Business of Media
More than 23 million watched Biden’s news conference, beating the Oscars
The swirling questions about President Biden’s age and mental fitness for office have captured Americans’ attention, reports The New York Times‘.
More than 23 million people – a bigger audience than this year’s Academy Awards – tuned in on Thursday evening to see how Biden handled his first live news conference since a poor performance at last month’s debate with former President Donald J. Trump.
The television audience amounted to roughly 45 percent of the 51.3 million who watched the debate, according to Nielsen.
Rebel Wilson sued for defamation after accusing The Deb producers of ‘embezzlement’ and ‘misconduct’
Australian star Rebel Wilson has been sued for defamation after she accused the producers of her new film The Deb of embezzlement and misconduct, reports Seven West Media’s Sowaibah Hanifie.
Wilson took to Instagram earlier this week, accusing three producers of preventing the film’s premiere at the Toronto Film Festival because of her allegations.
The television audience amounted to roughly 45 percent of the 51.3 million who watched the debate, according to Nielsen.
Italian sports journalist is falsely identified as Trump shooter on social media
An Italian sports journalist said on Sunday he would take legal action after being falsely identified on social media as the suspected shooter in an assassination attempt against US presidential candidate Donald Trump, reports Reuters.
A message shared widely on the X platform reads: “Per the Butler Police Department the Trump shooter has been arrested at the scene and has been identified as Mark Violets, an Antifa member.”
It was accompanied by a picture of Italian journalist Marco Violi. He is the editor of romagiallorossa.it, a fan website for the Italian soccer club AS Roma.
News Brands
Rupert Murdoch misses the big 60th bash but still makes his mark
Sky News Australia will air an interview with the 93-year-old founder of The Australian newspaper, Rupert Murdoch, on Monday, 60 years after the national broadsheet first went to press, as part of celebrations marking the masthead’s diamond anniversary, reports Nine Publishing’s Calum Jaspan.
The task of landing the “exclusive” with Murdoch fell to Sky chief and former editor-in-chief of the paper Paul Whittaker, who conducted hours of interviews with Murdoch, who now holds the title of chairman emeritus of News Corp and Fox Corporation.
These interviews appear to have been whittled down to segments within a one-hour program that will also feature former prime ministers Tony Abbott and John Howard, past editors-in-chief Chris Mitchell and Paul Kelly, as well as other prominent figures at the paper.
See also: Editor-in-chief Michelle Gunn on The Australian at 60 – Past, present and the future
Lattouf’s ‘modest’ ABC offer: $85,000, replacement shifts and an apology
Compensation of $85,000, a public apology and reinstatement as a fill-in radio presenter are the three items on Antoinette Lattouf’s wish list from the ABC, should the national broadcaster want to avoid a costly trial in the Federal Court, reports Nine Publishing’s Calum Jaspan.
Lattouf’s legal team, led by Maurice Blackburn’s head of employment law, Josh Bornstein, wrote to the ABC last week offering a compromise settlement after mediation between the parties failed last month.
“The offer is modest and is made on an open basis. It is a compromise on what our client could be awarded at trial if she is successful, particularly having regard to any penalties that may be imposed,” said the letter, seen by this masthead.
Indigenous TV host Stan Grant says he doesn’t watch the news or consume media since quitting
Former ABC presenter Stan Grant has declared he’s “never been happier” since quitting the media last year and said he no longer consumes daily news, reports News Corp’s Sophie Elsworth.
Grant addressed the inaugural SBS Elder in Residence Oration last week alongside Aunty Rhoda Roberts and told the audience he was fed up with negative headlines, including debates between people who hold vastly different views.
“I don’t believe in journalism anymore,” Grant said at the Oration that aired on SBS TV.
“I don’t watch the nightly television news, why would I?
“A fire here, a killing there, a car crash here, what some lying politician has told us today. Who hates who today? What endless war are we covering today?”
See also: Stan Grant: ‘I don’t believe in journalism anymore’
Star rating: Channel Seven panned for including astrology on nightly news
There’s been a burbling backlash to Channel Seven’s plan to include a short horoscope segment in the nightly news, reports The Guardian‘s Tory Sheperd.
Presumably AstroTash – the celebrity astrologer otherwise known as Natasha Weber – saw it coming.
The veteran journalist Tracey Spicer said she had assumed it was a joke. Self-described “bovine excrement detective” (and public health emeritus professor) Simon Chapman proposed a leprechaun-sightings slot could be next.
Entertainment
Shannen Doherty, ‘Beverly Hills 90210’ and ‘Charmed’ Star, dies at 53
Shannen Doherty, known for her roles on the wildly popular series Beverly Hills, 90210 and on the witchcraft fantasy Charmed, has died after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. She was 53, reports The Brag’s Pat Saperstein and Lamarco McClendon.
“It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of actress, Shannen Doherty,” Doherty’s publicist Leslie Sloane said in a statement. “On Saturday, July 13, she lost her battle with cancer after many years of fighting the disease. The devoted daughter, sister, aunt and friend was surrounded by her loved ones as well as her dog, Bowie. The family asks for their privacy at this time so they can grieve in peace.”
Doherty rose to fame in 1990 as the fresh-faced brunette Brenda Walsh on Fox’s Beverly Hills, 90210. Along with her twin brother Brandon, played by Jason Priestley, the Walshes were the classic fish-out-of-water family that had recently moved from Minnesota to Beverly Hills and were constantly amazed at the antics of the L.A. rich kids.
Richard Simmons, fitness guru, dies at 76
Fitness guru Richard Simmons, who helped revolutionise the at-home workout craze of the 1980s, has died. He was 76 years old, reports The Wall Street Journal‘s Ginger Adam Otis.
Simmons’ death was confirmed Saturday by his publicist, Tom Estey. No details on the cause of death were provided.
The Los Angeles Police Department said it responded to a call Saturday for a death investigation at 10 a.m. local time on the 1300 block of Belfast Drive in Los Angeles. Public records link Simmons to an address on that block.
Simmons, who built several fitness-related enterprises out of his upbeat personality, on Friday shared on Facebook that it was his 76th birthday. He later thanked his fans for the overwhelming response.
‘The Daily Show’ cancels planned Milwaukee shows following Trump assassination attempt
The Daily Show canceled its plans to film from Milwaukee during the Republican National Convention this week following the attempted assassination of Trump on Saturday. The program will not air on Monday, and return Tuesday from New York City, reports The Hollywood Reporter‘s Zoe G. Phillips.
“The Daily Show will not broadcast Monday (tomorrow) but we’ll be back up Tuesday through Thursday from our NYC studio,” the series announced on social media. “Our apologies for the inconvenience, but due to logistical issues and the evolving situation in Milwaukee, we need to reschedule our events on the ground in Wisconsin and will look to make those up in the coming weeks.”
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Top Image: US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris