Business of Media
Elon Musk may have to complete $44bn Twitter takeover, legal experts say
Elon Musk could be forced by a US court to complete his $44bn takeover of Twitter, according to legal experts, despite pulling the plug on the transaction, reports The Guardian’s Dan Milmo.
The Tesla chief executive told Twitter on Friday that he is terminating the deal, citing concerns over the number of spam accounts on the social media platform.
Twitter’s chairman, Bret Taylor, responded with a tweet stating that the company intended to “pursue legal action to enforce the merger agreement”.
On Sunday night, Bloomberg reported that Twitter had assembled a legal team to sue Musk.
More exits at embattled journalism institute as it pauses international programs
Two high-profile international advisors at the journalism institute founded by billionaire philanthropist Judith Neilson have quit their positions as the embattled organisation commences a strategic review of its operations, reports Nine Publishing’s Zoe Samios.
The Judith Neilson Institute has also paused part of its Asia fellowship program and other future projects as it works out how it wants to support public interest journalism financially in future.
The strategic review – and the widespread departures caused by a shift in vision by the Institute’s billionaire founder – has now led to high-profile American journalist, Steve Coll, and Lowy Institute fellow, Richard McGregor severing ties with the organisation.
Rookie Australian journalist Noa Hoffman broke story that led to British PM Boris Johnson’s fall
Australian journalist Noa Hoffman was only on her fourth day in her new job as political reporter at London’s The Sun newspaper when she broke a story that would play a significant part in ending British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s political reign, reports News Corp’s Sophie Elsworth.
The 25-year-old Sydney-born reporter, who admits she spent her early years in journalism on the “dog poo beat”, scooped the entire British press pack with her revelation that Tory deputy chief whip Chris Pincher had allegedly groped two men after a boozy session at the Carlton Club in London’s Piccadilly.
The story – sourced from what she describes as an “incredible tip”– ran on the front of The Sun on July 1 and resulted in the instant resignation of Pincher while contributing to Johnson’s sensational resignation as prime minister seven days later.
Local media companies inject cash into Catalano’s new real-estate play
Real estate entrepreneur Antony Catalano and his billionaire business partner Alex Waislitz have received financial backing from local media companies as they prepare to finalise the formation of their new real-estate listings company, reports Nine Publishing’s Zoe Samios.
Industry sources, who spoke anonymously as the new entity has not launched, said multiple media companies with a regional footprint had agreed to inject cash into an entity formed by Catalano’s real-estate and agent service assets. They said the new entity, which is expected to run under the Real Estate View banner, could launch by the end of the month.
The well-placed sources pointed to the likely partners being Australian media stalwarts Kerry Stokes and Bruce Gordon, who through Seven West Media and WIN Corp have a regional footprint. Catalano and Waislitz own major regional newspaper titles including The Canberra Times and The Newcastle Herald, which already promote the pair’s real-estate assets. Southern Cross Media is unlikely to be a partner as it is still deciding whether to sell off its television assets.
News Brands
Politico mulls possible foray into Australian media landscape
Closely watched politics-focused news organisation Politico will consider an expansion to Australia, in a move that could shake up the local media landscape’s coverage of federal politics and policy, reports Nine Publishing’s Zoe Samios.
Industry sources familiar with the US group’s expansion plans, who spoke anonymously because there is no launch date, said the publication is looking at Australia as a potential market to expand to as part of broader ambitions to move into the Asia Pacific.
Politico declined to comment. Politico is a centre-left media website which also has a weekly printed magazine and runs radio and podcasts. It bills itself as a “global authority on the intersection of politics, policy and power.”
Television
Potential buyers have been flown in to get an early look at The Block houses in Gisborne South
The final lick of paint has gone on the wall as the most calamitous ever building and filming phase of The Block reaches its conclusion early Sunday morning, reports News Corp’s Fiona Byrne.
Contestant teams are racing to get the last nail in the wall and final cushion on the couch as the finish line looms at 9am on July 10 for the production side of the show.
Meanwhile potential buyers have already been given an early look at the properties.
One agent charged with selling one of the homes helicoptered prospective clients in for an early inspection in recent days, while businessman Danny Wallis, a regular Block buyer, has also motored up the highway from Melbourne to Gisborne South to cast an eye over the stunning properties.
Big Brother 2022: Reggie Bird tipped to take out finale in Sydney
The last time Reggie Bird was heading into a Big Brother finale, she didn’t have to think about online trolls, reports News Corp’s Jonathon Moran.
“We had dial-up internet back then,” Bird told The Daily Telegraph.
“We had no Facebook, no Instagram or any social media, so I didn’t have to deal with that. Now my main thing is I just hope my kids don’t get to read horrible things.”
Bird won that series back in 2003, scoring $250,000 prize money, and is now a favourite to take out the 2022 season with the finale to be held in Sydney on Tuesday.
The 48-year-old has won over Australia all over again with her straight talking, salt-of-the-earth relatable attitude.
Mad As Hell ‘won’t be returning’ – or will it?
Shaun Micallef’s popular and long-running ABC sketch show Mad As Hell “won’t be returning” next year, the popular comedian announced on Sunday, though perhaps he tweet-ethed in haste, reports Nine Publishing’s Carolyn Webb.
Micallef clarified in a subsequent post on his personal Twitter account that the ABC was in talks to continue the show in some form.
And while not stating he was stepping down as Mad As Hell host, Micallef hinted at it, saying he “just felt it was time for someone younger to take advantage of the resources and opportunities on offer. I’m turning 60 in a week for f—’s sake”.
He said that “the ABC and I are continuing to talk about evolving the show with someone else in the chair or maybe making different shows using our very talented cast and crew”.
Netflix hit Stranger Things slammed for using Nazi prison and brutal asylum in new series
Netflix has come under fire for using the sites of past atrocities as locations or inspiration for its nostalgic hit show Stranger Things — including a plan to let fans book a themed cell in a former holocaust prison on Airbnb, reports ABC’s Emma Myers.
Two of the locations in its fourth season — the final episodes of which were released last week — have dark roots in the real world.
Russian prison scenes were filmed in a former Lithuanian prison that was used by Nazis during the Holocaust, while the show’s fictitious mental hospital was inspired by an infamous US asylum with a similar name.
Mental health and Jewish advocates have criticised the streaming giant for what they see as exploitation of brutal history. Both locations are also now used as tourist attractions.
Aussie fugitives “were incredibly hard to hunt”
Australian participants in 10’s new reality chase Hunted were amongst some of the best that Ben Owen has encountered. “The Australians were the most amount of fugitives that I’ve ever had to hunt in the shortest amount of time,” he tells TV Tonight.
“But also, they’re incredibly good. There’ll be doing some stuff that even people who have watched the UK show before, have never seen fugitives do before. They’re really dynamic, really adventurous and in some cases, incredibly strategic and clever. They were incredibly hard to hunt. I think people are in for a right treat with this one.”
Owen has participated in nine seasons of the UK original, plus one US series. Now he appears as Deputy Intelligence in the series filmed in Victoria in February and March.
Sports Media
Australian Open TV rights to soar due to Nick Kyrgios factor
Nick Kyrgios’ run at Wimbledon has added an extra dimension to the looming battle for the TV rights to the Australian Open, with the controversial player’s crowd-pulling power expected to increase the cost of the next broadcast deal for the first grand slam tournament of the calendar year, reports News Corp’s James Madden.
Nine currently holds the exclusive rights to screen the Australian Open, having paid $350m for a six-year contract from 2019 to 2024, inclusive.
But with rival network Seven widely expected to make a strong play for the next broadcast deal, coupled with the breakout performance of Kyrgios at Wimbledon, Nine will probably have to write a bigger cheque next time than the one it gave Tennis Australia in 2019.
Darcy Moore’s take on AFL Media Coverage
Collingwood vice-captain Darcy Moore says AFL footballers need to expect a level of intense scrutiny for the good of the game, in a season in which the relationship between players and media has been under scrutiny, reports Nine’s 3AW.
Moore’s teammate Jordan De Goey blamed media in the immediate aftermath of his Bali antics that eventually resulted in a suspended punishment, saying media were “persecuting” footballers.
Moore was also slammed recently after Richmond’s Tom Lynch kicked five goals in one half as the defender’s direct opponent.
When asked about his opinion on the relationship between players and the media, Moore responded by saying there was ‘no simple answer’.
“Are there times when the media probably oversteps the mark or fishes for stories that aren’t there, or probably aren’t as diligent in their research and reporting? Absolutely that’s the case,” Moore told 3AW Football.