Business of Media
Donald Trump to launch his own social network
Donald Trump has announced plans to launch his own social network, in the latest push to reclaim his internet dominance after he was banned from Twitter and Facebook in the wake of the violent Capitol insurrection, reports AFP‘s Sarah Titterton.
TRUTH Social will be owned by Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), and is expected to begin for “invited guests” next month. It is already available for pre-order in Apple’s App Store, the group said.
TMTG also intends to launch a subscription video on-demand service that will feature “non-woke” entertainment programming and will be led by Scott St John, an executive producer from Deal Or No Deal and America’s Got Talent.
‘Stop trusting Facebook’, whistleblower Frances Haugen tells Australian MPs
Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen has warned Australian MPs not to trust the tech giant’s promises that it is working to make its platform safer, and instead force the company to disclose crucial internal data about how it keeps users engaged, reports SMH’s Lisa Visentin.
In an online briefing to federal politicians, Haugen said Facebook was “dramatically less transparent” than other big tech companies, saying at a bare minimum it should be forced to regularly publish data about popular content to allow researchers to track the spread of misinformation or extremist material across its platforms.
“Right now the only people who can detect those patterns are people inside of Facebook, and I guarantee you Australia is not a top priority,” she said. “There’s just not enough people that live in Australia.”
One of the most important things government should do, she said, “is stop just trusting Facebook when they say we are working on X or we have done X.”
Seven appoints Tara Carlon as Executive Producer – Digital/Sport
Tara Carlon (pictured) has been appointment Seven West Media’s new executive producer of digital/sport. She replaces Paul Moore who relocated to France earlier this year.
Carlon will manage digital and social strategies and operations for 7SPORT, including next year’s Olympic Winter Games Beijing and the XXII Commonwealth Games, along with digital sports programming.
She has been a member of the 7SPORT production team for the past six years, working in a variety of roles across Seven’s sport schedule.
In recent years, Carlon has played a key role establishing ancillary content and building brand integration opportunities on 7SPORT social and digital platforms, working on programs including the Armchair Experts franchise, The Grade Cricketer on Seven and The Heater and Daisy Show.
Carlon started her career in human resources before moving into the sport and broadcast industry, where she worked for organisations including the Geelong Cats and Australian Radio Network prior to joining Seven.
Managing director Seven Melbourne and head of network sport, Lewis Martin, said: “Tara has played a vital role in all of Seven’s sport production and digital strategies and we’re rapt to announce her appointment as executive producer – digital/sport. Tara is perfect for the role and her new position will come as no surprise to her colleagues.”
Carlon starts her new position on Monday, October 25.
MeasureUp Research Awards: Are Media and Guardian among the finalists
IAB Australia this week announced the shortlisted entries for the 2021 MeasureUp Awards ahead of the awards ceremony on Thursday 28th October at 4pm. The judges comprising members of the MFA Interactive Committee selected five entries to go through to the final round. The finalists are:
Adobe: Breaking Down Silos Across Paid & Owned Media: Transforming the Adobe Product Roadmap from Sydney to San Jose
Are Media: The Humour Project
Facebook: Taking a creative approach to increasing Facebook’s effectiveness with Mondalez
The Guardian: The power of purpose
Val Morgan: The Hourly Outdoor Unified Reach (HOUR) Model
The winners will be announced at a live virtual ceremony where the winning work will be showcased – register for this event here.
News Brands
Brittany Higgins regrets public attack on former ‘hero’ Samantha Maiden
Brittany Higgins concedes she “made a mistake” by publicly attacking News Corp journalist Samantha Maiden online after she wrote a story about the former political staffer’s close friend, Project co-host Lisa Wilkinson, reports News Corp’s James Madden and Sophie Elsworth.
Earlier this week, Higgins posted a series of tweets criticising Maiden, news.com.au’s political editor, who in February broke the story about the 26-year-old’s alleged sexual assault inside Parliament House in 2019.
Higgins said her Twitter posts were born out of frustration after Maiden wrote an article about Wilkinson being paid more than former colleague Karl Stefanovic for a period of time while she was on the Today show.
Former Nine presenter Kellie Sloane tipped to run for Gladys Berejiklian’s seat
Things are hotting up in the race to replace Gladys Berejiklian as the Liberal Party’s candidate for the state seat of Willoughby.
The Daily Telegraph understands senior local Liberals want a high-profile, high-energy candidate with business credentials who can represent the party for the long-term.
Enter National Life Education CEO and former high-profile television news presenter Kellie Sloane, 48, who has spent 14 of the past 20 years living in the electorate and who, with her husband Adam Connolly (a former adviser to Prime Minister John Howard), has raised their three children there.
Sloane is understood to have the support of many grassroots Liberals in the blue riband electorate, which is held by a safe 20 per cent margin.
Entertainment
The one thing Abbie Chatfield won’t talk about
There’s not much that’s off limits for Abbie Chatfield. The former star of The Bachelor has built a generation Z-fuelled feminist empire from her social media presence (330,000-plus followers on Instagram), where she talks about everything from sex and masturbation to vibrators and the Covid vaccine, reports News Corp’s Nadia Salemme.
But there’s one thing the 26-year-old won’t share with her audience, and that’s who she dates. “I don’t ever talk about who I’m dating – ever,” Chatfield tells Stellar On Friday.
“Everyone thinks I’m constantly single and alone, and the trolls are like, ‘This is why no-one likes you!’ No-one ever knows who I’m dating, and I prefer to keep it that way until I’m, like, very serious with someone.”
Television
Do network staff have to be vaccinated?
As restrictions are lifting around the country and the nation surpasses 70% double vaccination, what are the rules for broadcast network staff? Asks TV Tonight.
It varies from state to state, and network to network.
10:
Jarrod Villani, Executive Vice President of ViacomCBS ANZ told TV Tonight, “Throughout the entire pandemic we’ve followed the government guidelines. We’ve probably taken a more conservative approach in terms of how many people we’ve allowed back into the building. Technically speaking, virtually all of our workforce could have probably been exempt under the guidelines in the various states from time to time.
“But in Sydney at the moment, for example, it’s really only those that are broadcast critical: journalists, producers, broadcast operations teams, which are coming into the building. So we’ll continue to follow the government guidelines as we have done throughout this.”
Seven:
James Warburton recently told Mediaweek: “We have not mandated vaccinations at all. We did a survey asking the staff and 75% supported mandatory vaccination and 93% intended to or already had been vaccinated. Many of the production companies we work with demand it as do the studios we work with. You can’t go on sets etc unless you are double vaxed.”
Nine:
From December 1st all Sydney employees must be vaccinated to enter North Sydney headquarters (also home to Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Financial Review). Rules vary based according to state regulations.
Ruby Rose slams ‘toxic’ Batwoman set in blistering attack
Hollywood actor Ruby Rose has launched a blistering attack against Batwoman more than one year after she abruptly left the show, with explosive claims of bullying, blackmail and other inappropriate behaviour on set, reports News Corp’s Mibengé Nsenduluka.
The 35-year-old, who played the lead role of Kate Kane/Batwoman for one season on the TV series, slammed production companies Warner Bros. TV and Berlanti Productions along with broadcaster The CW network in a scathing Instagram post.
“Enough is enough. I’m going to tell the whole world what really happened on that set,” she began.
“I will come for you so what happened to me never happens to another person again. And so I can finally take back my life and the truth. Shame on you.”
Rose alleged that after she had emergency surgery for an injury which she sustained on set in 2019, she was asked to return to work early by the former head of Warner Bros. TV Peter Roth, “or the show would effectively not be able to continue”.
The Los Angeles-based actor also accused the show of having unsafe work conditions which allegedly caused one crew member to sustain third degree burns “over his whole body”.
When approached for comment, a spokesman for Warner Bros. TV Group told Confidential, “Despite the revisionist history that Ruby Rose is now sharing online aimed at the producers, the cast and crew, the network, and the Studio, the truth is that Warner Bros. Television had decided not to exercise its option to engage Ruby for season two of Batwoman based on multiple complaints about workplace behaviour that were extensively reviewed and handled privately out of respect for all concerned.”
Tilly Ramsay’s Celebrity MasterChef mates show support after UK Radio host calls her ‘a chubby little thing’
Tilly Ramsay’s Celebrity MasterChef mates have flooded her Instagram with messages of love and support after a Brit radio host body shamed the 19-year-old, reports News Corp’s Lisa Woolford.
LBC early morning host Steve Allen called Ramsay a “chubby little thing” after he read out a comment from a listener telling him the 19-year-old – who is the daughter of TV chef Gordon – was currently being seen in Celebrity MasterChef in Australia, as well as taking part in Strictly Dancing in the UK.
Swimming legend Ian Thorpe, who became firm friends with Ramsay when they filmed the celeb version of the 10’s flagship cooking show, joined the chorus of supporters saying he was Team Tilly and was really disappointed that someone would think it was appropriate to comment on anyone’s weight, let alone a 19-year old girl.
“When Tilly came (to Celebrity MasterChef) we all just wanted to give her a hug – a 19-year-old girl on the other side of the world,” Thorpe said.
“I just think that it is entirely inappropriate to be making comments about someone’s weight in any way. I thought we’d got to a point where even making a positive comment on someone’s weight doesn’t seem all that appropriate either.
“I just feel for her.”