclay, the chair of the newspaper group, who along with his brother, Howard, controls the family’s UK assets.
Television
David Koch on rumours of a feud with former Sunrise co-host Sam Armytage
David Koch has responded to rumours of a falling out with his former Sunrise co-host, Samantha Armytage, reports News Corp’s Lexie Cartwright.
The 67-year-old breakfast TV veteran, who will be departing as host of the program after 21 years following his final show this Friday, sat down in studio for The Kyle and Jackie O Show on Wednesday morning, where the radio duo grilled him about reports of their strained relationship.
Armytage, who quit as host of Sunrise in March 2021, hosted a lavish farewell lunch at Sydney’s Catalina restaurant following her last show, which was attended by then Sunrise executive producer Michael Pell and Morning Show host Kylie Gillies, as well as several other close friends.
A notable absence, however, was Koch, who publicly claimed the following day he “didn’t know about it [happening].”
Koch told Kyle Sandilands and Jackie ‘O’ Henderson he “didn’t think” he ended on “bad terms” with Armytage.
“No, I don’t think … We didn’t end on bad terms,” he said, before Henderson asked Koch whether they’d spoken since she quit Sunrise.
While he didn’t answer the question directly, Koch offered, “Don’t forget she very publicly said she wanted to get out of media, and that scrutiny.”
He added, “She sent me a really nice note on the announcement [that Koch was leaving Sunrise]. As did Mel [Doyle].”
Justin Williams wins Blow Up
Magician and circus performer, Justin Williams, last night won Seven reality contest Blow Up, winning a $100,000 prize, reports TV Tonight.
The 31 year old from Victoria impressed judges with a giant underwater themed creation, scoring 18.5 points.
That was just enough to outscore Matt Falloon’s Pegasus creation at 18 points and Donna Cochrane’s Christmas themed display on 16.5 points.
All were very impressive as balloon displays go.
Charges dropped against Olympic boxer Harry Garside
Olympic boxer Harry Garside has revealed he will be focusing on his sporting career after police dropped domestic violence charges against him, report The Australian’s Lauren Ferri and Adelaide Lang.
He told reporters he was relieved to put the “challenging” period behind him and turn all of his energy towards qualifying for Paris 2024 Olympics.
The 25-year-old was accused of assaulting his former partner Ashley Ruscoe between 4pm and 7pm on March 1 at Bellevue Hill in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
He was arrested by NSW Police at Sydney Airport in early May as he flew home from South Africa where he had been filming I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here!