Entertainment
Shelley Duvall, star of The Shining and Annie Hall, dies aged 75
Shelley Duvall, the much-loved US character actor and star of films such as The Shining, Annie Hall and Popeye, has died four days after her 75th birthday, reports The Guardian‘s Catherine Shoard.
Duvall died in her sleep of complications from diabetes at her home in Blanco, Texas, according to Dan Gilroy, who had been her life partner since 1989.
Gilroy told The Hollywood Reporter: “My dear, sweet, wonderful life partner and friend left us. Too much suffering lately, now she’s free. Fly away, beautiful Shelley.”
Can movies for grown-ups still sell tickets? ‘Fly Me to the Moon’ is a test.
Fly Me to the Moon is the kind of movie that isn’t supposed to succeed in theatres anymore, at least if you listen to franchise-obsessed studio executives, reports The New York Times‘ Brooks Barnes.
The story is a period piece and completely original: In 1968, a government operative (Woody Harrelson) hires a marketing virtuoso (Scarlett Johansson) to convince the public – and Congress – that a troubled NASA can pull off its scheduled Apollo 11 moon landing. Stylish and devious, she clashes with the rigid launch director (Channing Tatum) and secretly – as a backup, to be used only in an emergency – arranges for a fake landing to be filmed on a soundstage. What’s the harm?
Business of Media
ACCC takes The Good Guys to court over misleading and deceptive conduct claims
Alleged false or misleading promotions to customers have landed consumer goods retailer The Good Guys in court, reports News Corp’s Angelica Snowden.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has claimed the JB Hi-Fi-owned discount goods warehouse incorrectly told customers the only hurdle to qualify for a store credit, called StoreCash, was spending a certain amount of money on specific products online or in store
They were also required to sign up to receive marketing communications in order to obtain the store credit, the ACCC alleged.
Beastie Boys sue Chili’s owner over ‘Sabotage’ ads
The Beastie Boys have sued restaurant owner Brinker International in New York federal court, saying Brinker used the legendary rap trio’s 1994 song “Sabotage” to promote the Chili’s chain without their permission, reports Reuters‘ Blake Brittain.
The group said in its complaint filed on Wednesday, opens new tab that Brinker unlawfully used “Sabotage” in Chili’s social-media ads, falsely implying that the Beastie Boys endorsed the casual-dining restaurants.
Attorneys for the Beastie Boys and spokespeople for Brinker did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the lawsuit on Thursday.
Germany in deal to cut Huawei’s role in 5G wireless network, sources say
The German government and mobile phone carriers have agreed in principle on steps to phase components by Chinese technology companies out of the nation’s 5G wireless network over the next five years, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday, reports Reuters‘ Andreas Rinke.
Newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung as well as broadcasters NDR and WDR earlier jointly reported the news, saying the agreement gives network operators Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone and Telefonica Deutschland more time to replace critical parts.
Under the preliminary agreement driven by security considerations, operators will initially rid the country’s core network of 5G data centres of technology made by companies such as Huawei and ZTE in 2026, said the sources, adding that a final pact has yet to be signed.
Race to buy The Telegraph is back on: DMG Media is OUT
Daily Mail owner DMGT has pulled out of the race to buy The Telegraph as the auction process starts for a second time, reports The Press Gazette‘s Charlotte Tobitt.
DMGT, which also owns the Metro and the i newspapers, feared a “protracted regulatory process” amid potential competition concerns if it won the auction and said this could affect its ability to grow its own existing business.
The open auction process to buy The Telegraph and The Spectator magazine is restarting after a failed bid by the Jeff Zucker-led Redbird IMI, a joint investment vehicle between US private equity firm Redbird and Abu Dhabi-backed vehicle International Media Investments.
Sports Media
How Tour de France is lifting SBS
Tour de France has been delivering strong audiences to SBS since it began on June 29, reports TV Tonight‘s David Knox.
According to SBS its highest national Total TV Reach has been 944,000 viewers for Stage 2.
While Reach may be a contentious figure in ratings reports, it does become more contextully relevant when broadcasts can extend for over 5 hours. When a race finishes as late as 1:45am not everybody makes it to the finish line.
Helping to gauge its success is the broadcasting share SBS is attracting across the event. On Saturday it went above 10 and ABC to give SBS third place for the night at 14.7%. At the moment, Tour de France is helping SBS to double points every night.
See also: Tour de France 2024 TV Guide: Where and when every stage, plus commentator guide
Podcasts
‘Armchair Expert’ podcast host Dax Shepard signs $80 Million deal with Amazon
Comedian Dax Shepard has signed a roughly $80 million podcasting deal with Amazon, shifting his popular Armchair Expert show to its Wondery platform from Spotify, according to people familiar with the matter, reports The Wall Street Journal‘s Anne Steel.
Wondery will exclusively distribute and sell ads for Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard, as well as co-produce two new podcasts. The agreement also includes a livestream of the show each year with Shepard and a first-look option for any new podcasts he creates.
The deal is part of a wave of new podcast deals being forged after a boom-and-bust cycle for the format over the past five years. It underscores how the format is evolving in its new, more sober era, and the new ways platforms are trying to monetise hot shows and their stars.
Television
“I have that liberty… of being able to say what the audience is thinking”
Tonight Seven News Sydney bulletin is expected to feature its first satirical segment, The 6.57pm News, from Mark Humphries, reports TV Tonght‘s David Knox.
The addition of the former ABC and SBS comedian marks part of changes under news boss Anthony De Ceglie.
Ahead of the launch Humphries spoke with The Nightly, owned by Seven West Media, and addressed some concerns following his move to commercial news.
“I’m in two minds of trying to keep everyone that’s concerned about this segment, having them feel relaxed, but at the same time, feeling like I do want it to be something a bit different,” Humphries said. “I do want you to occasionally go, ‘Oh, that was surprising’ and ‘Oh, that was quite sharp. I do like to think that occasionally that stuff I do has a bit of teeth.
Why the next Baby Reindeer may be too afraid to step into the spotlight
The Netflix drama Baby Reindeer was supposed to be the streaming platform’s breakout hit of 2024, but has instead become a legal headache for the streamer worth a potential US$170 million payout to English-born Scottish lawyer Fiona Harvey, who claims to be the real-life inspiration for one of its characters, reports Nine Publishing’s Michael Idato.
That case has now become a crucible in which the traditional playing pieces of documentary, docudrama and “based-on-a-true-story” television dramas are being put to the torch. At stake? The boundary between documentary and “true crime” or “true life” fiction.
Ray Martin explores death for ‘unconventional’ SBS Series ‘The Last Goodbye’
Dying. Like visiting the toilet, we all have to do it sometime but no one wants to talk about it, reports The Brag‘s Lars Brandle.
Veteran journalist and broadcaster Ray Martin explores the grim subject as he plans his own funeral for the three-part SBS special “The Last Goodbye,” set to air from 14th August.
At 79 years of age, the five-time Logie Award winner, like the rest of us, isn’t getting any younger.
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Top Image: Shelley Duvall on Tom Snyder’s ‘The Tomorrow Show’ 1981. Source: YouTube/@Shelley Duvall Archive