Business of Media
X CEO Linda Yaccarino contends with pitfalls of sharing power with Elon Musk
X Corp. Chief Executive Linda Yaccarino keeps running into a problem: She doesn’t always have the final say, reports The Wall Street Journal’s Alexa Corse, Suzanne Vranica, and Angel Au-Yeung.
That was on display inside X earlier this year, when Yaccarino tried to strike a deal with Visa. She was aiming to solve two problems at once: Turn to an advertiser to commit to more spending on X, and partner with the financial brand to build a payments product, part of owner Elon Musk’s vision to make X an “everything app” offering digital banking and more.
Yaccarino held discussions with Visa, according to people familiar with the matter, and pushed to announce a deal in the spring.
Ita Buttrose’s ABC ‘insults’ peeve union
Australia’s largest media union has attacked media doyenne Ita Buttrose for her remarks about the failures of ABC journalism, labelling her criticisms “insulting” and dismissing her views as irrelevant, reports The Australian’s James Madden.
The Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance’s swipe at Buttrose follows her appearance on ABC radio on Monday when she said some journalists at the public broadcaster did not always present both sides of a story.
“I think there’s no harm in presenting both sides of an argument and I don’t understand the reluctance of some of our interviewers not to do that,” she said.
Seven West Media recognised for Workplace Gender Equality
Seven West Media has been announced in the Workplace Gender Equality Agency’s cohort of WGEA Employer of Choice for Gender Equality (EOCGE) citation holders, reports TV Tonight.
WGEA’s EOCGE citation is a voluntary citation that recognises employers’ efforts to combat key drivers of workplace gender inequality. These drivers include but are not limited to, gender bias in recruitment and promotions, inequalities in pay, access to flexible work and parental leave, and sexual discrimination and harassment.
Radio
Ali Clarke appears on Mix 102.3 following breast cancer surgery
Following Ali Clarke’s guest spot on Mix 102.3 after undergoing a mastectomy, her husband has also returned to work, while still having her back, reports News Corp’s Anna Vlach.
Crows AFLW senior Coach Matthew Clarke took time away from the club last week after his radio presenter wife announced on-air she had breast cancer.
Four days after having her surgery, Ali was heard on the Max and Ali in the Morning show.
Entertainment
Celine Dion pushed aside a devastating illness to stun Paris. Vegas looks next
As she took to the stage in the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, power ballad queen Celine Dion stood in the shadows of two years of turbulent headlines: a career that could be over, and a degenerative neurological disease threatening to defeat her, reports Nine Publishing’s Michael Idato.
And then, singing Édith Piaf’s iconic Hymne à l’Amour, Dion brought the world to a standstill and showed the 11,040 athletes just how and why singing could be very well be the 33rd sport of the Paris Olympics.
Following her performance, the story of Celine Dion has gone from one of illness and defeat to one of transformation and rebirth, as speculation mounts that she will soon sign a deal for a return season “residency” in Las Vegas.
Sports Media
‘One of the best broadcasters this country will see’: Sporting greats farewell David Morrow
Underneath the binoculars, a 2GB hat, a sprinkling of Dragons paraphernalia and a winning sash from a horse race lay a coffin draped with a flag bearing the five rings of the Olympic Games, reports Nine Publishing’s Adam Pengilly.
David Morrow loved the global sports extravaganza almost more than any other sporting event. He’d been to eight of them, a soundtrack to generations of so many memorable Australian sporting moments.
Axed Eurosport commentator apologises for sexist comment about Aussie swimmers
Veteran sports commentator Bob Ballard has apologised for his sexist remark about female Australian swimmers after he was sacked from Eurosport’s Olympic coverage for his comment, reports News Corp’s Tess McCracken.
On Monday evening, Ballard took to social media to apologise for the on-air remark, which he said was never intended to “upset or belittle” anyone.
NBC says Paris Olympics will set advertising record
The 2024 Paris Olympics are paying off for NBCUniversal, reports The Hollywood Reporter’s Alex Weprin.
The media giant said Tuesday that it will set a new Olympic record for advertising revenue with its coverage of the games, topping Tokyo’s estimated $1.25 billion haul.
Notably, the company says that nearly half a billion dollars in ad revenue will come from first-time sponsors to the games. The company also said that digital ad revenue has more than doubled compared to Tokyo, and that the total number of advertisers was more than double the 2020 TOkyo and 2016 Rio gams combined.