News Brands
Scott Morrison sorry for News Corp harassment claim
Scott Morrison issued a late-night apology on Tuesday for making an “anonymous reference to an incident at News Ltd that has been rejected by the company” during his press conference earlier that day in which he claimed a woman had been harassed in a female toilet, reports News Corp’s Rosie Lewis.
The Prime Minister said he had no right to make the allegation without the permission of the woman involved and expressed deep regret for the comments.
“In the course of today’s media conference when responding to further questions, I deeply regret my insensitive response to a question from a News Ltd journalist,” the Prime Minister said in his statement.
He acknowledged that News Corp had rejected the claim. “I accept their account. I was wrong to raise it, the emotion of the moment is no excuse,” he said.
ABC boss David Anderson ‘confident of journalism’ in Christian Porter case
ABC managing director David Anderson has delivered a staunch defence of the national broadcaster’s coverage of historical rape allegations against Attorney-General Christian Porter, telling a Senate hearing that quality journalism “occasionally makes life uncomfortable and difficult for governments of all persuasions”, reports News Corp’s James Madden.
Anderson prefaced questions from a cross-party panel of senators on Tuesday by stating there were limits to what he could say about the ABC’s handling of the Porter matter because of the defamation suit launched by the Attorney-General against the broadcaster and reporter Louise Milligan. “The Attorney-General continues to be entitled to the presumption of innocence and the public broadcaster has reflected this in its reporting,” he said.
“Nothing happens.” ACMA grilled over lack of powers
Media watchdog the Australian Communications and Media Authority has been grilled over a lack of outcomes following a breach found against the ABC, reports TV Tonight.
The ABC disagreed with a finding over a Four Corners “Cash Splash” story in 2019, when ACMA ruled it in breach of the ABC’s own Code of Practice for failing to offer adequate impartiality.
Appearing yesterday before the Senate Estimates ABC’s ABC Editorial Director Craig McMurtrie indicated the broadcaster “respectfully disagreed with the regulator” and that the finding was not a “correct application of our Code.”
But ACMA chair Nerida O’Loughlin was also quizzed by Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie over why a breach finding resulted in no action or outcome if ABC was simply able to disagree with the finding.
ABC lawyer who advises Four Corners in hot water for anti-Morrison and anti-Liberal tweets
An ABC lawyer who provided legal advice for Monday night’s Four Corners episode on the Morrison government’s handling of Brittany Higgins’ rape allegations faces an internal investigation for posting disparaging tweets against Scott Morrison and the Coalition, reports News Corp’s Richard Ferguson.
Sebastien Maury, who is credited on Monday’s Four Corners episode, has called the Morrison government “fascist” and labelled the Prime Minister an “awful human being”.
In tweets as early as this month, Maury compared Attorney-General Christian Porter and his denial of rape allegations to the accusations of sexual assault levelled at US Supreme Court justice Brett Kavanagh.
Radio
Radio host Erin Molan on her mental health after being let go by 2GB
Erin Molan has revealed she “struggled” when she was dumped from the Continuous Call Team late last year, reports News Corp’s Karlie Rutherford.
Molan, who is now one third of 2DayFM’s The Breakfast Crew, was let go from 2GB after they failed to renew her contract because of COVID financial pressures.
While the talented journalist tells Sydney Confidential she was disappointed with that decision at the time, she now sees it as a blessing.
‘It’s only with the hindsight that I have now, that I realise this is what our industry is about. You look at things that didn’t work, opportunities that didn’t work out and things you might have been dumped from and without all that I wouldn’t be where I am today,” she says.
Entertainment
Michael Gudinski to be honoured at state memorial service
Michael Gudinski will have an ARIA award renamed in his memory, ahead of the late music industry icon’s state memorial tonight, reports News Corp’s Cameron Adams.
The ARIA Award for Best Breakthrough Artist will now be known as The Michael Gudinski Breakthrough Artist ARIA Award.
Gudinski, who passed away on March 2, was passionate about New Australian artists – championing Mia Wray, D’Arcy Spiller, the Rubens, Gordi, Violent Soho, DMAs, Merci, Mercy and the Teskey Brothers in recent years.
Gudinski’s family signed off on the new, permanent ARIA award in his honour this week.
Television
Ellen DeGeneres Loses 1 Million Viewers After Apologies for Toxic Workplace
When Ellen DeGeneres returned from a summer hiatus to open the 18th season of her daytime talk show in September, she came armed with an apology, reports The New York Times’ John Koblin.
“I learned that things happen here that never should have happened,” she said. “I take that very seriously. And I want to say I am so sorry to the people who were affected.” Those remarks came in the wake of reports of workplace misconduct at The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Viewers tuned in for the apology: This year’s season opener had the highest ratings for an Ellen premiere in four years. And then they tuned out. Ellen has lost more than a million viewers since September, according to the research firm Nielsen, averaging 1.5 million viewers over the last six months, down from 2.6 million in the same period last year.