Sports Media
State of Origin Game 3: Queensland Maroons go down to NSW Blues 14-4 in historic decider
Courageous Queensland were denied a hat-trick of titles as a fast and ferocious NSW side shattered their 19-year Suncorp hoodoo with a 14-4 victory to become State of Origin champions, reports News Corp’s Peter Badel.
In arguably the most brutally brilliant contest in Origin’s 44-year history, the Maroons and NSW traded blows like heavyweights before the Blues landed the knockout punch before 52,547 fans at Suncorp Stadium.
The Maroons were chasing an Origin three-peat but coach Billy Slater was left to taste his first series loss as two tries in four minutes to Bradman Best and Mitchell Moses broke Queensland’s spirit.
What you said about 2024 State of Origin Game 3 at Suncorp Stadium
There were cheers, tears, biffs and the usual claims of bias, reports News Corp’s Courier Mail.
The Origin decider had it all, with NSW claiming a historic 14-4 victory in front of a pumping Suncorp Stadium.
The Blues came from behind in the series to snap Queensland’s two-year reign, in a contest widely considered one of the best ever.
That was one of the few things fans from either side agreed on, however.
Television
Naomi Watts, Elizabeth Debicki lead Aussie Emmy nominations
Australian actress Naomi Watts leads Australia’s nominations for the 76th annual Emmy Awards, recognised for her stunning performance as American socialite Babe Paley in the critically acclaimed Feud: Capote vs The Swans, reports Nine Publishing’s Michael Idato.
She is joined by Elizabeth Debicki, who is nominated in the supporting actress category, for her performance as Diana, Princess of Wales, in Netflix’s drama The Crown.
The nominations for what will be this year’s second Emmy awards (more on that in a moment) were a mix of familiar faces and arrivistes, ranging from category stalwarts such as Saturday Night Live and RuPaul’s Drag Race, to brassy newcomers like Baby Reindeer and Shōgun.
Craig James, CommSec TV star and economist, announces shattering health blow
One of Australia’s most prominent TV finance gurus has revealed he is battling Parkinson’s disease, reports The Daily Telegraph‘s Stephen Johnson.
Craig James, the chief economist at CommSec, has appeared in finance updates from breakfast TV to the evening news for two decades – making him one of the most quoted experts in the Australian media.
But the respected 62-year-old commentator is now facing his biggest challenge yet as he battles the cruel uncertainty wrought by Parkinson’s disease.
Men still outnumber women in reality TV production roles, study finds
Gender imbalance persists among producers of unscripted TV programs in the US and abroad, a study has found, reports The Brag’s Selena Kuznikov.
The report, conducted by Banijay Group, Everywoman Studios and the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, focused on the representation of women behind the scenes on 360 reality TV shows that aired in the US, UK, Brazil and France between 2021 and 2023.
For roles such as executive producers, creators and showrunners, women are outnumbered by men in all of reality TV production, the study found. Men comprise 58.4% of executive producer, supervising producer and show creator roles.
Gogglebox Australia returns for a milestone 20th season
And they said it wouldn’t last!, reports News Corp’s Christine Estera.
Gogglebox Australia is set to return for its milestone 20th season.
All our favourite armchair critics will be back on Foxtel and Ten on August 14, with more crazy commentary and comedy, if the new trailer released today is anything to go by.
Business of Media
Musk says he will move X and SpaceX headquarters out of California
Elon Musk is fed up with California, reports The Wall Street Journal‘s Joseph Pisani, Alexa Corse and Micah Maidenberg.
The billionaire entrepreneur said Tuesday he was relocating the headquarters of two of his companies, X Corp. and SpaceX, to Texas from California. The moves, announced days after he endorsed Donald Trump for president, further illustrate how Musk has increasingly aligned himself with conservative stances on social issues.
His disclosures followed the move by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, to sign a new law Monday that aims to prevent schools from informing families if their children identify as gay or transgender.
Govt establishes Indo-Pacific Media Fund
The Australian Government has announced more than $68 million over five years to deliver its Indo-Pacific Broadcasting Strategy, reports TV Tonight‘s David Knox.
There are three key areas that the Strategy focuses on:
• Support the creation and distribution of compelling Australian content that engages audiences and demonstrates Australia’s commitment to the region.
• Enhance access in the region to trusted sources of media, including news and current affairs.
• Strengthen regional media capacity and capability and boost connections between Australian-based and Indo-Pacific media and content creators.
To help media organisations in the Pacific, Southeast Asia and South Asia provide quality media services, the Government is establishing the Indo-Pacific Media Fund.
Reality TV slowdown drives Hollywood production decline
Los Angeles experienced a hefty decline in reality TV production as Hollywood worked to recover from dual labour strikes last year, according to statistics released on Wednesday, reports Reuters‘ Lisa Richwine.
Actors, writers and crew members have been hoping for a rebound in filming across all genres after last year’s strikes halted most production starting in July.
But from April through June this year, the number of on-location filming days in the Los Angeles area fell 12.4% below already low levels of a year earlier, a report from permitting organisation FilmLA found. The organisation issued permits for 5,749 shooting days during the quarter this year.
Larry Light, marketer behind revival of McDonald’s, dies at 83
Larry Light, a McDonald’s executive who oversaw a worldwide marketing campaign in the early 2000s that was built around the slogan ‘I’m lovin’ it’, which revived that fast-food chain when it was in the doldrums, died on June 24 in Boca Raton, Fla. He was 83, reports The New York Times‘ Richard Sandomir.
His daughter Laura Light said the cause was aspiration pneumonia, adding that Parkinson’s disease was listed as a secondary cause.
When he was hired in 2002 as the global chief marketing officer of McDonald’s, Light was a consultant who had built his expertise in branding over more than 20 years as an advertising executive.
Spain proposes tightening rules on media to tackle fake news
Spain announced measures on Wednesday designed to curb the spread of fake news, an initiative blasted by the country’s conservative opposition as an attempt to censor critical media, reports Reuters‘ Inti Landauro.
“Without free media of quality, there is no democracy,” Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in an address to the lower house. “Without reliable and diverse sources of information, the citizens are blind.”
The proposal come at a time when debate about media freedom and the policing of harmful or misleading content has intensified with the European Parliament election and other elections in Europe, India and the United States.
Entertainment
Russo Bros. in talks to direct next two ‘Avengers’ movies
Joe and Anthony Russo are assembling a team — once again, reports The Hollywood Reporter‘s Borys Kit and Aaron Couch.
The Russo Bros. are in early talks to return to Marvel Studios to direct not just one, but the next two Avengers movies, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter.
The hiring ends a months-long, high stakes search by the studio for filmmakers to oversee the fifth and sixth Avengers movies. Multiple names were in contention, including Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy, who was offered the gig. Sources say the talks are in the early stages.