Business of Media
‘Hollow’: how the Australian government’s 2050 net zero pledge was reported around the world
The Australian government’s net zero by 2050 plan has been met with scepticism overseas, with major international media organisations labelling Scott Morrison’s announcement this week “hollow” and “hard to believe”, reports Guardian Australia’s Rafqa Touma.
Some of the harshest criticism came from CNN, which labelled Australia “the rich world’s weakest link at Cop26”. The broadcaster contrasted the Morrison government’s “defiant” climate plan against the US, UK and EU’s efforts to legislate net zero and cut greenhouse gas emissions.
The BBC’s coverage was also cynical of how Australia – as a “massive exporter” of fossil fuels with “some of the highest emissions per head of population” – has “long dragged its heels on climate action”.
‘South Park’ creators clarify Paramount+ movies plan, reveal new details
It has been two years since a new season of South Park arrived due to the pandemic, but fans can rest easy as the Comedy Central staple is returning in early 2022. And before 2021 is up, two new South Park made-for-TV films will drop separately on Paramount+, reports The Hollywood Reporter’s Ryan Parker.
On the heels of signing a $900 million mega-deal with ViacomCBS, creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone caught up with The Hollywood Reporter to talk about the future of their iconic cartoon, the trials and tribulations of remote producing among the ongoing pandemic, and their exuberance over a classic character’s return to form thanks to the outcome of the 2020 election, among much more.
South Park: Post Covid is the first of the 14 “made-for-TV films,” as the duo calls them, which will drop exclusively on Paramount+ Nov. 25.
Google’s profit and revenue soared in the third quarter.
Google’s parent company, Alphabet, shrugged off any concerns about a downturn in online advertising with another quarter of blockbuster earnings, lifted by continued strong demand for ads on YouTube and steady growth at its cloud computing business, report New York Times’ Daisuke Wakabayashi.
Alphabet said on Tuesday that net profit in the third quarter rose 68 percent, to $18.94 billion, while revenue jumped 41 percent, to $65.12 billion. The results topped analysts’ estimates for $16.2 billion in profit and sales of $63.5 billion, according to data provided by FactSet.
News Brands
ABC managing director David Anderson made decision to pay Milligan’s legal costs without board approval
ABC managing director David Anderson failed to consult the public broadcaster’s board before he decided that the taxpayer would cover the legal costs – which stand at $184,000, and rising — of a successful defamation action brought against high-profile reporter Louise Milligan for a social media post she made on her private Twitter account, reports News Corp’s James Madden and Sophie Elsworth.
In a tweet posted in March, Milligan falsely suggested federal MP Andrew Laming “upskirted” a woman – her social media post simply read “Laming upskirts”, despite the fact the Liberal politician was never charged, let alone convicted, of any crime relating to a photograph he took of a woman at a Queensland workplace.
“Some people are disciplined. Other people are simply counselled.”
ABC managing director David Anderson was this week asked how the broadcaster enforces its Personal Use of Social Media Guidelines under the ABC Code of Conduct, reports TV Tonight.
It follows high-profile defamation cases where public figures have chosen to sue over personal social media posts.
Speaking at a Senate hearing this week, chair Liberal Senator Andrew Bragg suggested “dozens and dozens” of staff were seemingly in breach of ABC policy.
David Anderson offered to look into specific cases, but said the vast majority of staff have understood guidelines and modified their behaviour.
Podcast
Daniel Johns shares how he developed an eating disorder as a teen because of Silverchair success
Daniel Johns would go for three-hour long walks with his dog in the middle of the night to “lose weight” during the height of his battle with anorexia in the late 90s, reports News Corp’s Kathy McCabe.
Johns developed an eating disorder in his late teens after the band released their second album Freak Show and his mental health was eroded by Silverchair’s fame and the constant bullying he suffered when home in Newcastle.
In the second episode of the Who Is Daniel Johns? podcast, the musician reveals he became a recluse after the band’s second album, shutting himself away in his childhood bedroom with his dog Sweep, listening to his favourite hard rock and metal music.
Television
Never made public before, rare footage reveals ‘first’ Australian TV game show
Rare footage of what is believed to be Australia’s first television game show has been released by the National Film and Sound Archive – 68 years after it was filmed and almost 30 years after it was donated to the collection, reports SMH’s Karl Quinn.
The 11-minute 40-second episode of Ask Me Another, a long-running radio quiz based on 20 Questions and hosted by Jack Davey, was filmed before a live audience at 2GB’s Macquarie Auditorium in Phillip Street, Sydney on Tuesday, June 30, 1953.
That was more than three years before Bruce Gyngell ushered in what is generally accepted as the birth of the medium in this country with the words “Good evening, and welcome to television” on September 16, 1956.
HBO’s Succession renewed for season 4
Get ready for more family time with the Roys. HBO has announced that it has (unsurprisingly) renewed the Emmy-winning drama Succession for a fourth season, reports News Corp’s Abby Monteil.
The show’s third season premiered on October 18 in Australia on Foxtel, with new episodes airing weekly on Mondays.
“With each season of Succession, Jesse Armstrong has continued to surpass our wildest expectations, pulling us deeper into the Roy family’s inner sanctum with indelible wit, humanity, and precision,” said Francesca Orsi, executive vice president of HBO Programming, in a statement.
Stranger danger put to the TV test
A current affairs stunt debated by Frontline characters in 1995 as a ‘how-to’ in child abduction will be played out for real in 2021’s Parental Guidance, reports TV Tonight.
The reality series which compares parenting styles sees an actor walking a dog, attempting to lure the children of its participants in order to raise the topic of stranger danger.
10 groups of parents, ranging from Strict parenting style to Tiger parenting, Nature parenting, Helicopter parenting and Free range parenting face challenges before parenting expert Dr Justin Coulson and host Ally Langdon. Over nine episodes they compare styles and share advice, sometimes confronting in their viewpoints.
“It’s the parenting style which is under the microscope, not the children. Some of the challenges were absolute disasters, but they stayed true to their style. So is that actually a disaster or is it a success?” says Langdon.
Ex-Bachelorette Angie Kent pleads guilty to drink driving
A magistrate has slammed TV star Angie Kent for her driving record after the ex-Bachelorette pleaded guilty to a drink driving charge, reports News Corp’s Candace Sutton.
She fined the star $1200 and disqualified her from driving for four months, citing Kent’s record.
Kent, who has multiple driving offences including a previous drink driving charge in 2014, said she was “utterly embarrassed and apologetic” after blowing .081 when police pulled her over at a RBT stop earlier this month.